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The 129th General Assembly has been a pretty busy one. The House has been diligently considering much legislation in an effort to make Ohio an attractive state for the private investment necessary to create, attract and retain jobs for our state. These are difficult economic times. It is vital that lawmakers do not lose sight of issue number one in our state: right-sizing government to revitalize Ohio's economy. Let me cover a few of the significant pieces of legislation that we have passed over the past five months that strive to improve our business climate and set Ohio up for a more prosperous future.
House Bill 1 - As the bill number suggests, H.B. 1 was the first measure we pursued as we hit the ground running this General Assembly. It creates a lean, non-profit economic development entity called JobsOhio that, by its very nature, will be able to quickly respond to the ever-changing demands of the national and international economy. Unlike the Ohio Department of Development, JobsOhio will consist of a nine-member board of business leaders and will be unencumbered by bureaucratic red tape that often blocks job creation efforts. At a time of cutthroat competition between states for a limited supply of businesses, Ohio will finally be able to move at the speed of business-not the speed (or lack thereof) of government.
House Bill 58 - Ohio's comparatively heavy tax code is a component of our state's inability to create, attract and retain jobs, and the Legislature passed H.B. 58 with this fact in mind. This bill incorporates into Ohio law the federal "Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010," which extends the tax reductions enacted by President Bush to benefit hard-working families and small business owners. H.B. 58 also includes a job-retention tax credit for businesses that have received offers to relocate to other states, which will help retain vital jobs.
House Bill 94 - A key factor in a state's success is the ability of businesses to grow, thrive and reinvest in the community. H.B. 94-and its companion S.B. 2-strive to reduce unnecessary, overly burdensome regulations that shackle businesses beneath layers of rules and mandates. H.B. 94 creates the Common Sense Initiative (CSI) Office to review any regulations that may have an adverse effect on business within the state of Ohio. Funded with existing revenue, the CSI office will weigh the value of any existing or proposed regulation against its potential harmful impact on local businesses, changing them as needed to foster business growth in our communities.
House Bill 153 - One of the most difficult tasks of this General Assembly was crafting a budget that gets Ohio's financial house back in order and leads to job creation. We successfully balanced the budget while spending less money than the previous administration, filling an $8 billion gap without raising taxes on Ohioans. Rather than taking more from the taxpayers or trying to find a quick fix that would be devastating on Ohio families, my House Republican colleagues and I decided that the path to prosperity was through reduced government spending and a more attractive business climate.
Senate Bill 5 - One of our strategies for reducing the tax burden on Ohio's hard-working middle-class families is to ensure that collective bargaining privileges of some 360,000 public employees are balanced and fair for all of Ohio's 11.5 million citizens. Senate Bill 5 accomplishes this goal by promoting a better relationship between public-sector unions, local governments and the taxpayers, which will not only help sustain vital local services but also respect our citizens who have carried the weight of increasingly pricy contracts and costs. Most importantly, Senate Bill 5 permits the taxpayers a seat at the bargaining table and gives them more power over local tax rates.
I will continue to show my support for the families and businesses of the 38th House District by voting for bills that will create a better quality of life for all Ohioans, whether that means restructuring state spending, improving the job market, or protecting our constitutional rights. I welcome your input at any time as we reinvent the way Ohio does business. | 
