Rep. Erika White

To enact section 5101.548 of the Revised Code to establish a program to refund SNAP recipients who have been victims of electronic theft or fraud, to name this act the No Hungry Families Act, and to make an appropriation.

Maddy summaryHB 175 designates a 120-mile stretch of U.S. Route 24 in Ohio as the "Heartland Highway." This specifically covers the route between the Indiana and Michigan borders, passing through Paulding, Defiance, Henry, and Lucas counties. The bill requires the Ohio Department of Transportation to install markers along this highway segment with the new name. It has no funding, regulatory, or programmatic changes - it is solely a naming designation.

To amend sections 4112.01 and 4112.05 of the Revised Code to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression, to add mediation as an informal method that the Ohio Civil Rights Commission may use, and to uphold existing religious exemptions under Ohio's Civil Rights Law.

To amend sections 5747.01, 5747.08, and 5747.98 and to enact section 5747.36 of the Revised Code to authorize the refundable thriving families tax credit for certain income taxpayers with dependents who are minor children.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases Ohio's homestead property tax exemption amount from $25,000 to $50,000 and raises the income limit for eligibility from $34,500 to $50,000 (adjusted annually for inflation). It directly affects seniors (65+), permanently disabled residents, and surviving spouses of disabled seniors, disabled veterans, or public safety officers killed in duty. The exemption reduces property tax bills for qualifying homeowners who own and occupy their primary residence, with the new amounts automatically adjusted each year based on economic data. This change modifies existing tax relief provisions under sections 323.152 and 4503.065 of the Revised Code.

Maddy summaryHB 99 removes specific nonprofit agricultural membership organizations from Ohio's insurance regulations. It defines these organizations as state-incorporated entities serving farmers' interests and providing healthcare coverage exclusively to members and their families. The bill clarifies that such healthcare coverage is not considered "insurance" under state law, exempting these organizations from Title XXXIX regulations and the superintendent of insurance's jurisdiction. This allows the organizations to provide healthcare benefits without insurance licensing while permitting reinsuring of related risks through authorized insurers.

To amend sections 3314.03 and 3326.11 and to enact sections 3313.7118 and 3707.61 of the Revised Code to require the Department of Health to develop type 1 diabetes informational materials for parents and guardians of elementary school students.

To enact section 3902.66 of the Revised Code to require health insurers to cover preventive screenings for certain men at high-risk for developing prostate cancer.

Maddy summaryHB 34 proposes to increase Ohio's state minimum wage in phases, starting at $15.50 per hour in 2025 and rising to $16.50 per hour by 2027. It requires annual adjustments based on inflation after 2027 and mandates employers to post current wage rates in visible locations. The bill covers most Ohio workers, excluding specific categories like certain independent contractors in transportation (e.g., owner-operators of vehicles) and volunteers. It also clarifies definitions of "employee" and "employer" to align with federal standards under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The bill is currently pending committee review after its introduction on February 3, 2025.