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Transportation Budget Passes House Committee, Moves Toward Floor Vote

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — The $8 billion state transportation budget goes to the floor of the Ohio House tomorrow, after it was overwhelmingly approved by a House committee Wednesday.

orange barrels on I-270
[Karen Kasler | Statehouse News Bureau]
After just under a month since its introduction, House Finance Committee chair Rep. Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton) reported the vote count on the two year transportation budget: 29-4.

House members took out Gov. Mike DeWine’s $10 increase in vehicle fees, which would have raised $127 million for the state Highway Patrol. But they boosted funding for the patrol by $50 million a year.

The Finance committee removed a provision hiking fines for distracted driving, they reduced fees on alternative fuel vehicles and they put back $70 million in cuts DeWine made to public transit. Half of the committee’s eight Democrats voted against the bill.

The transportation budget must be in place by March 31, though it was several days late when it passed in 2019.