Rep. Thomas Hall

To amend section 151.40 and to enact sections 122.65, 122.651, 122.652, 122.653, 122.654, 122.655, 122.657, 122.658, and 122.659 of the Revised Code to restore the Clean Ohio Fund to be administered by the Department of Development and the Clean Ohio Council.

To amend sections 145.22, 145.23, 145.35, 145.46, 145.561, and 742.63 and to enact sections 145.71, 145.72, 145.721, 145.722, 145.73, 145.74, 145.75, 145.751, 145.76, and 145.77 of the Revised Code to establish a deferred retirement option plan for law enforcement officers in the Public Employees Retirement System.

Maddy summaryHB 40 increases the homestead property tax exemption for disabled veterans and their surviving spouses in Ohio. It raises the exemption value from $25,000 to $100,000 for veterans with income under $125,000 (adjusted annually), and to $50,000 for those over $125,000. The bill also expands the exemption to surviving spouses of disabled veterans (and public service officers killed in duty) who meet income limits, with annual adjustments tied to the GDP deflator. This change replaces existing exemptions under related tax sections and applies to only one homestead per eligible person.

Maddy summaryHJR 1 proposes adding a constitutional amendment to Ohio's state constitution that establishes a fundamental right for residents to hunt and fish using traditional methods. This right would be subject only to laws and rules enacted by the Ohio General Assembly for wildlife conservation, management, and preserving hunting/fishing opportunities. The amendment would require voter approval at the next general election and would not override existing trespass or property laws. If passed, it would make hunting and fishing a constitutionally protected activity and the preferred method for managing wildlife in Ohio.

To amend sections 9.63, 4501.06, 5747.50, 5747.502, 5747.51, and 5747.53 and to enact sections 9.631, 9.632, 9.633, and 5747.504 of the Revised Code to require state and local authorities to cooperate with the federal government in the enforcement of immigration laws, to prescribe funding reductions for noncompliance, to name this act the Protecting Ohio Communities Act, and to declare an emergency.

Maddy summaryHB 30 would replace Ohio's current progressive income tax structure with a single flat tax rate of 2.75% over two years. It directly affects all Ohio residents and businesses earning income in the state, including individuals, trusts, and estates. The bill eliminates current tax brackets (like the $26,050 threshold for lower rates) and sets a uniform 2.75% tax on all taxable income, regardless of earnings level. This change aims to simplify tax filing and provide uniformity, though it would reduce tax revenue for the state compared to the current system. The bill is currently in early stages (introduced February 2025) and has not yet been voted on.

To amend section 4301.69 of the Revised Code to reduce the mental state, from knowingly to recklessly, that applies to the prohibition against allowing an underage person to possess or consume alcohol in a private or public place.

To enact section 3792.08 of the Revised Code regarding prescribing, dispensing, and administering drugs and to name this act the Jeff, Dave, and Angie Patient Right to Try Act.

To amend sections 106.02, 106.023, 106.024, 111.15, 119.03, and 119.04 and to enact sections 106.025, 106.026, 106.033, 106.10, 121.96, and 126.04 of the Revised Code to require legislative approval of administrative rules and other regulatory actions under specified conditions, to allow a JCARR chairperson to request a third-party fiscal analysis of a rule, and to require state agencies to publicly post policy documents.

Maddy summaryThis bill prevents homeowner associations and similar groups from banning political yard signs on private property. Associations may still set reasonable limits on sign size (minimum 12 inches tall by 18 inches wide), location, and timing, but cannot prohibit signs during the 30 days before elections or restrict them below the specified size. It directly affects property owners who display political signs and homeowner groups that previously enforced sign restrictions. The law makes any rule violating these provisions unenforceable in court.