Township ARP Eligibility and Funding Added to HB 168, Bill Now Awaiting Governor’s Signature

The Ohio House has concurred on Ohio Senate amendments to HB 168, legislation that provides for Ohio townships’ rightful eligibility for American Rescue Plan (ARP) funding; township ARP eligibility and funding had previously been put into SB 111. The bill now awaits signature from Governor Mike DeWine. If passed, it can at last be confirmed that all 1,308 of Ohio’s townships – which are true units of local government in Ohio, providing essential services to four million Ohioans – will be eligible for this critical funding, just like cities and villages. The OTA is closely monitoring this situation and will release further information and details pertaining to townships and the funds once the bill is officially signed.

The OTA would like to reiterate our sincere thanks to the Ohio General Assembly for supporting the rightful designation of townships as non-entitlement units of local government for purposes of ARP eligibility - as Congress originally intended. Because no funding estimates/allocations were ever released as final or official, township eligibility for such funding does not negate or minimize any prior official funding for other units of local government.