JobsOhio bill clears Senate, goes back to House

COLUMBUS (AP) — The Senate today approved Gov. John Kasich’s plan to hand over job-creation functions to a nonprofit corporation after lawmakers changed the measure to address some concerns about ethics and public access.

On a 31-2 vote, the Republican-led Senate passed the bill to create the new JobsOhio entity. The House passed a different version of the bill and would have to agree to the changes before it goes to Kasich’s desk for his signature.

Under the changes, the nine-member JobsOhio board that Kasich chairs and picks would have to report travel expenses paid for by corporations. The bill also would require notices of the board’s public meetings, and meeting summaries would be released afterward.

The legislation would require JobsOhio to keep public and private funds separated.