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Yesterday, the Ohio Senate amended COVID-19 measures into HB 197 and both chambers passed the bill unanimously. While there aren’t any ag specific provisions, there are many changes that impact daily life, such as a freeze on all state-issued licenses expiring through the end of the COVID-19 restriction time period or December 1, 2020, whichever comes first, including drivers licenses.

Below are the highlights of what the state legislature passed in regard to COVID-19 measures:

Election

• March 17 primary was not canceled (Ohio Department of Health closed polls).
• Extend voting for the March 17 election by mail only.
• Ballots must be postmarked by April 28.
• Ohio Secretary of State will send out a postcard to all registered voters in Ohio with instructions to request an absentee ballot.
• Voters don’t have to wait for a postcard to request a ballot.

Amending tax code deadline

• Authorizes the tax commissioner to extend state tax filing and payment deadlines for the duration of the governor’s COVID-19 emergency declaration, giving the tax department the ability to set Ohio’s deadline to match the new federal deadline of July 15.
• Allows employees working from home during the emergency to be considered working at the employer’s principal place of business for municipal tax filing.

Schools

• Exempts schools and other entities from food processing requirements to allow for continued student meal delivery.
• All school work online, so they are waiving the 10-day limit for credit law
• Special education can provide service through telehealth.
• Eliminating K-12 testing and district report cards for this school year.
• Waiving usual requirements to permit high school seniors who were on track before the crisis to graduate.
• Freezing EdChoice vouchers to the same list of buildings eligible in the 2019-2020 school year.
• Suspends the staff to child ratio requirements and maximum group sizes at child-care centers.

Modifying unemployment compensation

• Waives requirement the claimant serve one week waiting period before receiving benefits.
• Ohio Department of Job and Family Services may waive work requirement for claimants.
• Claimant will not be disqualified for unemployment if unemployed or unable to return to work because of an order of isolation/quarantine.

Prohibit public water disconnections

Public water systems to:

• Prohibit disconnection for non payment.
• Restore service for disconnection for non payment.
• Waive all fees for connection/reconnection.   

The bill contains an emergency clause, which means the bill takes effect immediately upon Governor DeWine’s signature.