Operating Budget General Updates – April 2023

Jeffry D. Harris
Bricker Graydon

Operating Budget Updates – April 2023

Although Bricker summarizes the econ dev-related parts of HB 33 in the legislative update report, here are some items of general interest in the State’s budget bill:

• Prohibits cost recovery by Ohio’s utilities for the installation and ownership of EV charging stations.
• Creates an art therapy license.
• Eliminates student retention under the third grade reading guarantee (beginning in the 23/24 school year).
• Appropriates $1.5MM/state fiscal year for the Financial Literacy and Workforce Readiness Programming Initiative.
• Expands the eligible entities that can apply for a Type C sports gaming license to include breweries, wineries, or distilleries with on-site restaurants and also micro-breweries.
• Creates a jail construction program similar to the school facilities construction program.
• Reduces income taxes by further consolidating tax brackets and applying the lower income tax rate to the newly consolidated bracket (the new rate is 2.765% for income between $26,050 and $92,150).
• Extends the PILOT for renewable energy projects.
• Removes the Governor’s proposed statewide ban on flavored tobacco and vapor products.
• Removes the Governor’s proposed increase on the sports gaming tax rate.
• Bans TikTok and other Chinese-owned apps from state computers or devices.

The House will conduct one more round of amendments before passing the budget legislation. The Ohio Senate has already begun holding informal hearings on the budget. The state budget must be signed and enacted by midnight June 30.