Click Supports Biennium Operating Budget

COLUMBUS— State Representative Gary Click (R-Vickery) voted last week to support HB 33, Ohio’s two-year operating budget. The state budget passed the House by a vote of 67-30 after deliberation between the House and Senate.

HB 33 contains many positive highlights, including increased funding for Ohio schools, universal school choice vouchers to ensure educational freedom for Ohio’s students, strong tax cuts, heavy investments in career tech education, and massive improvements to early childhood education and childcare infrastructure.

The budget also passed containing a number of provisions that Click fought for directly:

• A provision to establish the Benefit Bridge Employer Pilot Program to help financially dependent Ohioans overcome the benefits cliff and enjoy the dignity of work and financial security. This program is expected to help meet workforce demands by assisting people who are ready to work as they struggle to overcome the difficult demands that accompany stepping away from government assistance and engaging in a life of independence.
• Modernization of the reimbursement structure of the Ohio Grain Indemnity Fund to better protect farmers in the event that a grain handler reaches insolvency as recently happened to Evergreen Grain in Sandusky County. 
• Establishment of a $1 million emergency-use fund for the Department of Public Safety to assist local emergency management agencies during the 2024 total solar eclipse. The predicted massive influx of tourism, particularly within the 88th District, is expected to place a sudden and overwhelming strain on public safety services. Should the need exceed $1 million, the controlling board is authorized to reimburse DPS for eclipse-related expenditures. For more information see www.eclipse.ohio.gov.
• A change to grant Terra State Community College greater flexibility in managing its on-campus facilities in order to ensure that students can continue to receive top-notch, affordable educations.

"It is my joy and honor to fight for the issues that matter most to Ohio’s 88th House District. I’m privileged to represent Seneca and Sandusky counties and I look forward to continued success together." said Click.

The Ohio Legislative Service Commission maintains a webpage containing detailed information about the state budget for those interested in taking a closer look: https://www.lsc.ohio.gov/budget/135/main-operating-budget/as-reported-by-the-committee-of-conference.