House Passes Pre-Emption Bill Addressing Auxiliary Containers

This week, on a 57-35 vote, the Ohio House passed House Bill 242. The bill would pre-empt local governments from placing taxes or outright bans on auxiliary containers — such as bottles, cans or bags. HB 242 is supported by the OMA.

The legislation has become a political flashpoint in recent weeks — not only in Ohio, but across the country. The Senate continues to debate HB 242’s companion bill (Senate Bill 222), and will now have the House version to consider, as well. The governor recently weighed in on the issue, stating he did not want to see the legislation passed in the House.

During the last General Assembly, the House also passed a version of the pre-emption legislation, but it failed to get Senate approval. The OMA will continue working to get this proposal enacted in 2020. 12/12/2019