Antonio Applauds Passage of American Rescue Plan Funding
December 8, 2021
Nickie J. Antonio News
Today, state Senator Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) applauded the Senate’s passage of Substitute House Bill 169, legislation to appropriate $4.18 billion in federal Covid-19 relief funding for schools, childcare, health care and law enforcement, including approximately $2.3 billion from the American Rescue Plan.
“I am grateful for the Biden Administration and Democrats in Congress for sending states these crucial dollars as we continue to combat the Covid-19 pandemic here in Ohio,” Antonio said. “While we begin to make our way towards recovery, we must ensure our child care, health care and law enforcement workers are adequately supported, as well as our schools. Today, we take this step to get these funds into the hands of the people of Ohio who need them the most to continue the recovery.”
Sub. H. B. 169 appropriates:
- $2.47 billion to K-12 schools, which includes:
- $20.7 million for County Boards of Developmental Disabilities, Education Service Centers and Joint Vocational School Districts.
- $500,000 each to the Ohio Schools for the Blind and Deaf, Department of Youth Services and Department of Rehabilitation and Correction.
- $92.2 million to establish a minimum per-pupil funding for districts that received little due to the federal funding formula.
- $155 million in assistance to private schools.
- $639 million in supplemental child care grants to encourage the hiring and retention of staff and ensure working families have access to child care.
- $1.05 billion for health care employers to incentivize the hiring and retention of staff.
- $250 million for grants to law enforcement agencies.
- $91.1 million in federal funds for the Department of Health to continue combating the pandemic and other public health priorities.