CORONAVIRUS UPDATES JULY 2021

This month, Governor DeWine announced that his regular COVID-19 press briefings were coming to an end after a 15-month stint. In all, there were 168 press conferences with the final being after the state’s last Vax-a-Million drawing at the end of June.  While the regularity of the COVID press briefings has come to an end,…

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The Ohio Checkbook: What is it Really?

What is the Ohio Checkbook? The Ohio Checkbook is a public online resource for information on local and state finances, including government spending, transactional data, revenue allocation, salary data, and other financial data. The updated Ohio Checkbook design, as of November 2019, is a combination of the original Checkbook and Ohio Interactive Budget (OIB). The…

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JCARR: What is it Really?

What is JCARR? The Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) is a legislative body that is comprised of and used by the General Assembly to oversee and advise on rulemaking. “Joint” refers to the banding of members from both chambers of the state legislature. It operates to check how new, proposed, or existing rules…

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Navigating The Register of Ohio

What is The Register of Ohio?  According to the Legislative Guidebook, the Legislative Service Commission (LSC) facilitates the Register of Ohio, which is an electronic system for state agencies to file administrative rules. The Register is available to the public, equipped with the filed rules, corresponding rulemaking documents, and information on how rulemaking is conducted.  Why does the Register Exist?  O.R.C. § 103.051 notes that the Register…

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Coronavirus Updates June 2021

This month, Ohio took more steps toward returning to a pre-pandemic world. Ohio’s Mass Vaccination Clinic in Cleveland that was open 12 hours a day, 7 days a week from mid-March, ceased operations on June 7. Governor DeWine’s state of emergency in Ohio caused by the COVID-19 pandemic lifted on Friday, June 18.  Also on…

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Save the Date for 2021 Impact Ohio Regional Conferences

Impact Ohio Regional Conferences are a way for communities across Ohio to focus on issues important to their community.  Plans are underway to resume in-person events this fall. Please save the date for our upcoming 2021 conferences. Toledo Regional Conference, Sept. 17 Youngstown-Warren Regional Conference, Oct. 1 Dayton Regional Conference, Oct. 22 Southeast Ohio Regional…

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Ohio’s Controlling Board: What is it Really?

What is the Controlling Board? The Controlling Board is a mechanism for handling necessary adjustments to the state budget.  Established in 1917, the Controlling Board is an instrument that provides supervision and authority over the transfers of capital and operating appropriations, or alterations to the state budget. It specifically decides on matters of the purchase…

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Ohio to Hold Special Elections for the 11th and 15th Congressional Districts

With the resignations of former Congresswoman Marcia Fudge (D-Cleveland) and former Congressman Steve Stivers (R-Upper Arlington), many Ohioans will have special elections this August and November to elect the next members of Congress for Ohio’s 11th and 15th Congressional Districts.  For both seats, the primary is set for August 3, and the general election will…

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Coronavirus Updates May 2021

This month, Ohio began to take steps toward removing some COVID-19 health orders, and the state started a vaccine incentive program that has received national attention. The Governor held a statewide evening address, on May 12, announcing that most COVID-19 health orders would be removed on June 2. He also announced a series of statewide…

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Ohio to Receive Nearly $5.37 Billion in Federal Coronavirus Aid

On May 10, the U.S. Treasury Department released details on how $350 billion in federal aid through the American Rescue Plan Act can be spent across the nation. Ohio will receive around $5.37 billion of the total $195.3 billion allocated to states. As Ohio’s unemployment rate has not experienced a net increase of 2% or…

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