Greater Ohio Legislative Report:
Updated April 25, 2008
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HB138 |
JUDICIAL SALE-PROPERTY (FOLEY, M) To require purchasers of real property at a judicial sale to provide certain identifying information and to make other changes in judicial sales of real property. |
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Current Status: |
2/5/2008 - Senate Judiciary - Civil Justice, (Third Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
1/29/2008 - Senate Judiciary - Civil Justice, (Second Hearing)
1/23/2008 - Senate Judiciary - Civil Justice, (First Hearing)
1/9/2008 - Referred to Committee Senate Judiciary - Civil Justice
12/12/2007 - PASSED BY HOUSE, Vote 90-2
12/12/2007 - Bills for Third Consideration
6/14/2007 - House Committee recommends substitute, Vote 11-1
6/13/2007 - REPORTED OUT AS AMENDED, House Civil and Commercial Law, (Sixth Hearing)
6/6/2007 - House Civil and Commercial Law, (Fifth Hearing)
5/30/2007 - SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED, House Civil and Commercial Law, (Fourth Hearing)
5/23/2007 - House Civil and Commercial Law, (Third Hearing)
5/16/2007 - House Civil and Commercial Law, (Second Hearing)
5/9/2007 - House Civil and Commercial Law, (First Hearing)
4/17/2007 - Referred to Committee House Civil and Commercial Law
3/28/2007 - Introduced |
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HB222 |
LAND SALE PUBLIC NOTICES (ZEHRINGER, J) To permit instead of require that public notices and advertisements of the sale of lands and tenements taken in execution contain a description of the lands and tenements and to permit those advertisements to be made on the sheriff's web site. |
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Current Status: |
5/31/2007 - 5/31/2007 - House Local and Municipal Government and Urban Revitalization, (First Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
5/22/2007 - Referred to Committee House Local and Municipal Government and Urban Revitalization
5/17/2007 - Introduced |
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HB289 |
AGRICULTURAL SECURITY AREAS (CORE, A) To make changes to the law governing agricultural security areas. |
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Current Status: |
4/18/2008 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days |
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All Bill Status: |
4/10/2008 - Sent to Governor for Signature
4/8/2008 - Consideration of Senate Amendments, Vote 94-0
4/8/2008 - Consideration of Senate Amendments
4/1/2008 - PASSED BY SENATE, Vote 31-1
3/13/2008 - Senate Committee recommends substitute, Vote 9-0
3/12/2008 - REPORTED OUT AS AMENDED, Senate Agriculture, (Third Hearing)
2/6/2008 - Senate Agriculture, (Second Hearing)
1/30/2008 - Senate Agriculture, (First Hearing)
1/9/2008 - Referred to Committee Senate Agriculture
12/12/2007 - PASSED BY HOUSE, Vote 93-0
12/12/2007 - Bills for Third Consideration
10/31/2007 - REPORTED OUT AS AMENDED, House Agriculture and Natural Resources, (Third Hearing)
10/24/2007 - House Agriculture and Natural Resources, (Second Hearing)
10/10/2007 - House Agriculture and Natural Resources, (First Hearing)
9/10/2007 - Referred to Committee House Agriculture and Natural Resources
7/24/2007 - Introduced |
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HB357 |
ENERGY DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPLY (MCGREGOR, J) To modify and expand the laws governing energy development and supply in the state. |
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Current Status: |
12/11/2007 - House Alternative Energy, (Sixth Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
12/4/2007 - House Alternative Energy, (Fifth Hearing)
11/27/2007 - House Alternative Energy, (Fourth Hearing)
11/14/2007 - House Alternative Energy, (Third Hearing)
11/7/2007 - House Alternative Energy, (Second Hearing)
10/31/2007 - House Alternative Energy, (First Hearing)
10/23/2007 - Referred to Committee House Alternative Energy
10/18/2007 - Introduced |
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HB359 |
NUISANCE ABATEMENT (HUFFMAN, M) To extend to all counties the authority to utilize surplus delinquent tax collections to facilitate nuisance abatement of deteriorated residential buildings in foreclosure and to terminate the temporary authority of a county with a population exceeding 1.2 million to use such collections to prevent residential mortgage foreclosures. |
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Current Status: |
4/9/2008 - SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED & REPORTED OUT AS AMENDED |
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All Bill Status: |
4/9/2008 - SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED & REPORTED OUT AS AMENDED, House Ways and Means, (Fifth Hearing)
3/12/2008 - SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED, House Ways and Means, (Fourth Hearing)
1/30/2008 - House Ways and Means, (Third Hearing)
11/7/2007 - House Ways and Means, (Second Hearing)
10/31/2007 - House Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
10/23/2007 - Referred to Committee House Ways and Means
10/18/2007 - Introduced |
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HB420 |
STATE SPENDING (BRINKMAN, T) To promote transparency with respect to state spending by requiring that certain information on state awards and earmarks, state real property management, state agency management, and state program effectiveness be collected and made available on-line. |
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Current Status: |
4/10/2008 - REPORTED OUT |
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All Bill Status: |
4/10/2008 - REPORTED OUT, House State Government and Elections, (Fourth Hearing)
2/7/2008 - House State Government and Elections, (Third Hearing)
1/31/2008 - House State Government and Elections, (Second Hearing)
1/24/2008 - House State Government and Elections, (First Hearing)
1/8/2008 - Referred to Committee House State Government and Elections
12/21/2007 - Introduced |
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HB422 |
WATER RESOURCES/ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (SETZER, A) To create the Water Resources and Economic Development Study Committee. |
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Current Status: |
4/16/2008 - House Economic Development and Environment, (Third Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
4/9/2008 - House Economic Development and Environment, (Second Hearing)
1/16/2008 - House Economic Development and Environment, (First Hearing)
1/9/2008 - Referred to Committee House Economic Development and Environment
1/8/2008 - Introduced |
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HB472 |
DITCH MAINTENANCE (SETZER, A) To allow a board of county commissioners to adjust the permanent base of a ditch improvement that is used for maintenance fund assessments and to allow a board to use certain ditch maintenance procedures to maintain soil and water conservation district improvements. |
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Current Status: |
4/23/2008 - House Agriculture and Natural Resources, (Third Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
4/16/2008 - House Agriculture and Natural Resources, (Second Hearing)
4/9/2008 - House Agriculture and Natural Resources, (First Hearing)
2/12/2008 - Referred to Committee House Agriculture and Natural Resources
2/6/2008 - Introduced |
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HB487 |
RENEWABLE ENERGY (MCGREGOR, J) To establish alternative energy benchmarks for electric distribution utilities and electric services companies, provide for the use of renewable energy credits, establish energy efficiency standards for electric distribution utilities and require the Department of Development to establish energy efficiency programs, create the Ohio Renewable Energy Authority to provide loans and grants to renewable energy businesses, establish policies regarding the geologic storage of carbon dioxide, and require greenhouse gas emission reporting and carbon control planning for generating facilities. |
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Current Status: |
3/12/2008 - House Public Utilities, (Fourth Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
3/6/2008 - House Public Utilities, (Third Hearing)
3/5/2008 - Referred to Committee House Public Utilities
2/28/2008 - House Public Utilities, (Second Hearing)
2/27/2008 - House Public Utilities, (First Hearing)
2/21/2008 - Introduced |
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HB521 |
LOCAL GOVERNMENT (WOLPERT, L) To create the Ohio Commission on Local Government Reform and Collaboration to develop recommendations on reforming and restructuring local government in Ohio. |
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Current Status: |
4/24/2008 - House Local and Municipal Government and Urban Revitalization, (Third Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
4/24/2008 - House Local and Municipal Government and Urban Revitalization, (Third Hearing)
4/17/2008 - House Local and Municipal Government and Urban Revitalization, (Second Hearing)
4/10/2008 - House Local and Municipal Government and Urban Revitalization, (First Hearing)
4/2/2008 - Referred to Committee House Local and Municipal Government and Urban Revitalization
4/1/2008 - Introduced |
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SB119 |
TAX-DELINQUENT LAND REUTILIZATION (SCHULER, R) To modify the tax-delinquent land reutilization law by authorizing political subdivisions to prosecute property tax foreclosures, acquire such land through foreclosures before the land is offered at a tax sale, and sell such property at less than appraised market value; and to impose a one-year limit on property owners' option to obtain a delinquent tax installment payment contract. |
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Current Status: |
5/2/2007 - Senate Ways and Means and Economic Development, (Second Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
4/18/2007 - Senate Ways and Means and Economic Development, (First Hearing)
3/21/2007 - Referred to Committee Senate Ways and Means and Economic Development
3/20/2007 - Introduced |
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SB221 |
STATE ENERGY POLICY (SCHULER, R) To revise state energy policy to address electric service price regulation, new bonding authority for advanced energy projects, advanced (including renewable) energy portfolio standards, energy efficiency standards, and greenhouse gas emission reporting and carbon control planning requirements. |
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Current Status: |
4/23/2008 - Consideration of House Amendments |
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All Bill Status: |
4/23/2008 - Consideration of House Amendments
4/22/2008 - PASSED BY HOUSE, Passed, as amended; Vote 93-1
4/14/2008 - SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED & REPORTED OUT AS AMENDED, House Public Utilities, (Twentieth Hearing)
4/11/2008 - House Public Utilities, (Nineteenth Hearing)
4/10/2008 - SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED, House Public Utilities, (Eighteenth Hearing)
10/30/2007 - SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED & REPORTED OUT, Senate Energy and Public Utilities, (Fifteenth Hearing)
10/25/2007 - SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED, Senate Energy and Public Utilities, (Thirteenth Hearing)
10/24/2007 - Senate Energy and Public Utilities, (Twelfth Hearing)
9/25/2007 - Introduced |
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SB276 |
CONSERVATION AND REVITALIZATION (STIVERS, S) To authorize a county, municipal corporation, or township to issue public obligations to provide, or assist in providing, grants, loans, loan guarantees, or contributions for conservation and revitalization purposes. |
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Current Status: |
4/1/2008 - Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs, (Second Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
3/11/2008 - Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs, (First Hearing)
1/23/2008 - Referred to Committee Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs
1/22/2008 - Introduced |
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SB277 |
NUISANCE PROPERTIES (STIVERS, S) To create a new cause of action in foreclosure in the environmental or housing division of a municipal court to abate nuisance properties. |
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Current Status: |
2/5/2008 - Senate Judiciary - Civil Justice, (First Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
1/23/2008 - Referred to Committee Senate Judiciary - Civil Justice
1/22/2008 - Introduced |
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SB283 |
MUNICIPAL CORPORATIONS (ROBERTS, T) To authorize municipal corporations to collect their unpaid costs for correcting hazardous conditions or abating nuisances caused by unsafe structures by attaching a lien against the property owner's primary residence, and to require persons with interests in real property to file identifying information with county auditors. |
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Current Status: |
4/1/2008 - Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs, (First Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
1/30/2008 - Referred to Committee Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs
1/29/2008 - Introduced |
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SB292 |
DITCH MAINTENANCE (ROBERTS, T) To allow a board of county commissioners to adjust the permanent base of a ditch improvement that is used for maintenance fund assessments and to allow a board to use certain ditch maintenance procedures to maintain soil and water conservation district improvements. |
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Current Status: |
4/23/2008 - Senate Environment and Natural Resources, (First Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
3/11/2008 - Referred to Committee Senate Environment and Natural Resources
2/19/2008 - Introduced |
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SB295 |
RENTAL AGREEMENT (MILLER, D) To provide that a rental agreement does not terminate upon the foreclosure of the landlord's mortgage. |
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Current Status: |
4/1/2008 - Senate Judiciary - Civil Justice, (First Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
3/11/2008 - Referred to Committee Senate Judiciary - Civil Justice
2/26/2008 - Introduced |
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SB300 |
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION FUNDING (CAFARO, C) To create the Public Transit Funding Task Force to study Ohio's public transportation funding and issue a report by June 30, 2008. |
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Current Status: |
4/22/2008 - Senate Highways and Transportation, (First Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
3/11/2008 - Referred to Committee Senate Highways and Transportation
3/4/2008 - Introduced |
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SCR23 |
VACANT HOUSING PROBLEMS (MILLER, D) To urge the United States House of Representatives to pass H.R. 3498, cited as the Neighborhood Reclamation and Revitalization Program Act of 2007, to authorize the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development to make grants to assist municipalities with a vacant housing problem and additionally to urge that the appropriations be increased to $500,000,000. |
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Current Status: |
4/8/2008 - Senate Finance and Financial Institutions, (First Hearing) |
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All Bill Status: |
3/11/2008 - Referred to Committee Senate Finance and Financial Institutions
2/26/2008 - Introduced |
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Week in Review
Friday, May 2, 2008
BUDGET
A new survey of states on their revenue outlooks for Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, released by the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), shows that Ohio is not alone in facing a budget shortfall, with a total of 23 states estimating budget gaps totaling at least $26 billion for their 2009 budgets.
ENERGY
Commenting that Energy is going to be the issue of our time, Speaker of the House Jon Husted (R-Kettering) joined Gov. Ted Strickland Thursday as he signed SB221 (Schuler) the energy re-reg bill into law. This came almost a year after the governor announced his original energy plan and amid praise from many involved in the process. The focus now turns to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio which must begin writing rules to put the new law into place.
ENVIRONMENT
Debate continued this week on the Great Lakes Compact with opponents to Sen. Tim Grendells SB291 testifying against his proposal for a constitutional amendment to guarantee water rights.
FEDERAL
President Bush declared an emergency for Ohio stemming from the March 7-9 snowstorms that led to record snowfalls. This makes federal funds available for Ashtabula, Brown, Clermont, Clinton, Crawford, Delaware, Fairfield, Franklin, Geauga, Greene Hardin, Huron, Lake, Morrow, Richland, Union and Wyandot counties.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE
Rep. Matt Barrett (D-Amherst) officially resigned his seat effective Monday, April 28 having been asked to do so by Minority Leader Joyce Beatty (D-Columbus) after admitting he had not been truthful about an incident involving nude pictures that were accidentally shown to a high school civics class he was addressing.
Applications for those wishing to replace Barrett in the 58th House District will be accepted through Thursday, May 8. Rep. Ron Gerberry (D-Austintown) will chair the screening committee.
Senate Democrats unanimously approved Sen. Dale Miller (D-Cleveland) as their caucus policy chairman.
Rep. Josh Mandel (R-Amherst) has returned from his second tour of duty in Iraq. He plans to return to the House the week of May 5.
GOVERNOR
Besides the energy bill, SB221, the governor also signed HB295 (Wagoner) which addresses the costs of counties energy conservation efforts and HB392 (McGregor, J.) which establishes a next-of-kin database in the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.
NATURAL RESOURCES
The U.S. House voted 395-7 for sweeping invasive species controls under the Coastal Guard Authorization Act of 2007 (HR2830) which includes strong ballast water treatment standards; ballast water treatment technology on board commercial vessels by 2009 using an interim standard; and a timeline for stronger U.S. treatment standards by 2012.
NONPROFIT ISSUES
The Internal Revenue Service is seeking comments on the recently released draft instructions for the 2008 Form 990, which is the return most tax-exempt organizations must file annually. The instructions apply to the redesigned Form 990 that organizations will use for the first time when filing for Tax Year 2008.
TOBACCO FUNDS
The Ohio Tobacco Prevention Foundation will soon be no more after legislative leaders, with the support of the governor, introduced legislation abolishing the agency and distributing $230 million of its funds to the states economic stimulus package and the remaining $40 million to the Ohio Department of Health for tobacco prevention programs. The bill, HB544 (Hottinger), quickly cleared the House where the committee and floor vote both came on Wednesday. On Thursday, the Senate finance committee reported the bill out, queuing it up for a Senate floor vote the week of May 5. Leaders were piqued over the lawsuit the foundation filed to keep the funds despite their decision to use the $230 million for the job stimulus plan and over the foundations plan to distribute the bulk of the funds to an out-of-state entity.
UTILITIES
Even as the Legislature was finishing work on the energy re-reg bill, SB221, Duke Energy Ohio filed a request with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to move ownership of its power plants to its unregulated companies owned by North Carolina-based Duke Energy Corp. a move not well received by Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Chair Alan Schriber. He said PUCO would intervene in the case, noting, The motive behind the timing of Dukes announcement is, at best, suspect.
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) approved an agreement among Vectren, the Ohio Consumers Counsel and other parties supporting the use of a wholesale auction process to determine the rate paid by customers who have not switched to an alternative supplier through the natural gas choice program.
2008 -- Provided by The Hannah Report - A Publication of Rotunda, Inc. & Hannah News Service
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