Ohio Council Legislative Update April 2025

Ohio Council Legislative Update

Lawmakers return to Columbus after a two-week break as the Senate prepares to begin, in earnest, its work on HB 96, the state operating budget bill for fiscal years 2026-2027.

While the Ohio Senate has already held several informal hearings on the budget bill, the week of April 28^th marks the official beginning of the Senate’s budget process and include various committees holding hearings with many of the state agencies and boards.

An official timeline has not been released, but the following dates serve as guidance and will be updated as official dates are released:

Weeks of April 28th, May 5th, and May 12th: Budget Hearings in Senate Standing Committees
May 16th: Substitute Bill Amendments Due
Week of May 26th: Public Testimony in Senate Finance
May 27th: Senate Finance Adopts Substitute Bill with Amendments
June 12th: Senate Floor Vote

The Ohio Council plans to offer testimony in the Senate Medicaid and Health Committees and has scheduled a series of meetings with senators and key staff to share our priorities and discuss other key funding and policy issues. As opportunities arise for Ohio Council members to advocate, we will reach out and make this information available. If you have opportunities in your communities to meet with elected officials, now is the time to talk about the importance of Medicaid and behavioral health services in supporting health, wellness and recovery as well as overall economic success.

We also continue to monitor both chambers for other legislative measures that may affect community behavioral health providers. Below are the bills we have identified during this legislative session:

HB28	ELIMINATE REPLACEMENT PROPERTY TAX LEVY AUTHORITY (MATHEWS A, HALL T) To eliminate the authority to levy replacement property tax levies.
	*Current Status:*	4/8/2025 - Senate Ways and Means, (First Hearing)
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-28

HB58	RECOVERY HOUSING-CERTIFICATES OF NEED (PIZZULLI J, JARRELLS D) To create a certificate of need program for recovery housing residences.
	*Current Status:*	3/18/2025 - House Community Revitalization, (Second Hearing)
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-58

HB96	OPERATING BUDGET (STEWART B) To make operating appropriations for the biennium beginning July 1, 2025, and ending June 30, 2027, to levy taxes, and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of state programs.
	*Current Status:*	5/1/2025 - Senate Health, (Second Hearing)
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-96

HB160	REVISE LIQUOR CONTROL, HEMP, MARIJUANA LAWS (STEWART B) To revise specified provisions of the liquor control, hemp, and adult-use marijuana laws and to levy taxes on marijuana.
	*Current Status:*	4/30/2025 - House Judiciary, (Second Hearing)
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-160

HB172	REQUIRE PARENTAL CONSENT-MINORS' MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE (NEWMAN J) To prohibit the provision of mental health services to minors without parental consent.
	*Current Status:*	3/19/2025 - Referred to Committee House Health
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-172

HB189	REGARDING SCHOOL BEHAVIORAL THREAT MANAGEMENT (HALL T, GHANBARI H) Regarding a statewide behavioral threat management operational process for public and chartered nonpublic schools.
	*Current Status:*	4/29/2025 - House Education, (First Hearing)
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-189

HB219	ESTABLISH INSURER NETWORK ADEQUACY STANDARDS (DEETER K) To establish network adequacy standards for health insurers.
	*Current Status:*	4/9/2025 - Referred to Committee House Insurance
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-219

HB220	REGARDING PRIOR AUTHORIZATION REQUIREMENTS (WORKMAN H) Regarding health insurance and Medicaid program prior authorization requirements.
	*Current Status:*	4/9/2025 - Referred to Committee House Insurance
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-220

SB1	ADVANCE OHIO HIGHER EDUCATION ACT (CIRINO J) To enact the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act regarding the operation of state institutions of higher education.
	*Current Status:*	3/28/2025 - SIGNED BY GOVERNOR; eff. 90 days
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-1

SB7	REGARDING INSTRUCTION-SUBSTANCE USE (JOHNSON T) Regarding instruction for public and chartered nonpublic school students in the harmful effects of substance use.
	*Current Status:*	4/9/2025 - PASSED BY SENATE; Vote 33-0
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-7

SB56	MARIJUANA-REVISE LAWS, LEVY TAXES (HUFFMAN S) To consolidate the administration of the marijuana control program and to revise the medical and adult-use marijuana laws.
	*Current Status:*	4/30/2025 - House Judiciary, (First Hearing)
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-56

SB86	REGULATE HEMP, CANNABINOID PRODUCTS (HUFFMAN S, WILKIN S) To generally prohibit the sale of intoxicating hemp products, except for sales at licensed dispensaries; to regulate drinkable cannabinoid products, and to levy taxes on drinkable cannabinoid products and other intoxicating hemp products that may be sold.
	*Current Status:*	4/29/2025 - Senate General Government, (Fifth Hearing)
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-86

SB138	MODIFY ADAMH SERVICES LAWS (JOHNSON T) To modify various laws regarding boards of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services and to impose penalties for not registering recovery housing residences.
	*Current Status:*	4/30/2025 - Senate Addiction and Community Revitalization, (Third Hearing). Reported out.
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-138

SB160	REGARDING PRESCRIPTION DRUGS-MEDICATION SWITCHING (LISTON B, JOHNSON T) Regarding prescription drugs and medication switching.
	*Current Status:*	4/2/2025 - Referred to Committee Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-160

SB162	REGARDING HEALTH INSURANCE RECOUPMENT (BLESSING III L) Regarding the timeframe for health insurer recoupment from health care providers.
	*Current Status:*	4/2/2025 - Referred to Committee Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-162

SB164	REGULATE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-HEALTH INSURERS (CUTRONA A) Regulate the use of artificial intelligence by health insurers.
	*Current Status:*	4/2/2025 - Referred to Committee Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-164

SB165	PROHIBIT HEALTH INSURERS-CERTAIN CLAIM DENIALS (MANCHESTER S) To prohibit a health insuring corporation or sickness and accident insurer from reducing or denying a claim based on certain factors.
	*Current Status:*	4/2/2025 - Referred to Committee Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-165

SB166	PROHIBIT FEES-HEALTH INSURER, MEDICAID ELECTRONIC CLAIMS (MANNING N) To prohibit fees for electronic claims submission by health insurer and the Medicaid program.
	*Current Status:*	4/2/2025 - Referred to Committee Senate Medicaid
	*State Bill Page:*	https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-166