Blessing Announces Ohio Senate Authorization of $350 Million in Relief Funding for Ohio's Local Communities
May 6, 2020
Louis W. Blessing, III News
COLUMBUS—State Senator Louis W. Blessing III (R-Colerain Township) announced that the Ohio Senate today unanimously passed Senate Bill 310, authorizing the distribution of $350 million of federal CARES Act funding to local communities across Ohio for COVID-19 pandemic-related expenses.
This funding will be made available to counties, municipalities and townships for necessary expenses associated with the current public health emergency and will be distributed based on the proportion of Local Government Fund revenue allocated to them in 2019. "I'm pleased to announce the passage of this legislation to provide significant support to our partners in local government," Blessing said. "COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on local government, for which there is no comparison in recent memory. It only makes sense that we respond with an unprecedented support package to help soften the blow." The County Commissioners Association, Ohio Mayor’s Alliance, Ohio Municipal League, and the Ohio Township Association voiced their support for S.B. 310.
The funding authorized today excludes Ohio’s six jurisdictions with populations over 500,000 because they already qualify for a direct payment from the CARES Act; this includes the city of Columbus and Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Montgomery and Summit county governments. Municipalities and townships within these counties, however, are still eligible for the funding appropriated in S.B. 310.
The legislation passed with an emergency clause, making the bill effective immediately upon being signed by the governor. The bill now moves to the Ohio House for consideration. For more information on S.B. 310, click here.
This funding will be made available to counties, municipalities and townships for necessary expenses associated with the current public health emergency and will be distributed based on the proportion of Local Government Fund revenue allocated to them in 2019. "I'm pleased to announce the passage of this legislation to provide significant support to our partners in local government," Blessing said. "COVID-19 has had an unprecedented impact on local government, for which there is no comparison in recent memory. It only makes sense that we respond with an unprecedented support package to help soften the blow." The County Commissioners Association, Ohio Mayor’s Alliance, Ohio Municipal League, and the Ohio Township Association voiced their support for S.B. 310.
The funding authorized today excludes Ohio’s six jurisdictions with populations over 500,000 because they already qualify for a direct payment from the CARES Act; this includes the city of Columbus and Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Montgomery and Summit county governments. Municipalities and townships within these counties, however, are still eligible for the funding appropriated in S.B. 310.
The legislation passed with an emergency clause, making the bill effective immediately upon being signed by the governor. The bill now moves to the Ohio House for consideration. For more information on S.B. 310, click here.