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Ohio House Passes Budget Plan

May 9, 2019
Republican Newsroom

COLUMBUS – The Ohio House of Representatives today passed its version of the two-year state budget, a plan that cuts taxes, invests in our schools and supports at-risk youth.

House Speaker Larry Householder said the plan invests in Ohio’s future and protects Ohio’s most vulnerable. It received strong bipartisan support, passing 85-9.

“We had some really good debates and good ideas, and I think this budget will make a difference for Ohioans,” said Householder (R-Glenford). “Some of the ideas we talked are going to become separate bills in order to build them out a bit more. We’re just getting started.”

The budget bill, House Bill 166, is the product of extensive work by members of the Ohio House. The Finance Committee and its five subcommittees collectively heard 135 hours of testimony. The House plan builds on the budget Gov. Mike DeWine proposed earlier this year.

Key provisions of the bill include:

  • Meaningful personal income tax relief for all Ohioans. The House plan completely eliminates the personal income tax for those who earn less than $22,250 and reduces personal income tax rates by 6.6 percent for everyone else. Overall, the House budget provides an annual net tax cut of $108 million.
  • Record funding for Ohio’s schools. The legislation builds on Gov. Mike DeWine’s blueprint and adds $125 million more over the next two years, with more being provided to areas with higher poverty.
  • Major investments in foster care, which has been a priority of many lawmakers. The House package doubles funding for foster care above what had been proposed by the governor. In addition to supporting local Jobs and Family Services operations, funding in House Bill 166 would be used to help at-risk youth and support recruiting additional foster care parents.
  • Medicaid reform, including increasing pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) transparency and accountability within the Medicaid program.

The budget bill now moves to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.

A new two-year state budget must be signed into law by June 30, 2019.