Rascal Flatts gets its day

COLUMBUS

A new state poet laureate, a sales-tax holiday before school starts in the fall and “Rascal Flatts Day” were among the dozens of law changes signed by Gov. John Kasich following lawmakers’ whirlwind lame duck session in December.

Here’s a description of a few more of the Ohio’s newest laws, with most set to take effect in about three months:

SB 42: Do you want to know how your local district is using levy proceeds to pay for new security systems for school buildings?

SB 42 included a bunch of provisions related to public employee retirement systems, including language authorizing, but not requiring, districts to report such information to the Ohio Department of Education.

SB 84: Do you like poetry?

SB 84 creates the position of Ohio Poet Laureate, appointed by the governor and the Ohio Arts Council and serving two-year terms starting in 2016.

SB 106: Have you ever ignored “high water” signs and driven onto a flooded road?

You could face some hefty fines for doing so in in the future, thanks to SB 106, which prohibits driving on roads that are clearly marked as closed due to rising waters. The new law institutes fines of up to $2,000 for drivers who get stuck on flooded roads and need to be rescued.

SB 177: Are you worried about what will happen to beloved pets during ugly domestic disputes?

SB 177 provides some measure of protection for the animals, allowing them to be included in civil-protection orders when stalking, sexually oriented offenses, domestic violence and other crimes are involved.

SB 243: Do you like to save money on your back-to-school purchases?

SB 243 creates, in 2015 only, a three-day sales tax holiday, exempting certain clothing, school supplies and instructional materials from sales tax.

The holiday is set for Aug. 7, 8 and 9, and lawmakers will review the results to consider whether to continue the holidays annually thereafter.

SB 255: Are you tired of keeping track of all of those insurance cards for your automobile?

SB 255 will allow you to show proof of coverage via your cellphone or other electronic device, rather than producing the paper card on request.

SB 272: Do you like real maple syrup on your pancakes?

SB 272 designates March as Ohio Maple Syrup Production Month. The bill also sets Feb. 21 as “Rascal Flatts Day” and September as both “School Bullying Prevention Awareness Month” and “Parkinson’s Disease Awareness Month.”

SB 342: Do you hate those traffic cameras that take your picture and issue citations when you run a red light?

SB 342 likely means an end to their use in the state, requiring officers to be on hand at all times where the devices are in use.

Those officers can issue misdemeanor citations if they witness traffic violations; comparable civil fines would be issued for violations recorded by traffic cameras.

SB 342 also calls for communities considering traffic photo-monitoring devices to complete studies of intersections, conduct a public-information campaign to inform residents of the plans and meet other standards.

Marc Kovac is The Vindicator’s Statehouse correspondent. Email him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog.