Changes to gas-tax bill

COLUMBUS

An Ohio Senate committee on Tuesday proposed changes to the state transportation budget bill, including reducing fees on electric and hybrid vehicles, while leaving the House’s proposed gas-tax increase in for now.

But Senate officials say more changes will be made in key revenue portions of the bill. Senate President Larry Obhof expressed reservations about the gas-tax increases proposed by Gov. Mike DeWine and by the House.

DeWine proposes increasing the current 28-cents-per-gallon tax by 18 cents a gallon, adjusting it annually for inflation. The House bill calls for increasing the tax by 10.7 cents per gallon over two years and the diesel tax by 20 cents per gallon over three years. DeWine says that isn’t enough.