Legislation Safeguarding Taxpayer Dollars and Preventing Credit Card Abuse Passes Ohio House

State Representative Dave Greenspan (R-Westlake) today announced that the Ohio House has passed legislation creating standards for the use of credit and debit cards by political subdivisions, which he joint sponsored with Rep. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton).

Current law in Ohio lacks a uniform policy across the state regarding the use of credit and debit cards by local government entities. House Bill 312 would require political subdivisions to follow certain procedures—including adopting a comprehensive policy, conducting a periodic review, and providing itemized receipts—for credit cards.

“House Bill 312 provides transparent, accountable, and practical safeguards to protect the integrity of our local communities, and the responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars is paramount to building and sustaining the public’s trust,” said Greenspan.

The bill requires the name of the political subdivision to appear on each credit card and check related to its account. Additionally, these entities, including counties, must report any rewards accrued from credit cards annually to the Auditor of State. House Bill 312 also generally prohibits the use of debit card accounts by local governments except for law enforcement purposes.

House Bill 312, which seeks to protect taxpayer dollars and encourage responsible spending, now awaits consideration by the Ohio Senate.