On March 23, Governor Mike DeWine delivered just his second State of the State Address of his governorship. Speeches in 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. While pronouncing the state as strong, Governor DeWine highlighted accomplishments achieved over the past three years while also outlining his agenda for the final year of his current term in office.

Economic Development

Governor DeWine spoke of the creation of the Brownfield Revitalization Fund and the Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Programs, noting that this pair of $500M programs are “investing in neighborhoods across Ohio to demolish dangerous, decaying, unsightly buildings and to clean up hazardous, brownfield properties to spur economic development that will help our communities grow.”

• Greater Ohio has strongly advocated for, and actively promoted, the Brownfield Revitalization Fund, and continues to advocate for the creation of a permanent, dedicated source of funding for a lasting brownfield clean-up program.

Governor DeWine also highlighted the significant investment Ohio has made in the expansion of broadband services statewide. Utilizing a combination of state and federal resources, Ohio is working to expand access to broadband services to ensure everyone has access to reliable, high speed internet access, seeking to close the digital divide.

• Greater Ohio supported the enactment of House Bill 2, which provided for significant state-level investment in broadband expansion.

Looking ahead, Governor DeWine spoke about a number of economic development proposals, specifically focused on the 32 counties that make-up Ohio’s Appalachian region (but benefiting the entire state. “We will work with local leaders to create an investment program to revitalize and rebuild economies and the Main Street of the area where Ohio began. We have an historic opportunity to dedicate resources to an area of our state that is ready to flourish.”

Proposals include:

• Invest in downtown re-development

• Further expand broadband coverage

• Greater Ohio has long advocated for investment in Ohio’s legacy cities, the engines of Ohio’s economic progress for more than a century and key to the state’s future prosperity.

Transportation

The Governor devoted a portion of the speech to advocating for the enactment of legislation (HB283) to change the culture around using electronic devices while driving and helping to compel more drivers to put down their phones and use hands-free technology, which will help to prevent crashes and save lives.

• Greater Ohio believes that we must do more to make our roadways safer. Enactment of legislation to tackle the issue of distracted driving is an important first step, but other actions, including investment in public transportation and complete streets policies, will help to ensure that more Ohioans have access to safe and reliable modes of transportation.

Other issues addressed during the Governor’s address included metal health, student mentorship, investment in Ohio’s state parks + water quality, and public safety.

Being an election year, opportunities to act on many of these proposals will be limited, as lawmakers, as well as the Governor, will be spending considerable time away from the Statehouse campaigning for re-election. However, several of the issues raised during the State of the State address are currently pending in the legislature, and could still be enacted before the end of the year. Be sure to follow GOPC’s bill tracker for updates on these and other issues pending in the Ohio General Assembly and check back on the blog (as well as our social media channels) for updates on everything that is happening here in Columbus.