PLEASE NOTE BELOW:  IF YOU HAVE A LEVY OR OTHER ISSUE FOR THIS FALL'S 
BALLOT, HB48 REQUIRES FILING 90 DAYS BEFORE THE ELECTION TAKES EFFECT JULY 
2, 2010

Enjoy your weekend,
Christine

>
> STATEHOUSE UPDATE
> There was quite a bit of activity at the Statehouse this week.  Some was
> good for townships, while some not so much.  Please find below a recap
> of several bills heard or passed this week.
>
> HB 393 Nuisance Abatement To revise the notice required to be provided
> by a board of township trustees to a landowner for the abatement,
> control, or removal of vegetation, garbage, refuse, or other debris from
> the owner's land.
> The full House voted to approve HB 393 by a vote of 95-1 with Rep.
> Jerrod Martin voting in the negative.  Now the bill will head to the
> Senate for committee hearings. The OTA supports this bill.
>
> SB 232 Renewable Energy Taxation To expand special improvement district
> energy improvement projects and the municipal solar energy revolving
> loan program law to include alternative energy, to address the treatment
> of energy efficiency savings and reductions in demand regarding certain
> energy projects, to exempt qualifying energy facilities from property
> taxation upon county approval, to require payments in lieu of taxes on
> the basis of each megawatt of production capacity of such facilities, to
> prohibit the use of the exemption to determine the cost of compliance
> for the state's alternative energy portfolio standard, to clarify the
> sales and use tax treatment of related energy conversion equipment
> purchases, to specify that operators of such facilities are subject to
> the commercial activity tax, and to require the Public Utilities
> Commission to study reactive power in the state.
> The full Senate voted to approve SB 232 by a vote of 28-4 with Senators
> Cates, Gillmor, Grendell and Hughes voting in the negative.  The OTA
> submitted a floor memo to senators prior to the vote expressing our
> continued opposition to the bill.  Now the bill head to the House for
> committee hearings.  It is likely the House will try and merge HB 464
> (currently before the House Ways & Means Committee) with SB 232.
>
> SB 110 HSTS Regulations To revise the Household Sewage and Small Flow
> On-Site Sewage Treatment Systems Law, and to extend the date by which
> the report of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources
> Compact Advisory Board is due.
> The full Senate voted to approve SB 110 by a vote of 33-0. The OTA is
> supportive of this compromise legislation and provided senators with a
> memo stating such prior to the vote.  The bill now heads to the House
> for committee hearings.
>
> HB 246 OP&F Disease Coverage To provide that a firefighter, police
> officer, or public emergency medical services worker who is disabled as
> a result of specified types of cancer or certain contagious or
> infectious diseases is presumed for purposes of the laws governing
> workers' compensation and the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund to have
> incurred the disease while performing official duties as a firefighter,
> police officer, or public emergency medical services worker.
> This bill had a fourth hearing before the House Aging & Disability
> Services Committee.  A representative from BWC shared with the Committee
> that the bill will have fiscal implications on the Bureau, as well as
> local governments.  The OTA, in conjunction with the Ohio Municipal
> League, have submitted testimony in opposition of the bill at a previous
> hearing.
>
>
>
> NEW FILING DEADLINES (HB 48 enacted 7/2/10)
> Effective July 2, 2010, all questions and issues to be placed on the
> ballot must be certified by the board of elections no later than 4 p.m.
> on the 90th day before the election (RC 3501.02(F)(1) and (2)), instead
> of 75 days as in current law.  This change applies to township candidate
> filings also (RC 3513.253).  The deadlines for necessary preliminary
> filings are adjusted accordingly.  This change was included in House
> Bill 48, which was sponsored by former Representative Peter Ujvagi from
> Lucas County.
>
>
>
> Examples of affected issues include tax levy requests, bond issues,
> additional license plate fees, zoning changes, zoning referendums or
> limited home rule.  The new filing deadline only applies to issues on
> the ballot after Aug. 3, 2010, as the bill does not take effect in
> enough time to qualify for the August special election.
>
>
>
> If your township is considering a levy or other issue for the November
> ballot, you are encouraged to speak with your legal counsel or your
> county board of elections to make sure your paperwork is filed in a
> timely manner.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Heidi M. Fought
> Director of Governmental Affairs
> Ohio Township Association
> 6500 Taylor Road, Suite A
> Blacklick, OH 43004
> (614) 863-0045
> (614) 863-9751 Fax
>
>
> NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission is for the use of the named
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> replying via e-mail or by calling the Ohio Township Association at (614)
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>
>
>