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Legislative Alerts

Department of Commerce
July 2024

Minimum Wage

 

The group behind the proposed constitutional amendment that will raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, announced Wednesday that it will aim for the 2025 ballot after falling short of the requirements for this year. Wednesday was the deadline for citizen-initiated ballot issues to file signatures in order to appear on the Tuesday, Nov. 5 ballot. The group had said it would meet the deadline, but Wednesday afternoon said it determined that it would not be able to meet the requirement to have signatures equal to at least 5 percent of the total vote cast for governor in 2022 in 44 counties.

The proposed amendment would raise the state's minimum wage, currently at $10.45 an hour, to $15 by Jan. 1, 2026. It would also include the minimum wage for tipped workers, which is currently $5.05 an hour.

 

June 2024

Marijuana Not Allowed on Liquor Permit Premises

 

Despite the legalization of adult-use marijuana in Ohio, its use is still banned on liquor permit premises, including patios. The Ohio Department of Commerce and Ohio Investigative Unit remind permit holders that marijuana remains a controlled substance under Ohio law.

Permit holders allowing marijuana use risk administrative citation and jeopardize their licenses. Suspected violations should be reported to the local OIU office.

Public use of non-medical cannabis is a minor misdemeanor, and indoor smoking laws also apply to marijuana. Non-medical cannabis is not yet available for purchase in Ohio, and it is illegal to bring marijuana from other states.

 

Summer EBT Benefits for 2024

 

The Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, along with the Department of Job and Family Services, is partnering with Conduent to distribute Summer EBT (SEBT) benefits. By the end of July, each eligible child will receive a one-time $120 benefit for summer 2024.

  • If school data matches a child's demographics to an existing SNAP case, the SEBT benefit will be added to their EBT account.
  • Children not matched to a SNAP case or who are non-SNAP recipients will receive a separate SEBT card (one card per child, no grouping for siblings).

Most eligible children will receive benefits in July, with additional benefits issued in August and September as applications continue through mid-August.

For more information, visit sebt.ohio.gov.

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