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FAX BULLETIN No. 2 May 7, 2004 PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS BULLETIN TO YOUR COUNCIL, DEPARTMENT HEADS & STAFF Jobs Bill Passes House Without TIF Amendments. HB 427, a bill supported by the Taft administration which includes money for job training, was passed by the House this week. Prior to that action an amendment to the bill was accepted which stripped from the bill much of the language related to tax increment financing programs. That action was taken in lieu of action that would have given a limited veto on all municipal TIF’s to the county commissioners. The process and disagreements on this bill will continue next week and perhaps longer. The Senate sent the House SB 206 (the version of the bill supported by the League) the week before last. It is still unclear, however, whether HB 427 (perhaps with Senate amendments favorable to the League’s position) or SB 206 (hopefully without House changes) will become the vehicle for legislative passage by the entire General Assembly. The League is supporting a number of primarily technical changes to the TIF program proposed by the city of Cincinnati and is opposing any provision of either bill that would give the county commissioners’ veto over any TIF’s that are longer than ten years or defer payments over 75%. Please, contact your legislators and ask them to support the provision of SB 206 and oppose the imposition of county vetoes over municipal development. Towing Bills. SB 34 and HB 307 are both bills that deal with issues dear to the heart of towing companies. The League is involved in discussion on both measures. Currently, SB 34 is undergoing a rewrite, in part, based on those discussions. HB 307 is up for a hearing, amendments and possible vote next week (see hearing schedule). We will follow these bills closely, as towing bills always lend themselves, for some reason, to strange ideas. One afloat currently is to make the Bureau of Motor Vehicles the collector of towing fees for private companies by tying the privilege of a driver’s license or registering a new car to the payment of private towing and storage fees. Another is to make the municipal courts of Ohio the collection agency for these private businesses. We’re sure a number of small businesses would love to have one of these agencies as their special collector of debts. We will keep you informed on these bills as more becomes available. Also Next Week; Gambling and Little More Pushing and Shoving. Though the calendar contains many municipal issues up for hearings next week, much of the attention of the General Assembly will be focused elsewhere. Next week will probably see new activity surrounding an effort to place on the November ballot a proposal to place video lottery terminals in Ohio’s racetracks. Also what we have seen on HB 206 and HB 427, and the jockeying for "vehicle" status, will continue on other bills. Just this week the Senate for the second time sent a version of "tort reform" to the House, even though the last version sent by the Senate to the House is sitting in House committee. The House responded by pushing back and saying, no matter how many tort reforms were sent by the Senate, the House wasn’t going to do anything on the subject until after the November elections. Expect the pushing, shoving, racing and nudging on legislation as the two chambers continue down an frantic path to adjourn at he end of the month. It is what always makes the end of session entertaining. (Because of staff obligations to a number of League cooperating association events occurring today, there is not a mailed version of the Bulletin this week. Readers who receive the FAX Bulletin will find the Committee Schedule posted on the League’s website (www.omunileague.org) later today. E-Bulletin subscribers receive the entire Bulletin as usual). LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 10, 2004
TUESDAY, MAY 11
Senate State & Local Government & Veterans Affairs, (Chr. Coughlin, 466-4823), South Hearing Rm., 2:30 p.m. or after session SB 226 EMINENT DOMAIN FEES (Padgett) Requires agencies to pay in just amounts determined by a court the attorney's fees, witness fees and other actual expenses that a property owner incurs in eminent domain proceedings if the compensation and damages that a jury assesses for the affected property exceed the agency's highest offer for the property by ten per cent or more. (1st Hearing-Sponsor)
House State Government, (Chr. Carmichael, 466-1474), Taft Rm. (formerly 122), 3 p.m. HB 164 ELECTION PETITIONS (Setzer) Permits the resigning of an election petition after the elector's signature is stricken and increases the number of signatures needed on a municipal referendum petition. (7th Hearing-Proponent, opponent & interested party - Possible vote)
House Homeland Security, Engineering & Architectural Design, (Chr. Schaffer, 466-8100), B. Harrison Rm. (formerly 116), 3 p.m. SB 179 CONTRACTOR LICENSING (Nein) Provides for the licensure of backflow contractors and prefabricated fireplace contractors; changes the name of the Ohio Construction Industry Examining Board to the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board and makes other changes related to that board. (2nd Hearing-Proponent, opponent & interested party) HB 396 CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY LICENSING (McGregor) Changes the name of the Ohio Construction Industry Examining Board to the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board and makes other changes related to that Board. (3rd Hearing-Proponent, opponent & interested party) HB 461 HOME IMPROVEMENTS (Trakas) Adopts the Home Improvement Contractor Law, establishes the Home Improvement Contractor Registration Board in the Department of Commerce establishes civil and criminal penalties for violation of the law and grants the attorney general enforcement powers. (2nd Hearing-Proponent, opponent & interested party) HB 465 RESIDENTIAL ROOFER LICENSING (Wolpert) Licenses residential roofers and siders with the Ohio Construction Industry Examining Board and prohibits residential roofers and siders from acting as public insurance adjusters or negotiating claims for an insured. (2nd Hearing-Proponent, opponent & interested party)
WEDNESDAY, MAY 12
House Civil & Commercial Law, (Chr. Seitz, 466-8258), Hayes Rm. (formerly 114), 9:30 a.m. HB 428 ADULT ENTERTAINMENT REGULATION (Reidelbach) Generally regulates adult entertainment establishments; permits townships to regulate the location and operation of those establishments; creates an expedited appeal from orders, adjudications, or decisions denying an application for, or suspending or revoking, a license or permit to locate or operate such an establishment; creates an expedited appear in any case in which a court determines there is a threat of restraint of protected expression, and; creates the offense of permitting unlawful operation of viewing booths depicting sexual conduct. (4th Hearing-Proponent, opponent & interested party)
House County & Township Government, (Chr. Wolpert, 466-9690), McKinley Rm. (formerly 121), 10 a.m. HB 411 LAND APPROPRIATIONS (Seitz) Allows a county, municipal corporation, conservancy district, sanitary district, county sewer district, or regional water and sewer district to appropriate land without a prior jury assessment for the construction of sewers when the Director of Environmental Protection or a local board of health finds that unsanitary conditions compel the immediate construction of sewers for the protection of the public health and welfare; revises the rulemaking authority of a board of county commissioners that adopts rules governing erosion control, sediment control, and water management; establishes a penalty for violation of those rules; authorizes a board of county commissioners that has established a county sewer district to adopt rules governing the prevention of sewer back-ups; and requires health district licensing councils to meet at least annually rather than quarterly. (4th Hearing-Proponent, opponent & interested party - Amendments & Possible vote)
Senate Energy, Natural Resources & Environment, (Chr. Spada, 466-8056), South Hearing Rm., 10 a.m. SB 201 DEMOLITION DEBRIS FACILITIES (Schuring) Replaces the construction and demolition debris facility license fee with a fee on the disposal of construction and demolition debris at construction and demolition debris facilities and solid waste facilities. (3rd Hearing-Opponent)
Senate Health, Human Services & Aging, (Chr. Wachtmann, 466-8150), Finance Hearing Rm., 2:30 p.m. or after session SB 222 MUNICIPAL HOSPITALS (Carey) Modifies laws governing municipal hospitals. (1st Hearing-Sponsor) SB 225 RETIREMENT BENEFIT CHANGE (Hottinger) Regards the election by a retirant who has married or remarried to change the plan under which a Public Employees Retirement System retirement allowance or benefit is paid. (1st Hearing-Sponsor)
House Transportation & Public Safety, (Chr. Reinhard, 644-6265), McKinley Rm. (formerly 121), 3:30 p.m. HB 307 ABANDONED VEHICLE FEES (Widener) Provides that certain persons who abandon motor vehicles on public roads may be prevented from registering a vehicle or obtaining a driver's license, until the towing the storage fees on the abandoned vehicle are paid. (5th Hearing-Proponent & opponent - Possible amendments & vote) HB 333 MOTORIZED SCOOTERS (Miller, D.) Permits certain motorized scooters to be operated in the same manner and in the same location as motorized bicycles. (2nd Hearing-Proponent)
THURSDAY, MAY 13
House Ways & Means, (Chr. Kilbane, 466-0961), McKinley Rm. (formerly 121), 10 a.m. HB 56 TAX REFORM DIRECTIVE (Kilbane) Directs the General Assembly in its deliberations regarding the enactment of reforms of the state's tax laws. (17th Hearing-Proponent & interested party) HB 458 MOTOR FUEL TAX DELAY (Grendell) Delays for one year the increase in the motor fuel tax that is scheduled to begin taking effect in fiscal year 2005, authorizes county auditors to establish a motor fuel quality testing program, and creates the Gasoline Practices Oversight Commission for the period ending December 31, 2005. (1st Hearing-Sponsor)
House Banking, Pensions & Securities, (Chr. Blasdel, 466-8022), Rm. 018, 10:30 a.m. HB 449 RETIREMENT SYSTEM REFUND (Seitz) Allows a retirant re-employed in a position covered by the Public Employees Retirement System to receive a refund of the retirant's contributions in lieu of a benefit for the period of re-employment. (3rd Hearing-Proponent, opponent & interested party - Possible substitute bill) HB 455 RETIREMENT BENEFITS (Schneider) Regarding an election by a retirant of one of the state's public retirement systems who has married or remarried to change the plan under which a retirement benefit is paid. (4th Hearing-Proponent, opponent & interested party - Possible vote) HB 468 MILITARY SERVICE CREDIT (Stewart, J.) Permits a member of the Public Employees Retirement System to purchase military service credit for inactive duty in the Ohio National Guard or reserves. (1st Hearing-Sponsor)
House Judiciary, (Chr. Oelslager, 752-2438), Hayes Rm. (formerly 114), 10:30 a.m. HB 460 COURT COSTS (Key) Requires that fifty per cent of all fees paid into the Financial Responsibility Compliance Fund be distributed to the courts to cover costs incurred by the courts in connection with the enforcement of traffic laws. (1st Hearing-Sponsor) |
