Johnson Announces Passage of $650M in Pandemic Relief for Ohio's Communities
Senate Also Sends Bill with Important Liability Protections for Small Businesses and Schools to Governor
September 2, 2020
Terry Johnson News
COLUMBUS—State Senator Terry Johnson (R-McDermott) today announced the Senate's unanimous passage of Senate Bill 357, providing an additional $650 million of federal CARES Act funding to local communities across Ohio for COVID-19 pandemic-related expenses.
The funding in Senate Bill 357 will be made available to counties, municipalities and townships for necessary expenses associated with the current public health emergency and will be distributed on a per capita basis. Of the $650 million, over $14 million will be sent to counties, townships, villages, and cities across the 14th Senate District. "COVID-19 has caused all of our communities to struggle and are in desperate need of relief," Johnson said. "These funds are essential to those on our front lines as we look to rebuild and recover in response to this pandemic." Senate Bill 357 will be the third round of coronavirus relief funding for counties, municipalities and townships following the state Controlling Board’s recent authorization of $175 million and the General Assembly’s approval in June of $350 million through House Bill 481.
This funding excludes Ohio’s six jurisdictions with populations over 500,000 because they already qualify for direct payments 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 this legislation.
The legislation includes an emergency clause, making the bill effective immediately upon being signed by the governor. The bill will now be sent to the Ohio House for consideration. The Senate also voted in favor of the conference report on House Bill 606, sending the bill to the Governor for his consideration. House Bill 606 provides liability protections to businesses, schools and certain healthcare providers during declared disasters or emergencies. The legislation aims to protect against frivolous lawsuits that allege exposure to COVID-19 on the entity's premises, unless it is found that the business owner, school or provider acted with reckless or intentional misconduct to spread the virus. “It is imperative that Ohio’s businesses reopen as quickly and safely as possible,” said Johnson. “This important piece of legislation will help protect our businesses and help them do just that.” The protections in House Bill 606 are temporary and would continue through September 30, 2021.
The funding in Senate Bill 357 will be made available to counties, municipalities and townships for necessary expenses associated with the current public health emergency and will be distributed on a per capita basis. Of the $650 million, over $14 million will be sent to counties, townships, villages, and cities across the 14th Senate District. "COVID-19 has caused all of our communities to struggle and are in desperate need of relief," Johnson said. "These funds are essential to those on our front lines as we look to rebuild and recover in response to this pandemic." Senate Bill 357 will be the third round of coronavirus relief funding for counties, municipalities and townships following the state Controlling Board’s recent authorization of $175 million and the General Assembly’s approval in June of $350 million through House Bill 481.
This funding excludes Ohio’s six jurisdictions with populations over 500,000 because they already qualify for direct payments 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 this legislation.
The legislation includes an emergency clause, making the bill effective immediately upon being signed by the governor. The bill will now be sent to the Ohio House for consideration. The Senate also voted in favor of the conference report on House Bill 606, sending the bill to the Governor for his consideration. House Bill 606 provides liability protections to businesses, schools and certain healthcare providers during declared disasters or emergencies. The legislation aims to protect against frivolous lawsuits that allege exposure to COVID-19 on the entity's premises, unless it is found that the business owner, school or provider acted with reckless or intentional misconduct to spread the virus. “It is imperative that Ohio’s businesses reopen as quickly and safely as possible,” said Johnson. “This important piece of legislation will help protect our businesses and help them do just that.” The protections in House Bill 606 are temporary and would continue through September 30, 2021.