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Ohio Lawmakers Change Key Parts Of Governor’s Transportation Budget

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — An Ohio House committee stripped provisions from Gov. Mike DeWine’s transportation budget, one of which targets distracted driving.

The House committee removed part of the budget that included stiffer penalties for drivers caught while using or holding any wireless device while driving.

Curt Steiner represents a coalition of 35 organizations pushing for those changes. He said many lawmakers are telling him they’d support it as a stand-alone bill.

“There’s a lot of support for the legislation but some just don’t feel comfortable with it being in the budget bill right now.”

A previous, similar stand-alone bill languished in the last General Assembly.

In addition to removing the distracted driving provision, the committee restored some proposed funding cuts to public transit and eliminated a proposal to raise vehicle fees.