The Latest: House, Senate approve state gas, diesel tax

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - The Latest on the increases to Ohio’s taxes on gas and diesel fuel (all times local):

5:40 p.m.

Ohio’s House and Senate have approved a proposal to increase the state tax on gas by 10.5 cents a gallon and the tax on diesel fuel by 19 cents to maintain deteriorating roads and bridges.

Both chambers voted Tuesday to approve the long-awaited compromises on the tax increases in the state transportation budget. The compromises cleared a conference committee earlier Tuesday. The new tax rates would start July 1 under the plan, which still requires the governor’s signature.

The increases mean Ohioans would pay a state tax rate of 38.5 cents per gallon on gas and 47 cents a gallon on diesel fuel.

The budget plan also would allow for removal of front license plates starting July 1, 2020, and would boost public transportation funding by adding $70 million a year.

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4 p.m.

A committee of the Ohio House and Senate has approved a proposal to increase the state tax on gas by 10.5 cents a gallon and the tax on diesel fuel by 19 cents to maintain deteriorating roads and bridges.

The joint conference committee approved the increases Tuesday. The compromises on the tax increases in the state transportation budget were expected to be approved by the full House and Senate later Tuesday. Both new tax rates would start July 1.

The proposed increases would mean Ohioans would pay a state tax rate of 38.5 cents per gallon on gas and 47 cents a gallon on diesel fuel.

The conference report on the transportation budget approved Tuesday also allows for the removal of front license plates starting July 1, 2020.

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1:05 p.m.

Ohio House and Senate lawmakers are set to continue their efforts to reach a compromise on raising the state gas tax to fix deteriorating roads and bridges.

A joint Senate-House committee was scheduled to resume meeting Tuesday morning to iron out differences between their plans for the state Department of Transportation budget.

Gov. Mike DeWine and House Speaker Larry Householder, both Republicans, announced a deal Thursday under which the gas tax would rise by 11 cents per gallon and diesel fuel by 20 cents. But Senate lawmakers haven’t agreed to that.

Householder said last week that the current Senate proposal involved an 8.5 cents-per-gallon gasoline increase and a 13 cents-per-gallon increase on diesel.