Budget & Taxes

in committee · Ohio · House Mar 4, 2026

HB 721: Establish the Veterans Organization Grant Program

HB 721 creates a program to provide $1,000 annual grants to eligible veterans organizations in Ohio. These grants can be used for events honoring veterans or supplying veterans with basic necessities like food. The Director of Development will administer the program, requiring organizations to apply annually and submit sworn reports detailing how funds were spent. The bill appropriates state funds for this purpose and establishes rules for grant distribution and accountability.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates state funds for veterans grants, increasing government spending on programs per bill's funding language.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransHB 721 creates $1,000 annual grants for veterans organizations to fund events honoring veterans and provide basic necessities, directly advancing veteran support through state funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Memorials & Recognition Veteran Benefits Veteran Housing

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passed · Ohio · House Jun 11, 2026

HCR 32: Urge Congress to implement a zero-based budgeting process

HCR 32 is a non-binding resolution urging the U.S. Congress to adopt zero-based budgeting for federal agencies. It proposes requiring agencies to rebuild their annual budgets from scratch each year - justifying every dollar of funding rather than starting with the previous year’s budget - instead of adding to existing appropriations. This would force agencies to evaluate all programs, rank priorities, and eliminate unnecessary spending to improve fiscal responsibility. The resolution does not change current law but calls on Congress to take action on this budgeting approach. It was introduced in the 2026 legislative session and referred to committee.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly promotes fiscal responsibility via zero-based budgeting, requiring agencies to justify all spending annually instead of rolling over funds.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Government Spending State Budget

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in committee · Ohio · House Jun 3, 2026

HB 711: Regards the minimum teacher salary schedule

HB 711 updates Ohio's minimum teacher salary schedule by expanding how "years of service" are calculated to include teaching in chartered nonpublic schools, state-operated schools, and up to five years of active military service (with partial years of eight months counting as full years). It establishes a base minimum salary of $35,000, with higher salaries determined by years of service and academic training level, requiring school districts and educational service centers to follow this schedule. The bill mandates that teachers be placed in the correct salary bracket without district restrictions and allows complaints to the director of education and workforce for enforcement. This directly affects Ohio public school teachers and school districts by setting enforceable salary minimums based on expanded service definitions.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates increased teacher salary funding via state schedule, requiring school districts to allocate more budget for educator compensation.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationSets $35,000 base teacher salary, expands service calculation to include nonpublic school/military teaching, directly increasing educator compensation and support.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentSets $35,000 base minimum teacher salary and expands service calculation to increase pay, directly advancing worker compensation in education sector.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly includes active military service in teacher salary calculation, recognizing veterans' service for compensation purposes.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · Ohio · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 345: Create Higher Ed Evidence-Based Innovation Fund, Grant Program

To enact section 3333.1211 of the Revised Code to create the Higher Education Evidence-Based Innovation Fund and Grant Program and to require the Chancellor of Higher Education to conduct a study on retrenchment processes at state institutions of higher education.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates state fund for higher education innovation, directing budget resources to support public education programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates grant program funding higher ed innovation, directly advancing educational funding and programs within higher education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Ohio · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 339: Create the Dayton Dragons license plate

SB 339 creates a specialty "Dayton Dragons" license plate for Ohio motor vehicles. When drivers purchase this plate, 100% of the revenue collected from the plate fee is distributed by the state treasurer to specific designated charitable organizations. The bill directs funds to groups including cancer support organizations, autism awareness programs, multiple sclerosis societies, sickle cell disease associations, educational foundations (like Future Farmers of America and 4-H), and scholarship funds for universities such as Notre Dame and Marshall. This is a standard specialty plate bill where revenue supports pre-identified causes rather than the team itself. The bill was introduced on January 12, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates dedicated revenue stream (license plate fees) funding charities, aligning with funding essential programs per topic indicators.90% confidence

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in committee · Ohio · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 641: Enact the Trails and Tails Act

To require the Department of Natural Resources to conduct two comprehensive studies on elk reintroduction and side-by-side trail expansion, to name this act the Trails and Tails Act, and to make an appropriation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly makes an appropriation for environmental studies and trail expansion, directly funding state programs under budget authority.95% confidence ✓ EnvironmentSupports EnvironmentBill funds studies on elk reintroduction (conservation) and trail expansion (natural resource management), directly addressing environmental protection through appropriation and designated subjects.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Conservation Parks & Recreation Wildlife

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passed · Ohio · House Jun 11, 2026

HB 647: Regards publicly funded child care, the Child Care Cred Program

To amend sections 5104.042, 5104.30, 5104.32, and 5104.34 and to enact section 109.44 of the Revised Code and to amend Sections 423.10, as subsequently amended, and 423.105 of H.B. 96 of the 136th General Assembly to revise the law governing the publicly funded child care program, modify an appropriation for the Child Care Cred Program, and to make an appropriation for a data analytics project.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill modifies and appropriates funds for child care program, directly supporting public service funding under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations

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passed · Ohio · House May 20, 2026

HB 644: Create Higher Ed Evidence-Based Innovation Fund, Grant Program

To enact section 3333.1211 of the Revised Code to create the Higher Education Evidence-Based Innovation Fund and Grant Program and to require the Chancellor of Higher Education to conduct a study on retrenchment processes at state institutions of higher education.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new state fund for higher education innovation, allocating budget resources to support public education programs per bill's explicit funding mechanism.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates a new grant fund for higher education innovation, directly increasing funding and supporting institutional program development in higher education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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passed · Ohio · House Jun 11, 2026

HB 645: Require the use of zero-based budgeting every ten years

To amend sections 107.03, 126.02, 126.13, and 126.27 and to enact section 126.025 of the Revised Code to require the use of zero-based budgeting in the development of the state budget every ten years.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires zero-based budgeting every decade to enhance fiscal accountability and efficiency in state budgeting, aligning with fiscal responsibility indicators.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget

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in committee · Ohio · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 626: Require courts to supply electronic notification of hearings

To enact section 2709.01 of the Revised Code to require courts to supply electronic notification of hearings to defendants in criminal and traffic cases and to make an appropriation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill explicitly makes an appropriation (funding allocation) for court electronic notification systems, directly advancing public service funding under budget management.90% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires electronic hearing notifications for defendants, improving due process and access to court proceedings in criminal cases, aligning with defendant rights protection.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Courts

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