OHIO — Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed the two-year $60 billion state operating budget late Monday night.
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DeWine posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that he signed House Bill 96 into law at 11:15 p.m.
I signed House Bill 96, the fiscal years 2026-2027 biennial operating budget, into law this evening at 11:15 p.m. pic.twitter.com/UX81ojALd0
— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) July 1, 2025
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DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel announced that they will be holding a press conference on Tuesday to announce additional details of the 2026-2027 budget bill.
Our media partners in Columbus, WBNS-10 TV, report that State Sen. George Lang previously described the bill as “a budget of abundance.”
Members of the GOP announced that its $1 billion in income tax relief looks to address the property tax crisis and cut back spending at administrative agencies.
Democrats and a handful of Republicans voted against the bill, citing policy tradeoffs that prioritize the wealthy over the middle class, according to the AP.
Opponents argued that the bill would benefit higher-income earners at the expense of local governments.
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According to the AP, even though the bill increases public education funding by about $3 billion over two years, it underfunds the final stage of a bipartisan, legislatively approved overhaul of Ohio’s school funding system.
The spending bill also includes setting aside $600 million in unclaimed funds for a new Cleveland Browns stadium, cutting state funding for libraries, and more.
News Center 7 will continue to follow this story.
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