This coming week will be the last week of session for the Ohio General Assembly before its traditional spring break. The Assembly is scheduled to return about mid-April, though that could always change.

There are many bills of municipal interest up for hearings this week (see schedule). One of those bills is HB 403, a bill which calls for a statewide uniform building code in Ohio. That bill is scheduled for a possible vote, so this may be the last time municipal officials can testify about their concerns regarding that bill in the House.

The bill (HB 258) which would attempt to outlaw all municipal employee residency requirements and overturn local votes regarding that issue is also up for another hearing in the House. If you wish to testify on this bill, please, let us know.

The House and Senate both have up for a hearing a plan (SB 247 and HB 535) that would allow PERS, STRS and SERS participants to choose a lump sum cash settlement at retirement. Under the plan, a person retiring from any of those three public systems would able to choose an amount of cash equal to three years of contributions as a lump sum. The person's monthly retirement check would be then reduced over the long-term to reflect that lump sum payment. Actuaries have determined that this new choice of payment for retirement benefits can be created without additional costs to the systems.

SB 187 was a bill that would allow school boards to raise their salaries. It's now a bill about that and how a successor is chosen for mayor in statutory cities if the mayor has to leave office mid-term. In the past, the President of Council succeeded the Mayor in that circumstance. Then, a few years ago, a situation arose that made a legislator think it was better to choose the Mayor's successor through the city precinct committee members of the Mayor's party. So the legislature made that change.

The League has no position on this matter, but if you have a concern about this issue, you'd better tell your member(s) of the General Assembly pretty quick. With the amendment being placed in a Senate bill in the House and that bill being moved out of House committee this week, it is clear that this change is most likely going to be sent to the Governor for his signature before the General Assembly leaves for break.

Senate Ways & Means, After 1:30 p.m. session, South Hearing Rm., Chr. Blessing, Phone: 466-8068.

SB 247 RETIREMENT BENEFITS (Blessing) Creates in the State Teachers Retirement System, School Employees Retirement System and Public Employees Retirement System the option of receiving retirement benefits as a partial lump sum followed by a reduced monthly allowance and makes other changes to the law governing STRS. (1^st Hearing - Sponsor & proponent)

House Commerce & Labor, 1:30 p.m., Rm. 121, Chr. Williams, Phone: 644-5085.

HB 403 UNIFORM BUILDING CODE (Kilbane) Establishes a statewide uniform building code and two advisory committees to assist the Board of Building Standards in developing and interpreting the Ohio building code. (5^th Hearing - Proponent, opponent & interested party - Amendments - Possible vote)

House Criminal Justice, 2 p.m., Rm. 114, Chr. Womer Benjamin, Phone: 466-2004.

HB 490 MISDEMEANOR SENTENCING (Latta) Implements recommendations of the Criminal Sentencing Commission pertaining to misdemeanor sentencing generally and makes other changes in the criminal law. (4^th Hearing - Proponent, opponent & interested party)

House State Government, 4 p.m., Rm. 122, Chr. Young, Phone: 644-6074.

HB 518 COUNTY LODGING TAX (Schmidt) Authorizes boards of county commissioners of certain counties to levy an additional excise tax on lodging. (3^rd Hearing - Proponent, opponent & interested party - Possible vote)

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20

House Local Government & Townships, 10 a.m., Rm. 121, Chr. Roman, Phone: 466-1790.

HB 258 RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS (Flowers) Prohibits certain political subdivisions from requiring their employees, and municipal corporations from requiring police or fire officers, to reside within any specific area of this state. (6^th Hearing - Proponent, opponent & interested party)

House Retirement & Aging, 10:30 a.m., Rm. 122, Chr. Schuring, Phone: 752-2438.

HB 535 RETIREMENT FUND BENEFITS (McGregor) Creates in the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS), School Employees Retirement System, and Public Employees Retirement System the option of receiving retirement benefits as a partial lump sum followed by a reduced monthly allowance and makes other changes to the law governing STRS. (1^st Hearing - Sponsor)

HB 426 EMINENT DOMAIN (Young) Requires acquiring state agencies to make every reasonable effort to provide a copy of the appraisal to the owner of real property appraised at more than $10,000 and makes other changes. (2^nd Hearing - Proponent)

HB 329 LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDS (Blasdel) Allows local government funds under certain circumstances to be distributed among subdivisions under an alternative apportionment scheme without the approval of the largest municipal corporation in the county. (5^th Hearing - Proponent, opponent & interested party - Possible vote)

SENATE WAYS & MEANS, After 1:30 p.m. session, South Hearing Rm., Chr. Blessing, Phone: 466-8068.

SB 247 RETIREMENT BENEFITS (Blessing) Creates in the State Teachers Retirement System, School Employees Retirement System and Public Employees Retirement System the option of receiving retirement benefits as a partial lump sum followed by a reduced monthly allowance and makes other changes to the law governing STRS. (1^st Hearing - Sponsor & proponent)

HOUSE COMMERCE & LABOR, 1:30 p.m., Rm. 121, Chr. Williams, Phone: 644-5085.

HB 403 UNIFORM BUILDING CODE (Kilbane) Establishes a statewide uniform building code and two advisory committees to assist the Board of Building Standards in developing and interpreting the Ohio building code. (5^th Hearing - Proponent, opponent & interested party - Amendments - Possible vote)

HOUSE CRIMINAL JUSTICE, 2 p.m., Rm. 114, Chr. Womer Benjamin, Phone: 466-2004.

HB 490 MISDEMEANOR SENTENCING (Latta) Implements recommendations of the Criminal Sentencing Commission pertaining to misdemeanor sentencing generally and makes other changes in the criminal law. (4^th Hearing - Proponent, opponent & interested party)

HOUSE STATE GOVERNMENT, 4 p.m., Rm. 122, Chr. Young, Phone: 644-6074.

HB 518 COUNTY LODGING TAX (Schmidt) Authorizes boards of county commissioners of certain counties to levy an additional excise tax on lodging. (3^rd Hearing - Proponent, opponent & interested party - Possible vote)

HOUSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT & TOWNSHIPS, 10 a.m., Rm. 121, Chr. Roman, Phone: 466-1790.

HB 258 RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS (Flowers) Prohibits certain political subdivisions from requiring their employees, and municipal corporations from requiring police or fire officers, to reside within any specific area of this state. (6^th Hearing - Proponent, opponent & interested party)

HOUSE RETIREMENT & AGING, 10:30 a.m., Rm. 122, Chr. Schuring, Phone: 752-2438.

HB 535 RETIREMENT FUND BENEFITS (McGregor) Creates in the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS), School Employees Retirement System, and Public Employees Retirement System the option of receiving retirement benefits as a partial lump sum followed by a reduced monthly allowance and makes other changes to the law governing STRS. (1^st Hearing - Sponsor)

HB 426 EMINENT DOMAIN (Young) Requires acquiring state agencies to make every reasonable effort to provide a copy of the appraisal to the owner of real property appraised at more than $10,000 and makes other changes. (2^nd Hearing - Proponent)