Call to Action: Senate Removes House Airport Infrastructure Funding Gains from State Operating Budget; OAA Urges Senators to Add Back Funding Along with Aviation Policy Priorities

On Tuesday, June 3, the Ohio Senate Finance Committee released it's first rendition of the state operating budget, HB 96.  Unfortunately, all of the gains made in the Ohio House version of the bill for airport infrastructure funding was removed.

The chart above summarizes the provisions for airports and aviation as they stand today in  Am. Sub. HB 96 As Pending before the Senate Finance Committee.

The Ohio Airport Improvement Program funding House passed bill increased from Governor DeWine's as introduced version of the bill from $10 million in FY 26 and FY 27 to $17 million in FY 26 and $15 million in FY 27.  Up to $5 million in each fiscal year is earmarked in each fiscal year shall be used by the Office of Aviation to provide matching funds for eligible airports awarded Airport Infrastructure Grant funding through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Any matching funds provided to airports that are returned to the Office of Aviation due to lower than estimated project costs shall be reallocated to other eligible projects.

The Ohio Senate removed all of the House airport improvement program funding enhancements and returned the funding level back to the Governor's as introduced version of the bill at $10 million in each fiscal year.  The Senate version does contain reappropriated funds for some airports that were previously authorized in the One-Time Strategic Community Investment Funds (OTSCIF) nearly a year ago.

The policy considerations for the legislature to include in HB 96 are:

1. Designating all petroleum activity tax (PAT) collected on aviation fuel go into airport infrastructure funding (SC2547);
2. Increases the airport improvement program funding for grants available through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (SC2582);
3. protecting the airspace for pilots and passengers (SC2550);
4. adding language that permit public private partnerships (P3) for airports (SC2545x1);
5. permissive language for county engineers to share services, like mowing equipment, snow plows, asphalt patching, etc., with public-owned, public use airports (SC2549),
6. maintaining the existing aviation related tax expenditures (no change); and
   
7. adding a tax expenditure that would open the door to aircraft being purchased in Ohio instead of surrounding states.
   

The numbers referenced above can be used to discuss with your state Senator to support each one being included in the final Senate version of HB 96 before being voted out of committee next week.  We want to thank Senator Andrew Brenner and his staff for helping draft each of the amendments above.

Click here for a copy of OAA's Proponent Testimony before the Senate Finance Committee.

The Senate is currently discussing what additional changes to make in what is referred to as the "omnibus amendment."  The final version of the state operating budget is expected to be voted out of the Senate Finance Committee next Wednesday, June 11 or 12.  The House is likely to not concur on the Senate amendments to HB 96 which will lead to a conference committee to be formed to work through the differences in the bill. The final version will need to be passed out of the House and Senate and on Governor DeWine's desk for his signature before midnight on June 30, 2025.

What can you do?  

• Thank your House member for including the aviation and airport related provisions in HB 96
• Ask your Senate member to the additional funds back in the bill and encourage them to adopt the other policy recommendations.
• If you speak with Governor DeWine, Lt. Gov. Tressel or any administration staff ask them to support these provisions in the bill.

Why is the amount of airport infrastructure funding so important?

• 5% state/local match draws down 95% of federal funds
• other states are making much higher investments in their airports (see chart below) - if we don't pull down federal funds they go to other state's airports - 
• the economic development that comes along with airport infrastructure projects provides hundreds of millions of dollars to Ohio's economy