OHIO — Early Thursday morning, just a few hours past the midnight deadline, Gov. Mike DeWine signed the new two-year, nearly $75 billion state budget for fiscal year 2022-23 and issued 14 vetoes.
The vetoes included the provision that would have erased the violations bars and restaurants received during the COVID-19 pandemic and refund them for the fines they have had to pay. Violations included allowing patrons in over capacity, selling alcohol past the state-mandated deadline when it was enforced and lack of mask wearing or social distancing.
“Ohio law should not reward businesses and individuals that violated orders and rules adopted to protect Ohioans from the spread of COVID-19 by excusing their actions,” DeWine said.
14 Vetoed Items:
1. Extending Time Controlling Board Agenda
2. Medicaid Rates in Statutes
3. JCARR Review of EMIS Changes
4. Changing Community School Sponsors
5. Court of Claims Procedure for Open Meetings Law Violations
(continued) @SpectrumNews1OH— Josh Rultenberg (@JoshRultNews) July 1, 2021
Another provision he vetoed was the overhaul of the procurement process for Medicaid managed care organizations.
“This item would limit the Department of Medicaid’s ability to fulfill our commitment to all Ohioans — to children and their parents, physicians, counselors, nurses and all of our healthcare professionals to provide a system of accessible, quality health care,” DeWine wrote in the veto statement.
The budget, approved by the majority of both the Ohio House and Senate earlier this week, will put $460 million toward businesses and other sectors which were heavily affected during the pandemic. Bars and restaurants will be able to apply for $30,000 grants, another $30,000 will go toward the lodging industry and an additional $30,000 will help support entertainment venues.
New businesses that opened after Jan. 1, 2020, will be able to apply for $10,000 grants.
Through a $750 million investment, $250 million will support broadband expansion and the other $500 million will support brownfield remediation, building demolition and site renovation grants for neighborhoods.
The operating budget also includes $1.7 billion for K-12 schools, which DeWine said will help create more learning program options for families “to meet students’ social and emotional needs by including student wellness and success inside of its base cost for all students.”
Another large chunck of the budget is dedicated to supporting health programs for children and families.
The state will invest an additional $1.9 million toward the Help Me Grow program, which provides home visiting services for at-risk, expectant mothers, as well as families of young children at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, according to DeWine’s office. The addition will total more than $41 million provided to the program for next year.
Another $25 million will help cities create lead-safe homes.
“The Ohio Department of Health will conduct lead hazard control and abatement services on hundreds of Ohio homes, conduct public outreach and education, and increase the number of lead hazard workers through the Lead Worker/Contractor Licensure Repayment Program,” according to DeWine’s office. “A new, statewide Lead-Safe Housing Fund will provide competitive grants to Ohio communities to abate lead hazards in their housing, promoting revitalized, renewed communities.”
DeWine plans to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Thursday for more details on the new state budget.
