Senator Schaffer Announces Ohio Senate Passed Budget Plan with Unanimous Bipartisan Support

COLUMBUS— The Ohio Senate today passed the state’s two-year operating budget (Am. Sub. H.B. 166), legislation that invests in Ohio’s small businesses and families, providing significant tax cuts to hard-working Ohioans and preserving tax reforms key for small business.

"This budget reflects the Senate's commitment to return tax dollars to Ohioans," said State Senator Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster). "We invested in critical services, but did so in a fiscally responsible manner.”

“I am also especially pleased to see my amendment, providing $1M to create the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC), included in the budget,” Schaffer added. “I want to thank Senate President Larry Obhof for his support of law enforcement’s dedication to protecting children from predators.” "We have worked hard in many ways to invest in our children and their futures, and this amendment is just another way we are protecting them," he said. Senator Schaffer secured a number of additional amendments in the budget, including:

• $1.25 million for advanced manufacturing and robotics training in Fairfield County to support a new manufacturer locating in Lancaster. Ohio University-Lancaster and Hocking College will collaborate in the training.
• $500,000 for Heritage Ohio’s Main Street Program to assist rural towns of Ohio in revitalization efforts.
• Increases the maximum amount of lodging tax revenue received by the Muskingum County Convention Facilities Authority that is permitted to be used for county fairground purposes.
• Extends the moratorium on building code requirements for micromanaging how public schools construct storm shelters.
• Authorizes townships, counties or municipal corporations to issue industrial development bonds without first designating a community improvement corporation. This initiative will help those like Violet Township continue to be a successful community.
• An amendment that allows for $17,000 in unused money in the Lakes in Economic Distress Revolving Loan Fund to be made available in Fiscal Year 20. This initiative will continue to assist the Buckeye Lake and Millersport regions’ continued economic recovery.
• Schaffer was also proud to lead an initiative that provides funding to non-affiliated food banks and pantries. By correcting a problem, Ohio will see a greater capacity to help families in need, including hungry children.
• An amendment that will exempt small wineries from burdensome licensure requirements. This amendment will help the small wineries trying to make a living, specifically, those constituents that have reached out in need of help from the State.

Schaffer also collaborated with colleagues on the following successful amendments:

• He and colleagues supported restoring the small business income deduction (BID), will be restored to current law.

“This will allow the People of Ohio to keep more of their hard-earned money to reinvest and purchase even more goods and services,” Schaffer said.“The BID positively impacts the small business community, which produces the most new jobs in Ohio’s economy.”

• A technical change to the New Community Authority laws to enable the construction of a new Crew Stadium.
• Increased the Local Government Fund percentage to 1.68% for both Fiscal Year 20 and Fiscal Year 21. This amendment will start to restore the local government fund back to the original level that many communities saw for years.
• Removes the provision that would shut down the Western Governor’s University. This will allow WGU to be able to stay in operation and continue to educate thousands of Ohioans.

Major policy initiatives in the budget continue to help Ohioans be financially successful. In fact, the budget reduces the number of income tax brackets from seven to five and has $640 million in tax cuts. And the Ohio Constitution requires the budget to be balanced, meaning the state cannot spend more money than it takes in.

The bill now returns to the Ohio House of Representatives, where it is expected to be referred to a conference committee where the House and Senate versions will be reconciled. The Ohio Constitution requires a balanced budget signed by the governor by June 30. Major provisions of the full Senate plan can be found here.