December 17, 2025
Introduction
Late November and December marked a busy close to the 2025 legislative calendar at the Ohio Statehouse, as lawmakers convened for final session days of the year, advanced several policy measures to the Governor’s desk, and began positioning for both the next General Assembly and the 2026 election cycle. G2G was on Capital Square and attending events as legislators prepare for the final year of the 136th General Assembly and elections in 2026.
During this period, attention focused on property tax reform efforts, ongoing discussions on the Capital Budget, executive branch appointments, and emerging election developments.
Outlined below is a summary of key legislative, policy, and political updates from late November through December.
2026 Election Update
In Northern Ohio, Representative Gayle Manning (R-Avon) has formally announced her candidacy for the Ohio Senate seat currently held by her son, Senator Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville), who is term-limited and running for her Ohio House seat. Manning is expected to face Representative Joe Miller (D-Amherst) in the general election, setting up a competitive race in the district.
Looking ahead to the 2026 election cycle, early speculation continues regarding the Ohio Republican gubernatorial primary. Casey Putsch has announced he will challenge Vivek Ramaswamy in the GOP primary.
Putsch is a YouTuber, racing driver, and car builder residing in Tiffin. He is also the founder of the Genius Garage Educational Programs. He is seeking to primary Ramaswamy as a political outsider and stated he does not see Ramaswamy as not being genuine in his political beliefs. Putsch is running on a platform surrounding what he sees as ending H1B visa abuse, mass legal and illegal immigration into Ohio, and failed neoliberal policies, as well as, defending the working class, and banning foreign entities from buying land.
His announcement comes days after Governor DeWine announced that he isn’t ready to back Ramaswamy and after polls have shown him down to presumptive Democratic nominee Dr. Amy Acton. Currently, there is zero polling data on who would win the GOP primary, but Ramaswamy still has the endorsements of President Trump and the Ohio GOP and would be favored to win in this primary matchup.
G2G is tracking these developments and will provide updates as the primary increases in intensity at the start of the new year.
Legislative Session Update
The Ohio General Assembly held its final planned session days of 2025 in December, advancing a range of legislation prior to year-end adjournment. Lawmakers moved several policy measures forward for Governor DeWine’s consideration while signaling that additional issues may carry over into early 2026.
SB 56 has been sent to Governor DeWine’s desk, and this will change laws surrounding marijuana, liquor, and hemp. A number of bills regarding property tax reform (HB124, HB129, HB186, HB309, and HB335) have been heavily discussed and are now in the hands of the Governor. SB293, which requires all absentee ballots to be delivered to local Board of Elections by close of the polls on election night or they will not be counted, was also sent to the Governor’s desk.
New legislation was sponsored by Representative Dave Thomas (R-Jefferson) and Representative Chris Glassburn (D-North Olmsted), which aims to address rising property tax burdens and valuation-driven increases. While bill language continues to be evaluated, the proposal reflects growing interest in a bipartisan solution to reassessing property tax structures and providing relief for homeowners.
G2G is closely tracking these pieces of legislation and will provide future updates as the implementation of these bills is carried out.
Capital Budget
Discussions around the Capital Budget remain ongoing, though no formal timeline has been announced by either chamber. As of December, legislative staff, agency officials, and lawmakers in both chambers continue to indicate uncertainty regarding the schedule and scope of the next Capital Budget.
Further complicating these discussions is the Ohio Supreme Court ruling requiring the state to distribute $1 billion in previously withheld nursing facility payments. The ruling has introduced significant fiscal considerations that are expected to weigh heavily on Capital Budget planning.
G2G will continue to monitor Capital Budget planning and provide an update as soon as there is news of a timeline and plan.
OneOhio Recovery Update
The OneOhio Recovery Foundation continues to advance the distribution of opioid settlement funds across the state, with investments focused on prevention, treatment, recovery services, and harm-reduction initiatives.
As Ohio moves further into long-term implementation of settlement investments, legislative and stakeholder attention remains centered on transparency, regional equity, and measurable outcomes.
On December 10th, the Foundation released its next Request for Proposals (RFP), making $45.7 million available statewide. Funding is allocated across 19 regions in Ohio, using settlement formulas and any unused funds from the previous cycle. The Funding Inquiry Period opens January 14th and closes February 11th at 5:00 P.M., with all submissions required to be submitted through the OneOhio Grant Portal.
The grant process begins with a Funding Inquiry, which is reviewed and scored by the applicable Regional Grant Review Committee, followed by an Expert Panel review to ensure proposals are evidence-based and allowable under settlement guidelines. Projects recommended through this process may be invited to submit a Technical Application, though an invitation does not necessarily guarantee funding. Final funding decisions are made by the OneOhio Board of Directors following a review by the grants oversight committee.
Eligible participants include Ohio-based nonprofits, government entities, and for-profit organizations with a charitable purpose. Collaborative projects are encouraged, though one organization must serve as the lead applicant and assume responsibility for all reporting and compliance requirements. Projects must clearly and directly serve individuals with substance abuse disorders, with prevention efforts allowed only when aimed at preventing the development of a substance use disorder.
All grants will be awarded for 24-month project periods, with payments typically structured to include an initial disbursement, semi-annual payments following approved reports, and a small retainage pending final project completion. Funding must support new, expanded, or enhanced services.
G2G will continue to monitor this process and provide updates if there are new developments. Anyone seeking an award from OneOhio should be encouraged to reach out to G2G to see if we can provide any assistance.
Executive Appointments
Governor Mike DeWine announced two notable executive branch appointments in December.
- Lyndsey Nash has been appointed to serve as Director of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities (DODD).
- Tia Moretti has been named to lead the Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH).
Both appointments are subject to Ohio Senate confirmation, which will occur when lawmakers reconvene. These leadership changes come after Kim Hauck retired in June which allowed Nash to step in as interim director. Moretti also stepped in as interim director when LeeAnne Cornyn left in October. Both Nash and Moretti are expected to serve out the remainer of Governor DeWine’s term.
G2G at Ohio Events
G2G hosted a table at the City Club of Cleveland where they heard remarks from Congressman Greg Landsman (D-OH-1) of Cincinnati. The Congressman spoke about his recently published second edition of his Pledge to America, “ The Great American Comeback” which involves 10 bills that aim to unify the country, address healthcare affordability, improve jobs and the economy, public safety, invest in and improve education, end voter suppression and partisan gerrymandering, and more.