On Independence Day, Governor Mike DeWine signed into effect the state’s two-year, $191 billion operating budget. This was the culmination of over six months’ worth of meetings, hea- rings, and countless bill drafts and amendments. At all stages of this process, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs team remained engaged, including testifying before both the House and Senate Finance Committees, speaking with legislative leaders and members of the DeWine Administration, and submitting comments to the joint conference committee. Overall, the Ohio Chamber enjoyed a favorable state operating budget, with six of the OCC’s ten Policy Priorities designated at the start of the Ohio General Assembly addressed in the final budget language. In addition to these policy priorities, a major initiative the OCC both authored and facilita- ted was an amendment to eventually extend JobsOhio’s liquor franchise by 15 years. JobsOhio currently has 15 years remaining on its original 25-year franchise, and this extension will equip JobsOhio with increased capacity to compete for more economic opportunities, longer-term agreements, and more aggressive incentives. Under this language, the state and JobsOhio will now enter into an extension agreement which must then be approved by the State Controlling Board. Of the OCC’s ten Policy Priorities established back in January, here are the six that were enac- ted in the state operating budget: • Senate Bill 1/House Bill 12 – The budget includes this OCC priority legislation, which restructures both the Ohio Department of Education and State Board of Education to provide stronger emphasis on workforce skills and career readiness. Under SB 1, the Department of Education will become a state-level agency called the Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) and will consist of two divisions: the Division of Primary and Secondary Education, and the Division of Career Technical Education. We are especially excited to see career tech finally elevated to the same level as traditional K-12, as we need to prioritize both to help our youth reach personal fulfillment while equipping them with the necessary skill sets for our modern workforce. OHIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUDGET RECAP Throughout our budget conversations with Chamber members & policymakers, our driving force has continued to be our Blueprint for Ohio’s Economic Future. The Blueprint is a constructive look at policy areas where Ohio can better capitalize on opportunities and position itself as a leader in the coming decade.
NEWS MAGAZINE
10
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online