Representative Oelslager Votes in Support of House Transportation Budget

COLUMBUS – State Representative Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton) voted Wednesday in support of House Bill 54 – the House’s version of the State Transportation Budget – which passed unanimously. The bill allocates funding for Ohio’s extensive transportation system, prioritizing efforts that keep Ohio moving forward. 

“This transportation budget will contribute to economic development and will create jobs in Ohio,” said Oelslager.

House Bill 54 is the primary mechanism to fund transportation infrastructure development and maintenance for FY 2026-2027. Passed on the floor with bipartisan support, House Bill 54 includes provisions that aim to preserve Ohio’s vital infrastructure, promote economic development, and boost public safety through the following ways:

• Invests more than $393 million for new highway construction;
• Establishes the Ohio Airport Improvement Program Fund to help airports that do not receive federal grants;
• Appropriates $15 million each fiscal year to continue the Ohio Workforce Mobility Partnership Program to public workforce transportation in rural and urban areas of Ohio;
• Increases funding for Transportation Improvement Districts (TIDs) to $9 million each fiscal year, promoting economic development through job creation;
• Creates the Division of Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) within the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT);
• Provides $382 million for targeted safety upgrades to Ohio's roadways over the biennium;
• Commits over $4.1 billion for maintenance operations on Ohio’s current highway system, including roadway replacement, culvert inspections, and bridge maintenance;
• Prohibits the BMV from offering voter registration to a person who, according to the BMV’s own records, is ineligible to register to vote. 

House Bill 54 now goes to the Ohio Senate for consideration.