COLUMBUS, Ohio — Governor Mike DeWine has signed the new budget bill into law. Ohio's Fiscal Year 2022-2023 includes an income tax cut for all Ohioans.
The goal of Am. Sub. House Bill 110 is to invest more than $1 billion to accelerate economic growth and vitality, according to a press release from the governor's office.
The money will go into growing a skilled workforce, expanding access to affordable childcare, and supporting citizen mental health and wellbeing, among other priorities.
"It's time for us to invest in ourselves, our people, and our future. This budget does that," said DeWine.
DeWine referred to the budget as prioritizing the state's children.
$20 million will go toward the Ohio START Program, which provides services to children who have been victimized due to household drug abuse. An additional $13 million will go toward a program that aims at finding homes for children currently in foster care.
The budget also expands on funding to public child protective services agencies in counties statewide.
"Investing in children allows us to strengthen our future workforce and our economy and is investing in our future, and is investing in the most precious thing we have," said DeWine.
The budget will invest more than $20 billion in state funding for grades K-12, which DeWine says will go toward providing imperative services to students.
The budget will also provide more than $50 million to programs for scholarships allotted to college students.
In terms of crime, DeWine says the budget includes several public safety investments.
"It is important that we invest in law enforcement in the state of Ohio," said DeWine, who claimed that will lead to safer communities.
With that in mind, $8 million will go toward a new violent crime reduction grant program, which DeWine says will in turn help law enforcement agencies solve violent crime by finding gun shot detector technology and expanding anti-violence task forces.
Additionally, $1 million will go toward recruiting law enforcement officers statewide to ensure agencies are staffed with diverse and highly trained peace officers.
According to a release from the governor's office, DeWine included 14 line-item vetoes in the budget. One of those was an order that would dismiss and refund businesses for violating COVID-19 safety requirements during the pandemic.
"Ohio law should not reward businesses and individuals that violated orders and rules adopted to protect Ohioans from the spread of COVID-19 by excusing their actions," DeWine said in part.
The Ohio House and Senate approved the budget by a 82-13 vote on Monday. You can learn more about the budget breakdown by clicking below:
