Ohio House Finance Committee Adopts Omnibus Amendment Package
Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio House Finance Committee adopted an omnibus amendment package for HB33, the state operating budget, this afternoon and favorably reported HB33 for a vote from the full House, announced State Representative Jamie Callender (R-Concord). This omnibus amendment package comes after an additional week of hearings following the adoption of substitute HB33 on April 18, 2023.
This omnibus package includes several earmarks and allocations for projects in Lake County including:
- $1 million for the Alliance for Working Together to support their ongoing STEM programs for students
- $5 million to support the repairs to the Bacon Road Pump Station
“On behalf of our 400 members throughout Northeast Ohio, AWT thanks representative Callender for his leadership and support of STEM to Manufacturing Programming opportunities promoted by AWT for in-demand, high-paying manufacturing jobs in Lake County and throughout our region,” said Teresa Simons, Executive Director of AWT.
In addition to funding for projects in Lake County, Representative Callender was successful in advocating for projects across North East Ohio including:
- $600,000 for the Cleveland Institute of Music and their Academy at CIM
- $975,000 for the Foundry Row, Sail, Dream program
- $500,000 for the Cleveland Natural History Museum to support their STEM programing
- $900,000 for the Transpiration Accessibility and Modernization Pilot Program at the Senior Transportation Connection of Cuyahoga County
- $500,000 for the Cleveland Museum of Art
- $500,000 for the Cleveland Orchestra
- $10 million for the Cleveland Foodbank
“These funds from the State of Ohio will empower the Cleveland Institute of Music to further level the playing field in music education, supporting the affordable after-school and weekend training that is helping our people reach their full potential,” said Paul Hogle, Cleveland Institute of Music President & CEO. “CIM thanks Representative Callender for championing this important work.”
“Thanks to the observation and commitment of the State Legislature, especially Representative Callender, to understand the importance of positive pathways in youth development,” said Gina Trebilcock, executive director at The Foundry. “The TANF renewal and increase in funding will enable the Foundry to further their vision to continue increasing awareness, engagement, and skill development opportunities for Cleveland-area youth to safely become familiar with our Great Lake Erie and might Cuyahoga River through the lifelong sports of sailing and rowing.”
Representative Callender was also successful in advocating for projects impacting people across Ohio including:
- An additional $30 million for the Ohio Association of Foodbanks, bringing their total over the biennium to $79.1 million.
- $2.5 million for Star House to provide services for homeless youth
- $500,000 for Flying Horse Farms to provide continuum of care services
“On behalf of Ohio’s statewide hunger relief network, we want to extend our sincere thanks to Representative Callender for his leadership in securing additional funding for the Ohio Food Program and Agricultural Clearance Program in the House omnibus bill,” said Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director, Ohio Association of Foodbanks. “Ohio’s foodbanks are proud to partner with Rep. Callender and his colleagues in the Ohio General Assembly to efficiently and effectively direct healthy, wholesome food to Ohio families, workers and older adults facing hardship. We thank him for his service and support for our longtime public-private partnership and for his commitment to championing food security in the Ohio House.”
All of this was accomplished without reducing GRF commitments to either the Local Government Fund or Public Library Fund.
Also included in the omnibus package where several permanent law changes, including:
- The creation of regulation and licensure for music therapists across Ohio.
- Moves the primary back to March in presidential years
“Ensuring that students across North East Ohio continue to have access to not only world class cultural amenities but world class educational opportunities is critical to maintaining North East Ohio as the best place to work and live in the country,” said Callender. “By making these investments, students today and years into the future will be able to experience the world and prepare for fulfilling careers that will last a lifetime.”
With the continued phase-in and updating of the Fair School Funding Formula, Ohio continues to reduce the reliance on local property taxes while raising teacher salaries. This will improve access to quality education for students across Ohio and ensure they are able to find good paying jobs here in Ohio.
Some of the projects successfully advocated for by Representative Callender and included in the earlier substitute house bill are:
- $3.5 million for the Mentor Harbor Erosion Mitigation Project
- $5 million for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
- $160 million in grant funding for water and sewer improvements
- Increased the base cost of the fair school funding formula from 2018 to 2022 numbers, resulting in over a billion in extra funding for K-12 education across the biennium which will continue to lessen the reliance on local property tax.
- $2 million over the biennium for the ALS foundation to support those living with disease
- Requiring the State Fire Marshal, in coordination with the board of building standards and local representatives, to develop guidelines for the enforcement of the Ohio Building Code and Fire Code in a coordinated manner. It also excludes patio spaces that are open on 3 sides with means of egress compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act to not count against building occupancy.
- Establishes licensure and an advisory board for Doula services across Ohio
- Creates art therapy licensure across Ohio
With the adoption of the omnibus package and favorable reporting of HB33 out of the Finance Committee, it will be sent to the House Floor for a vote from the full House on Wednesday.