Week in Review November 24, 2025

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This report reflects the latest happenings in government relations, in and around the Ohio statehouse. You’ll notice that it’s broad in nature and on an array of topics, from A-Z. This will be updated on a weekly basis.

Please feel free to share it with anyone else you believe may find it of interest, as well. Also, please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions, concerns or if we can be of any assistance.

ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE ABUSE

OneOhio Recovery Foundation will seek to terminate its first grant recipient for non-compliance and to secure the contract and funding match agreement for the Ohio Division of Cannabis Control's (DCC) Public Education and Outreach initiative, with both actions approved at the board's recent meeting. Single Parents Rock in the Dayton-area suburb of Englewood and OneOhio's Region 8 received a $50,710, 12-month grant in the foundation's first funding cycle, entitling its proposal "Trauma Informed Care for Victims of Domestic Violence and Partners of Those Dealing with Opioid Addiction" under OneOhio's Intervention and Crisis Support category. Board members voted to suspend the contract and claw back the grant money for unspecified reasons.

AGRICULTURE

The Ohio Expositions Commission Monday announced its first concert announcement for the upcoming 2026 Ohio State Fair, with "Weird Al" Yankovic bringing his Bigger & Weirder 2026 Tour to the fair on Wednesday, Aug. 5.

FY26-27 BUDGET

Lawmakers and the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) will get their way at least prospectively on the formula for nursing home quality payments under details of the latest budget correction measure created and passed Wednesday. The Senate Finance Committee turned name, image and likeness (NIL) bill HB184 (Stewart-Mathews) into the vehicle for 36 changes to HB96 (Stewart) and the most recent capital appropriations budget, 135-HB2 (Cutrona-Upchurch). The omnibus amendment is HERE. Among other provisions, the bill addresses first responders' years-long bid to get coverage for post-traumatic stress injuries (PTSI) absent an accompanying physical injury, with $40 million in seed money for a fund that lawmakers created but did not previously send any money to in 133-HB308 (Patton). The omnibus amendment also transfers administration of the fund to the Ohio Department of Public Safety. A summary of the omnibus amendment compiled by Senate Republicans is HERE.

BUSINESS/CORPORATE

The Cleveland metropolitan area will be the big winner this holiday season with a projected 5 percent retail growth and $5.7 billion in total sales -- more than three times Columbus' projected November-January increase and two thirds again as much as Cincinnati's, the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants (OCRM) and University of Cincinnati's Economics Center predicted Thursday for their yearly seasonal sales forecast. They say the 3Cs will comprise 55.5 percent of all holiday retail sales in the state this year.

The Ohio Department of Development announced recently the approval by the Minority Development Financing Advisory Board (MDFAB) of $1,346,388 in loans to help small businesses expand operations, create jobs, and strengthen their communities.

CHILDREN/FAMILIES

At Thursday's meeting of the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood (OCF), Rep. Josh Williams (R-Oregon) reported on the progress of one bill he has sponsored to ensure both a child's mother and father have a role in the child's upbringing, as well as another bill he says represents the largest attack on parental rights in Ohio history. HB256 (Williams-LaRe) gives 50/50 custody to both a child's mother and biological father if the parents are unmarried and rebutted parentage is confirmed with evidence of the child's paternity in the form of a DNA test or signing of a birth certificate. Conversely, Williams told the commission that SB174 (Gavarone-Hicks-Hudson) conflicts with court precedent in Griswold by allowing a court to judge that, in the case of two fit parents with an unequal shared parenting plan, the plan is in the best interest of the child. Williams said the bill also requires parties to such a plan to report any violation by the other to the court. In what Williams described as "the largest swing of parental rights in state history," SB174 seeks to increase the discretion of family court judges, an idea he is "diametrically opposed" to.

CITIES

"Can the General Assembly pass a law that prohibits municipalities from passing ordinances? The answer is no under ... the original text and meaning of the Ohio Constitution's Home Rule." The state of Ohio disputes that claim, advanced by Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo and 17 other cities across the Buckeye State, and asserts that the quarter-century-old judicial test for "general" laws surviving municipal authority -- a test the cities also invoke -- has mired state-versus-local control in "chaos" and should be scrapped for a plain-language reading of the constitution's Home Rule Amendment. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's August appeal of Columbus v. State to the Supreme Court of Ohio on behalf of the Legislature addresses an important public policy discussion of its own, namely local tobacco ordinances passed by the state Legislature and other municipalities. He mounts a larger attack on the four-prong test for general laws devised by the Court in Canton v. State (2002) and ostensibly followed in subsequent high-court opinions. They reached the breaking point in Dayton v. State (2017), a wildly mixed nod to Canton.

EDUCATION

A scoring error on last year's high school biology end-of-course exam won't be held against students under changes to a kindergarten admissions bill amended and passed Tuesday in the Senate Education Committee. The biology test amendment, AM1411, was added to HB114 (Bird), which standardizes the age cut-off for kindergarten admissions. Schools now have the option to set either Aug. 1 or Sept. 30 as the date by which incoming students must have turned 5 years old in order to enter kindergarten. Under HB114, schools would have to admit any student who turns 5 by the first day of instruction for that school year. The bill went on to clear the General Assembly Wednesday, sending it on to the governor.

The Senate Education Committee took a second look at SB19 (Brenner), which was reported out last week but sent back for cleanup because of errors in prior amendments, according to Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware), the committee chair. The legislation is meant to require intervention for students who are behind. The bill went on to clear the Senate on a vote of 33-0.

The committee also advanced legislation, SB34 (Johnson), requiring schools to display in certain classrooms one of several historical documents, from the 10 Commandments to the U.S. Constitution to the Magna Carta. The legislation has been narrowed since its introduction, now requiring displays only if donated funds are sufficient to cover the expense and limiting the mandate to history and social studies classrooms in grades four and up. The Senate passed this bill 23-10.

Also passing the committee was HCR22 (Roemer-Daniels), which encourages students to read the Declaration of Independence in the current school year in observance of the 2026 U.S. semiquincentennial.

The State Board of Education (SBOE) Tuesday heard from Associate Director of the Office of Educator Licensure and Effectiveness Jim Wightman, who proposed changes to dual licenses, Ohio Administrative Code (OAC) 3302-24-18. The proposed changes would give education students the opportunity to pursue dual licenses that are valid for teaching intensive educational needs as well. After consulting officials in higher education, Wightman is also proposing creating a primary dual license, valid for teaching mild to moderate and moderate to intensive special educational needs in grades prekindergarten through five, which currently does not exist in law.

In a close vote, SBOE members also approved a resolution to approve the transfer of school district territory from Columbus City School District to Dublin City School District.

Best Bus Logic LLC announced its launch as a consulting firm to help address the major challenge of effective, sustainable school transportation. Leading the firm are co-founders Brent Speas, who has experience in school transportation management and individualized education plan (IEP) and Section 504 plan development, and Doug Palmer, whose school transportation experience includes time as a driver, manager and statewide consulting. The firm said it can offer routing optimization, operational audits, bus purchasing and fleet assessment and professional development. More information about the firm is HERE.

The Ohio School Boards Association's (OSBA) Delegate Assembly voted Monday to name Micah Covert as president-elect, putting him in line to lead the organization in 2027. Covert was elected at the annual business meeting held in conjunction with the OSBA Capital Conference in Columbus. Covert has served more than 16 years on school boards, including both Nelsonville-York City Schools Board of Education and the Tri-County Career Center Board of Education. Mary Cleveland, board member for Great Oaks Career Campuses and Princeton City Schools, is currently serving as president-elect and will lead the association in 2026.

ELECTIONS

Legislation that would require absentee ballots to arrive at a board of elections by Election Day in order to be counted -- SB293 (Brenner-Gavarone) -- picked up additional language from another omnibus elections bill, SB153 (Gavarone), Tuesday in the House General Government Committee before being sent by a vote along party lines to the full House, which passed it 58-29. The bill cleared the committee after only one hearing just a week after it passed the Senate. The Senate Wednesday agreed to the House amendments 23-10, thus sending the bill on to the governor. The House amendment enhances the process used by county boards of elections to identify and remedy mismatched records in the voter registration database; gives greater flexibility to who can be appointed to the Ohio Election Integrity Unit; and updates Ohio law to allow for the expanded use of a federal database to verify registrants' eligibility to vote.

A federal district court dismissed a challenge to Ohio's ban on foreign nationals contributing to candidates in state elections in the wake of an appeals court decision upholding that ban earlier this year. Advocacy organizations OPAWL - Building AAPI Feminist Leadership and Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH), and individual plaintiffs Elisa Bredendiek, Peter Quilligan and John Gerrath had sued in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio seeking to block the provisions of the special-session passed 135-HB1001 (Seitz). U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson blocked provisions of the bill relating to lawful permanent residents, also known as green card holders, but the U.S. Sixth District Court of Appeals overturned that ruling, and later upheld the full law. With the ruling in the appeals court, all parties stipulated to the dismissal of the case. Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who pushed for passage of the bill, praised the dismissal.

Ohio elections officials will now have access to an AI-powered election administration assistant after Secretary of State Frank LaRose rolled out Eva -- or the Elections Virtual Assistant -- to serve as a cyber-advisor to boards of elections. The secretary of state's office said EVA will provide immediate, around-the-clock availability to elections officials in all 88 counties. The platform uses technology to offer targeted guidance on the rules and procedures of Ohio's voting process. "She's definitely a data nerd and a bit on the wonky side, but I'm not sure I've met someone who can answer a common question about election administration as quickly and effectively as EVA," said LaRose. "Seriously, this is a game-changer for our election officials. For decades, they've had to manually search a 524-page rulebook to find basic instructions on everything from managing the voter registration database to conducting a post-election audit. Eva can provide those answers immediately with a simple search prompt."

The Ohio Elections Commission on Thursday dismissed another case brought by conservative activist Christopher Hicks involving former Republican House candidate Allen Freeman, ruling that the commission had disposed of the matter previously. Freeman, a candidate backed in a Republican primary by former House Speaker Larry Householder in 2020, saw his campaign hit with a $50,000 fine by the commission in a case brought by Hicks. The subject of the latest complaint Thursday was Susan Jones, the former treasurer for Freeman's campaign, whom Hicks has argued had failed to file reports reflecting accurate spending in the campaign in the wake of the original Freeman case.

ELECTIONS 2026

Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) Monday announced his campaign for the Ohio Senate, seeking to flip a seat currently held by Sen. Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville), who is term-limited and running for the Ohio House. A former school teacher, his announcement says he has built a reputation in the Ohio House as a relentless advocate for fair school funding, labor rights, and access to affordable health care. As a state senator, he said he pledges to continue standing up for the families, students, seniors, farmers and small business owners who make up the backbone of his district.

Rocky River Municipal Judge Joseph Burke is ending his campaign for Ohio Supreme Court, Cleveland.com reports. Burke was one of at least six Republicans who had launched a campaign for the Republican nomination for Ohio Supreme Court next year as they seek to unseat Justice Jennifer Brunner, the last remaining statewide elected Democrat in office. Burke announced the end of his campaign Thursday, saying he will focus on his job as administrative and presiding judge of the Rocky River Municipal Court.

The following endorsements were made over the week:

• The gubernatorial campaign of Democrat Amy Acton announced the endorsements of Communications Workers of America District 4 and the Industrial Division of the Communications Workers of America.

• The Fifth District Court of Appeals campaign of Republican Matt Donahue announced the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel.

• The Ohio Senate District 7 campaign of Republican Zac Haines announced the endorsement of former U.S. Rep. Jim Renacci.

EMPLOYMENT/UNEMPLOYMENT

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nonfarm payroll employment rose by 119,000 jobs in September as the national unemployment rate was 4.4 percent. BLS released the September numbers Thursday, more than a month and a half after their normal scheduled release date due to the federal government shutdown. BLS said October numbers that are a part of the household survey, which would have been released on Friday, Nov. 7, will now not be released because they were not collected due to the shutdown. Data from the establishment survey, the other survey used by BLS to compile the federal numbers, will be combined with the November data scheduled for release on Tuesday, Dec. 16.

ENERGY/UTILITIES

Ohioans have waited five years for a state reckoning of FirstEnergy's $61 million bribe to key government officials in exchange for a $1 billion bailout of its nuclear plants in 133-HB6 (Callender-Wilkin). The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio's (PUCO) delivered Wednesday with a quarter-billion-dollar hit on the Akron-based company -- $180 million of which will go directly to FirstEnergy's 2.1 million customers. PUCO's announced investigation of the utility followed the federal indictment of former House Speaker Larry Householder, former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges, the late lobbyist Neil Clark and others in September 2020. The $251 million in forfeitures, restitution and refunds breaks down to the following payments:

• $180 million in treble damages calculated on $60 million in restitution for misspent DMR revenues.

• $45.1 million for FirstEnergy's noncompliance with various corporate separation rules.

• $18.9 million forfeiture for the company's failure to disclose a side agreement with Randazzo.

• $6.6 million refund, with interest, for mishandled DCR vendor payments

GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE

The Senate announced plans Thursday to return in December, Tuesday, Dec. 9 to adopt the conference report on SB56 (Huffman), the pot-hemp omnibus measure lawmakers have been working on for months, as well as to take action on "a few other bills," according to Senate GOP spokesperson John Fortney.

This week saw the following flurry of action in both chambers:

Senate

The Senate tackled a lengthy calendar Wednesday, voting to require more academic intervention services for students who test below grade level, crack down on owners of dangerous dogs, mandate immigration status verification in construction work and overhaul the regulation of oil and gas wells, among other measures. The chamber also took the final step to send to Gov. Mike DeWine legislation that would require most absentee ballots to be received by Election Day in order to be counted. Bills passed by the Senate include the following:

HB29 (Humphrey-John) Regarding inmates' access to feminine hygiene products and showers by municipal and county correctional facilities and state correctional institutions. Vote 33-0

HB114 (Bird-Ritter) Regarding age requirements for kindergarten admission and to correct a scoring error on the 2024-2025 science end-of-course exam. Vote 29-4

HB129 (D. Thomas) To generally include fixed-sum levies in the calculation of a school district's millage floor and to authorize, with limitations, school district fixed-sum levies. Vote 23-10

HB184 (Stewart) To make appropriations and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of state programs. Vote 32-1

HB186 (Hoops-D. Thomas) To authorize a reduction in school district property taxes affected by a millage floor that would limit increases in such taxes according to inflation, to modify the process for certifying property tax abstracts, and to make an appropriation. Vote 30-3

HB246 (Swearingen-Fischer) To enact the E-Verify Workforce Integrity Act requiring certain construction industry employers to use E-verify and to sanction specified hiring practices in the industry. Vote 33-0

HB247 (K. Miller) To make changes to the laws governing dogs, including dangerous and vicious dogs, and to name this act Avery's Law. Vote 33-0

HB309 (D. Thomas) To modify the law governing county budget commissions and property taxation. Vote 23-10

HB335 (D. THOMAS) To limit revenue increases from inside millage levies occurring due to a reappraisal or update. Vote 23-10

HB440 (Deeter-Stewart) To revise the law governing the Board of Nursing and criminal records check results and to declare an emergency. Vote 33-0, Emergency Clause 33-0

SB19 (Brenner) With regard to academic intervention services at public schools and the establishment of mathematics improvement and intervention plans. Vote 33-0

SB34 (Johnson) To enact the Display of Founding Documents of Historic Significance Act regarding the display of certain historical documents in public schools. Vote 23-10

SB111 (Craig-Johnson) To designate Oct. 4 as "Henrietta Lacks Day." Vote 33-0

SB219 (Landis) To make changes to the law governing oil and gas wells and to address federal mineral royalty payments. Vote 25-8

SB247 (DeMora) To designate the buckeye as the state candy of Ohio, and to correct the Latin name of the Buckeye, the state tree. Vote 32-1

SB253 (Craig-Reynolds) To designate Feb. 20 as "Black Ohioan Civil War Medal of Honor Recipient Day." Vote 33-0

SB273 (Koehler) To enact the Keep Them Safe Act to provide guidelines and civil immunity for the voluntary storage of firearms. Vote 33-0

House

In a long session Wednesday, the House addressed issues ranging from the return of absentee ballots and energy regulations to teaching students about the influence of Christianity on American history and culture. House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) announced that the day’s actions conclude the House’s work for the year.

HR243 (Richardson-Ghanbari) To request the Secretary of the Air Force select the 121st Air Refueling Wing at the Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, as the preferred main operating base for the KC-46 Pegasus refueling aircraft. Vote 85-0

HB59 (Fowler-Hiner) To revise and streamline the state's occupational regulations. Vote 87-0

HB88 (Abrams-Plummer) To modify penalties for drug trafficking and possession, to require schools and institutions of higher education to incorporate instruction and policies on fentanyl awareness and abuse prevention, and to designate the month of August as "Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month." Vote 65-18

HB102 (Klopfenstein-Williams) To prohibit a sex offender or a child-victim offender from residing within 2,000 feet of the residence of the victim and from loitering within 1,000 feet of the residence of the victim. Vote 85-2

HB105 (Craig-J. Thomas) To revise and supplement state regulations concerning non-recourse litigation funding agreements. Vote 73-12

HB134 (Gross-Humphrey) To authorize the sale of certain homemade foods under a microenterprise home kitchen operation registration. Vote 83-1

HB297 (Ritter-Newman) To increase the amount a county may provide to military and veterans organizations for Memorial Day expenses. Vote 83-0

HB303 (Ray-Hoops) To establish the community energy program and pilot program and to define electricity measurement in alternating current. Vote 73-2

HB324 (A. Mathews-Craig) To establish conditions on the prescribing of prescription drugs causing severe adverse effects and to name this act the Patient Protection Act. Vote 59-28

HB338 (Johnson-Plummer) To enact Andy's Law to increase the penalty for assaulting or causing the death of specified victims at state or local correctional institutions and to make changes to department of rehabilitation and correction policies and procedures. Vote 77-3

HB393 (Click-Brewer) To require that community-based correctional facilities and programs assist inmates in obtaining state identification cards prior to release. Vote 66-0

HB397 (Deeter-Johnson) To expand the allowable uses of profits from jail commissary funds. Vote 62-0

HB455 (Manning-Bird) Regarding the operation of public schools and the Department of Education and Workforce and to eliminate obsolete provisions of education law and to amend the version of section 3313.902 of the Revised Code that is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2026, to continue the change on and after that date. Vote 82-0

HB476 (Craig-D. Thomas) To authorize online raffles and make related changes to the Charitable Gaming Law and to declare an emergency. Vote 81-0, Emergency Clause 82-0

HB485 (M. Miller) To enact the Baby Olivia Act to require human growth and development instruction in public schools. Vote 58-26

HB486 (Click-Dovilla) To enact the Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act to permit teachers in public schools and state institutions of higher education to provide instruction on the influence of Christianity on history and culture. Vote 61-26

HB492 (Ray-Abrams) To expand the prohibition against interfering with arrest to all motor vehicle-related laws and require drivers and passengers to disclose their name, address, and date of birth to a peace officer on request. Vote 58-19

HB519 (A. White) To prohibit possession of an electronic device under circumstances indicating an intent to commit a theft offense that involves a motor vehicle. Vote 75-0

SB17 (Reynolds-Craig) To designate March 9 as "6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion Day." Vote 86-0

SB103 (Wilkin) To allow for alternative rate plans for natural gas companies to serve large load customers and to make changes to the process of valuating property for certain public utilities. Vote 88-0

SB217 (Landis) To authorize the conveyance of state-owned land. Vote 87-0

SB293 (Gavarone) To modify the law governing voter roll maintenance, provisional voting, the return of absent voter's ballots, and the membership of the Ohio Election Integrity Commission. Vote 58-29

The following bills cleared the General Assembly and go to the governor:

HB114 (Bird-Ritter) Regarding age requirements for kindergarten admission and to correct a scoring error on the 2024-2025 science end-of-course exam. House Does Concur, Vote 83-0

HB129 (D. Thomas) To generally include fixed-sum levies in the calculation of a school district's millage floor and to authorize, with limitations, school district fixed-sum levies. House Does Concur, Vote 79-8

HB184 (Stewart) To make appropriations and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of state programs. House Does Concur, Vote 82-5

HB186 (Hoops-D. Thomas) To authorize a reduction in school district property taxes affected by a millage floor that would limit increases in such taxes according to inflation, to modify the process for certifying property tax abstracts, and to make an appropriation. House Does Concur, Vote 69-14

HB247 (K. Miller) To make changes to the laws governing dogs, including dangerous and vicious dogs, and to name this act Avery's Law. House Does Concur, Vote 86-0

HB309 (D. Thomas) To modify the law governing county budget commissions and property taxation. House Does Concur, Vote 64-24

HB335 (D. Thomas) To limit revenue increases from inside millage levies occurring due to a reappraisal or update. House Does Concur, Vote 66-21

SB217 (Landis) To authorize the conveyance of state-owned land. Senate Does Concur, Vote 33-0

SB293 (Gavarone) To modify the law governing voter roll maintenance, provisional voting, the return of absent voter's ballots, and the membership of the Ohio Election Integrity Commission. Senate Does Concur, Vote 23-10

In other legislative action, the House Education Committee reported out HB326 (Ritter-Newman) which addresses the use of nationally standardized assessments; the Senate Education Committee reported out HCR22 (Roemer-Daniels) which encourages the reading of the Declaration of Independence; and SB290 (Patton-Reynolds) which requires installation of exterior key box on school buildings; the House Children and Human Services Committee reported out HB472 (Cockley-Salvo) which waives fees for ID cards for the homeless; and the House Judiciary Committee reported out HB296 (M. Miller) which delays financial sanctions for released offenders; and SB101 (Blessing) which deals with liens.

All agenda items cleared the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) on Monday. The Board of Building Standards withdrew one item from the day's regular agenda regarding fees charged by the Division of Compliance in connection with enforcement of the Ohio Building Code. The Ohio Department of Medicaid will refile a rule it had submitted to amend policy related to the administration of eligibility for the Medicaid program. The rule change is being updated for clarity as part of the five-year review. JCARR members had no questions on any of the day's agenda items, and the committee heard no testimony.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

The Legislature Wednesday, as part of the changes approved in HB184 (Stewart), clarified the language regarding nursing home payments that would have cost the state more than $1 billion. The language, according to Senate Finance Committee Chair Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland), is to apply prospectively and does not address what nursing homes might be owed in quality payments retroactively.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Wittenberg University's accreditation status was recently changed to "accredited on probation" due to ongoing financial concerns. The accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), cited a lack of compliance with Criterion Four, Core Component 4.B addressing the institution's "resource base and sustainability" as the rationale for its decision. Despite Wittenberg's projected balanced budget, the university does so by relying on endowment funds that were recently released from restrictions, HLC said in its action letter addressed to Wittenberg President Christian Brady.

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) recently elected Deanna Kroetz, dean of the Ohio State University (OSU) College of Pharmacy and Gail Besner, chief of pediatric surgery at Nationwide Children's Hospital (NCH) and the William Clatworthy Jr. Professor of Surgery at OSU's College of Medicine to its 2025 class of inductees.

The University of Akron's (UA) tax program recently received a $6.7 million donation from Hildegard Karlin in memory of her husband, Arthur Karlin. The funds will be used to establish the Arthur D. Karlin Endowed Chair in Accounting which will be dedicated to improving faculty recruitment and retention, according to a release from the university. The Karlin Chair will be awarded to a faculty member demonstrating excellence and scholarship.

HOUSING/HOMELESSNESS

The Coalition on Housing and Homelessness in Ohio (COHHIO) said a newly announced federal cap on funding awards for programs that house people who used to be homeless threatens many Ohio households. The group is appealing to Congress to fix the issue in upcoming appropriations legislation. According to COHHIO, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) said in January that Ohio would get $178 million for the Continuum of Care (CoC) program. However, on Thursday, the funding notice HUD issued for the program specified a cap of 30 percent of previous allocations for programs that house formerly homeless people. The change could shift $80 million away from these programs, COHHIO said.

MARIJUANA/HEMP

The Senate announced plans Thursday to return in December to adopt the conference report on SB56 (Huffman), the pot-hemp omnibus measure lawmakers have been working on for months, and which passed the House about 1:30 a.m. Thursday morning, after the Senate had adjourned for the day. The SB56 conference committee report saw the addition of nine amendments to the bill passed by the House last month. Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) told the House that 95 percent of the bill on which the chamber voted early Thursday morning is what the House voted on when it first passed SB56. The conference committee report, however, passed by a much slimmer margin, 52-34, than the bill did originally. A major difference between the last time the House talked about the bill and the vote Thursday morning is the federal ban on hemp products passed by Congress in the meantime with this latest bill seen as ceding Ohio's ability to regulate hemp to the new federal regulations. Provisions in the report specify limits for "intoxicating hemp" and require products that fall outside the scope of the newly narrowed hemp definition to be considered marijuana and sold exclusively in marijuana dispensaries. SB56 also eliminates the Social Equity Fund established by Issue 2. It also removes a provision from that allows expungement of a criminal marijuana possession offense of between 100-200 grams, but keeps the expungement provision for violations based on possession of less than 100 grams. The full omnibus bill accepted by the conference committee and passed by the House can be seen HERE.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

The Ohio National Guard is now slated to maintain its presence of 150 personnel in Washington, D.C. through Feb. 28, 2026, the Adjutant General's Department told Hannah News Thursday, following a previous extension through Nov. 30. Some Guard personnel will be rotated as part of the new extension, as was done previously, and their total number will remain at 150. Ohio personnel are deployed to support the D.C. National Guard.

NATURAL RESOURCES

The Ohio Wildlife Council (OWC) announced it has approved new deer hunting limits in a collection of counties in Southeast Ohio. The move follows weeks of discussions on the state's possible responses to the spread of Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in the region this year. Effective on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, the same day as the opening of Ohio's seven-day deer gun season, the bag limit in Athens, Meigs and Washington counties was lowered to one deer per hunter following approval by OWC at its meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The three counties listed will have a three-deer per hunter limit until Sunday, Nov. 30, 2025. Additionally, the bag limit in Morgan County was lowered to two deer per hunter beginning on Dec. 1. Reduced bag limits in all four counties will remain in place until the close of the state's deer hunting season on Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026.

Senate Republicans sent oil and gas omnibus SB219 (Landis) to the House on a near party-line vote following committee passage Wednesday morning with their latest attempt to protect the Oil and Gas Well Fund from Executive Branch raids. Democrats continued to support funding integrity for abandoned well plugging but said easing the permit timeline and other controls on state land drilling was a bridge too far. The Senate Energy Committee reported the bill after accepting a final substitute version with several changes that included allowing oil and gas well operators to continue drilling except for court-ordered injunctions and requiring the Ohio Department of Natural Resources' (ODNR) Division of Oil and Gas Resource Management (DOGRM) to show "good cause" before shutting down wells.

NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

Buckeye Health Plan and the Centene Foundation -- philanthropic arm of the Centene Corporation -- recently announced their joint "strategic and timely investment" of $200,000 to address food insecurity in the state, saying it follows increased challenges in access to nutritious meals following the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) disruptions during the federal government shutdown.

PEOPLE

Geoffrey Andrews, CEO of the Management Council of the Ohio Education Computer Network, will retire at the end of FY26 after more than a decade in the position, the council announced. The organization noted that in that time the council has grown from a handful of employees to nearly 100 and broadened its services to information technology centers (ITCs) and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW), while expanding to also serve other state offices and agencies.

The Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA) has recognized five local members with its highest honor - the All-Ohio School Board Award. The award "recognizes outstanding service to public education and represents the dedication of thousands of board members across the state." It was given to recipients at the OSBA Capital Conference in November. Recipients were as follows:

• Larry Campbell of East Knox Local Schools, representing the OSBA Central Region.

• Sally Green of Tuscarawas Valley Local Schools, OSBA's 2024 president, representing the Northeast Region.

• Sue Larimer of Perrysburg Exempted Village Schools, representing the Northwest Region.

• Micah Covert of Nelsonville-York City School and Tri-County Career Center, OSBA's 2026 president-elect, representing the Southeast Region.

• Rachel Ray of Fayetteville-Perry Local Schools, representing the Southwest Region.

The National Governors Association (NGA) announced Thursday the appointment of Brandon Tatum as its acting executive director. Tatum's appointment follows the retirement announcement of Executive Director Bill McBride.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) announced $3.4 million in grant funding Monday to help local law enforcement implement new violent crime reduction strategies in their communities. Gov. Mike DeWine prioritized ongoing funding for the Ohio Violent Crime Reduction Grant Program in the state's FY26-27 operating budget. Since its 2021 launch, the program has awarded over $84 million to nearly 200 local law enforcement agencies for initiatives and technology to prevent and solve violent crimes. This year's grant will emphasize communities with worse domestic violence and violent crime than the state average and will include new options to pursue cold cases with forensic genetic genealogy or to prevent, reduce or eliminate violent crimes related to drug trafficking and/or firearms by working with multijurisdictional task forces. Agencies seeking funding must plan for promising or proven crime reduction strategies that fit their communities prior to the application.

The DeWine administration and local partners have released the new sample accreditation policy for the handling of missing persons cases and announced the addition of six more law enforcement agencies to the statewide program. Sixteen other departments are working on Phase II accreditation, and another 20 have committed to Phase III. That will make an even 50 agencies to date if and when all are accredited. The Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board inked its final Standard 7.10 for missing persons in October and completed the 12-page sample policy this month.

STATE GOVERNMENT

The state plans to distribute full Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in the next several days the administration said Friday, right around the time it would have finished the staggered monthly distribution under normal circumstances. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) normally would have begun gradual distribution of SNAP benefits Nov. 1, but amid a funding lapse during the federal government shutdown, it paid nothing for more than a week while the Trump administration battled lawsuits on the use of contingency money and other funding transfers to bridge the gap.

TAXATION

The final version of a multi-bill property tax package headed to Gov. Mike DeWine's desk would boost owner-occupancy credits by phasing out the non-business credit, under amendments adopted Wednesday in the Senate. The Senate passed and the House concurred with changes to the following four bills meant to set inflationary caps on how much property taxes can increase without a vote and give local officials the power to roll back tax rates when collections exceed recent spending patterns.

• HB186 - inflationary cap for schools on the 20-mill floor

• HB335 - inflationary cap for inside millage

• HB129 - inclusion of additional levies in 20-mill floor calculations

• HB309 - powers of the county budget commission to reduce levy rates

Reps. Chris Glassburn (D-North Olmsted) and David Thomas (R-Jefferson) announced Thursday that they are introducing bipartisan legislation proposing multiple property tax reforms they said will increase transparency and protections for Ohioans. The sponsors said the yet-to-be introduced bill is a response to mounting concerns from homeowners and local officials about the processes and complexity of the current property tax system.

TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE

The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission Monday approved a contract to review its customer service operation center and make recommendations to improve efficiencies. Under the $276,651 contract, chosen vendor Deloitte Consulting LLP will evaluate the customer service operations, including estimating future call volumes, email case volumes, customer walk-ins, and staffing, Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission Customer Service Manger Amanda Ginley told the commission.

Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced $13.5 million will be distributed to 28 public transit projects through the Ohio Workforce Mobility Partnership program (OWMP). The program was reestablished in transportation budget HB54 (Stewart) and directs federal funding to projects that support workforce transportation by connecting residents to economically significant employment centers, bridge service gaps between rural and urban transit authorities, and enhance mobility for residents in areas with limited or no public transit access.

ODOT, the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) and the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) launched a holiday safety campaign while announcing that traffic safety deaths are down for the fourth straight year. The agencies said that while there had been a rise in traffic deaths from 2018 to a peak of 1,356 in 2021, Ohio has seen a reduction over the last three consecutive years. In 2024 there were 1,157 people killed on Ohio roads, down from 1,242 in 2023 and 1,275 in 2022. However, current crash data shows traffic deaths in 2025 are tracking closely with last year's pace, prompting the agencies to launch a year-end enforcement and education blitz focused on the behaviors that most often lead to deadly crashes -- distraction, impairment, lack of seat belt use, and speeding.

WORKFORCE

U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) toured Columbus State Community College (CSCC) Monday, speaking with leaders including CSCC President David Harrison about the new Workforce Pell Grant Program coming in the 2026-2027 academic year to expand eligibility to include short-term education of eight to 15 weeks. Speaking to reporters after his tour, Husted noted career tech programs are increasing the number of high school students who graduate "career ready," adding that programs like CSCC can help those who didn't follow that path and are now seeking new opportunities. He described meeting with Harrison to discuss how Workforce Pell grant rules can be written to best support CSCC and its students while avoiding misuse of federal funds.

[Story originally published in The Hannah Report. Copyright 2025 Hannah News Service, Inc.]