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State Senate approves funding distribution

COLUMBUS, Ohio — State Sen. Frank Hoagland announced that the Ohio Senate Wednesday unanimously passed Senate Bill 310, authorizing the distribution of $350 million of federal CARES Act funding to local communities across Ohio for COVID-19 pandemic-related expenses.

This funding will be made available to counties, municipalities and townships for necessary expenses associated with the current public health emergency and will be distributed based on the proportion of Local Government Fund revenue allocated to them in 2019.

“It is imperative to get funding in the hands of our local governments,” said Hoagland, R-Mingo Junction. “They are dealing with adversity on a daily basis. This funding will assist in filling the critical needs during this pandemic”

The County Commissioners Association, Ohio Mayors Alliance, Ohio Municipal League, and Ohio Township Association voiced their support for S.B. 310.

The funding excludes Ohio’s six jurisdictions with populations over 500,000 because they already qualify for a direct payment from the CARES Act; these include the city of Columbus and Cuyahoga, Franklin, Hamilton, Montgomery and Summit county governments. Municipalities and townships within these counties, however, are still eligible for the funding appropriated in S.B. 310.

The legislation passed with an emergency clause, making the bill effective immediately upon being signed by the governor.

The bill now moves to the Ohio House for consideration.

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