House Bill 96 (State Operating Budget)

The OTA is an Interested Party for this bill.

Status

On April 9, the Ohio House Finance Committee adopted a 1,100 page omnibus amendment add 165 provisions to HB 96. The House Finance Committee reported the bill out of committee on party lines with a vote of 19-10.

The Ohio House passed HB 96 by a vote of 60-39. The following provisions were in the final version of the bill.  

Cannabis

• • Allocates 20% of the 10% tax to the Host Community Cannabis Fund for townships that have dispensaries as of June 30, 2025
  • All other revenue is credited to the General Revenue Fund
  • Sunsets the Host Community Cannabis Fund after five years

 Local Government Fund

• • Increases the Local Government Fund by 0.05% (from 1.70% to 1.75%)

 Cemetery Grant Program

• • Increases the Burial Permit Fee to $10 and allocates $6 of that fee to the Cemetery Grant Program

 Local Liquor Options

• • Requires a local option petitioner for alcohol sales to pay the entire ballot cost of an election when there is no candidate or issue on the ballot

 Next Gen 911

• • Raises Next Gen 911 Access Fee from 0.40 cents to 0.60 cents

 Body Camera Footage Fee for Public Records Request

• • House Bill 315 allowed for charging a fee for requested body camera footage
  • HB 96 prohibits a state or local law enforcement agency from charging a fee for preparing a video record or producing a copy of a video record when the requester is a victim

 Public Records

• • Codifies case law that personal notes of a public official or public employee are not public record

 Pay Increase

• • Provides a yearly pay increase for township officials of 5% until 2029. Beginning in 2030, pay will be increased by CPI, capped at 3%

 MARCS

• • Codifies MARCS Steering Committee in law
  • Earmarks $10,500,000 in each FY to reduce MARCS subscriber fees for local entities

 Battery Charged Fences

• • Prohibits a county, township, or municipality from adopting or enforcing a regulation that prohibits the installation of a battery charged fence
  • Retains a permit or fee for the installation or use of such fence

 Township Zoning

• • Exempts township zoning amendments related to megaprojects from the zoning referendum process.
  • Provides $2.5 million per fiscal year for a newly created housing incentive program for townships that adopt pro-housing policies.

 County Budget Commission

• • Removes the County Prosecutor from the County Budget Commission, and replaces the position with the Chair of the County Commissioners

 Village Dissolution

• • Includes providing electric utilities as a condition that must be met by the village to not be subject to dissolution

 Fiscal Emergency Receivership

• • A board of township trustees may request to the Attorney General for the creation of a receivership if the township is in Fiscal Emergency for a period of 10 consecutive years, or twice in a period of 10 years

We look forward to working with the Ohio Senate to finalize the budget in the coming months.

See the links below for more information on the Ohio Legislature's website, such as proponent and opponent testimonies, a summary of the bill, and more. 

House Bill 96

OTA Proponent Testimony 2/27/2025

OTA Proponent Testimony 3/12/2025

Watch the presentation from the February 27, 2025, House Agriculture Committee hearing below. If the video does not load, click here to view the video on the Ohio Channel.

Watch the presentation from the March 12, 2025, House Finance Committee hearing below. If the video does not load, click here to view the video on the Ohio Channel.