Ohio Legislative and Policy News
Ohio
Senate Approved Amended Highway Budget; Increases Speed Limit to 75 MPH for
Cars and Trucks on Selected Rural Highways. A unanimous Senate last
week approved 2-year funding for highways (HB 53) and in the process,
approved an amendment that would increase speed limits for cars and trucks on
selected rural highways. The bill is different than the House-passed
version and as a result, a conference committee between both chambers will have
to iron out differences. Speaker Rosenberger (R-Clarksville)
expressed concern with the speed limit increase and indicated he believes the
issue needs more discussion before final approval.
House
and Senate Agree to Toxic Algae Compromise. The House and Senate have
been working out differences in approach to dealing with toxic algae issues in
the state between two separate bills (SB 1 and HB 61) and it appears that they
have reached agreement for the most part. There are a number of
provisions that relate to manure spreading by farmers, dumping dredge material
in Lake Erie, and the regulations of enforcing the provisions. Still to
be fully addressed is how the proposed manure spreading ban by farmers would be
enforced.
CAUV
Rate Concerns Continue. The Ohio Department of Taxation continues to
field comments and concerns about escalating CAUV rates and to work with
interested parties on rates for 2015. The combination of rising commodity
prices over the last several years with low interest and capitalization rates
have created an unusual combination of circumstances leading to rising
agricultural property tax valuations. OFA continues to work with
the Ohio Farm Bureau and other interests to get information to the Department
of Taxation (DoT)as it works its way through the issue. A number of
interests would like to see the current formula to determine woodland values
reformed while DoT wants to stay the course with current formula, albeit with
revised inputs.
Oil
and Gas Bill (HB 8) Gets House Approval; Limits Impact on ODNR Lands.
A unanimous House approved oil and gas legislation last week preventing
"unitization” of oil and gas permits on state parks and prohibits surface
impacts to state forests from nearby drilling. The bill streamlines the
process for a number of oil and gas developments in Ohio which the legislature
argues will encourage more energy development and a stronger energy portfolio
in Ohio.
ODNR
to Replace Buckeye Lake Dam. Some may have heard that the dam at
Buckeye Lake has serious structural problems and may be in imminent danger of
catastrophic failure, according to a Corps of Engineers report. Buckeye
Lake was built for now-defunct canal water supply purposes in the 19th
century and not for current recreational and personal uses. In addition,
over the years, more than 150 homes have been built on the dam leading to
severe structural issues. Governor Kasich announced last week that ODNR
would immediately begin work to replace the dam. One cost estimate to
replace the dam was placed at $150 million.
Senate
to Broadcast Budget Hearings for the First Time. It was announced
that the Ohio Senate will broadcast biennial budget hearings in the Finance
Committee on the OhioChannel.
This is the first time something like this has been done in the Ohio
legislature. Those wishing to listen to budget hearings can now do so
easily on-line. (Note to the faint of heart - It has occasionally been
said that "two things you never want to see get made are hot dogs and
laws.” It now appears that you can easily see one of the two
on-line. For all I know, you can probably see hot dogs being made on-line
too, but I haven’t looked for that and don’t intend to.)
OFA
Supports Funding for the USDA Forest Service Forest Inventory and Analysis
(FIA) Program. OFA agreed to co-sign a national letter of support for
funding for the the FIA program. FIA conducts statewide forest inventory
assessments and has done so for more than 60 years. The information is
invaluable for forestry and forest products industry assessments of statewide
forest resources. The current budget proposal is for a healthy increase
in FIA funding. It is critical that FIA continue to provide the valuable
forest inventory data service that it has for such a long time.
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