Key changes to midterm budget that are expected to face a floor vote in the Ohio House on Wednesday:
ECONOMY:
- Extends maximum period for state transportation project obligations from 25 years to 45 years
- Boosts venture capital technology credit cap from $20 million to $26.5 million
- Provides $500,000 for creation of the Economic Gardening Program
- Allows awarding of one historic preservation tax credit to a catalytic project that’s within 2,500 feet of a historic building and expected to foster its development
- Creates the Lake County incubator pilot project
EDUCATION:
- Allows high school dropouts ages 22 to 29 to earn a diploma from a dropout recovery community school, adult career center or community college
- Allots $3 million in new funding for a workforce training program for the economically disadvantaged
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
- Provides additional $10 million for adult protective services
- Provides additional $10 million for child protective services
- Increases Medicaid assisted-living payment rates by 1.5 percent of 2015 rate
- Permits county developmental disability boards to share employees
- Requires medical professionals to provide information on Lyme Disease when ordering a test and allows veterinarians to report positive tests to the state Health Department
- Authorizes a chiropractor to clear athletes to play after exhibiting concussion symptoms
ENERGY
- Permits electric utilities to calculate alternative energy requirements on a baseline of a single previous year rather than a three-year average in certain cases
TAX AND LICENSING:
- Eliminates licensing of roller rinks by state Commerce Department
- Allows Stark County to apply lodging taxes to improvements at stadium adjacent to Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Expands property tax exemption for fraternal organizations from those at least 100 years old to those at least 85 years old
VETERANS
- Allows Allen County to levy a lodging tax of up to 3 percent for a veterans memorial
- Creates a nonprofit board to oversee creation and operation of the Ohio Veterans Memorial and Museum
GAMBLING:
- Sets permanent salary of Casino Control Commission members at $30,000 a year
- Provides mechanism for charitable bingo operators to expand to new locations
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SOURCE: Ohio House Finance & Appropriations Committee
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