House Bill 315 (Township Omnibus Bill)
To make various township law changes and to make an appropriation.
The OTA is a proponent of this bill.
Status: HB 315 had its first hearing on January 16, 2024, in the House State and Local Government Committee, where OTA Director of Governmental Affairs Kyle Brooks testified as a proponent. Kyle Brooks provided an explanation of proposed amendments to the bill during its third hearing on April 9, 2024. These amendments were accepted and are now part of the bill. If you are interested in submitting testimony on any of the provisions included in the bill, please reach out to Kyle Brooks or call the OTA office at 614-863-8751.
See links below for more information on the Ohio Legislature's website, such as proponent and opponent testimonies, a summary of the bill, and more.
Proponent Testimony, 1/16/2024
Watch the OTA's proponent testimony from the January 16, 2024, House State and Local Government Committee hearing on HB 315 below. If the video does not load, click here to view it on the Ohio Channel.
Watch the OTA's explanation from the April 9, 2024, House State and Local Government Committee hearing on HB 315 below. Director of Governmental Affairs Kyle Brooks explained the proposed amendments. If the video does not load, click here to view it on the Ohio Channel.
Background
Townships are creatures of statute, meaning all authority must be expressly provided to them by law. To address the concerns of townships, the OTA has introduced a township omnibus bill in every General Assembly (GA) since the 131st. An omnibus bill is a comprehensive piece of legislation that bundles multiple provisions together rather than addressing one issue at a time. This strategy is effective in garnering widespread support from legislators, as many township issues do not typically make news headlines. As a result, the OTA has successfully passed a township omnibus during each GA since this strategy was implemented.
Due to the number of provisions included in the bill, we anticipate that some changes may be seen as it moves throughout the process. The OTA will update the membership if any changes are made. To ensure you receive the most up-to-date information on this and other bills, please contact Kelli Bailey to sign up for our weekly Legislative Alert email.
If you have any suggestions that you would like to see reflected in this bill, please contact Kyle A. Brooks.