You’re one of Ohio’s manufacturing leaders. You need the latest information on a variety of business issues affecting the industry.
Utilizing a broad array of resources, the OMA continuously updates members with the latest news, trends, and activity that impacts manufacturers and manufacturing stakeholders. Additionally, the OMA’s Government Affairs Committee meets every quarter.
This is just another way the OMA fulfills its mission to protect and grow Ohio manufacturing!
On Wednesday, Sep. 11, the OMA will host the Ohio Manufacturers’ Leadership Forum in Columbus, Ohio.
Join National Championship winning coach and former President of Youngstown State University Jim Tressel and nationally renowned political commentator Jonah Goldberg for a discussion on leadership alongside an analysis of today’s political landscape. 7/22/2024
On Sunday, President Joe Biden officially dropped out of the 2024 Presidential Race following a disastrous debate performance that only further called into question his fitness for office.
Biden followed his announcement by personally endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris, making the 59-year-old the heir-apparent for the Democratic nomination. Harris has already surpassed the threshold of committed delegates needed to secure the nomination at the Democratic National Convention, which will take place next month. 7/22/2024
The effort to change how Ohio’s state and congressional maps are drawn was certified to appear on the November ballot this week by state officials.
The amendment would replace Ohio’s current map drawing process with a 15-member citizen’s panel made up of equal parts Republicans, Democrats, and political independents. Elected officials, party operatives and lobbyists, and their immediate family members, would be barred from serving on the new commission. 7/23/2024
This week, the government relations team at the OMA was promoted with new, elevated responsibilities.
Lindsey Short was promoted to Managing Director for Advocacy and Energy Services and will direct advocacy efforts for OMA priority issues including energy policy, workforce development, and civil justice.
James Lee was promoted to Managing Director for Public Policy Services. He will direct the Association’s policy committee program and coordinate day-to-day lobbying activity across the range of OMA legislative and regulatory priorities. 7/15/2024
The Republican National Convention (RNC) kicked off this week following a chaotic weekend that saw the attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
The former president cleared the number of delegates required to lock up the nomination, with former inter-party rivals Nikki Haley and Governor Ron DeSantis calling for party unity.
Among the speakers was an unusual one, Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, who took aim at large corporations and business associations for “waging a war against American workers”. 7/15/2024
On day one of the RNC, former president Donald Trump announced Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate in the 2024 Presidential Election.
Vance, 39 and a Marine veteran, rose to fame with his bestselling book “Hillbilly Elegy”, detailing Vance’s early life in poverty and rise to graduating from the Ohio State University and Yale Law School.
Vance was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022 filling the seat of Rob Portman, who did not seek reelection. If the Trump/Vance campaign is successful, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will appoint a successor to Vance. 7/15/2024
The latest poll from the American Fuel & Petroleum Manufacturers shows Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown holding a six-point advantage over challenger Bernie Moreno.
Brown has improved his lead on Moreno by one point since last month, according to FiveThirtyEight, where Marist College had Brown up by five points.
Brown, a Democrat, is also outperforming President Biden in the state, where AFPM has former President Donald Trump leading Biden by 10 points. 7/11/2024
Looking to piggyback on a high election turnout in November, the ‘One Fair Wage’ campaign fell short of the required signatures to place a 43% increase to Ohio’s minimum wage on the ballot.
The second ballot initiative, led by ‘Citizens Not Politicians’, was more than successful, turning in 731,306 voter signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office. The amendment, which will appear on the ballot this November, would replace the Ohio Redistricting Commission with a 15-member citizen’s panel made up of equal parts Republicans, Democrats, and political independents.
Elected officials, party operatives, lobbyists, and their immediate family members would be barred from serving on the new commission. 7/10/2024
In a major win for manufacturers, the U.S. Supreme Court recently overturned the Chevron Doctrine, a long-standing precedent that generally compelled federal courts to defer to federal agency interpretations of ambiguous statutes within their jurisdiction.
This article from OMA Counsel, Bricker Graydon, highlights the impact of Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, which will place greater checks on agency authority, which has long been argued to have been too far-reaching, placing undue burdens on employers who have often been barred from seeking redress in the courts.
OMA Connections Partner Squire Patton Boggs produced this memo highlighting the risks and opportunities of the decision for employers. 7/8/2024
Last week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, and Ohio Department of Development Director Lydia Mihalik announced the establishment of Ohio’s first Innovation Hub in northwest Ohio, focusing on advancing glass science, engineering, and technology.
The Northwest Ohio Glass Innovation Hub will receive $31.3 million in state funding and $10.4 million in local investment to bolster Toledo’s legacy as the “Glass Capital of the World” and drive economic growth, job creation, and innovation in the glass and solar industries.
The OMA supported the establishment of these innovation hubs in last year’s budget cycle. The investment is projected to have a $284 million economic impact, create 1,600 jobs, and increase the number of local STEM graduates over the next seven years. 7/8/2024
The OMA is excited to announce its newly redesigned website! The refreshed look and streamlined pages are designed to make navigation and access to information easier. 6/26/2024
This week, House Bill 203, The Prompt Pay Act received its first hearing on Wednesday in the Ohio Senate Higher Education Committee. The bill, opposed by the OMA, mandates payment terms in construction contracts and eliminates the owner’s right to negotiate by requiring payment within 30 days (or face an exorbitant 18% interest penalty).
The bill is a blatant violation of manufacturers’ freedom of contract rights. Contact State Senator Jerry Cirino, who chairs the committee, and urge him to oppose prompt pay. 6/25/2024
In a world where workplace safety means steel-toed boots and eye protection, manufacturers are increasingly reliant on digital services to streamline production and innovation. With that comes the increased need to protect these systems from cyber attacks, both for the company and its employees.
OMA Connections Partner RSM highlights in this snapshot the need for the industry to protect itself from ransomware, viruses, and state-sponsored cyber attacks. 6/25/2024
This week, the Ohio Senate passed House Bill 179, which touches on key principles addressing Ohio’s civil justice system. The bill intends to clarify which parties and in what time a suit must be brought for certain cases.
As a member of the Ohio Alliance for Civil Justice, the OMA provided testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee last month to express concern that some of the language contained in the bill is unclear, which could inadvertently lead to inconsistent decisions in Ohio’s courts.
The bill will now go to Governor DeWine’s desk for his signature. 6/26/2024
This week, OMA members testified before the Ohio House Finance Committee to support House Bill 435, which would create the Manufacturing Technology Assistance Program (MTAP).
The OMA delegation included: Ethan Karp from MAGNET, John Holeman from TOSOH SMD, and Dale Foerster from Starr Manufacturing.
MTAP would provide financial assistance to smaller manufacturers to upgrade to advanced industry 4.0 technologies, driving operational efficiencies and enhance Ohio’s global supply-chain competitiveness. 6/18/2024
Google announced this week a planned $2.3 billion investment in three data center sites across Central Ohio.
The company, joined by Lt. Governor Jon Husted and members of Ohio’s congressional delegation, on Tuesday unveiled the investment in their locations in Columbus, Lancaster, and New Albany.
This brings Google’s total investment in Ohio to $6.6 billion, following their initial investment of $4.4 billion since the groundbreaking of the New Albany data center in 2019. 6/19/2024
This week, the OMA joined the National Association of Manufacturers and a coalition of business groups to oppose the Biden administration’s proposed March-in Rights rule that would allow the federal government to seize patents from manufacturers for products it deems too expensive. The coalition letter ardently condemns the move as a broad-based violation of property rights that would stifle U.S. research & innovation, while deterring critical investment in the nation’s economy. The OMA issued comments in opposition last February upon following the rule’s initial introduction. 6/12/2024
OMA staff this week attended the production launch of the 2025 Honda CR-V FCEV fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) at the Performance Manufacturing Center (PMC) in Marysville. The CR-V FCEV is the first and only FCEV made in the U.S., combining Honda’s hydrogen fuel cell system with plug-in EV charging capability. 6/5/2024
During the OMA Board Meeting in Zanesville, three new board members were elected:
Welcome to our new board members! 6/5/2024
This week, the OMA held its quarterly board meeting in Zanesville, updating members on the activity and health of the organization. Following the meeting, OMA board members and staff were treated to a tour of the AMG Vanadium facility, receiving a crash course in how important vanadium is in the manufacturing of oil, steel, and batteries. Thank you to Jane Neal, Senior Vice President of AMG Vanadium, for organizing the tour! 6/5/2024
