How Ohio Taxpayers Can Win Late in Legislative Session

There are a number of great policy proposals alive in the state legislature as 2022 winds down. Whether it is expanding the labor force and the economy with universal occupational licensing recognition, or improving the criminal justice system with commonsense tweaks, legislators have a chance to achieve victories before the year ends. Though, these opportunities are joined by some bad legislation that would be a mistake to implement.

Here are the key bills Ohioans for Tax Reform is focused on:

1)Whether through Senate Bill 131 or another vehicle, universal license recognition makes it easier for people with out-of-state occupational licenses in good standing to move into Ohio and get to work. This is a win for growing the workforce and creating jobs.

As Ohio has experienced relatively stagnant population growth, and outright losses for many areas of the state, making it easier for people to move in and make a good living is a top priority. SB 131 will help safely make that happen.

This is an issue that has received rare bi-partisan support in a time of polarization, with both the Obama and Trump White Houses supporting reforms. Ohio legislators have done tremendous work on this issue over the past few years, and passing universal recognition this year would keep the state among the leaders on reform.

2)Senate Bill 288, now overwhelmingly approved by that chamber, brings together a number of commonsense improvements to Ohio’s criminal justice system. Most importantly the bill incentivizes people in prison – who will be released one way or another – to participate in addiction treatment, and job training by allowing them to earn some time off their incarceration period. This approach is a win for public safety as offenders gain skills and address the issues that contributed to their conviction, reducing the likelihood they will commit a crime in the future.

Good paying jobs are key to reintegrating former offenders back into society, they are given the opportunity to contribute to the community and a fulfilling purpose that helps keep them on the right track. To hold these jobs, people leaving prison need to get over any addiction issues they have, and develop the necessary skills.

Additionally, SB 288 makes expunging and sealing some criminal records more straightforward. It will make it easier to apply to seal less serious offenses. Expungement applications would be limited to three years after completion of a sentence for misdemeanors, and 10 years for the nonviolent felonies that are included – violent felonies and some others being excluded entirely.

A study from University of Michigan law school researchers found people’s wages went up by 20 percent on average one year after expunging their record, and that former offenders who have expunged their records very rarely break the law. Justice Department figures show that re-arrest for former nonviolent offenders is rare five or more years after release.

SB 288 requires people who have committed crimes to put in the work to earn a second chance, nothing is being given away. This work reduces recidivism, it also frees up taxpayer-funded resources to focus on offenders who are not improving, and thus are more likely to threaten public safety.

3)Additionally, ATR supports H.J.R. 6 to increase the threshold for voter approval of constitutional amendment ballot measures to 60%. This is a protection for Ohio taxpayers, ensuring that something as significant as amending the constitution requires an appropriately significant majority of voters.

We have seen a trend of overly complicated ballot questions being pushed by well-funded left-of-center interests. This included neighboring Michigan this year, where a radical election overhaul measure passed by just shy of 60% which requires no-excuse absentee voting, and limits requirements to show photo I.D., among many provisions.

Often these proposals are being pushed where the legislature is too slow or not inclined to advance certain policies.

There is nothing controversial about this proposal. Just this fall voters in Arizona approved a 60% threshold for future tax-related ballot questions to pass, Arkansas voters rejected a broader measure.

4)While the previously mentioned pieces of legislation deserve support, HB 235 is a flawed bill that should be rejected. Under HB 235, Ohio’s four oil refineries could face onerous new requirements to hire union-only workers. Refineries often use construction crews to complete turnaround projects, in which the entire processing capacity of a plant is taken offline for inspection, improvements, and catalyst regeneration. Turnarounds are already expensive, constituting the most significant portion of a plant’s yearly maintenance budget. As production is shut down, efficiency is key: companies lose revenue every day the facility is not in operation – but HB 235 would impose even higher costs and regulatory burdens on turnarounds and other construction projects as refineries are forced to contract with crews of union workers.

While the word “union” is never mentioned in the legislative text, the bill recognizes only participants and graduates of registered, government-approved apprenticeship programs. That means apprentices in similar programs recognized by the refining industry, but not registered with the Ohio government, cannot count toward the new mandatory quotas.

Apprentices of industry-recognized programs graduate with specialized knowledge and experience, as well as comprehensive safety training. Trade groups, corporations, non-profits and educational institutions collaborate to provide competitive training programs for future industry employees. HB 235 unfairly treats these apprentices as inferior workers by banning them from construction projects in the refining industry, putting them at a disadvantage despite no clear difference in ability.

If legislators get the good stuff passed, and avoid bad ideas, Ohio taxpayers can celebrate another highly successful session.

Posted in Criminal Justice Reform, Economy & Innovation.