April 2024 Update

April 19, 2024

The following are bills that Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) is tracking in the Ohio Legislature. The status of bills are updated as warranted. If you have any questions or concerns about a particular bill, please be sure to contact Jason Warner, Director of Strategic Engagement at jwarner@greaterohio.org or by calling 614-224-0187, ext. 311. (Note: inclusion of a bill on this list does not indicate endorsement or support.) 

Click here to download a PDF version of the latest Legislative Report

If you are looking for information about all legislation currently pending in the Ohio General Assembly, please visit the official state website by clicking here.

HB1 Property, Income Tax Changes (Matthews)

Introduced: February 15, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the House Ways & Means Committee Last Update: April 25, 2023 (Seventh Committee Hearing)

Summary: The bill would modify the law regarding property taxation and income tax rates.

Notes:

HB33 FY24-25 Operating Budget (Edwards)

Introduced: February 15, 2023 Current Status: Senate Overrides Veto - Provision takes effect in 90 days Last Update: January 24, 2024 (Consideration of Governor’s Veto) Vote 24-8

Summary: The bill makes appropriations for the biennium beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025, as well as levies taxes, and provides authorization and conditions for the operation of state government programs.

Notes: Governor DeWine signed the budget after issuing 44 line items vetoes to provisions in the budget. Funding in the budget takes effect immediately, while other statutory changes will take effect with 90 days.

The House of Representatives voted to override the Governor’s Veto of a provision which would restrict cites from banning the sale of flavored tobacco products by a vote of 60-31. The Senate agreed to the veto override by a vote of 24-8. This provision will become effective in 90 days (April 23, 2024).

HB57 Homestead Exemption - Inflation Index (Hall, Demetriou)

Introduced: February 15, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Ways & Means Committee Last Update: May 31, 2023 (Referred to Committee)

Summary: The bill indexes the homestead exemption amounts to inflation.

Notes:

HB60 Homestead Exemption - Expand Qualification (Troy)

Introduced: February 21, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the House Ways & Means Committee Last Update: April 18, 2023 (Fourth Committee Hearing)

Summary: The bill increases the amount of and expands the income qualifications for the homestead exemption.

Notes:

HB187 Procedures for Property Tax Valuation (Hall, Bird)

Introduced: May 24, 2023 Current Status: Passed by the Senate as an Emergency Measure Last Update: December 6, 2023 (Passed by the Senate as an Emergency) Vote 31-0 ( Emergency 29-2)

Summary: The bill, which was significantly modified by the Ohio Senate, makes changes to the law governing real property valuation and tax complaints, to temporarily modify the computation of the homestead exemption, and abates property taxes on certain municipal and community improvement corporation property.

Notes:

HB263 Property Tax Freeze (Isaacsohn, Hall)

Introduced: September 12, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the House Ways & Means Committee Last Update: February 6, 2024 (Fourth Committee Hearing)

Summary: The bill authorizes a property tax freeze for certain owner-occupied homes.

Notes: A substitute bill was accepted on February 6, 2024 which lowers the age to qualify for the exemption from 70 to 65, reduces the continual occupancy of a homestead from 10 years to 2 years, reduces the total amount of income to qualify from $70,000 or less to $50,000 or less, and reduces the appraised value of the home to qualify from less than $1 million to less than $500,000.

HB274 Homestead Property Tax Exemption (Mathews, Dell’Aquila)

Introduced: September 18, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the House Ways & Means Committee Last Update: December 12, 2023 (Third Committee Hearing)

Summary: The bill authorizes an enhanced property tax homestead exemption for certain long-term homeowners.

Notes:

HB375 Tax Foreclosures, Land Banks (Demetriou, Patton)

Introduced: January 8, 2024 Current Status: Pending in the House Economic & Workforce Development Committee Last Update: February 6, 2024 (Referred to Committee)

Summary: The bill makes changes to the law relating to tax foreclosures and county land reutilization corporations.

Notes:

HB386 State Income Tax Phase-Out (Mathews, Lampton)

Introduced: January 24, 2024 Current Status: Pending in the House Ways & Means Committee Last Update: April 9, 2024 (First Committee Hearing)

Summary: To phase out the state income tax on nonbusiness income over six years and to repeal the commercial activity tax after 2029.

Notes:

SB2 Local Property Tax Exemptions (Schuring)

Introduced: January 11, 2023 Current Status: Referred to the Senate Finance Committee Last Update: January 17, 2023 (Referred to Committee)

Summary: The bill authorizes certain subdivisions to designate areas within which certain residential property is wholly or partially exempted from property taxation.

Notes:

SB3 Local Property Tax Exemptions (Schuring)

Introduced: January 11, 2023 Current Status: Referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee Last Update: January 17, 2023 (Referred to Committee)

Summary: The bill creates the Ohio Community Revitalization Program, authorizing nonrefundable income tax credits for undertaking community projects.

Notes:

SB43 Homestead Exemption - Surviving Spouse (Brenner)

Introduced: January 31, 2023 Current Status: Signed by the Governor, effective October 26, 2023 Last Update: July 28, 2023 (Signed by the Governor)

Summary: To modify the homestead exemption for the surviving spouse of a disabled veteran.

Notes:

SB76 High-Volume Landlord Tax (Blessing, Antonio)

Introduced: February 28, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Ways & Means Committee Last Update: March 22, 2023 (Second Committee Hearing)

Summary: To levy a tax on certain high-volume landlords.

Notes:

SB136 Property Tax Reduction (Craig)

Introduced: July 20, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Ways & Means Committee Last Update: September 20, 2023 (First Committee Hearing)

Summary: To reduce property taxes on qualified owner-occupied homes and to name this act the Property Tax Relief and Local Government Support Act.

Notes:

SB186 Property Tax Requirements (Blessing, Ingram)

Introduced: November 14, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Ways & Means Committee Last Update: February 28, 2024 (Third Committee Hearing)

Summary: To require payment of property taxes and assessments when a lot is split or transferred and to generally prohibit tax-delinquent property owners from purchasing tax foreclosed property.

Notes:

SB216 State Income Tax Phase-Out (Lang, S. Huffman)

Introduced: January 23, 2024 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Ways & Means Committee Last Update: January 24, 2024 (Referred to Committee)

Summary: To phase out the state income tax on nonbusiness income over six years and to repeal the commercial activity tax after 2029.

Notes:

SB244 Property Taxes - Residential Stability Zones (Reynolds, Craig)

Introduced: April 17, 2024 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Rules & Reference Committee Last Update: April 17, 2024 (Introduced)

Summary: Authorizes local governments to create residential stability zones where homeowners may qualify for a partial property tax exemption.

Notes:

HB2 State Capital Budget Appropriations (Cuttrona, Upchurch)

Introduced: February 15, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Finance Committee Last Update: April 10, 2024 (Referred to Committee)

Summary: The bill created the local jail facility funding program and makes certain capital appropriations for the biennium ending June 30, 2026.

Notes: This is not the full capital appropriations bill, but does appropriate nearly $2 billion for capital projects, including funding for state colleges and university capital projects, the new Local Jail Facility Funding Program, $600 million for public school building projects, and $350 million for projects under the Strategic One-Time Funding Program.

HB27 College Costs, Capital Appropriations (Matthews, Thomas)

Introduced: February 15, 2023 Current Status: Approved by the Ohio Senate Last Update: February 28, 2024 (Approved by the Senate), Vote 30-2

Summary: The bill requires state institutions of higher education to provide financial cost and aid disclosure forms, to make an appropriation for the Adoption Grant Program, and to make certain capital appropriations and reappropriations for the biennium ending June 30, 2026.

Notes: The bill was amended on the Senate floor to appropriate $600 million for public school construction, $575 million for public works, $196 million for state fair improvements, and $38 million for the adoption grant program. There is some overlap in appropriations in the amended bill and in HB2 (see above) but the Senate is still soliciting requests for the capital budget and sought to pass this bill for certain appropriations and re-appropriations for the state of the new fiscal year on July 1, 2024.

SB120 TIF Payments - Land Banks (Schuring)

Introduced: May 11, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Ways & Means Committee Last Update: May 17, 2023 (Referred to Committee)

Summary: The bill allows a portion of tax increment financing service payments to be designated for use by a county land reutilization corporation, or land bank.

Notes:

HB3 Affordable Housing Tax Credit (Pavliga, McNally)

Introduced: February 15, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the House Economic Development & Workforce Committee Last Update: June 13, 2023 (Fifth Committee Hearing)

Summary: The bill authorizes a nonrefundable tax credit for the construction or rehabilitation of certain federally subsidized rental housing and to authorize a uniform method for the tax valuation of most such housing.

Notes: A substitute version of the bill was accepted by the committee on June 13, 2023.

HB85 Land Banks - Delinquent Property (Patton)

Introduced: February 28, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the House State & Local Government Committee Last Update: May 9, 2023 (Second Committee Hearing)

Summary: The bill expands the methods by which land banks can acquire delinquent property.

Notes:

HB212 Ohio Property Protection Act (King, Klopfenstein)

Introduced: June 13, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the House Civil Justice Committee Last Update: April 9, 2024 (First Committee Hearing) Sub. Bill Accepted

Summary: The bill would prohibit foreign adversaries and certain businesses from owning real property in Ohio. Foreign adversaries as defined in the bill include the People’s Republic of China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Russia.

Notes: A substitute bill was accepted on April 9, 2024 which defines the people subject to restrictions include a government determined by the Ohio secretary of state to “constitute a threat to the critical infrastructure, security or military defense of Ohio or the U.S.” Also subject to restrictions are an individual who is a citizen of a “foreign adversary” regardless of dual citizenship; a business headquartered in a foreign adversary; an agent, fiduciary or trustee of any of the aforementioned people; and a business directly or indirectly owned or controlled by the aforementioned people.

SB25 Real Property Foreclosures (Hackett)

Introduced: January 23, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee Last Update: May 9, 2023 (Third Committee Hearing)

Summary: Relating to property tax foreclosures.

Notes:

SB36 Property Foreclosures - Tenant Rights (Blessing)

Introduced: January 31, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Community Revitalization Committee Last Update: March 22, 2023 (Third Committee Hearing)

Summary: To grant tenants and certain other eligible bidders rights relating to the purchase of residential property sold at foreclosure.

Notes:

SB118 Tax Credits - Single Family Homes (Schuring)

Introduced: May 4, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Ways & Means Committee Last Update: May 24, 2023 (Third Committee Hearing)

Summary: Authorizes a nonrefundable, transferable income tax credit for the construction of new, or conversion of rental housing into, an owner-occupied single-family home.

Notes:

SB241 Expedited Removal - Rental Occupants (S. Huffman, Brenner)

Introduced: April 16, 2024 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Rules & Reference Committee Last Update: April 16, 2024 (Introduced)

Summary: The bill provides for the expedited removal of unauthorized occupants of a residential property and prohibits the use and sale of fraudulent deeds.

Notes:

SB243 Intent to Address Zoning Regulations (Reynolds, Craig)

Introduced: April 17, 2024 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Rules & Reference Committee Last Update: April 17, 2024 (Introduced)

Summary: Declares the General Assembly’s intent to enact legislation addressing local zoning regulations that impede the development of housing in this state.

Notes: This is a placeholder bill. A new bill with legislative changes will be introduced as a substitute bill at some point in the near future.

SB245 Revise ORC Housing Laws (Reynolds, Craig)

Introduced: April 17, 2024 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Rules & Reference Committee Last Update: April 17, 2024 (Introduced)

Summary: The bill revise the law governing eviction, real estate representation agreements, residential building code enforcement, and real property transfers, and to amend the version of section 3781.10 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect January 1, 2025, to continue the changes after that date.

Notes:

SB246 Rename the Ohio Department of Development (Reynolds, Craig)

Introduced: April 17, 2024 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Rules & Reference Committee Last Update: April 17, 2024 (Introduced)

Summary: Renames the Department of Development to the Department of Housing and Development and to otherwise modify the law related to housing, and to amend the versions of sections 3742.32 and 5104.30 of the Revised Code that are scheduled to take effect January 1, 2025, to continue the changes after that date.

Notes:

HB64 Eminent Domain Law Changes (Kick, Creech)

Introduced: February 21, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the House Civil Justice Committee Last Update: February 6, 2024 (Fifth Committee Hearing)

Summary: The bill makes changes to state law related to eminent domain.

Notes: A substitute bill was accepted on May 16 that makes changes with regard to recreational trails, compensation offers, compensation awards and the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970. All changes are included in a Legislative Service Commission (LSC) comparison document.

HB93 Limit Recovery, Lien Imposition (Johnson, McClain)

Introduced: March 7, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Local Government Committee Last Update: January 24, 2024 (Referred to Committee)

Summary: The bill places limitations on recovery and lien imposition by municipalities against property owners of non-owner-occupied properties for unpaid water, sewer, and disposal services rates and charges.

Notes: A substitute bill was accepted on June 6 that changes the process to hear certain improper billing appeals and all municipal lien appeals from the Environmental Review Appeals Commission to municipal and county courts. It also removes language requiring county treasurers to immediately certify tax amounts to municipalities and to do it on the regular biennial tax remittance schedule. In also removes language on collecting disposal and sewage liens.

HB153 Abandoned Land - Foreclosure Proceedings (Hillyer)

Introduced: April 18, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the House State & Local Government Committee Last Update: October 31, 2023 (Third Committee Hearing)

Summary: The bill limits which abandoned land may be subject to certain expedited foreclosure proceedings..

Notes:

SB41 Law Changes - Building Inspections (Roegner)

Introduced: January 31, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the House Economic Development & Workforce Committee Last Update: October 3, 2023 (Third Committee Hearing)

Summary: To to make changes to the law relating to building inspections.

Notes:

HB23 FY24-25 Transportation Budget (Edwards)

Introduced: February 15, 2023 Current Status: Signed by the Governor Last Update: March 31, 2023 (Signed by the Governor) (Effective July 1, 2023)

Summary: The bill makes appropriations for programs related to transportation for the biennium beginning July 1,2023, and ending June 30, 2025, and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of those programs.

Notes:

HB340 Employee Mobility Grant (Peterson, Dobos)

Introduced: November 28, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the House Economic & Workforce Development Committee Last Update: December 6, 2023 (Referred to Committee)

Summary: The bill authorize an employee mobility grant to be administered by the Director of Development and to make an appropriation.

Notes:

HB370 State Highways in Villages, Cities (Edwards)

Introduced: January 3, 2024 Current Status: Pending in the House Transportation Committee Last Update: April 9, 2024 (Second Committee Hearing)

Summary: The clarifies and amends the law related to the Director of Transportation’s responsibilities for state highways located in villages and cities.

Notes:

SB48 Tax Reduction - Motor Fuel (S. Huffman)

Introduced: February 7, 2023 Current Status: Pending in the Senate Transportation Committee Last Update: February 28, 2023 (First Committee Hearing)

Summary: To reduce the tax rate on certain motor fuel.

Notes: