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May 10, 2024

UPDATE AT A GLANCE

Here are items of note from this week:

• Congratulations to OML Board Member and Zanesville Mayor Don Mason, who this week officially became the chair of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation. The foundation is tasked with distributing funds received by the state from the pharmaceutical industry as a consequence of its role in the national opioid epidemic. 

• A webinar will take place Monday, May 13, as OML launches its new Statehouse Leaders Academy, which will help prepare current municipal leaders to be the next generation of state legislators. Current municipal officials with interest in a potential run for the Ohio General Assembly -- or those want to learn more about how state and municipal government overlap -- can find out more about the opportunity here.

• OML provided interested party testimony this week on House Bill 331, legislation sponsored by Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) and Rep. Tom Young (R-Washington Twp.) that would automatically put a question of village dissolution on the ballot if a village does not provide a certain number of services or does not have enough candidates run for office. OML's testimony can be viewed here. Bill Analysis

• House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) filled the chair position of several House committees this week. They include: Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport) as chair of the Agriculture Committee; Rep. Gayle Manning (R-N. Ridgeville) as chair of the Primary & Secondary Education Committee; Rep. Scott Wiggam (R-Wooster) as chair of the State & Local Government Committee; Rep. Thomas Hall (R-Middletown) as chair of the Energy & Natural Resources Committee; and Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) as chair of the Public Health Policy Committee. Rep. Hall is no longer chair of the Technology & Innovation, although Rep. Melanie Miller (R-Ashland) is now chair of that committee. Rep. Mathews is no longer chair of the Pensions Committee, and that chairmanship remains vacant, along with the House Constitutional Resolutions Committee.

• Although both the House and Senate were considering fixes to ensure President Biden could be on the ballot in Ohio this fall after a discrepancy about when Ohio requires major parties to submit the names of their presidential candidates to the state and when the Democratic National Committee (DNC) holds its convention, the fix was not implemented this week. The House had amended Senate Bill 92 but did not pass it, and the Senate amended House Bill 114 to include the fix. However, the House did not concur on the bill that was amended in the Senate, leaving the issue unaddressed.

• Sponsor testimony took place this week during the first hearing on House Bill 396. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Sean Brennan (D-Parma) and Rep. Josh Williams (R-Oregon), and it would allow local police departments to apply for $20,000 grants to replace each of their canines that have been affected as a result of the legalization of recreational marijuana through Issue 2. Bill Analysis

• A first hearing, with sponsor testimony from Rep. Josh Williams (R-Oregon) was held in the House Government Oversight Committee on House Bill 475. The bill would take Local Government Funding (LGF) away from local governments that provide funding for abortion providers or related services, deducting the funds at a 1:1 ratio, similar to past legislation related to traffic cameras. Bill Analysis

• The House Criminal Justice Committee heard sponsor testimony on two different bills aimed at addressing the issue of squatting, unlawfully occupying a residential property. House Bill 478 is sponsored Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) and Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Canal Winchester). House Bill 480 is sponsored by Rep. Tom Young (R-Dayton) and Rep. Steve Demetriou (R-Bainbridge Twp.). Both bills will receive proponent testimony on Tuesday, May 14. Guidance for testifying can be viewed here. More information can be found in the article below.

• Rep. Jodi Whitted (D-Madeira) was sworn in Wednesday to represent the 28th House District in the Cincinnati area, following the resignation of former Rep. Jessica Miranda (D-Cincinnati) last month to become Hamilton County Auditor. 

• The Ohio Department of Natural Resources is accepting applications for the 2024 H2Ohio Statewide Wetland Grant Program, which provides reimbursements of up to 100%. Applications are due June 7, and more information is available here. 

• $3 million in funding was announced for 42 local law enforcement agencies through the Ohio Drug Law Enforcement Fund to help their drug task forces enforce the state’s drug laws and combat illegal drug activity. The recipients can be viewed here.

• $40.9 million in funding was announced for 27 new traffic safety projects focused on protecting pedestrians and preventing roadway departures. Details of the projects can be viewed here.

• Two rounds of funding were awarded as part of Ohio's Wonderful Waterfronts Initiative to economic development projects along Ohio's Appalachian waterfront to expand access to local waterways, revitalize historic riverfront downtowns, and create new tourism and recreational opportunities. The first round of projects can be viewed here, and the second round or projects can be viewed here.

• The U.S. EPA announced more than $184 million that will be coming to Ohio through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to identify and replace lead service lines, preventing exposure to lead in drinking water. More information is available here.

HOUSE COMMITTEE TAKES ON BILLS RELATED TO SQUATTING

This week, the House Criminal Justice Committee heard testimony on two different bills aimed at addressing the issue of squatting -- unlawfully occupying a residential property.

House Bill 478 is sponsored by Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) and Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Canal Winchester). It allows a property owner to request the immediate removal of a person who is squatting and and expands the definition of criminal mischief to include unlawfully detaining, occupying or trespassing upon a residential dwelling and intentionally causing damage. Rep. Edwards said in addition to providing options for property owners, they are looking to close loopholes in Ohio law that are currently being taken advantage of by squatters throughout the state. The bill analysis can be viewed here.

A similar bill, House Bill 480, is being sponsored by Rep. Tom Young (R-Dayton) and Rep. Steve Demetriou (R-Bainbridge Twp.). That bill analysis can be viewed here.

The difference between the bills is that House Bill 480 includes an emergency clause. Under the bill, a property owner would be permitted to request a sheriff's office to immediately remove a person unlawfully occupying a residential premise if nine conditions are met. It also gives a course of action, civil action, if a property owner is wrongfully removed from their home.

Both bills will receive proponent testimony on Tuesday, May 14. Guidance for testifying can be viewed here.

NEWLY INTRODUCED

BILLS OF MUNICIPAL INTEREST



Below is the list of bills that were newly introduced and that are impactful to Ohio municipalities:

HB519 - CLEAN OHIO FUND (Hall, T; Sweeney, B) 

To restore the Clean Ohio Fund to be administered by the Department of Development and the Clean Ohio Council.

Bill Text

HB522 - REPEAT OFFENDER ACT (Willis, B; Williams, J) 

To enact the Repeat Offender Act to create a repeat offender classification, to create certain specifications, to increase the penalties for certain firearm offenses and specifications, to broaden the scope of relief from firearms disability, and to allow automatic sealing for fourth and fifth degree felonies.

Bill Text

COMMITTEE RECAP

BILLS OF MUNICIPAL INTEREST



Below is the list of bills that received a legislative committee hearing this week and that are impactful to Ohio municipalities:

Legislation Receiving a First Hearing

HB396 - REPLACE MARIJUANA POLICE DOGS (Willams, J; Brennan, S) 

To provide funding for the replacement of police dogs imprinted to detect marijuana, to reimburse those expenses from adult use excise tax revenue, and to make an appropriation. First hearing in House Finance Committee.

Bill Analysis

HB475 - PROHIBIT STATE FUNDING-ABORTION (Williams, J) 

To prohibit state funds from being given to any entity that supports, promotes, or provides abortions, to require counties and municipal corporations to report abortion-related spending, and to withhold and reallocate to pregnancy resource centers state local government funds from a county or municipal corporation that engages in such spending. First hearing in House Government Oversight.

Bill Analysis

HB478 - EXPEDITED REMOVAL-UNAUTHORIZED OCCUPANTS (Edwards, J; LaRe, J) 

To provide for the expedited removal of unauthorized occupants of residential property and to prohibit the use and sale of fraudulent deeds. First hearing in House Criminal Justice.

Bill Analysis

HB480 - EXPEDITED REMOVAL-UNAUTHORIZED OCCUPANTS (Young, T; Demetriou, S) 

To provide for the expedited removal of unauthorized occupants of residential property, to prohibit the use and sale of fraudulent deeds, and to declare an emergency. First hearing in House Criminal Justice.

Bill Analysis

HB499 - HOUSING GRANTS; REVISE PROPERTY LAW (Mathews, A; Isaacsohn, D) 

To create grant programs for housing developments near megaprojects and for townships and municipalities that adopt pro-housing policies, to modify the community reinvestment area law relating to residential property, and to limit the 10% nonbusiness property tax credit. First hearing in House Government Oversight.

Bill Analysis

SB244 - PROPERTY TAX-RESIDENTIAL STABILITY ZONES (Reynolds, M; Craig, H) 

To authorize local governments to create residential stability zones where homeowners may qualify for a partial property tax exemption. First hearing in Senate Ways and Means.

Bill Analysis

SB245 - REVISE ORC HOUSING LAWS (Reynolds, M; Craig, H)

To revise the law governing eviction, real estate representation agreements, residential building code enforcement, and real property transfers, and to amend the version of section 3781.10 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2025, to continue the changes after that date. First hearing in Senate Select Committee on Housing.

Bill Analysis

Legislation Receiving Additional Hearings

HB37 - OVI PENALTIES (Johnson, M; Miller, K) 

To modify the law related to OVI-related offenses. Reported out at eighth hearing of House Criminal Justice.

Bill Analysis

HB56 - POLICE PURSUIT, FLEEING PENALTIES (Plummer, P; White, A) 

To require law enforcement entities to train officers related to the pursuit of a motor vehicle and to increase penalties for fleeing from law enforcement and forms of stunt driving. Amended in third hearing of Senate Judiciary.

Amendment 1194 | Amendment 2044 | Bill Analysis

HB258 - TOBACCO SALES TO MINORS (Carruthers, S) 

To increase fines for repeatedly selling tobacco products to minors and to apply the public nuisance law to places where such sales occur. First hearing in Senate Judiciary.

Bill Analysis

HB331 - VILLAGE DISSOLUTION (Mathews, A; Young, T) 

To modify the law regarding village dissolution. Reported out as amended at fourth hearing of House Government Oversight.

Amendment | Bill Analysis

HB370 - STATE HIGHWAYS IN VILLAGES, CITIES (Edwards, J) 

To clarify and amend the laws related to the Director of Transportation's responsibilities for state highways located in villages and cities. Third hearing in House Transportation.

Bill Analysis

SB92 - POLITICAL PARTY CERTIFICATION OF PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE (McColley, R; Gavarone, T) 

To modify the deadline for a political party to certify its nominees for President and Vice President to the Secretary of State. Substitute bill accepted and reported out at second hearing of House Government Oversight Committee.

Bill Analysis

FLOOR PASSAGE

BILLS OF MUNICIPAL INTEREST



Below is the list of bills impactful to Ohio municipalities that have been passed by either the House of Senate. 

HB265 - EXEMPTIONS FOR PUBLIC RECORDS LAW (Wiggam, S ; Hall, T) 

To exempt redaction request forms, affidavits, and the records of the work schedules of designated public service workers from disclosure under public records law. Passed by House 89-0 and will be moved to the Senate for further consideration.

Bill Analysis

COMMITTEE SCHEDULE

Tuesday, May 14, 2024

HOUSE STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Tue., May. 14, 2024, 1:00 PM, Hearing Room 114

Rep. Wiggam: 614-466-1474

HB491 - STATE, LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE DATABASE REQUIREMENTS (YOUNG T, PETERSON B)

To require a political subdivision or state retirement system to provide information on expenditures to the Treasurer of State for inclusion in the Ohio State and Local Government Expenditure Database.

           First Hearing, Sponsor Testimony

HB85 - LAND BANKS - DELINQUENT PROPERTY (PATTON T) To expand the methods by which land banks can acquire delinquent property.

           Third Hearing, All Testimony

HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS

Tue., May. 14, 2024, 2:30 PM, Hearing Room 122

Rep. Roemer: 614-644-5085

HB386 - PHASE OUT STATE INCOME TAX (MATHEWS A, LAMPTON B)

To phase-out the state income tax on nonbusiness income over six years and to repeal the commercial activity tax after 2029.

           Second Hearing, Proponent Testimony

HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Tue., May. 14, 2024, 3:15 PM, Hearing Room 121

Rep. Abrams: 614-466-9091

HB478 - EXPEDITED REMOVAL-UNAUTHORIZED OCCUPANTS (EDWARDS J, LARE J)

To provide for the expedited removal of unauthorized occupants of residential property and to prohibit the use and sale of fraudulent deeds.

           Second Hearing, Proponent Testimony

HB480 - EXPEDITED REMOVAL-UNAUTHORIZED OCCUPANTS (YOUNG T, DEMETRIOU S) To provide for the expedited removal of unauthorized occupants of residential property, to prohibit the use and sale of fraudulent deeds, and to declare an emergency.

           Second Hearing, Proponent Testimony