Transportation Budget Forced to Conference Committee

COLUMBUS- State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Westlake) today called the Senate’s version of the transportation budget (HB 23) promising, however, a conference committee is necessary to iron out the troubling differences in the two versions. Certain amendments unjustly rewrite the rules on competitive construction bids, impacting working people, labor unions, and potentially allowing billions to be unfairly awarded to projects aimed at improving roadways and bridges across Ohio.

“While the Senate version of the state transportation budget still does a lot of good, we have more work to do in the Conference Committee,” said Rep. Sweeney, Ranking Member of the House Finance Committee. “I am very grateful that the Senate recognized the importance of keeping our bipartisan rail safety reforms that put the people of Ohio first.”

The transportation budget includes bipartisan railway safety measures such as two-person crews and maintaining effective wayside detectors as well as investments in infrastructure projects around the state. The transportation budget heads to a conference committee where members of the House and Senate will negotiate a final transportation budget.