OML UPDATE AT-A-GLANCE
Here are the top things you need to know from this past week:
· On Thursday, House Bill 377, legislation enabling the second distribution of ARPA funds to Ohio’s local governments, was favorably approved by the House Finance Committee and will now head to the House floor next week. The bill, which received testimony throughout the week including from the league HERE, includes the second and final “traunch” of $422 million for Non-Entitlement Units of Government (NEU’s). In anticipation of the Ohio House passing the bill next week, the Senate Finance Committee has scheduled a first hearing for next Tuesday. The league appreciates the legislatures swift action on this critical legislation.
· By a party-line vote, the Ohio House State & Local Government Committee voted to preempt the ability of municipalities to regulate short term rental operations such as AirBNB and Vrbo enterprises by passing HB563. The legislation will be sent to the Ohio House floor for final action before the Ohio Senate considers the proposal violating Ohio’s Home Rule authorities.
· This week, the House Civil Justice Committee held a first hearing on HB 472, legislation re-introduced by Rep. Ingram (D-Cincinnati) which repeals existing law’s provisions specifying the qualified defenses to a political subdivision’s liability for the negligent operation of a motor vehicle by a member of a municipal corporation’s police or firefighting agency or member of a political subdivision’s emergency medical service while responding to an emergency. This bill has been introduced in previous sessions and was opposed by members of police, fire, and EMS leadership as well as the league. As currently written, the league continues to strongly oppose this bill as it would jeopardize response times for first responders and expose municipalities to endless litigation threatening already disrupted and unstable local budgets. The bill’s analysis is HERE.
· Last Friday, Governor DeWine announced the availability of $70 million in grant opportunities via the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (OEMA) for First Responder Recruitment, Retention, and Resilience and $51 million for Traffic Safety Projects. The list of awarded projects is HERE. Read the article below for more information and how to access the funds.
· Ohio’s Office of Budget and Management (OBM) reported that the state collected record tax revenues in April. This is the highest for a single month in the state’s history. The state brought in 45.6% above estimates, despite April traditionally being the largest month for revenues due to income tax deadlines. In the current fiscal year, OBM says that revenue is ahead of planning estimates by 12%.
· The league would like to alert our members that the National League of Cities (NLC) released a new, comprehensive report “The Next Migration: What Cities Should Know About Climate Change and Populations On The Move”. The report examines how climate change is affecting American cities in the present, and how its impacts will drive domestic migration in the years to come as people leave areas hit hardest by droughts, wildfires, extreme weather, and rising sea levels. The report offers a framework for cities to categorize themselves based on their own unique circumstances, along with considerations and best practices based on what category they fall into (vulnerable cities, recipient cities, and climate destination cities). Ohio is becoming and will become more so a destination location due to our stable climate and abundant resources. In addition to helping cities prepare for the effects of climate change and protect vulnerable residents, the report also dives into solutions and the successes multiple cities have already achieved. You can download and read the report HERE.
· Brownfield Round Two Application Deadline Extended. Applications are now open through May 31, 2022. The Brownfield Remediation Program provides grants for the remediation of Brownfield sites throughout Ohio. Nearly $350 million in funds is available through three application rounds. Round 2 funding is only available for counties who did not meet their $1 million county set-aside in Round 1. Applications can be submitted for the remaining set-asides available. Any requests over the remaining county set-aside will be eligible to apply in Round 3. All remaining funds not exhausted in the first two rounds will be made available statewide in Round 3, which will begin on July 1, 2022. A list of eligible counties and remaining set-asides can be found at development.ohio.gov/brownfield. Questions can be sent to redevelopment@development.ohio.gov.
· Registration is now open for the 2022 OML Regional Conference series. These important and content-packed, one day regional conferences will cover critical information those who work for a municipality need to understand and be familiar with. These events are also an important opportunity to meet and network with other municipal leaders in your area. Topics include updates on ethics issues, a deep dive into Ohio’s Home Rule authorities, issues related to public financing and public records management and much more! For the full agenda and to register, go HERE.
· Registration is open for the Municipal Finance Officers Association of Ohio (MFOA) 2022 Annual Conference! The conference will be held in-person Wednesday, May 18 through Friday, May 20. The event will be held at the Marriott Columbus Northwest located at 5605 Blazer Parkway in Dublin, Ohio. As always CPE, CPIM and FIA credit will be offered for participants. To learn more and to register, click HERE.
FIRST RESPONDER RECRUITMENT, RETENTION, AND RESILIENCE GRANT PROGRAM & TRAFFIC SAFETY PROJECTS FUNDING ANNOUNCED
Grants may be directed toward priorities such as wellness programs addressing mental, physical, and emotional health issues unique to first responders; recruitment and retention efforts to restore workforce levels; onboarding and training costs; and explorer programs to engage young adults about first responder careers.
o The deadline to submit a grant application is June 17, 2022, at 5 p.m.
o Entities can apply for up to two years of funding.
o For technical assistance, contact that Ohio Emergency Management Agency at (614) 306-8461 and ask to speak to the grants’ coordinator.
Traffic Safety Projects
Governor DeWine and ODOT Director Marchbanks announced that ODOT will invest $51 million into new traffic safety improvement projects to specifically address an increase in pedestrian-involved traffic crashes and fatal roadway departures on state and local roads. According to ODOT, fatal crashes involving pedestrians and roadway departures both hit their highest levels in 2021 when compared to the previous decade.
The $51 million in funding will go toward 44 roadway safety projects in 32 counties. Nearly $30 million, or 58 percent, will be awarded to local governments in municipalities, townships, and counties for projects under their jurisdictions. The remaining funds will be used for projects on ODOT-maintained roads and highways.
Of the total funds, ODOT will invest $25.6 million into roadway-departure prevention projects such as widening roadway shoulders, installing center and edge-line rumble strips, and modifying ditches and culverts. Incidents of drivers leaving the travel lane and sideswiping another vehicle, hitting an oncoming vehicle, or colliding with an object on the side of the road typically cause more than half of all traffic deaths and nearly half of all serious traffic injuries in Ohio each year. In 2021, 703 people were killed and 3,390 people were seriously hurt in roadway departure crashes.
Because crashes involving pedestrians are more common on roadways that lack dedicated infrastructure such as sidewalks, paths, and marked crossings, ODOT will invest the remaining $25.5 million in pedestrian projects like sidewalks, high-visibility pedestrian crossings, and road "diets" which reduce the number and width of traffic lanes to prompt drivers to slow down. According to ODOT, 176 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes last year, accounting for 13 percent of all traffic deaths in the state. Another 530 people were seriously injured.
Construction timelines vary for each project; some projects may begin as soon as this year. Funding for these projects will be awarded through ODOT's Highway Safety Improvement. Program. The program invests $158 million annually into safety projects, education, and training to make transportation in Ohio safer and is the largest of any other state funds nationally.
COMMITTEE RECAP: BILLS OF MUNICIPAL INTEREST
HB 377- Local Fiscal Recovery. Sponsored by Rep. Hall (R-Middletown) and Swearingen (R-Huron) would make an appropriation related to coronavirus local fiscal recovery. The bill passed House Finance Committee and will now head to the House floor for a vote.
HB 463- Health Districts. Sponsored by Rep. Stephens (R- Kitts Hill) would eliminate district advisory councils for general health districts and transfer their duties and responsibilities to boards of county commissioners. In its 3rd hearing in the House State & Local Government committee, the committee heard opponent testimony. The League is opposed to this bill.
HB 372- Building Inspectors. Sponsored by Reps. Roemer (R-Richfield) and Ray (R-Wadsworth) would make changes to the law relating to building inspections. The bill was voted out of committee on Tuesday, moving to the House floor for a vote. The League has supported amendments in the Senate version, SB 196, to lengthen the time for a building inspector appeal to 5 days (from 72 hours) and to make the meeting options virtual. The League is neutral on this legislation.
HB 472- Political Subdivision. Sponsored by Rep. Ingram (D-Cincinnati) would eliminate certain defenses to political subdivision liability for an employee's negligent operation of a motor vehicle and reduce damages recoverable against a political subdivision in such actions by the contributory fault of the plaintiff or other parties. During its first hearing, sponsor testimony was given. The League is opposed to this legislation.
HB 563- Rental Property. Sponsored by Reps. Fowler-Arthur (R-Rock Creek) and Ferguson (R-Wintersville) would limit local regulation of short-term rental property. The bill was passed out of House State & Local Government Committee on Tuesday and will head to the House floor for a vote. The League and our members have testified in opposition of this legislation.
