Ohio Senate Passes Series of Bills Providing Millions in Additional Pandemic Relief

COLUMBUS—Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) today announced the Senate's unanimous passage of a series of bills providing combined state and federal funding to businesses and other entities across Ohio for COVID-19 pandemic-related expenses.

The funding passed in S.B. 108, S.B. 109, and S.B. 110 provides the following:

• $125 million to bars, restaurants and lodging businesses across Ohio
• $465 million to help Ohioans struggling to pay rent and utilities during the pandemic
• $150 million for small businesses who have already been approved for aid but have yet to receive funding due to lack of program funding
• $20 million for indoor entertainment businesses who lost revenue due to canceled events and closures
• $10 million for new businesses that opened their doors after January 1, 2020
• $120 million for Ohio's fairs, veterans’ homes and child care services

"The swift passage of these bills proves the Ohio Senate's commitment to helping our businesses and Ohio families fully recover from the devastating impacts of this pandemic," said President Huffman.

To date, over $2.5 billion in funding has been approved by the General Assembly to be distributed to Ohio’s communities as they continue to battle and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bills will now be sent to the Ohio House for further consideration.