Cutrona's House Bill 482 Passes House Vote

COLUMBUS - The Ohio House of Representatives today has approved House Bill 482, sponsored by State Representative Al Cutrona, which would create the Tax Fraud Study Commission.

The commission could study all types of income tax fraud, but the bill specifically directs it to focus on fraud by taxpayers operating a trade or business and on fraud related to the misclassification of workers as employees or independent contractors.

“Worker misclassification and tax fraud negatively impact everyone from legitimate contractors to the loss of tax revenue that negatively impacts local communities,” said Cutrona (R-Canfield). “It’s important that Ohio workers and taxpayers are treated fairly, and that we bring tax fraud to an end. That’s our goal with this legislation.”

This nine-member commission will be bipartisan, with three members each from the House and Senate. It will also have a representative of labor as well as the contractors’ association, along with the state tax commissioner.

“It is estimated that the state is losing $1 billion to tax fraud each year,” said Cutrona. “I am looking to put an end to tax fraud in Ohio by going after these bad actors, and I think this commission is a great first step for that.”

The bill now goes to the Ohio Senate for consideration.