Rep. Deeter Champions Provisions in State Operating Budget

State Representative Kellie Deeter (R-Norwalk) today announced that the Ohio House of Representatives approved the conference committee report for Am. Sub. House Bill 96 – the State Operating Budget. The budget plan, which allocates funding for state programs and operations for the next two years, includes provisions that aim to protect freedom, family and fiscal responsibility – approving historic property tax relief for Ohioans, implementing a flat tax rate and providing a record amount of state funding for school districts. 

Rep. Deeter championed a number of provisions that impact the 54th Ohio House District, which are listed below: 

• OCHCH Workforce Development - Provides $1 million each year for the Ohio Council for Home Care and Hospice (OCHCH) to establish and administer the Home Care and Hospice Workforce Program, which aims to help nursing students receive competitive scholarships in their last year of study.
• Riveon Primary Care - $500,000 in each fiscal year to support primary care integration.
• Open Doors Academy - $1.5 million each year for Open Doors Academy, which is an out-of-school time (OST) organization in Cleveland that offers afterschool and summer programs coupled with year-round family engagement and scholar travel opportunities.
• Neighborhood Alliance - $250,000 each year for the Neighborhood Alliance 
• Children’s Hunger Alliance – $3 million next year and $2.5 million in 2027 for the Children’s Hunger Alliance, which is a statewide, nonprofit organization dedicated to ending childhood hunger.
• Career-Technical Education Programs – High school courses aligned with eligible career-technical classes will now be weighted similarly to College Credit Plus, AP, IB, and honors courses as advanced standing programs. 

DELIVERING HISTORIC PROPERTY TAX RELIEF TO OHIOANS 
Ohioans all over the state have called on the legislature to tackle rising property taxes, and members of the Ohio House are providing historic relief for taxpayers as soon as January 2026. The budget implements a process for schools that carry forward more than 40% of their general budget in unspent cash at the end of each year to be distributed back to Ohioans in property tax relief. District cash carryovers have increased year-over-year from $3.6 billion to $10.5 billion since tracking began in 2012. Utilizing carryover data from 2024, and assuming school district carryover amounts remain similar, the plan will save Ohioans over $2.5 billion in property taxes starting next year. 

“I was glad we were able to deliver meaningful property tax relief without hastily removing inside millage. Doing so without any transition period would have left local governments without the time or tools to adjust—and could have jeopardized their ability to fund critical services like law enforcement, fire protection, and schools,” said Rep. Deeter. 

BOOSTING FUNDING FOR OHIO SCHOOLS 

The budget prioritizes the education and well-being of Ohio students, ensuring that school districts are funded through the final phase of the Cupp-Patterson funding model. Ohio public schools will receive nearly $700 million more for public education over the biennium than they received in FY’ 25.

¿House Bill 96 now goes to the Governor for consideration.