Reps. Miller, Sobecki introduce bill to give tax relief to thousands of Ohioans who received unemployment benefits late

COLUMBUS – State Reps. Joe Miller (D-Lorain) and Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) today filed legislation that would provide tax relief to thousands of Ohioans whose unemployment benefits were issued late due to system errors from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). 

Under the American Rescue Plan passed by President Biden and Democrats, federal income tax was waived for up to $10,200 of unemployment benefits received during the pandemic in 2020. The Ohio legislature also waived the state income tax to match federal law. This bill would further waive the state income tax on unemployment benefits that should have been received in 2020 but were delayed to 2021 through no fault of Ohioans.

“The failures that occurred at ODJFS early on resulted in many of our constituents missing out on tax relief due to no fault of their own,” said Rep. Miller. “We have an opportunity to help rectify this situation by passing this bill and giving these Ohioans struggling with a tax burden much-needed relief.”

“Our bill will help thousands of Ohioans who potentially missed out on a tax benefit that other Ohioans were given simply because their benefits were delayed due to a broken unemployment system,” said Rep. Sobecki. “Fundamentally, it’s a matter of fairness.”

The legislation now awaits a bill number and referral to an Ohio House committee.