$71.3B budget clears state Senate panel

Associated Press

COLUMBUS

Majority Republicans in the Ohio Senate eliminated collective-bargaining rights of certain independent workers and inserted pay increases for locally elected officials and new regulations for abortion clinics during a series of last-minute changes to a sweeping state budget proposal that cleared a legislative committee Wednesday.

The $71.3 billion budget funds state operations for two years beginning July 1. The full Senate was expected to vote on the spending plan today. House and Senate members would then hash out their differences in a conference committee.

The measure would increase Ohio’s tobacco taxes, boost higher-education funding and eliminate state taxes for certain small business income.

Before passing the bill, Republicans on the Senate Finance Committee changed the spending plan to affirm the elimination of collective-bargaining rights for independent child care and health care workers under contract with the state.

Despite efforts to negotiate a proposed tax hike on oil-and-gas drillers, legislative leaders opted to leave the idea out of the budget for a task force to further review.