As the calendar turns to an odd numbered year Ohio’s state government begins work on several budgets to fund government for the next two fiscal years that begin on July 1.  Typically, Ohio’s legislature will deliberate on four budgets – the Industrial Commission budget, the Workers’ Compensation budget, the transportation budget, and the main operational budget. The transportation budget is debated first to move it through the legislature by March 31^st. This allows it to be in place at the start of the fiscal year.

Work began on the new transportation budget with the first hearing on February 16^th. The as introduced budget included increases in vehicle registration fees, cuts to public transportation funding and language to make distracted driving a primary traffic offense. Over several weeks of hearings, the House Finance Committee modified the as introduced language to remove the increase in vehicle registration fees and the language to make distracted driving a primary traffic offense. Public transportation funding was restored. The House Finance Committee also added $35 million in general revenue funding to fund the highway patrol. This money replaces the proposed registration fee increase. The distracted driving language will likely be taken up in a separate bill.

On March 3^rd, the Ohio House of Representatives passed the $8 billion budget and sent the measure to the Ohio Senate. Even before the measure moved through the House, the Ohio Senate began informal hearings to hear from the agencies impacted by the budget. Formal hearings began this week and will continue for the next couple of weeks. A vote by the Ohio Senate will likely come during the last week of March and then sent to the governor for his signature.