February 10, 2026
Introduction
Both legislative activity and campaign operations are accelerating as state legislators return to Columbus. Deadlines for candidates across the state to file to run for office have passed, and election matchups are starting to take shape ahead of the May 5th Primary Election. At the same time, policymakers at the state and federal levels continue advancing proposals addressing workforce participation, healthcare affordability, economic competitiveness, technology governance, and tax policy. Federal budget negotiations and national policy developments also continue to shape the broader environment affecting Ohio stakeholders. See below for updates on elections, Statehouse priorities, State Capital Budget deadlines, federal government happenings, and more.
Statehouse Leadership Legislative Priorities
Leadership in the Ohio House and Senate has indicated that legislative scheduling will follow the typical election-year rhythm, with increased committee activity occurring during the early spring session period before lawmakers pause legislative operations ahead of the May primary election and again in the summer with that break lasting until after the general election. Legislative work is expected to resume after the general election during lame duck, including potential consideration of additional policy and funding proposals ahead of the next Operating Budget. During this increased committee activity in the early spring, the Legislature will be working on the Capital Budget. Legislators have set a March 12th deadline for constituent organizations to submit “Community Project Applications.”
Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) also recently outlined legislative priorities for the second half of the General Assembly session outside of the Capital Budget, noting that while lawmakers will continue advancing a number of policy initiatives, some of the legislative work expected later in the year may receive less public attention than earlier high-profile debates. Speaker Huffman emphasized that committees would continue reviewing bills related to workforce participation, regulatory modernization, technology governance, and economic development, particularly as policymakers move through the election-year legislative calendar.
Elections
The conclusion of candidate filing and signature verification has officially set the stage for the 2026 primary election cycle. Campaigns that spent the early part of the year focused on ballot qualification are now shifting toward voter outreach, fundraising, coalition building, and media engagement. With the May 5th primary election approaching, both major parties are increasingly concentrating resources on competitive primaries that could shape the general election landscape later this year. County Boards of Elections have until February 17th to certify that each candidate met the requirement for signatures which will finalize their place on the ballot.
The main primary battles to watch at the State level as of this point include a heated Republican Primary for Governor which includes Vivek Ramaswamy and Casey Putsch. Ramaswamy has received an endorsement from President Trump and Governor DeWine but is still facing some resistance within his own party as some Republicans move to support Putsch instead. This also includes a surprisingly strong challenge from Marcell Strbich who is challenging State Auditor Keith Faber who is running for Secretary of State with some recent polls showing Strbich outpolling Faber.
Another interesting primary battle includes the Republican Primary for State Treasurer. State Senator Kristina Roegner and former State Representative Edwards are in a close race with the Republican party split on who to support. With both candidates reporting as having over a million dollars cash on hand, this race could start garnering more statewide attention as ad buys and campaigning ramp up in the coming months.
Federally, State Representative Josh Williams who was the presumptive Republican nominee to challenge Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9), is facing a stiff challenge from Deputy ICE Director Madison Sheahan. It is likely this race will garner some national attention given the recent media coverage surrounding ICE. Regardless of who wins this primary, the race will be used as a bellwether to determine how well Republicans and Democrats turn out in the 2026 Midterms, and which party will likely control the House of Representatives in 2027.
Bills to Watch
As committee activity begins to accelerate, lawmakers have introduced a number of proposals addressing artificial intelligence governance, tax policy, healthcare funding, education policy, and workforce-related issues. While many of these bills remain in the early stages of the legislative process, several have already drawn interest from policymakers, advocacy organizations, and industry stakeholders.
House Bill 673: Property Tax Credit Expansion
House Bill 673, sponsored by Representative Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill), would expand the statewide owner-occupied residence property tax credit so it applies to all property tax levies, rather than only certain qualifying levies under current law. Given recent public concerns over property taxes, this legislation could move quickly as it makes its way through the House Ways and Means Committee.
Healthier Rural Hospitals Act
Legislation introduced by Representatives Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) and Representative Kellie Deeter (R-Norwalk) would establish temporary program governing hospital payments made by Medicaid managed care organizations, titled the Healthier Rural Hospitals Act. The proposal is designed to stabilize funding for rural hospitals facing financial challenges while policymakers continue evaluating long-term reimbursement strategies and rural healthcare sustainability initiatives. This bill was referred to the House Health Committee and will be receiving public hearings soon.
House Democratic Immigration Legislative Package
House Democratic leadership has also announced a package of eight proposed bills responding to immigration enforcement developments in other states and federal policy changes affecting temporary protected status holders. The legislative package is expected to address worker protections, access to services, and coordination between local entities and federal authorities, reflecting continued legislative debate over immigration-related policy issues at the state level. This package does not have Republican support in the Legislature and will likely be stalled after introduction.
Data Centers and Artificial Intelligence
There were several recent bills introduced in the House covering data centers and artificial intelligence. With these issues garnering more attention among the public, the State Legislature is likely to act on these bills quickly.
House Bill 524 dealing with artificial intelligence consumer protection is sponsored by Representative Ty Mathews (R-Findlay) and Representative Christine Cockley (D-Columbus). This bill would establish civil penalties for entities whose artificial intelligence systems knowingly generate or promote content encouraging self-harm or violence. The legislation received its second hearing and is likely to be voted on in the coming months.
House Bill 646 would create a data center study commission and is sponsored by Representative Gary Click (R-Vickery) and Representative Kellie Deeter (R-Norwalk). This legislation proposes the creation of a bipartisan study commission tasked with examining the rapid growth of data center development across Ohio. With recent public concerns around energy prices and water consumption, this legislation is likely to move quickly once as it was just referred to the House Innovation and Technology Committee.
House Bill 663, sponsored by Tex Fischer (R-Boardman) and Representative Christine Cockley (D-Columbus) would create a bipartisan study commission tasked with developing recommendations regarding the use of artificial intelligence technologies across state and local government operations. Like House Bill 646, this bill was referred to the House Technology and Innovation Committee and will be receiving hearings soon.
House Bill 661: Student Athlete NIL Restrictions
House Bill 661, sponsored by Representative Adam Bird (R-New Richmond) and Representative Mike Odioso (R-Green Twp), would prohibit middle school and high school student-athletes from receiving name, image, and likeness (NIL) compensation, citing concerns that the rapid expansion of NIL activity at the collegiate level could significantly alter the structure of interscholastic athletics. With growing public concern about the rapid expansion of NIL, this bill will receive some public attention as it makes its way through the House Education Committee.
House Bill 679: Increase the Penalties for Engaging in Prostitution
House Bill 679, sponsored by Representative Josh Williams (R-Sylvania), would increase criminal penalties related to prostitution offenses, including strengthening felony penalties and related offender classifications for certain repeat violations of Ohio’s prostitution-related statutes. The bill is likely to be referred to the Ohio House Judiciary Committee with plans to allow sponsored and proponent testimony in the coming months.
DHS Funding Negotiations Continue
Federal budget negotiations remain ongoing as congressional leaders work to finalize Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations legislation and avoid another partial government shutdown. While short-term continuing resolutions have allowed federal operations to continue, policymakers remain divided over DHS funding provisions, and policy riders tied to certain agencies, such as funding that would be tied to ICE operations. With ICE announcing a planned enforcement operation in Springfield, Ohio, the negotiations are expected to continue in the coming weeks as congressional leadership seeks a longer-term agreement capable of securing bipartisan support.
ACA Tax Credit Negotiations
Debate over the future of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits continues to be a central topic of federal health policy discussions. Ohio U.S. Senator Bernie Moreno recently indicated that a near-term bipartisan agreement to extend the credits may be unlikely, suggesting that negotiations remain preliminary and that key policy differences have yet to be resolved. Discussions surrounding the credits have increasingly focused on long-term affordability considerations, federal budget impacts, and broader questions surrounding the structure of the individual insurance marketplace.
For Ohio residents purchasing coverage through the individual marketplace, the outcome of these negotiations could directly influence premium costs and enrollment stability. Healthcare providers, insurers, and policy stakeholders are therefore closely watching congressional deliberations, as the future of the enhanced tax credits may affect both consumer affordability and market participation levels in the coming years.