(COLUMBUS, Ohio)—10/30/2025, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed Executive Order 2025-06D: The Emergency Adoption of Rule 5101:1-23-40.1 of the Ohio Administrative Code for the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services and Directing the Provision of Temporary Assistance to Ohioans Facing Food Insecurity.

The executive order will provide up to $25 million for food assistance to help Ohio families that will be affected by the suspension of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, should the ongoing federal government shutdown continue.

The Governor’s order directs the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) to give $7 million to various Ohio food banks and up to $18 million in emergency relief benefits to more than 63,000 Ohioans – including more than 57,000 children – who are at or below 50% of the federal poverty level.

The Governor announced his intention to sign such an order earlier today. Read more: “DeWine, McColley, Huffman Take Action to Support Food Assistance During Federal Shutdown”

(February 18) After multiple delays over the past year, the State Controlling Board last Wednesday approved an extension of JobsOhio’s liquor franchise by 15 years. This extension, originally conceived by the Ohio Chamber as an amendment in the last state operating budget, equips JobsOhio with increased capacity to compete for more economic opportunities, longer-term agreements, and more aggressive incentives. The Ohio Chamber heavily advocated for this cause over the last several months, culminating in an editorial leading up to the vote co-authored by the Chamber and the Ohio Business Roundtable which appeared in several statewide newspapers. Both Chamber President and CEO Steve Stivers and SVP of Government Affairs Rick Carfagna engaged directly with Governor DeWine and his team, House and Senate leadership, State Controlling Board members, and JobsOhio to get this critical effort across the finish line.

As the Chamber has stressed, extending JobsOhio sends a strong signal to the marketplace that Ohio supports economic development and will continue to do so for decades more under this proven model. Companies that might otherwise be apprehensive about entering into agreements that would outlive JobsOhio’s ownership of the liquor franchise now have more long-term assurances, and the state will continue to significantly profit from annual deferred payments into the general revenue fund.

The Ohio Chamber was proud to lead the way to bring this deal to fruition and looks forward to the continued prosperity and opportunities generated by JobsOhio’s efforts.

(February 12) After two years of in-depth analysis, review, and participation from hundreds of Ohio residents spanning over a dozen public meetings, The Ohio Department of Transportation and its District 6 office are pleased to announce the release of the following documents:

• Route 23 Connect Executive Summary
• Route 23 Connect 2024 Preliminary Feasibility Study
• Corridor Action Plan

The comprehensive study, encompassing over 23 miles of U.S. 23 between I-270 and the village of Waldo, presents a prioritized tier list with baseline improvements for 33 identified project locations aimed at improving safety and travel time reliability while addressing congestion on a critical transportation corridor.

This section of U.S. 23 is currently 30% over capacity. Absent needed improvements, congestion and crashes are expected to continue to increase as this area is poised for significant growth in the future.

The baseline improvements from the study would make substantial enhancements to U.S. 23, including:

• Reduce Fatal and Serious Injuries: The proposed improvements are expected to reduce more than 150 fatal or serious injury crashes over a 20-year period.

• Shorten Travel Times: Future morning and afternoon commute times between I-270 and Waldo are projected to be reduced by nearly 35 minutes.
• Eliminate Traffic Signals: The study also recommends eliminating 32-34 traffic signals along U.S. 23, which will improve the flow of traffic and reduce congestion for local and through travelers.

With the feasibility study complete, the Action Plan will now guide the advancement of future individual projects at 33 identified locations along the U.S. 23 corridor. The baseline improvements identified in the study represent an estimated $1.6 billion. However, additional analysis and public involvement will be needed for future project development, which could increase the total investment based on the final construction option.

Next Steps

ODOT is already implementing baseline improvements from the feasibility study, with projects being advanced at the intersections of U.S. 23 and Coover Road, and U.S. 23 and SR 229 in Delaware county. Public meetings for these projects are planned for Spring 2025. The public is invited to review the full feasibility study and corridor action plan at the project website.

Route 23 Connect (PID 112768) - PublicInput

You can sign up to join the mailing list for notification of future public meetings at transportation.ohio.gov/23connect.

Again, we greatly appreciate your involvement on the Route 23 Connect Study. We encourage you to remain engaged throughout any future projects!

 

(February 12) The beginning of this month marked the introduction of Governor DeWine’s Executive Budget for Fiscal Years 2026-2027. As is typical for the state’s operating budget, Medicaid constitutes the majority of the general revenue fund appropriations (50.9%), followed by Primary and Secondary Education (22%). The All Funds budget is projected to be $108.6 billion in FY26, a 2.9% increase over FY25. The All Funds budget in FY27 is projected to be $110.7 billion, a 1.9% increase from FY26.

The Ohio House of Representatives began hearings on the budget last week and are expected to continue their considerations through the first week of April. The budget will then head to the Senate for consideration before Conference Committee, where both chambers must come to an agreement on their differing budgets prior to July 1, 2025.

The Executive Budget includes several proposed tax increases and a new fee on employers to fund an updated unemployment system. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce has concerns about the tax and revenue changes and are working to understand their implications. We expect these provisions to change throughout the budget process and as always, welcome your input.

• Increase sports gaming tax from 20% to 40%.
• Revenue will go into the newly proposed Sports Construction & Education Fund, to fund professional sports stadiums, youth sports, and sports education in Ohio.
• Increase to cigarette taxes by $1.50, from $1.60 per pack to $3.10. The tax on vapor products would also increase from 17% to 42%.
• This proposed tax increase would be used to support an income-based child tax credit of up to $1,000 per child ages 6 and under.
• Increase to marijuana tax at point of sale from 10% to 20%.
• This tax revenue would go toward supporting law enforcement training, expungement program, 988 crisis line, etc.
• New fee on employers to fund modernized unemployment system.
• The Executive budget proposes levying a technology and customer service assessment on contributory employers of up to 0.15% of the taxable wage base per year for each covered employee. This equates to a maximum of $13.50 a year, paid in conjunction with employers’ unemployment taxes, for each employee who earns at least $9,000.

The proposed budget expects total tax revenue to reach $28.44 billion in FY25, increasing by 1.8% over the previous year

(January 14) Ohio employers with common management or control of multiple companies are now able to report all unemployment taxes and wages under a single primary account thanks to a new rule from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (“ODJFS”). This method of reporting is known as a “common paymaster arrangement” and its use can save employers money on unemployment taxes and streamline quarterly reporting.

Prior to the new rule, one legal entity could not pay unemployment tax on behalf of another entity. This prohibition resulted in greater compliance burdens and higher audit risks since employers had to separately report all employee wages and taxes under different unemployment accounts even if their businesses had identical owners, were engaged in the same line of business, or had the same parent company. The old rule could also increase an employer’s unemployment tax liability because employers with excellent experience ratings could not apply their historic rate to any new entities under their management or control. Instead, the standard new employer experience rate of 2.7% would apply. 

ODJFS’s new rule improves Ohio’s business environment and addresses these issues by authorizing employers to report all employee wages and unemployment taxes under one primary account as long as all legal entities are commonly owned, managed, or controlled. As a result, employers no longer need to maintain multiple unemployment accounts with ODJFS and can utilize their earned experience rating when expanding their operations. 

The Ohio Chamber submitted a public comment in support of this rule change, and we commend the agency for easing administrative burdens on Ohio employers. 

The rule became effective on January 1, which will enable employers to utilize the common paymaster arrangement when filing their 2025 first quarter unemployment reports to ODJFS.

(January 13) Ohio Governor Mike DeWine today announced that 28 colleges and universities in Ohio will receive a total of $7.5 million in funding for security projects that enhance the safety of students and staff.

“Ohio remains committed to ensuring our colleges and universities have the resources they need to make their campuses as safe as possible,” said Governor DeWine. “These grants will allow us to continue this important work so students can focus on thriving in their studies, chasing their career goals, and reaching their full potential.”

The grant awards are part of the FY2025-26 Campus Safety Grant Program, which was funded with support from the Ohio legislature in House Bill 2 of the 135th General Assembly. The Ohio School Safety Center, which is a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, reviewed the campus safety grant applications in consultation with the Ohio Department of Higher Education.

Funds will be used to cover expenses associated with physical security enhancements, such as security cameras, fencing, lighting, door locks, portable surveillance trailers, radios, drones, and more.

“I commend Governor DeWine and the General Assembly for continuing to prioritize campus safety, which is a critical part of a successful college experience for all students,” said Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Mike Duffey. “These grants provide continued support to our campuses in their efforts to provide a safe learning environment.”

“It is important to create an environment on our campuses where students feel secure and can focus on learning,” said Andy Wilson, Director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. “Without question, these grants will improve safety and security across the state.”

To be eligible for grant funding, colleges and universities conducted a security and vulnerability assessment to identify areas in need of safety enhancements.

View List of Campus Safety Grants Awards

Since its creation in 2021, A total of approximately $17.5 million in funding has now been awarded through the Ohio School Safety Center's Campus Safety Grant Program, with previous rounds of grant awards announced in August 2021 and November 2022.

Governor DeWine created the Ohio School Safety Center in 2019 to assist local schools, colleges and universities, and law enforcement agencies to prevent, prepare for, and respond to threats and acts of violence, including self-harm, through a holistic, solutions-based approach to improving school safety.

(December 12) The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation is proud to offer free suicide prevention training to Ohio's employers. This initiative aligns with the State of Ohio's Suicide Prevention Plan 2024-2026, which aims to reduce deaths by suicide throughout the state. The OSPF also offers a free downloadable Employer Toolkit to self-assess for best practices surrounding mental health and suicide risk for employees, as well as a host of other downloadable resources.

VitalCog Suicide Prevention Training takes 2 to 2.5 hours to complete and is available virtually or in-person at no cost to employers. This training is recommended for HR personnel or small business owners to help build awareness of the warning signs of suicidality among employees and prepare them for postvention response in the event of a completed suicide. Together, we can build a supportive community and work to reduce needless deaths.

If interested in participating in VitalCog Suicide Prevention Training through the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation, please reach out to communications@bgchamber.net to see if the BG Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a training seminar, or to jason.hughes@ohiospf.org to set up your own training session.

(June 27) The JobsOhio Board approved changes to the JobsOhio Small Business Grant guidelines last week. These changes were designed to help improve the process and are directly attributed to the feedback from the project teams around the state. Summary of the changes: 

1. Special consideration for allowing “forklifts and similar equipment” to the list of eligible costs, as long as they remain in Ohio for the term of the agreement.
   1. Think materials handling equipment and similar, not delivery trucks or vehicles.
2. Removed the limit of only one reimbursement per company for recipients of a JobsOhio Small Business Grant
3. Allow special consideration for businesses that have multiple owners if the majority qualify by ownership, in addition to giving special consideration to businesses that have 50%-50% ownership if one of the two owners meets ownership requirements.
4. Add all zip codes within JO Vibrant Communities to the eligibility list for JOSB Grants.

1. 1. We added Vibrant Communities to the list of eligible zip codes because we also identify those communities as distressed. This will improve messaging between the two programs, and overall improve the program goals of providing assistance to companies in distressed areas of the state.
   2. Certain zip codes may not meet DCI’s thresholds for statistically viable scoring. For those zip codes, eligibility will be determined based on distress score of surrounding scored zip codes.
2. Formalized the program name change.

See the 2025 guidelines here.

(June 25) The Ohio Chamber presented proponent testimony on House Bill 435 last week, a Blueprint-originated bill and one of the Chamber’s top ten policy priorities for the 135th General Assembly.

• House Bill 435 creates the Manufacturing Technology Assistance Program (or MTAP), targeting small and medium-sized manufacturers otherwise lacking the capital and capability to modernize their machinery and facilities.
• Just as the Mega Projects Program from two budget cycles ago has lured significant large-scale manufacturing investments, the smaller grant program proposed under HB 435 would serve those at the other end of the spectrum.
• Many small and medium-sized Ohio manufacturers still use 20- to 50-year-old equipment and machinery.
• The one-time capital assistance provided by such a match would reward their ongoing state presence, stimulate modernization and private investment, and serve as a quality retention and growth tool.

This $12 million grant program is modeled after similar efforts in both Indiana and Iowa.

• Indiana’s Manufacturing Readiness Grant Program, launched in 2020, has yielded a total of 526 awards equating to $56.9 million to 465 unique companies in 79 counties, accelerating proposed projects with combined budgets of $812.7 million.
• Likewise, Iowa created its own Manufacturing 4.0 Technology Investment Grant program in January 2021, with its first cycle providing over $7 million through 202 awards with project investments totaling over $31 million.

Ohio is entering into a manufacturing renaissance unlike anything witnessed by any other state in our country with our manufacturing sector GDP 4th in the nation, and Ohio also ranks 3rd in total manufacturing employees and total payroll.

• What may come as a surprise to many, however, is that most Ohio manufacturing firms (47%) employ fewer than ten people, according to the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA). OMA data also reveals that in 2021, mid-sized manufacturing firms (100-499 employees) employed 40% of Ohio’s manufacturing employees while just 0.4% of firms employed 1,000 or more people. HB 435 targets assistance to these smaller employers, often family-owned and community-oriented, that contribute to the vibrancy and identity of Ohio’s rural, suburban, and urban areas.

The Chamber is working in tandem with the OMA to gain more hearings and movement on HB 435, and we stand ready to enact this grant program and ensure our small and medium-sized manufacturers can retool for the demands of the modern economy. If you have any questions about HB 435, please contact the Chamber’s SVP of Government Affairs, Rick Carfagna, at rcarfagna@ohiochamber.com.

(May 28) The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) paints a concerning picture: young adults aged 18 to 25 in the U.S. experience the highest rates of mental health concerns, with 33.7% reporting any mental health issues and 11.4% facing serious mental illness. Solving these crises presents a significant challenge, particularly in engaging those affected. Individuals grappling with mental health disorders often shy away from seeking care, and those with severe conditions are even less likely to engage. Effective engagement necessitates early intervention, meeting individuals where they are, and establishing trust by offering valuable support from the outset, rather than just a diagnosis.

Digital mental health innovations have been instrumental in addressing these challenges, democratizing care, and providing timely support, sometimes within hours rather than weeks. One such groundbreaking initiative, MyOhioWellness, has just completed its successful first phase and is poised to expand its impact across Ohio.

Funded by Miami University and the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services in collaboration with CampusWell, MyOhioWellness targets the critical need for health and wellness support among disengaged youth. This initiative aims to improve outcomes for young adults facing various challenges, including difficulties returning to school, financial strain, social isolation, and limited access to mental health services.

In its initial phase, MyOhioWellness laid a strong foundation with the launch of a streaming site offering research-backed video content tailored to the diverse needs of Ohio's young adults. Through strategic promotion on social platforms, the initiative engaged over 103,000 individuals aged 18 to 24, achieving a remarkable 60% engagement rate. The content not only promoted healthier behaviors but also raised awareness about vital resources such as the state's Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Now entering its second phase, MyOhioWellness aims to amplify its reach tenfold, ensuring broader access to mental health and community care resources across the state. In addition to video content, the initiative will introduce an AI wellness coach, equipped with over 15 years' worth of research-backed content developed by CampusWell. This virtual coach will provide daily wellness tips and address queries on all 8 dimensions of wellness (emotional, physical, occupational, social, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, and financial), fostering holistic well-being among Ohio's youth.

We invite you to learn more about MyOhioWellness at myohiowellness.com. Together, we can make a real difference in the lives of young adults struggling with mental health issues.

The City of Bowling Green administers several housing programs. The Direct Homeownership Assistance, Rental Rehabilitation, Mobile Home Repair and Elderly Emergency Home Repair programs are funded through Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Entitlement dollars. Learn about income-based eligibility at this link.

For more information on the Elderly Home Repair Program, Home Repair Program, Mobile Home Repair Program, Direct Homeownership Assistance Program, or Rental Rehabilitation Program, please visit the City of Bowling Green's Community Development webpage here.

Apply for City Housing Programs at this link.

These programs assist very low-, low- and moderate-income households, and are available to City of Bowling Green residents only. Residents of Wood County who do not reside in Bowling Green may find similar program assistance through the Wood County Planning Office, 419-354-9128.

The City of Bowling Green also links to other organizations that provide housing programs; check out their recommendations at this link.