On Thursday, March 13, 2025, the Ohio Aviation Association testified in support of HB 96 (Stewart), the general operating budget, in the House Finance Committee.  

Tony Fiore, Executive Director of the OAA, provided testimony summarizing the existing funding in the the general operating budget, HB 96, and transportation budget, HB 54 (see chart above). Mr. Fiore asked the committee to keep the existing $10 million allocated to the Ohio Airport Improvement Program (AIP).  He also asked the committee to include several amendments to address many issues facing airports. 

The first amendment would adopt language that the House passed in the transportation budget to require all aviation fuel tax collected by the state go back into airport infrastructure projects. The second would increase the AIP funding by $5 million to be used for Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act projects. The third amendment would allocate $4 million into the Ohio Department of Commerce - Bureau of Underground Storage Tanks (BUSTR) to be used by Ohio airports to replace and remediate existing underground aviation fuel tanks.  The forth would add $10 million for ODOT-Office of Aviation to use for hanger and tarmac development on Ohio airports. The final amendment would create a $10 million fund in the Ohio Department of Development for commercial service airports to enhance baggage claims, ticketing, retail and security areas within the airport.

The aviation fuel tax fund language is of critical importance for Ohio airports and the infrastructure projects to maintain the state's aviation assets.  The fund will consist of money appropriated to it by the general assembly and transfers from the petroleum activity tax fund.  It also states that the fund shall be used by the office of aviation to support the Ohio airport improvement program that provides financial support to publicly owned-public use airports in Ohio.  In addition, all revenue from the tax as measured by calculated gross receipts derived from the sale of motor fuel used exclusively in the operation of aircraft shall be used to fund airport improvements. 

The House is expected to adopt changes to HB 96 and pass it out of the committee and full House within the next few weeks before sending the bill to the Senate for additional hearings. The Senate is expected to hold hearings on the bill in late April through the end of May or early June before passing its version. Any differences in the House and Senate version will be worked out in a conference committee in mid-June.  The final version is expected to be considered and passed by both the House and Senate before the end of June and sent to Governor DeWine for his signature before June 30, 2025.

Click here for a copy of the OAA House testimony.

Click here to view a video recording of the House hearing.  The OAA testimony begins around the 4 hour mark, but was not available at the time of this publication.