Vetoed by Governor John Kasich

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that appropriates funds to the Department of Transportation for the fiscal year 2017-2018, effective June 30, 2017.

Highlights:

• Establishes a $33 million annual budget to support public transportation (Sec. 203.45).

• Establishes the Public Safety-Highway Purposes Fund in which money credited to the fund shall be used to administer laws relating to the registration and operation of motor vehicles on public roadways and to the power and duties of the registrar of motor vehicles (Sec. 4501.06).

• Authorizes the Board of Township Trustees of one or more townships and the legislative authority of one or more municipal corporations to enter into an agreement to jointly provide for the maintenance, repair, and improvement of roads (Sec. 505.90).

• Establishes the Department of Transportation Bridge Partnership for the purpose of rehabilitating or rebuilding bridges deemed by local municipalities as structurally deficient (Sec. 5501.491).

• Authorizes counties with national forests to receive money from the sales of timber, stipulating that funds received shall be appropriated to the development of public schools and bridge and road maintenance (Sec. 1503.35).

• Establishes a license plate contribution fund to benefit a variety of academic and research causes, including but not limited to cancer research and support foundations, community charitable efforts (Secs. 4501.21).

• Authorizes the Director of Transportation to establish variable speed limits reflective of conditions, such as weather conditions, traffic incidents, the time of day, or other factors, that may affect what constitutes a safe speed limit on a given public road (Sec. 745.10).  

• Prohibits individuals from operating a motor vehicle without continuous proof of financial responsibility throughout the registration period, adding that failure to comply with this provision can result in a fee of (Sec. 4509.101):

• $100 for a first violation;

• $300 for a second violation; and

• $600 for a third and any subsequent violations.

• Requires the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to charge a service fee of no less than $3.50 and no more than $5.25 (Sec. 4503.038).

• Increases the maximum amount a natural gas company can recover from a single customer from $3 per year to $1.50 per month or $18 per year (Sec. 4929.162).

• Authorizes revised guidelines with relation to all purpose vehicles and watercraft, specifying that annual licences shall not be reduced to reflect seasonal use and that all placards must be distinguishable from those of motor vehicles or trailers and must also bear county registration (Secs. 4503.311, 4503.312, & 4503.575).

• Establishes registration fees for each vehicle’s weight-class, specifying a registration fee of $1,285 for large trucks weighing up to 78,000 pounds (Sec. 4503.65).

Full Bill Text