Leadership

New Report Highlights OMA Advocacy Results

To highlight the value of manufacturers’ presence at the Ohio Statehouse, the OMA has published this report summarizing recent advocacy results. The OMA’s most recent advocacy victories have come in the areas of workforce development, energy, taxes, workers’ compensation, and other areas that impact members. 3/29/2023

OMA Opposes ‘Right to Repair’ Bill

The OMA this week presented testimony to oppose Senate Bill 73, legislation that would mandate the so-called “right to repair.” (Read the bill summary.)

The OMA told the Senate Financial Institutions and Technology Committee that the scope of SB 73 goes far beyond the “right to repair” common consumer device maladies — and that if passed, would impact a broad range of manufacturers, potentially exposing trade secrets and intellectual property. Read the OMA’s testimony. 3/28/2023

Transportation Budget Sent to Governor

The Ohio House and Senate this week passed a negotiated version of the state’s two-year, $13.5 billion transportation budget (House Bill 23). Following a 30-1 Senate vote and 93-2 House vote, the legislation has been sent to Gov. Mike DeWine, who can sign or veto the measure, or sign it with line-item vetos.

The final version of the transportation budget authorizes $2.2 billion for pavement projects, $1.5 billion for large infrastructure projects, $717 million for bridges, and $360 million for safety upgrades. Roughly $3 billion is included to improve the Brent Spence Bridge in Cincinnati. The approved measure also contains new railroad safety rules, but does not include the House-approved $1 billion fund for rural highways. 3/30/2023

Ohio Is a Reshoring Leader, Report Says

Last year, reshoring and foreign direct investments created more than 360,000 U.S. jobs — a 53% increase from the 2021 record, according to a new report by the Reshoring Initiative, which has tracked reshoring data since 2010. Among the states, Ohio had the second-largest number of reshoring job announcements (29,561) in 2022. 3/27/2023

RSM Manufacturing Index: Slowdown Continues

OMA Connections Partner RSM reports that the firm’s U.S. Manufacturing Outlook Index shows activity remains 1.8 standard deviations below normal. Among the five U.S. regions surveyed by Federal Reserve banks, all but one (Texas) reported slowing employment growth. 3/30/2023

Ohio Scores Well in Latest Cost-of-Living Studies

SmartAsset has compared after-tax income in 76 of the largest U.S. cities and adjusted those figures for the cost of living. Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati are ranked in the study’s top 25 cities in which $100,000 goes furthest. Another study finds that Ohio has the fourth-lowest median home price. 3/27/2023

OMA Supports Asbestos Litigation Reform Bill

The OMA recently testified in support of Senate Bill 63, which would protect Ohio manufacturers by reducing potential legal costs related to asbestos claims. The average number of defendants named in asbestos cases has tripled since the 1980s.

Specifically, SB 63 would prevent employers from being named as a defendant in asbestos cases without proof of exposure. Read the OMA’s testimony. 3/24/2023

Ohio Senate OKs Transportation Budget

This week, the Ohio Senate voted 30-0 to approve its version of the state’s two-year, $11 billion transportation budget (House Bill 23). Because the Senate version omits key provisions included in the House-approved bill — including a $1 billion rural highway fund — the bill will now go to a conference committee to negotiate the chambers’ differences.

The transportation budget appropriates gas tax revenue for priorities such as highway construction, bridge repairs, and other projects, including the Brent Spence Bridge in Cincinnati. HB 23 also includes new railroad safety measures. This 48-page document compares the House- and Senate-approved versions. 3/23/2023

Licking County Leader: ‘Get Used to Growth, Ohio’

Rick Platt, president and CEO of the Heath-Newark-Licking County Port Authority, says it’s time for Ohio to get used to growth thanks to “a once-in-a-generation shift of global manufacturing footprints.”

In his March 22 editorial published by The Columbus Dispatch, Platt spotlights the current projects being developed by OMA members Intel and Honda. He notes Intel already has suppliers in 22 Ohio counties as the company seeks additional vendors. Honda boasts suppliers in 55 Ohio counties with the potential to widen. 3/23/2023

Webinar on Demand: Outlook for Manufacturers, Part II

In its second “Outlook for Manufacturers” webinar, OMA Connections Partner HBK examines steps manufacturers should be taking due to current economic concerns — from ensuring adequate liquidity to creating a contingency plan. Watch the webinar at your convenience, or read this summary of the highlights. 3/23/2023