Johnson Announces Approval of Additional Pandemic Funds for Ohio's Veterans Homes, Libraries and K-12 Schools

COLUMBUS—State Senator Terry Johnson (R-McDermott) today announced the state’s approval of over $87 million in additional funding for COVID-19-related expenses. These funds will be distributed to the Georgetown veterans home in Brown county, as well as to K-12 schools, libraries and crisis support centers across the state.

These funds, approved by the state Controlling Board, are provided to Ohio through the federal CARES Act. The dollars can be used for necessary pandemic costs, including personal protection equipment (PPE), safety and sanitation operations, and remote learning technology.

"These institutions are some of the cornerstones of our communities and help serve some of Ohio's most vulnerable populations," Johnson said. "The funds they will receive are much needed as our communities recover from COVID-19." The funding approved today includes:

• $50M in matching grant dollars to Ohio’s K-12 school districts for remote learning tools, including broadband communication devices, hotspots, etc.
• $18.3M for Ohio’s libraries
• $8.75M for Ohio’s domestic violence shelters and rape crisis centers
• $4.6M for BMV Deputy Registrar sites and State Driver’s Test centers
• $3M for Ohio’s congressionally-chartered veterans organizations
• $1M for Ohio’s two veterans homes located in Sandusky (Erie county) and Georgetown (Brown county)
• $1M through the Attorney General’s office to be used on COVID19-related fraud prevention, especially as it relates to fraud targeting Ohio’s elderly population
• Additional dollars for Ohio’s 86 rest stops, operated by the Ohio Department of Transportation

To date, over $1.7B in CARES Act 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. More information about the funds approved today can be found here.