Ohio House Approves State Budget

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Tracy Richardson (R-Marysville) today announced the Ohio House has approved House Bill 110, the state’s two-year operating budget that creates a new school funding plan and provides tax relief to Ohioans. 

“This  is a fiscally responsible budget that thoughtfully invests in essential public services while implementing policies that cut taxes, expand educational opportunities, support public safety, and strengthen our economy,” said Richardson. 

The Fair School Funding Plan is a historic initiative that is the result of collaboration among educators and policymakers for the past three years. The plan begins a six-year phase-in, starting with the 2021-2022 school year and is designed to ensure a hold harmless period during the transition to the new formula.

As Chair of the Finance Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education, Richardson worked with educators, school funding experts and child advocates to find solutions and make improvements to Ohio’s current school funding formula and led committee policy discussions regarding the state operating budget. 

The budget also includes a two percent across the board personal income tax cut, which will reduce taxes and withholding amounts by approximately $380 million over the biennium. 

Richardson highlighted other key provisions:

• Law Enforcement, Firefighters and Public Safety: Supports those who protect and serve our communities every day, including a $15 million police training initiative, $10 million for body cameras and grant initiatives to aid fire departments with equipment.
• Jobs and Our Economy: Includes targeted investments to support job retention and creation, workforce training and economic development efforts. It expands state support for Ohio companies looking to do business with state government.
• Broadband: Creates the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program and the Ohio Broadband Expansion Program Authority, and includes more than $200 million to support grants under the initiative.
• COVID-19 Relief Grants: Appropriates $155 million for grants to support bars and restaurants, the lodging industry, entertainment venues, and new businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Multi-Agency Radio Communication System (MARCS): Appropriates $3 million to offset the fee to participate in the MARCS program to support local law enforcement and first responders.
• Ohio National Guard Scholarship Expansion: Establishes eligibility for the Ohio National Guard Scholarship Program for an individual actively enrolled in at least three credit hours in a credential-certifying program, licensing program, trade certification program, or apprenticeship program for an in-demand trade as identified.
• Gifted Students: Ensures that funds dedicated to gifted students are spent specifically for those purposes and requires study and recommendations for gifted initiatives for economically disadvantaged, minority, and rural students .
• Ohio Arts Council: Provides $2 million of increased funding to strengthen investment in the arts.

H.B. 110 now heads to the Senate for consideration.