E-Check Ease Act Included in Proposed State Transportation Budget

COLUMBUS—The House Finance Committee today accepted Substitute House Bill 54, the state transportation budget bill for fiscal years 2026-27, announced State Representatives Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) and Steve Demetriou (R-Bainbridge Twp.). 

Included in the bill is the E-Check Ease Act, legislation sponsored by Roemer and Demetriou that will reduce administrative and financial burden on Ohio drivers. The measure will create an alternative, parallel system where an owner of a motor vehicle may comply with the E-Check program by obtaining an alternative emissions certificate.

“E-Check unfairly penalizes hard working Ohioans living in Northeast Ohio,” Roemer said. “This legislation is a commonsense solution to provide Ohioans some relief from this burdensome federal program.”

“My constituents have, for decades, faced the burden of a mandate imposed on Ohio by the federal bureaucracy called E-check,” Demetriou said. “This legislation will relieve Ohioans from this unnecessary burden by making it as easy as possible to comply with the E-check program.”

Sub. House Bill 54 awaits further consideration by the House Finance Committee before moving to the House floor for a full vote.