Ohio Statehouse Update: Week in Review — March 1, 2013

1. Turnpike bonding legislation heading to Senate
This week the Ohio House passed House Bill 51, which authorizes the Ohio Turnpike Commission to issue revenue bonds for infrastructure projects. Following a rancorous debate on whether 90 percent of the bond revenue would go towards infrastructure improvements in Northern Ohio, as Governor Kasich had previously stated, members adopted an amendment requiring projects to have a nexus to the Turnpike in order for bond revenue to be used. The so called “guardrail” was previously absent from the bill due to concerns the provision could negatively affect the project’s bond rating.