06/09/2023

ACEC Ohio Legislative Update--June 9, 2023

Ohio Senate releases substitute budget bill

The Senate released their version of the GRF budget this week Click here for an overview of HB 33 senate changes and click here is the comparison doc.The State of Ohio continues to be in good financial health, estimates are the fiscal year will end with a surplus of over $2 Billion. Below are some provisions of note we’ve been able to find thus far:

• Reduces the income tax brackets to two rates, 2.75% for those making under $92,000 and 3.5% above.
• Reduces CAT Tax rates and minimum by 25% over two years.
• Instead of the House’s various earmarks for capital projects, earmarks $1B for a one-time Strategic Community Investments Fund to be used in FY 25 with the intent of inviting more public and stakeholder feedback on the projects  officials, community leaders and others have time to make thoughtful requests for these dollars
• Increases the fund available for the All Ohio Future Fund to $1 B for site preparation and continued economic investment throughout Ohio.  Allows the Director of Development to provide grants and loans from the All Ohio Future Fund to counties for land acquisition
• Increases the Department of Development Roadwork Development Grant by $10M in FY24, and earmarks $6.2M for Fayette County road improvements related to Honda investments 
• Funds broadband pole replacement at $50 million
• Makes $50M available for the development of new Innovation Hubs outside of the 3 major metro areas
• Prohibits parks from being included in special improvement districts
• Allows the governing board of a Regional Transportation Improvement Project (RTIP) to enter into a memorandum of understanding with ODOT concerning infrastructure improvements and economic development activities on a regional highway within the RTIP
• Deletes the proposed earmark inside H2Ohio and reduces the appropriation to $270M over the biennium, lowering AGR, DNR and EPA proportionally
• Dedicates $145 mil for water & sewer grants in FY24
• Restores $125 mil in rail safety crossing program
• Funds $10 mil for a wayside detector grant program and an orphan rail crossing program with $1 million
• Removes the requirement under current law that a county engineer be a registered surveyor

The Bill will be voted on by the Ohio Senate next week, the differences between the House and Senate versions will necessitate a conference committee to work out the final details of the bill, which has to be passed by June 30th.