JobsOhio II, legislation that aims to solidify JobsOhio as the primary independent entity in charge of economic development in Ohio, was introduced in both the Ohio House of Representatives (Rep. Mike Dovilla (R-Berea) and Rep. Christina Hagan (R-Uniontown) introduced HB 489) and the Ohio Senate (Sen. Mark Wagoner (R-Toledo) introduced SB 314) this past Thursday, Gongwer reports. JobsOhio II follows HB 1, which was enacted in February 2011 and created JobsOhio. The legislature plans to have the JobsOhio II legislation passed and enacted prior to the 2012 summer recess.
Besides providing further definition to the JobsOhio structure, the JobsOhio II bill language also provides for a number of related changes to the state’s economic development landscape. This non-inclusive list includes:
- The renaming and transfer of all responsibilities currently in the Department of Development to the “Development Services Agency” (DSA).
- An appropriation to the DSA for fiscal year 2013. The budget bill (HB 153) had set aside a lump sum — $1.2 billion to DSA for FY ‘13, including $117.79 million from the General Revenue Fund — for the entity, but the new bill would formally appropriate the dollars to DSA. House sponsors said DSA’s role going forward would be to provide “essential services” to JobsOhio including the administration and oversight of loans and tax credits that will further create and expand Ohio businesses. The bill also clarifies the contracts between DSA and JobsOhio.
- The Tax Credit Authority would be reconfigured to include the director of the DSA, the chief investment officer of JobsOhio, and five members: the Senate president; the House speaker; an economic development specialist, a specialist in the development of new technology, and a specialist in taxation, each appointed by the governor.
- The bill would reconfigure the Ohio Third Frontier Commission, which would consist of 11 members, including the director of the DSA, the chief investment officer of JobsOhio, the chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents, the governor's science and technology advisor, and seven others appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.
- The bill clarifies that any JobsOhio documents that are not public records do not become public records when someone else possesses them. This type of language was a significant point of contention with the initial JobsOhio legislation, which deemed certain documents were not subject to public records requests — this provision may meet a similar level of scrutiny.
- The Development Finance Advisory Council (DFAC), the entity which currently approves economic development financing programs, will be phased out. The State Controlling Board will continue to review and authorize such loans.
- The Water and Sewer Commission, which has not met or taken action since 2007, will be eliminated.
- The Office of TourismOhio will be created within the DSA. TourismOhio, which will be funded through a five-year pilot program, will link funding for the office to the growth in sales tax revenues of tourism-related industries around the state. The bill will also create the TourismOhio Advisory Board, which will include industry experts to provide guidance and support efforts to promote Ohio tourism.
- The chief investment officer of JobsOhio would be appointed to the TourismOhio Advisory Board.
