12/19/2019

Message from Beth--December 19, 2019

The legislature has wrapped up the first year of the 133^rd Ohio General Assembly  with plans to be back mid-January.  While much was done in the first year, including the transportation budget with an additional $865 million in new dollars and codifying the “Tech Cred” program to reimburse employers $2000 for workforce training programs. (click here for more information on the program).  This coming year, we anticipate the general assembly will be working on the following issues before heading home for the 2020 elections.

Occupational Licensure continues to be introduced in many different variations and ACEC Ohio continues to monitor and comment where appropriate to protect the licensed professional engineer. Key bills under consideration:

• HB 432 and SB 235, Universal Licensing: Requires a licensing authority to issue a license or government certification under certain circumstances to an applicant who holds an out-of-state occupational license.
• HB 263 To revise the initial occupational licensing restrictions applicable to individuals convicted of criminal offenses.
• Already passed, S.B. 7 which requires state occupational licensing agencies to issue temporary licenses to members of the military and spouses who are licensed in another jurisdiction and have moved to Ohio for military duty.

H2Ohio was initially funded in the general revenue fund budget, each chamber has a bill addressing long term policy and funding, HB 7 and SB 2.  Both bills have passed their respective chamber and are moving through the process.

Governor DeWine’s Distracted Driving Initiative will be addressed in legislation early next year. A Distracted Driving Task Force recommended policy changes, harsher penalties, and educational initiatives in hopes of reducing traffic crashes and fatalities related to distracted driving.

Items ACEC Ohio continues to advocate for passage in 2020:

• H.B. 159: The ACEC Ohio Indemnification clause bill continues to be stalled by opponents that don’t understand that design professionals are willing to take on our proportional share of negligence but not everyone else’s.  A substitute bill has been drafted to address issues raise by opponents.
• S.B. 136: The creation of a payment assurance (lien) program on commercial property for design professionals has had two hearings in the Ohio Senate, with ACEC Ohio providing proponent testimony.

See all legislation ACEC Ohio is monitoring in State Issues

Wishing you a safe and joyous holiday season!

~Beth