COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Lawmakers at the Ohio Statehouse are laying out their plans for the next few months, now that they are back in session after a month-long break. 

“When we have a session, we want to have 10 to 12 bills that we can get through,” Speaker of the Ohio House Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) said. 

The “capital budget,” also known as House Bill 2, spends millions of dollars on projects for things like jails, schools, and infrastructure. It includes a one-time fund for local projects on things like the pro-football hall of fame. The House passed its version back in February and the Senate passed some spending in a different bill a few weeks later. 

“We haven’t had a chance to look at that yet,” Stephens said. “We’re waiting to see what comes back from the capital budget from the Senate.” 

Though this is a priority for leadership in both chambers, nothing has been agreed upon between the two chambers yet, partly due to Republican infighting. 

“There are very real consequences for that. In this case we’ve got real projects that can’t get started or may not get the re-appropriated funds necessary,” Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said. “Those are jobs, those are services for communities and that is ultimately who suffers from this dysfunction.” 

“I am optimistic we’ll get something back to the House,” Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said. “Memorial Day might be a little optimistic, but I think it could get done by Memorial Day but certainly by the end of June.” 

The Senate is taking spending requests until April 8. Aside from the capital budget Stephens said he wants to pass legislation like House Bill 7. That legislation is a spending bill to help ensure the wellbeing of mothers and children. 

“That’s one of our higher priorities,” Stephens said. “We put a lot of that into the budget but I think it’s good for us to do that.” 

House Bill 51, or the “Second Amendment Preservation Act,” which would make federal gun laws unenforceable in Ohio if they contradict with the state’s laws, has been stalled, but Stephens said talks on that will start back up soon. 

“I like that bill a lot,” Stephens said. “We’ll be having those discussions and see where everybody is on that bill.” 

Stephens said members are also working on energy policy, with the goal that the House can “unify around” a proposal. He said this is an important piece of economic development.

“As we look at our challenges from an economic standpoint, whenever we have all these economic development opportunities but yet don’t have the electricity,” he said. 

Stephens said energy policy also means making sure the lights can stay on at home, and considering the energy that Ohio is “sitting on” with natural gas. 

“We have to be smart about the legislation, but we want to try to do those things,” he said. 
 

As for marijuana-related legislation, House leadership agrees that they won’t be moving anything forward right now, despite the Senate’s actions.

“Getting a consensus on what that action will be in the House is probably not going to happen,” Stephens said. “I’m sure as time progresses and we have an idea of what things are going to look like well into the future, there is going to be some tweaking of the rules around recreational marijuana.”

“I think that the window of reforming what the voters passed, or making changes, rather, to what was passed in Issue 2 is closing,” Russo said. “But [the new law] will move forward.” 

The House and Senate will have several committee hearings next week. Neither chamber will be meeting in full for session next week. They will likely be in session until the end of June before going on a break.