Ohio General Assembly Update

As noted earlier in this document, on Wednesday, June 25, the Ohio General Assembly passed HB 96, the state operating budget for state fiscal years 2026-2027. For the first time in several years, the budget bill did not receive any votes from the minority party. The vote in the Ohio House was 59-38 and 23-10 in the Ohio Senate. HB 96 is now before Governor Mike DeWine for his review, subject to his line-item veto authority, and ultimately his signing before the beginning of the new fiscal year, which starts on July 1st.

Further, while the budget bill was the primary legislative measure considered during this legislative session, the Ohio Council did advocate on a host of bills that would affect the community behavioral health system – OC staff will continue to monitor additional legislative activity throughout the summer months.  Below are the bills we have identified for further monitoring and advocacy.

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 – Passed House; Senate Ways and Means, (First Hearing)

 

State Bill Page:   

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-28

 

HB57

OVERDOSE REVERSAL DRUGS, SCHOOL POLICIES (JARRELLS D, WILLIAMS J) Regarding school policies on the administration of overdose reversal drugs.

 

Current Status:   

6/24/2025 – Passed House; SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED, Senate Education, (Third Hearing)

 

State Bill Page:   

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-57

 

HB58

RECOVERY HOUSING-CERTIFICATES OF NEED (PIZZULLI J, JARRELLS D) To create a certificate of need program for recovery housing residences.

 

Current Status:   

5/6/2025 - House Community Revitalization, (Second Hearing)

*IP meeting scheduled for later this summer

 

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:   

6/25/2025 - Consideration of Conference Committee Report; House and Senate Accept Conference Committee Report; Pending Governor’s review, line-item vetoes; and signature

 

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 marijuana laws and to levy taxes on marijuana.

 

Current Status:   

5/7/2025 - House Judiciary, (Third 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:   

5/21/2025 - House Health, (First Hearing)

 

State Bill Page:   

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-172

 

HB219

ESTABLISH INSURER NETWORK ADEQUACY STANDARDS (DEETER K) To establish network adequacy standards for health insurers.

 

Current Status:   

5/6/2025 - House Insurance, (First Hearing)

 

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:   

5/27/2025 - House Insurance, (First Hearing)

 

State Bill Page:   

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-220

 

HB335

LAW CHANGES-COUNTY FUNDING (THOMAS D) To modify the law governing property taxation, county budget commissions, county sales taxation, and alternative apportionment formulas for local government and public library funds.

 

Current Status:   

6/18/2025 - SUBSTITUTE BILL ACCEPTED, House Ways/Means

 

State Bill Page:   

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-335

 

HB346

CHILD ABUSE MANDATORY REPORTING (KISHMAN M, WILLIAMS J) To enact V.J.'s Law to require mandatory reporters of child abuse or neglect to report to both a peace officer and the public children services agency.

 

Current Status:   

6/11/2025 - Referred to Committee House Public Safety

 

State Bill Page:   

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-346

 

HB356

REQUIRE AUDIT, ACTION-MEDICAID DISABILITIES ELIGIBILITY (DOVILLA M) To require an audit and corrective action plan for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medicaid eligibility group and to make an appropriation.

 

Current Status:   

6/18/2025 - Referred to Committee House Finance

 

State Bill Page:   

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-HB-356

 

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. 6/27/25

 

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:   

4/30/2025 -Passed Senate; Referred to House Education

 

State Bill Page:   

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-7

 

SB56

LAW CHANGES-MARIJUANA, LIQUOR, HEMP (HUFFMAN S) To revise specified provisions of the liquor control, hemp, and adult-use marijuana laws and to levy taxes on marijuana.

 

Current Status:   

6/24/2025 - House Judiciary, (Fourth 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:   

5/7/2025 - Referred to Committee House General Government

 

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 county ADAMHS Boards, and to impose penalties for not registering recovery housing residences.

 

Current Status:   

6/24/2025 – Passed House & Senate; Sent to Governor for Signature

 

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:   

6/17/2025 - Senate Financial Institutions/Insurance

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

SB222

REQUIRE CORRECTIVE PLAN-DISABLED MEDICAID GROUP (ROEGNER K) To require an audit and corrective action plan for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled Medicaid eligibility group and to make an appropriation.

 

Current Status:   

6/18/2025 - Referred to Committee Senate Finance

 

State Bill Page:   

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA136-SB-222