From universal vouchers to working from home: How Ohio's two-year budget impacts you
From state income taxes to the salaries Medicaid providers earn, the state's new two-year budget made sweeping changes to the amounts Ohioans pay for private schools, baby supplies, and to run their businesses.
The massive 6,198-page document also restructured the Ohio Department of Education and attempted to change the rules for living in dorms at public universities. It's a lot, so we've combed through the pages to determine what these changes mean for you.
If you ...
Pay income taxes: You’re getting a tax cut. The budget flattened Ohio’s income tax brackets from three down to two. Ohioans earning less than $26,050 annually pay no state income taxes. Those earning up to $100,000 will now pay 2.75%, and everyone above that salary will pay 3.5%.
Own a business: You could be in for a tax cut. The state budget eliminated the Commercial Activities Tax or CAT for 90% of businesses that pay it.
Hate paying sales tax: Ohio will have a sales tax holiday in August 2024, but the length remains undetermined after Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed lawmakers' requirement that it last for two weeks. The tax reprieve would be on most tangible items valued at $500 or less. It will not apply to alcohol and tobacco.
Are younger than 18 and working: You won’t need to pay municipal income tax.
Have stock options: You will still need to pay municipal income tax. A proposed tax break was removed from the final version.
Have a baby: You won't pay sales tax on most baby items after Oct. 1. The list of qualified items includes diapers, wipes, car seats, cribs and strollers.
Have a child in private school: You will be eligible for an EdChoice scholarship. The budget created a universal school voucher program for Ohio, but how much you receive will be based on your income. Families earning up to 450% of federal poverty (about $135,000 for a family of four) will receive the full amounts, $6,165 for kindergarten through 8th grade and $8,407 for high school. The scholarships then decrease with income until 750% of federal poverty ($225,000 for a family of four). Every family above that income will receive $650 for K-8 and $950 for high school.
Have a child buying reduced school lunches: They will now be covered entirely.
Use subsidized childcare: The budget made a modest increase in the income guidelines, raising the amount families can earn to 145% of the federal poverty level. That's about $35,000 annually for a family of three.
Use SNAP benefits: Most of the Senate's proposed changes aren't happening. For example, plans to mandate photos on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cards and rules for inactive cards were cut from the final budget.
Have a child with autism: The budget expanded eligibility for Ohio's Autism Scholarship Program, which covers a set amount of tuition to private schools for these children. The program will now accept children with an autism diagnosis, those identified by their school districts, and those with an IEP from a district.
Are a new teacher: The base salary you can earn increased from $30,000 to $35,000 annually.
Want to become a teacher: You could get up to $7,500 if you commit to teaching for at least four years in a qualifying school needing staff.
Have a child learning to read: The state is making a historic investment in phonics. Teachers will be retrained. Other programs that don't focus on phonics will be eliminated. And new materials for classrooms will be subsidized.
Have a child interested in career tech for high school: The state is investing $200 million in new facilities and $100 million to buy equipment. The governor told reporters this would help eliminate wait lists as interest in these high schools continues to rise.
You or someone you love lives in a nursing home: Ohio will increase its oversight of these facilities and penalize those who fail to care for their residents more harshly. Those who exceed care expectations will be eligible for more state dollars. And the state will build a website with "detailed information" on every nursing home in the state so people can compare their options.
Want to grow old at home: The budget allocated $40 million for a new healthy aging grant program that will help those who want to age at home.
Struggle with mental health: Ohio is fully funding 988, the state's suicide and crisis hotline, adding 3,000 in-patient beds for adults, and investing in new pediatric mental health providers to reduce wait times.
Struggle to find affordable housing: The budget created new tax credits for builders that construct rental units for lower-income Ohioans.
Want to buy a house: You could get an income tax deduction for up to $10,000 per year for couples or $5,000 for individuals added to a homeownership-linked deposit account.
Want to seal or expunge your record: The application will cost $50 and may be accompanied by a court fee, which cannot exceed $50.
Are a certified public accountant: You no longer need to be an Ohio resident or regularly employed in Ohio to obtain a CPA certificate.
Work as a doula: You might have to get a certificate. Fees would be waived for those making less than 200% of the federal poverty level.
Are a sexual assault survivor: You can request information about your sexual assault examination kit and receive updates about the kit.
Are a state employee with a new baby: You will get 12 weeks of paid parental leave at 70% of your base pay rate instead of the current four weeks. The budget also eliminates a 14-day unpaid waiting period.
Are a state employee who has a miscarriage: You can take bereavement leave for a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Are a state employee who works from home: You can continue doing so. A proposal to require state employees to work in the office four days per week was eliminated from the final budget.
Are a state employee using TikTok: You won't be allowed to use it or any other Chinese-owned applications on government-issued devices.
Are a tween using TikTok: You will need a parent's or guardian’s approval to create new social media accounts starting in January 2024. The rule applies to anyone under the age of 16.
Attend one of Ohio's public or charted private high schools: Students who graduate in the top 5% of their classes will be eligible for $5,000 annual college scholarships for four years so long as they maintain "satisfactory academic progress."
Worry about the cost of college: Ohio lawmakers restricted universities to a 3% annual tuition increase rather than basing it on inflation.
Are a sophomore in college: You still might be required to live in a dorm. A proposal to prevent universities from mandating students live on-campus after one year was stripped from the final version of the budget.
Are an unvaccinated college student: You could be required to get a vaccine to attend class or live in the dorm. DeWine vetoed a proposal to allow exceptions for religious convictions or medical contraindications, saying it "may compromise the overall health and safety of students, residents, staff and faculty at the institution."
Want to hunt or fish in Ohio as a college student: You could obtain a discounted resident permit even if you live out of state.
Are a student trustee at Ohio State University: You will still have voting privileges. DeWine vetoed an effort to limit them.
Were worried about proposed higher education reforms: Plans to restructure diversity trainings, professor evaluations and tenure to combat what Republicans characterized as liberal biases on Ohio's college campuses were cut from the final budget. What remained was a plan to create five centers that will cultivate free expression at the following schools: Ohio State University, Cleveland State University, Miami University, University of Cincinnati and University of Toledo.
More:New diversity training, bias rules inside latest version of Ohio's higher education bill
Work in technology: The budget created the Ohio Future Fund that will prepare "job ready" sites for companies like Intel that might be looking to relocate. Lawmakers allocated $750 million for this and another $350 million to rehab contaminated sites known as brownfields.
Live in rural Ohio: The state will spend $500 million over the next two fiscal years improving roads in rural Ohio.
Had a vehicle stolen: If it gets impounded by police, you won’t need to pay a fee to retrieve it.
Live in East Palestine: Money you received for your business or home or remediation related to the Norfolk Southern train derailment will not be taxed as income.
Threaten to harm someone involved in a sporting event over a bet: You might be banned from sports betting.
Have students in Ohio K-12 public schools: The budget removed almost all of the State Board of Education's educational responsibilities and gave them to a new cabinet position in DeWine's office. The partially elected state board will now be responsible for teacher licensure and inter-district disputes.
More:Ohio Senate votes to give governor's office control over public education
Worry about school shootings: School safety training grants will be available to train school resource officers, educate students and staff about active shooters and mental health issues in public and private schools.
Are concerned about children: A new cabinet-level department called the Ohio Department of Children and Youth will focus on adoption, child care, early childhood education, maternal and infant mortality and preschool services.
Practice music or art therapy: You would need to get licensed.
Want to keep the Western and Southern Open tennis tournament in Ohio: The budget doled out $22.5 million to the City of Mason to support the event.
Enjoy visiting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum: The budget allocated $5 million to the museum in fiscal year 2024.
Live in Cincinnati and were worried about an extra Uber or Lyft fee: A proposed hike in rates was removed from the budget.
Are a direct care worker: You might get a pay raise to $17 per hour in July 2024 and $18 per hour in July 2025 as the state adds $375 million a year to help with competitive wages.
Have Eastern European ancestry: The state is creating a Commission on Eastern European Affairs.
Want to raise awareness of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy, a rare but traumatic condition: Ohio is designating Oct. 26 as an awareness day. It is called Brenna’s Law in memory of North Olmsted native Brenna Brossard.
Like flavored tobacco: An effort to ban it statewide was stripped from the budget. But DeWine vetoed a measure that would have prevented cities like Columbus from limiting it.
Have Parkinson's Disease: The state will create a Parkinson's Disease Registry within two years to collect data about the condition and its prevalence in Ohio.
Have a newborn: They will be screened for Duchenne muscular dystrophy in addition to a slew of other conditions.
Have surgery: You will be less exposed to surgical smoke, a byproduct of laser or electrical tools used in surgeries that can be dangerous if inhaled by patients or staff.
Apply for unemployment: You must provide proof of your identity in a manner prescribed by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Want to appeal a decision made by a state agency: You can appeal at your local court instead of in Franklin County.
Care about Ohio’s $1.1 billion opioid settlement: The entity is now a private, rather than public agency. The foundation’s bylaws include a requirement to hold open, public meetings.
Want police or prosecutor records: You will still be able to get them. A sweeping proposal to close public access to government records was removed from the state budget.
Want to join the police force at age 18: You must wait. A proposal to lower the hiring age for police officers from 21 to 18 years old was removed.
Buy a "Recovery is Beautiful" license plate: You must pay $21 instead of $20 to benefit mental health and addiction recovery efforts.
Want to renew a state identification card online: You no longer have to verify you are younger than 65 years old.
Plan to watch the solar eclipse in 2024: Ohio has earmarked $1 million for emergency personnel dealing with the influx of people.
Planned to impersonate a county political party: A new change prevents PACs from registering with a similar name.
Support or oppose the August special election: You will pay for it with $11.3 million in taxpayer dollars.
Are the Speaker of the Ohio House or Senate President: You can hire outside attorneys when the state constitution or laws are challenged. One example is during redistricting.
Want to make a movie in Ohio: You could get a tax credit worth $50 million instead of the current $40 million.
Buy toiletries or other items from a jail commissary fund: The profits could be used to pay for the construction or renovation of a jail facility for medical or mental health services.
Contest a township zoning decision:You must gather the signatures of at least 15% of the total votes cast in the previous gubernatorial election in that township to challenge a zoning plan by referendum. The previous threshold was 8%.
Anna Staver and Jessie Balmert are reporters for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Akron Beacon Journal, Cincinnati Enquirer, Columbus Dispatch and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.
With love, as always, for the late Dispatch reporter Jim Siegel, the original budget guru.