> STATEHOUSE HAPPENINGS
> Committee Hearings
> 
> HB 344 WATER/SEWAGE FEES (Goyal, Harris, M.) To limit recovery of
> rate-case expenses for certain water-works and sewage disposal system
> companies.
> 
> Bill had second hearing in House Public Utilities Committee.  There is a
> companion bill in the Senate.
> 
> 
> 
> HB 459 TOWNSHIP INTEREST (Dyer) To authorize a board of township
> trustees to require that interest earned on a special fund be credited
> to that special fund, rather than to the general fund.
> 
> Bill is in House Local Government & Public Relations Committee.  OTA
> testified in support of the bill this week.
> 
> 
> 
> HB 464 ALTERNATIVE ENERGY EXEMPTION (Winburn) To exempt qualifying wind
> and solar energy facilities from property taxation for up to 20 years
> and to require payments in lieu of taxes on the basis of each megawatt
> of production capacity of such facilities.
> 
> This is the House's version of SB 232. This bill had its 5th hearing in
> the House Ways & Means Committee.  The OTA submitted written OPPOSITION
> testimony and Van Wert County trustee Milo Schaffner testified in
> opposition to the bill.  The OTA has asked the sponsor to consider the
> financial implications this bill will have on townships, given a $7,000
> PILOT will result in less than $500 for townships, YET a township will
> be the government responsible for any problems with the turbines.
> (roads, emergency responses, complaints from neighbors, etc..)
> 
> 
> 
> Passed Committee
> 
> SB 232 RENEWABLE ENERGY (Widener) To exempt from property taxation
> renewable energy facilities that are not financed through the Ohio Air
> Quality Development Authority and to require a payment in lieu of taxes
> on the basis of each megawatt of production capacity of such facilities.
> 
> Several notable changes were made to the bill this week during the two
> hearings in the Senate Energy & Public Utilities Committee. The major
> changes made to the bill impacting townships is that the Senate adopted
> an amendment that would give ONLY the county commissioners the ability
> to approve or disapprove the tax exemption request by a wind company or
> negotiate with the companies for a higher PILOT amount.  Another
> amendment provided notice to townships impacted but a township has no
> say in the process. The OTA submitted OPPONENT testimony on this bill on
> Wednesday but the bill was passed out of Committee with all members
> voting yes except Sen. Gillmor and Sen. Hughes.
> 
> The OTA will continue to work with members of the General Assembly and
> interested parties to get townships a seat at the table when tax
> exemption decisions are being made with respect to township tax dollars.
> 
> 
> 
> HB 220 LOCAL GOVERNMENT NOTICES (Chandler) To implement the
> recommendations of the Local Government Public Notice Task Force by
> authorizing legal publication to be made in a newspaper of general
> circulation, eliminating certain publication and postal privilege
> requirements, reducing the number of times publication must be made,
> requiring newspapers to establish a government rate for publication,
> allowing publication of a summary of an ordinance rather than publishing
> it in its entirety, and allowing the costs of publishing delinquent
> property tax lists to be charged to delinquent taxpayers.
> 
> This bill was reported by the House Local Government & Public
> Administration Committee.  The OTA submitted a letter of support on
> Wednesday.
> 
> 
> 
> COMMITTEE SCHEDULE FOR NEXT WEEK
> 
> Tuesday, May 18
> 
> House Aging & Disability Services, (Chr. Newcomb, 466-1405), Rm. 115, 3
> p.m.
> 
> HB 246
> 
> OP&F DISEASE COVERAGE  (Yuko)  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  (4th
> Hearing-All testimony)
> 
> WEDNESDAY, May 19
> 
> House Ways & Means, (Chr. Letson, 466-5358), Rm. 114, 9:30 a.m.
> 
> HB 464
> 
> ALTERNATIVE ENERGY EXEMPTION  (Winburn)  To exempt qualifying wind and
> solar energy facilities from property taxation for up to 20 years and to
> require payments in lieu of taxes on the basis of each megawatt of
> production capacity of such facilities.  (6th Hearing-All
> testimony-Possible amendments & vote)
> 
> Senate Environment & Natural Resources, (Chr. Schaffer, 466-5838), North
> Hearing Rm., 11:15 a.m.
> 
> SB 110
> 
> HOUSEHOLD SEWAGE  (Niehaus)  To revise the Household Sewage and Small
> Flow On-Site Sewage Treatment Systems Law, and to declare an emergency.
> (6th Hearing-No testimony-Possible amendment, substitute & vote)
> 
> 
> NEWS FROM NATaT
> Bereaved Comsumer's Bill of Rights of 2009 (H.R. 3655)
> The bill directs the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to establish new
> rules for cemeteries that would prohibit unfair or deceptive acts or
> practices.  The FTC's current Funeral Rule only applies to funeral
> homes.
> 
> 
> 
> FTC would be required to establish rules that would:
> 
> 1.       Compel cemeteries to give consumers accurate prices before the
> sale of funeral goods or services
> 
> 2.       Bar cemeteries from making misrepresentations about federal,
> state or local laws
> 
> 3.       Prohibit cemeteries from forcing families to buy entire
> packages of funeral goods or services
> 
> 4.       Require cemeteries to provide clear, written contracts for
> funeral goods or services
> 
> 5.       Require cemeteries to include disclosures in contracts
> regarding cancellation penalties
> 
> 6.       Require cemeteries to disclose all future fees and costs in
> contracts
> 
> 7.       Require cemeteries to disclose all rules and regulations before
> the purchase of funeral goods or services
> 
> 8.       Require cemeteries to keep accurate records of all burials
> sold, where remains are interred, and to make those records available to
> regulators
> 
> 
> 
> Cemeteries owned and operated by local governments are not exempt.
> 
> 
> 
> Anyone who violates the FTC's rules "with actual knowledge or knowledge
> fairly implied on the basis of objective circumstances that such act is
> unfair or deceptive and is prohibited by such rule" is liable for civil
> penalties of up to $16,000 per violation.  The FTC would seek such
> penalties by filing a suit in district court.  In addition, rule
> violators (irrespective of the state of knowledge) would be liable for
> injury caused to consumers by the rule violation.
> 
> 
> 
> State attorneys general may also bring civil actions against rule
> violators in district court.
> 
> 
> 
> Many townships operate local cemeteries.  The risk of $16,000 fines for
> minor violations would force townships to consider closing their
> cemeteries, leaving many communities with no cemetery.
> 
> 
> 
> The International Cemetery Crematory and Funeral Association opposes the
> bill.
> 
> 
> 
> The bill was expected to be voted out of the US House Energy & Commerce
> Committee last week.  However, both Democrats and Republicans were
> preparing amendments to exempt religious organizations from the bill.
> Rep. Rush, the bill's sponsor, opposed those amendments and withdrew his
> bill from consideration until those matters could be resolved.
> 
> 
> 
> The Ohio Township Association encourages you to contact your US
> Representative and ask them to sponsor an amendment that would exempt
> cemeteries owned and operated by local governments.
> 
> 
> 
> ETHICS TRAINING
> The Ohio Ethics Commission is sponsoring several Ethics Education
> Sessions around the state and all public servants are invited!
> 
> 
> 
> Since the Ohio Ethics Commission was created in 1974, the Commission has
> provided highly-regarded Ethics Education Sessions to thousands of
> public officials, public employees and public offices at all levels of
> government: state, county, city, village and township.  Due to budget
> restraints, the Commission is not able to travel to quite as many
> locations for ethics education, particularly when attendance is expected
> to be low.  To assist local governmental offices in providing Ethics
> Education to public employees and officials, whether hired, elected,
> appointed, full-time, part-time, staff or management, the Ohio Ethics
> Commission is announcing Regional Ethics Education Sessions.
> 
> 
> 
> While these training sessions are not mandatory, any public servant is
> welcome to attend.  Each year we will target new cities around the state
> to allow attendees to participate in a training session without driving
> all the way to Columbus.
> 
> 
> 
> These sessions will provide timely information regarding the Ohio Ethics
> Commission and about restrictions in the Ohio Ethics Law and related
> statutes that pertain to all public sector employees.
> 
> 
> 
> Ethics Education Objectives:
> 
> * Understand how to identify and avoid acting on potential
> conflicts of interest
> * Understand definition of public contracts and ethics
> prohibitions related to public contracts
> * Identify potential post-employment requirements
> * Learn about general assistance available from the Ohio Ethics
> Commission to understand and comply with the Ethics Law and related
> statutes
> 
> Space is limited, so if you would like to attend, please register by
> following this link: http://www.dw.ohio.gov/ethics/EES/Form.asp.
> 
> 
> 
> Questions? Contact the Ohio Ethics Commission's Education and
> Communications Administrator, Susan Willeke, at 614-466-7090 or
> [log in to unmask]
> 
> 
> 
> OPERS TOWN MEETING
> The OPERS Board requested that staff hold a series of meetings across
> the state for our members and retirees to discuss the recommended  plan
> design changes the Board proposed to the Ohio Retirement Study Council
> in November 2009.  Our next scheduled meeting will be on Tuesday, June
> 8, 2010 at the University of Cincinnati's regional campus, the Raymond
> Walters College in Blue Ash, Ohio.  Here is the information for you to
> disseminate to your membership.
> 
> 
> 
> When: Tuesday, June 8, 2010
> 
> 
> 
> Time: 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm (one session)
> 
> 
> 
> Where: UC Raymond Walters College in Blue Ash, Muntz Hall Auditorium.
> For the address and directions, please use the links below.  The site
> also provides an area map of the campus to show parking lots beside and
> near the facility for your convenience.
> 
> 
> 
> http://www.rwc.uc.edu/maps/directions.htm  (this link provides the
> directions)
> 
> http://www.rwc.uc.edu/maps/images/floorplans/RWC%20parking%20map1.pdf
> (this link provides a map and building location)
> 
> 
> 
> Who: All member and retirees of the Ohio Public Employees Retirement
> System.  You do not need to RSVP for the event.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> NOTICE: This electronic mail transmission is for the use of the named
> individual or entity to which it is directed and may contain information
> that is privileged or confidential. It is not to be transmitted to or
> received by anyone other than the named addressee (or a person
> authorized to deliver it to the named addressee). It is not to be copied
> or forwarded to any unauthorized persons. If you have received this
> electronic mail transmission in error, delete it from your system
> without copying or forwarding it, and notify the sender of the error by
> replying via e-mail or by calling the Ohio Township Association at (614)
> 863-0045 so that our address record can be corrected.
> 
> 
> 
>