Allow municipalities create joint economic development district
Legislative Analysis Report Allow municipalities create joint economic development district
1. Primary Purpose of the Bill
This bill allows two or more cities or villages to join together to create a Joint Economic Development District (JEDD) without needing a township to participate. JEDDs are special areas created to boost economic development, create jobs, and share tax revenues.
Economic DevelopmentLocal Government
2. Changes to Existing Law
ORC Sec. 715.72 Changes the rules for Joint Economic Development Districts (JEDDs) to allow two or more municipal corporations to form a district without a township. It sets rules for how these districts must connect geographically, how their governing boards are set up without township members, and when local voters must approve the district.
3. Key Information for Citizens
🗳️ What You Need to Know
- Cities and villages can now partner directly to create Joint Economic Development Districts (JEDDs) to promote business growth and jobs.
- If only cities or villages form a JEDD, they must be in the same county and their borders must touch (or be connected by a township).
- Voters in a participating city or village may get to vote on the JEDD agreement if their municipality does not have an income tax rate higher than 1%.
- The board governing a JEDD without a township will include a second member representing the participating cities or villages instead of a township representative.
4. Entities Affected
- Municipal corporations (cities and villages)
- Local businesses operating in proposed JEDD areas
- Employees working within proposed JEDD areas
- Local boards of elections
5. Regulatory Impact & Enforcement
Agency Authority: The Ohio Director of Development is authorized to receive copies of the JEDD contracts and supporting documents once a district is created.
Penalties & Mandates: Not applicable
Implementation Timeline: Not applicable
6. Estimated Fiscal Impact
State Revenue Impact
Not applicable
Local Government Impact
Not applicable
Implementation Costs
Not applicable
Net Annual Fiscal Effect
Not applicable
Policy doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Meet the representatives and senators who introduced this bill and are pushing it through the chamber. Click on any sponsor to see their district, party affiliation, and what other legislation they’ve championed this session.
Primary Sponsors
Louis W. Blessing, III
District
8
Chamber
Senate
Party
Republican
Catherine D. Ingram
District
9
Chamber
Senate
Party
Democrat
Co-Sponsors
Related Topics
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Education
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Elections & Voting
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Taxation & Finance
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Criminal Justice
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Transportation
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Environment
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Business & Commerce
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Local Government
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Tourism & Hospitality
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Status Changes
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Referred to committee
Jan 29 2025
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Documents
Access the primary source. This section hosts the full, unedited text of the legislation alongside every official document produced during its journey. From the initial draft to the final enrolled version, you can review the exact language being proposed for state law.
