House Democrats deliver $5.8 billion to invest in caregiving, education and healthcare
COLUMBUS – State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake) today announced House Bill (HB) 45, which will allocate $5.8 billion in mostly federal COVID relief funding to support education, improve mental healthcare infrastructure, and strengthen caregiving networks across Ohio, was signed into law.
HB 45 accomplishes House Democrats’ top legislative priority during the 134th General Assembly lame duck session, which was to make sure the almost $2 billion remaining American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds was allocated to programs that would keep Ohio’s communities safe and healthy, support working families and caregivers and create good-paying jobs.
“As the Ranking Member on Finance, I am pleased to support the passage of this long-overdue and transformational legislation, which includes many Democratic priorities,” said Rep. Sweeney. “While HB 45 is tremendously consequential, I am disappointed that it did not have a single public hearing in the House Finance Committee. This is the people’s money, and decisions on how to spend it deserve more transparency and accountability. This backroom process resulted in anti-affordable housing provisions that must be revisited in this new General Assembly.”
HB 45 includes:
- $1.75 billion to schools for pandemic relief;
- $350 million to nursing facilities for workforce support;
- $168.5 million for healthcare provider relief payments for critical access and rural hospitals;
- $150 million for lead prevention and mitigation;
- $112 million for school building security and safety enhancements;
- $90 million to improve the mental healthcare infrastructure;
- $85 million to recruit and retain behavioral health workers;
- $50 million to expand the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
- $40 million to support the assisted living workforce;
- $30 million to support the hospice care workforce;
- $25 million to community food banks;
- $15 million to dialysis centers;
- $5 million to the Law Enforcement Reimbursement Training Pilot Program;
- Creates a temporary tax amnesty program that would forgive interest and penalties on delinquent taxes and fees for businesses and taxpayers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.