Ohio Public Sector Legislation 2019-2020

Pending and Enacted in the 133rd Ohio General Assembly
The Legislature is in summer recess

Listed below are the bills affecting local governments that are pending or were enacted in the 133rd Ohio General Assembly which 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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Go to Senate bills

H.B. 311 - County Investigations
Sponsored by Representative Dave Greenspan (R-Westlake)

Authorizes counties to request and obtain a county inspector general to investigate wrongful acts or omissions in county and other political subdivision government.
Chronology
July 16, 2019 Introduced in the House

H.B. 163 - Water/Sewer Service
Sponsored by Representative Tom Brinkman (R-Cincinnati)

Creates a process for withholding local government funds and state water and sewer assistance from municipal corporations that engage in certain water and sewer practices with respect to extraterritorial service.
Chronology
March 25, 2019 Introduced in the House
April 2, 2019 Referred to Public Utilities Committee

H.B. 153 - County Vacancies
Sponsored by Representative John Becker (R-Union Twp)

Modifies the law regarding declaring a county office vacant for failure to perform duties, including failure to appear at the officer's principle office location, and designates this act the "Working Officials Requirements Key Act" or "WORK Act."
Chronology
March 20, 2019 Introduced in the House
March 26, 2019 Referred to State & Local Government Committee

H.B. 152 - Tax Levies
Sponsored by Representative Tom Brinkman (R-Cincinnati)

Requires certain subdivisions to obtain the approval of the body that created the subdivision before levying a tax.
Chronology
March 20, 2019 Introduced in the House
March 26, 2019 Referred to State & Local Government Committee

H.B. 119 - Traffic Violations
Sponsored by Representative Reggie Stoltzfus (R-Minerva)

Grants municipal and county courts original and exclusive jurisdiction over any civil action concerning a traffic law violation, modifies certain requirements governing the use of traffic law photo-monitoring devices by a local authority, and makes corrective changes to the distracted driving and texting-while-driving law.
Chronology
March 5, 2019 Introduced in the House
March 12, 2019 Referred to Criminal Justice Committee

H.B. 92 - Sales Tax
Sponsored by Representative Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg)

Requires voter approval of any increase in the rate of a county sales tax.
Chronology
February 21, 2019 Introduced in the House
March 5, 2019 Referred to State & Local Government Committee

H.B. 78 - Prevailing Wage
Sponsored by Representative Craig Riedel (R-Defiance)

Allows political subdivisions, special districts, and state institutions of higher education to elect to apply the Prevailing Wage Law to public improvement projects.
Chronology
February 15, 2019 Introduced in the House
February 19, 2019 Referred to Commerce & Labor Committee

H.B. 75 - Property Values
Sponsored by Representative Derek Merrin (R-Monclova Twp)

Requires local governments that contest property values to formally pass an authorizing resolution for each contest and to notify property owners.
Chronology
February 15, 2019 Introduced in the House
February 19, 2019 Referred to Ways & Means Committee

H.B. 54 - Local Government Fund
Sponsored by Representative Jack Cera (D-Bellaire)

Increases the proportion of state tax revenue allocated to the Local Government Fund from 1.66% to 3.53% beginning July 1, 2019.
Chronology
February 12, 2019 Introduced in the House

S.B. 180 - Development Bonds
Sponsored by Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster)

Authorizes the issuance of industrial development bonds by a township and authorizes counties, townships, and municipal corporations to issue industrial development bonds without requiring the county, township, or municipal corporation to designate a community improvement corporation as its agency for industrial, commercial, distribution, and research development.
Chronology
August 5, 2019 Introduced in the Senate

S.B. 95 - Business Investments
Sponsored by Senator Bob Peterson (R-Sabina)

Enhances state and local tax inducements for businesses making substantial fixed asset and employment investments and their suppliers.
Chronology
March 7, 2019 Introduced in the Senate
March 12, 2019 Referred to Ways & Means Committee

S.B. 90 - Minimum Wage
Sponsored by Senator Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati)

Increases the state minimum wage and to allow municipalities, townships, and counties to establish higher minimum wage requirements.
Chronology
March 6, 2019 Introduced in the Senate
March 12, 2019 Referred to Government Oversight & Reform Committee

S.B. 38 - Water Sewer Funds
Sponsored by Senator Kirk Schuring (R-Canton)

Revises the law governing municipal corporation use of water and sewer funds.
Chronology
February 12, 2019 Introduced in the Senate
February 13, 2019 Referred to Local Government, Public Safety & Veterans Affairs Committee

S.B. 12 - Photo Monitoring
Sponsored by Senator Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus)

Makes changes to the laws governing traffic law photo-monitoring devices, other civil traffic violations, and related fines and fees.
Chronology
February 12, 2019 Introduced in the Senate
February 13, 2019 Referred to Local Government, Public Safety & Veterans Affairs Committee

S.B. 8 - Opportunity Zones
Sponsored by Senator Kirk Schuring (R-Canton)

Authorizes tax credits for investments in an Ohio Opportunity Zone.
Chronology
February 12, 2019 Introduced in the Senate
February 19, 2019 Referred to Ways & Means Committee
April 2, 2019 Reported out of committee
April 3, 2019 Passed in Senate 31-0