With Ohio Senate business wrapping up this week, both chambers of the Legislature are now on break until after both the Aug. 2 primary election and the Nov. 8 general election – with the possible exception of some Senate committee hearings and “if-needed” sessions in September.
 
Because of the Ohio General Assembly’s recess, you can expect to receive OML’s Legislative Bulletin on an as-needed basis, rather than every week over the upcoming months. We will continue to monitor events that transpire in state government and keep OML members informed.
 
Here are the top things you need to know from this past week:
 
· The two-day Mayors Association of Ohio annual conference took place Wednesday and Thursday, with nearly a tenth of the state’s mayors participating. The mayors had the opportunity share their concerns with Gov. DeWine, to hear from JobsOhio President & CEO J.P. Nauseef and a delegation of business leaders representing Japan and Canada, as well as discuss housing, ethics laws, cybersecurity, crisis communications, and the current policy environment in state government. Thank you to everyone who attended!
 
· Today (6/10), we’re hosting the second of four regional, summer conferences in Cuyahoga Falls. We appreciate everyone who came to learn more at this informative, one-day version of our annual conference. More information on your opportunity to attend either of  two upcoming, similar regional conferences is below.
 
· The Ohio Supreme Court announced this week that it will hear Schaad v. Alder, one of the Buckeye Institute’s five municipal income tax cases challenging Ohio’s emergency-based system. The case is about whether people who worked from home should have paid commuter income taxes while their offices were empty during the pandemic in 2020. State lawmakers gave cities permission to collect those dollars in 2020, but the Buckeye Institute said that violated the state's constitution. The outcome of this case will only apply to income taxes paid in 2020, because lawmakers already decided to allow Ohioans to seek refunds for the days they worked from home in 2021. The case will likely be heard at the end of 2022 or early 2023.
 
Be sure to register for our upcoming events:
 
Southwest Regional Conference – Friday, June 24 at the Cincinnati Marriott Northeast in Mason. We’ll hit the road and meet those from the southwest quadrant of the state for this convenient, one-day version of our annual conference. The registration deadline is June 17. More info
 
2022 Municipal Income Tax Seminar – July 13-14 at the Renaissance Hotel in Downtown Columbus. Join us for one or both days of this annual seminar that will cover such topics as remote work tax withholding, collections, ethics, confidentiality, legislation, and more! The registration and payment deadline is July 7. More info
 
Northwest Regional Conference – Friday, Aug. 5 at the Hancock Hotel in Findlay. If you haven’t yet attended one of our regional summer conferences, this will be your final chance. Join like-minded professionals in northwest Ohio to learn more about the most current issues facing municipalities. The registration deadline is July 29. More info