Politics & Government

Dovilla's Tourism, Jobs Bill Passes House

Measure will now go to state senate

A bill sponsored by State Reps. Mike Dovilla (R-Berea) and Christina Hagan (R-Alliance) that seeks to revitalize Ohio's job creation efforts and spur tourism has been approved by the Ohio House of Representatives 91-5.

The measure would complete the transition of the Ohio Department of Development (ODOD) into the Ohio Development Services Agency (ODSA).

It also creates creates within ODSA the Office of TourismOhio, which would be funded through a five-year pilot program that links funding for TourismOhio to the growth in sales tax revenues of tourism-related industries. 

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Specifically, the legislation would:

  • Create a pilot program, TourismOhio, to provide a dedicated funding source for tourism marketing;
  • Improve access to capital for minority-owned businesses by increasing the amount of financing available; and
  • Reform the tax credit process to ensure businesses are not penalized by delays due to the meeting schedule of the Ohio Tax Credit Authority.

ODSA would provide essential services to JobsOhio — the state’s private, non-profit entity created through House Bill 1 — including the administration and oversight of loans and tax credits that will further create and expand Ohio businesses. 

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