Rep. Brennan Announces Public Comment Period for the E-Check Ease Act is Now Open

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Sean Patrick Brennan (Parma) Tuesday announced that the public comment period on the proposal to change the State Implementation Plan for the E-Check Ease Act, incorporated into the state’s transportation budget, is now open.

Rep. Brennan, a longtime critic of the E-Check program has stated that it may have been well-intentioned years ago, but there’s been no evidence that emissions have been reduced by the program. According to him, drivers use about 600,000 gallons of gas each year just complying with the E-Check mandate.

“Since 1996, Northeast Ohio has been unfairly burdened by E-Check,” said Rep. Brennan. “The $11 million the state spends would be better spent on conservation education and public transit.”

The E-Check Ease Act fails to reduce administrative and financial burden on Ohio drivers despite its attempt at creating an alternative, parallel system where an owner of a motor vehicle may comply with the E-Check program by obtaining an alternative emissions certificate.

Public comments will be accepted via email to DAPC-Comments@epa.ohio.gov through June 2, 2025. The Ohio EPA will then respond to public comments, after which the package will be sent to the U.S. EPA for review and approval.