The following bills have recently been added to the OII Bill Watch list. Please let us
know if you have comments or concerns regarding these bills. For a complete list of
bills on the OII Watch List go to www.ohioinsurance.org.
House Bills
HB 1- JOBSOHIO (Duffey) To authorize the Governor to create JobsOhio, a nonprofit
economic development corporation. Click here to view HB 1 as introduced
HB 2- PERFORMANCE BUDGETING (Snitchler) To require performance budgeting by
most state agencies and to require performance audits of those agencies.
Click here to view HB 2 as introduced
HB 4 -VEHICLE INSURANCE VERIFICATION (Huffman) To eliminate the financial
responsibility random verification program of the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. (Please
note the OII opposed this legislation last General Assembly. HB 4 is scheduled
for sponsor testimony on Tuesday afternoon in the House Insurance Committee) Click here to view HB 4 as introduced HB 5 -COURT FEES (Huffman) To provide consolidated references to Revised Code
sections that establish cost and fees, other than attorney fees, in the courts of record of
this state.
Click here to view HB 5 as introduced HB 9- UNIFORM COMMERCIAL CODE (Coley) To adopt the revisions of the general
provisions and documents of title portions of the Uniform Commercial Code that were
recommended by the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws
and to make related changes in the Uniform Commercial Code and the Revised Code.
Click here to view HB 9 as introduced
HB 14-VICIOUS DOGS (Sears) To remove pit bulls from the definition of “vicious dog”
in state law.
Click here to view HB 14 as introduced HB 16- SPEEDING VIOLATIONS (Sears) To prohibit a person from being arrested,
charged or convicted for speeding on a public street, highway, private road or driveway
based on a peace officer's unaided visual estimation of the speed of a motor vehicle,
trackless trolley or streetcar.
Click here to view HB 16 as introduced
HB 18-BUSINESS TAX CREDIT (Baker) To authorize a nonrefundable tax credit for a
business that increases payroll and expands into a vacant facility.
Click here to view HB 18 as introduced
HB 22- ANIMAL LIABILITY (Bubp) Regarding the liability of owners of certain animals
that are running at large.
Click here to view HB 22 as introduced
HJR 1-JUDICIAL ELECTIONS (Huffman) To change the age at and after which a
person may not be elected or appointed to a judicial office and to eliminate the authority
of the General Assembly to establish courts of conciliation and to reappoint a Supreme
Court commission.
Click here to view HJR 1 as introduced
Mary Taylor to Lead Ohio Department of Insurance
On Monday, Governor John Kasich announced that he has appointed Lt. Governor
Mary Taylor to serve as the director of the Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI). Taylor
will serve as director in addition to her duties as lieutenant governor. Taylor, a certified
public accountant, served as State Auditor for the past four years and previously served
two terms in the Ohio House.
Kasich also signed his first executive order creating a “Common Sense Initiative” (CSI)
and tabbed Taylor to carry it out. The purpose of the CSI is to review all regulations
affecting financial institutions as well as other businesses and recommend changes.
“We believe that Ohio has the capability of being a financial services giant. We'll have to
work at it. I would envision inviting all the CEO's of the insurance industry to a meeting
where we would hear about what it would take to make them stronger," Mr. Kasich
said.
Kasich went on to describe the insurance industry as “a dynamo in this country,” saying
that that Ohio could enjoy success if it moves quickly in working with insurers, lenders,
and financial institutions.
"A number of insurance executives have committed to helping us to get the right
regulatory regimen going, get the taxes in the right place for this industry, to strengthen
the industry that is here…” he said.
Lt. Gov. Taylor acknowledged the importance of the insurance industry in Ohio, saying it
is the state’s fourth largest employer with about 100,000 people, not including agents.
"We want to, obviously, make sure that we have regulation that makes sense in Ohio for
our businesses, make sure that we have regulation in Ohio that makes sense for our
small businesses that can't always afford these special consultants and advisors and
legal fees and all the like that might go along with trying to comply with some of the
onerous regulations we have in Ohio," she said.
Gov. Kasich said insurance was a $55 billion industry in Ohio that generates $435
million in state revenue.
"Maybe we can figure out a way to lower their taxes and get more jobs and more
companies in here," he said.
"With the insurance industry, I have been told by people, particularly in property and
casualty insurance, that in the period of the 90's we were very strong, and soon after
that we started to lose some of our strength," he said.
"The ability to rebuild that industry, with the jobs that come with it and the excitement
that financial services brings, is a tremendous opportunity," he said.
Kasich Announces Additional Appointments
On Thursday, Governor John Kasich signed his second executive order to create the
Office of Health Transformation. This new office is charged with consolidation and cost
saving in the state’s $13 billion annual Medicaid program. Kasich selected Greg Moody
to head it. Moody was an official with the Taft Administration and spent the last six
years as a senior consultant for Health Management Associates.
John McCarthy, who is currently the Medicaid director for the District of Columbia, was
named Ohio’s Medicaid director.
Kasich also appointed Dr. Theodore Wymyslo to be the director of the Department of
Health and Dr. Bonnie Kantor-Burman as the director of the Department of Aging.
Wymyslo is a longtime medical educator and administrator who worked at the Miami
Valley Hospital for 18 years. Kantor-Burman was formerly the head of the Office of
Geriatrics and Gerontology at The Ohio State University Health Sciences Center.
The following cabinet-level leaders have been previously announced:
Adjutant General
Col. Deborah
Ashenhurst
Department of Administrative Services
Bob Blair
Department of Agriculture
Jim Zehringer
Department of Public Safety
Tom Charles
Department of Taxation
Joe Testa
Department of Transportation
Jerry Wray
Department of Veterans Services
Thomas Moe
Bureau of Workers Compensation
Steve Buehrer
Office of Budget & Management
Tim Keen
Environmental Protection Agency
Scott Nally
Department of Natural Resources
David Mustine
Department of Development
Mark Kvamme
Director of the Department of Mental Health
Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services
Department of Developmental Disabilities
Inspector
General
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Tracy Plouck
Orman Hall
John Martin
Randy Meyer
Gary Mohr
Batchelder Announces Committee Assignments House Speaker Bill Batchelder announced committee chairs and member assignments
this week. The members of the House Insurance Committee are listed below and a
complete list of all House committee assignments is attached. The Senate is expected
to finalize their committee assignments later this month.
House Insurance Committee Members
Chairman: Jay Hottinger (R-Newark)
Vice Chairman: Robert Hackett (R-London)
John Adams (R-Sidney)
David Burke (R-Marysville)
Courtney Combs (R-Hamilton)
Tim Derickson (R-Oxford)
Mike Henne (R-Clayton)
Ross McGregor (R-Springfield)
Bob Peterson (Sabina)
Kirk Schuring (R-Canton)
Barbara Sears (R-Sylvania)
Todd Snitchler (R-Uniontown)
Lynn Wachtmann (R-Napoleon)
Ranking Minority Member: John Patrick Carney (D-Columbus)
Mike Ashford (D-Toledo)
Lorraine Fende (D- Willowick)
Mike Foley (D-Cleveland)
Tracy Heard (D-Columbus)
Tom Letson (D-Warren)
Clayton Luckie(D-Dayton)
Mike Stinziano (D-Columbus)
Hollington, Buchy, and Butler Join the House Republicans
Ohio House Republicans unanimously voted this week to appoint James Butler, Jim
Buchy, and Richard Hollington to fill vacant House seats. While Rep. Butler is new to
the chamber, Rep. Buchy served years ago, and Rep. Hollington held his seat just last
session.
The caucus chose Rep. Hollington (R-Chagrin Falls) for the 98th House District seat,
which remained vacant when Sen. Tim Grendell (R-Chesterland) decided to serve out
the remaining two years of his Senate term after winning election to the House.
Hollington, who also served in the House from 1967 to 1970, was appointed last
session after former Rep. Matt Dolan resigned to run for the Cuyahoga County
executive position. He is a senior partner in the Cleveland law firm Baker Hostetler LLP
and finance director for the Village of Hunting Valley.
Rep. Buchy (R-Greenville) returned this week after an 11-year hiatus to fill the 77th
House District seat left open by former Rep. Jim Zehringer, who Governor John Kasich
appointed to head the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA).
Buchy served in the House from 1983 to 2000 and became an assistant director at the
ODA from 2001 to 2004. He is the president of Buchy Food Service in Greenville.
Rep. Butler (R-Oakwood) joined the House for the first time to fill the vacancy in the 37th
House District left by former Rep. Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering), who accepted an
appointment to the 6th Ohio Senate District seat.
Butler graduated from the United States Naval Academy and is currently an associate at
Thompson Hine LLP in Dayton.
Senate Republicans Select Appointees for Buehrer and Gibbs Seats
This week, a Senate Republican screening committee recommended the appointment
of Rep. Cliff Hite (R- Findlay) to fill the vacancy in the Senate 1st District. Hite, who
represents the 76th House District, will succeed former Sen. Steve Buehrer, who is now
head of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation.
Hite has served in the House since 2007. Before coming to the legislature, he spent
almost 30 years as a teacher and a coach. House Republicans will now appoint Hite’s
successor in the 76th District.
The screening committee also selected Larry Obhof Jr. of Montville Township in Medina
County to fill the 22nd District seat left open with Bob Gibbs' election to Congress.
Obhof currently works at the Cleveland office of Baker & Hostetler LLP and is an
adjunct professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Law.
Ohio Department of Public Safety Rules up for Five Year Review
The following Ohio Department of Public Safety Rules (ODPS) are up for their five year
review before the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR). The public
hearing on these rules will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, February 3, 2011 at the
ODPS, 1970 West Broad Street, Room 109, Columbus, Ohio. Please note that Rule 4501-52-04: Insurance, which requires every bus to have
evidence of proper liability insurance coverage, is being rescinded because its text has
been added to Rule 4501-52-03: Annual Inspection Criteria. Rule 4501-52-03 also
includes revisions to the brake data table and adds inspection criteria. Click here to view Rule 4501-52-03
Rule 4501-52-01: Requirements for Annual Inspection of Buses; Incorporated
Materials; Rule 4501-52-02: Annual Bus Safety Inspection Program; and Rule
4501-52-06: Other Inspections are being amended to update terminology and
information regarding availability of materials incorporated by reference.
Click here to view Rule 4501-52-01
Click here to view Rule 4501-52-02
Click here to view Rule 4501-52-06 Please let us know if you have any questions, comments, or concerns on these rules.