Ohio Energy and Environment Legislation 2019-2020

Pending and Enacted in the 133rd Ohio General Assembly
Current through October 31, 2019

Listed below are the bills affecting energy and the environment that are pending or were enacted in the 133rd Ohio General Assembly that opened in January 2019 and will conclude in December 2020.

We include links to the full text of the legislation which include the most recently available analysis from the Ohio Legislative Service Commission. The bills are listed by number from the most recently introduced to the earliest with House bills listed first, followed by Senate bills.

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You can also use Find A Bill Online with the Ohio General Assembly Bills On-Line website to locate bills by number, keyword, or sponsor.

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Go to Senate bills

H.B. 343 - Water and Sewer Funding
Sponsored by Representative John Patterson (D-Jefferson)

Makes an appropriation related to emergency water and sewer system funding.
Chronology
September 23, 2019 Introduced in the House
October 1, 2019 Referred to State & Local Government Committee

H.B. 260 - Energy Policy
Sponsored by Representative Sedrick Denson (D-Cincinnati)

Maintains operations of certified clean air resources, establishes the Ohio generation and jobs incentive program and the energy performance and waste reduction program, and makes changes regarding wind turbine siting.
Chronology
May 24, 2019 Introduced in the House
May 28, 2019 Referred to Energy & Natural Resources Committee

H.B. 247 - Electric Service
Sponsored by Representative Dick Stein (R-Norwalk)

Regarding the competitive retail electric service law.
Chronology
May 15, 2019 Introduced in the House
May 21, 2019 Referred to Public Utilities Committee

H.B. 246 - PUCO OCC
Sponsored by Representative Nino Vitale (R-Urbana)

Reforms and modernizes the Public Utilities Commission and the Consumers' Counsel.
Chronology
May 14, 2019 Introduced in the House
May 21, 2019 Referred to Public Utilities Committee

H.B. 245 - Energy Projects
Sponsored by Representative Todd Smith (R-Germantown)

Removes the current deadlines by which an owner or lessee of a qualified energy project must apply for a property tax exemption.
Chronology
May 14, 2019 Introduced in the House
May 21, 2019 Referred to Energy & Natural Resources Committee

H.B. 223 - Wind Setbacks
Sponsored by Representative Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton)

Alters the minimum setback requirement for wind farms of five or more megawatts.
Chronology
April 29, 2019 Introduced in the House
May 8, 2019 Referred to Public Utilities Committee

H.B. 104 - Nuclear Power
Sponsored by Representative Dick Stein (R-Norwalk)

Enacts the Advanced Nuclear Technology Helping Energize Mankind (ANTHEM) Act by establishing the Ohio Nuclear Development Authority and the Ohio Nuclear Development Consortium and authorizing tax credits for investments therein.
Chronology
February 26, 2019 Introduced in the House
March 5, 2019 Referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

H.B. 100 - Mineral Rights
Sponsored by Representative Jack Cera (D-Bellaire)

Revises the requirements governing abandoned mineral rights.
Chronology
February 26, 2019 Introduced in the House
March 5, 2019 Referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

H.B. 95 - Oil Gas Law
Sponsored by Representative Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood)

Alters the Oil and Gas Law with respect to brine and the conversion of wells.
Chronology
February 21, 2019 Introduced in the House
March 5, 2019 Referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

H.B. 94 - Gas Extraction
Sponsored by Representative Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood)

Bans the taking or removal of oil or natural gas from and under the bed of Lake Erie.
Chronology
February 21, 2019 Introduced in the House
March 5, 2019 Referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee

H.B. 55 - Royalty Statement
Sponsored by Representative Jack Cera (D-Bellaire)

Requires the owner of an oil or gas well to provide a royalty statement to the royalty interest holder when the owner makes a payment to the holder.
Chronology
May 16, 2019 Introduced in the House

H.B. 20 - Solar Energy Systems
Sponsored by Representative Louis Blessing (R-Cincinnati)

Prohibits condominium, homeowners and neighborhood associations from imposing unreasonable limitations on the installation of solar collector systems on the roof or exterior walls of improvements.
Chronology
February 12, 2019 Introduced in the House

H.B. 7 - Water Fund
Sponsored by Representative Haraz Ghanbari (R-Perrysburg)

Creates the H2Ohio Trust Fund for the protection and preservation of Ohio's water quality, creates the H2Ohio Advisory Council to disburse money from the Fund for water quality programs, and creates the H2Ohio Endowment Board to make recommendations to the Treasurer of State regarding the issuance of securities to pay for costs related to the purposes of the Fund.
Chronology
May 13, 2019 Introduced in the House
May 14, 2019 Referred to Finance Committee
June 20, 2019 Reported out of committee
June 20, 2019 Passed in House 93-0
July 17, 2019 Moved to Senate and referred to Finance Committee

H.B. 6 - Energy
Sponsored by Representative Jamie Callender (R-Concord)

Creates the Ohio Clean Air Program, to facilitate and encourage electricity production and use from clean air resources, to facilitate investment to reduce the emissions from other generating technologies that can be readily dispatched to satisfy demand in real time, and proactively engage the buying power of consumers in this state for the purpose of improving air quality in this state.

Signed by the Governor on July 23, 2019; effective in 90 days

S.B. 86 - Utility Resellers
Sponsored by Senator Tina Maharath (D-Canal Winchester)

Regulates certain resellers of utility service.
Chronology
March 6, 2019 Introduced in the Senate
March 12, 2019 Referred to Energy & Public Utilities Committee

S.B. 2 - Watershed Programs
Sponsored by Senator Matt Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls)

Creates a statewide watershed planning structure for watershed programs to be implemented by local soil and water conservation districts.
Chronology
February 12, 2019 Introduced in the Senate
February 18, 2019 Referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
June 12, 2019 Reported out of committee
June 12, 2019 Passed in Senate 32-0
June 19, 2019 Moved to House and referred to Energy & Public Utilities Committee