The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Ohio Team announced on Mar. 30 that it has testified on seven bills so far this year, including two priority measures: House Bill 376 and Senate Bill 9. Both chambers of the Ohio legislature are now in recess until May, except for one week when the Senate will be in session.
The organization also opened registration for its annual Small Business Day events, which will begin with a legislative reception on May 12 followed by Small Business Day at the Capitol on May 13. Interested participants are encouraged to register online or contact Grassroots Manager Liz Roe with questions.
Among the legislative actions highlighted by NFIB is Senate Bill 9, which brings Ohio into full conformity with updates from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and includes maintaining a critical 20% small business deduction. House Bill 229 establishes new licensure requirements for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), while House Bill 376 seeks to reduce maximum unemployment benefits from twenty-six to twenty weeks—a bill for which NFIB’s Michael Wing provided in-person testimony.
Other bills tracked include House Bill 413, aimed at creating a local government expenditure database to increase transparency; Senate Bill 90/House Bill 176, establishing a universal regulatory sandbox program allowing small businesses to test innovative products under oversight; and House Bill 395, proposing an online system to report job interview no-shows as part of unemployment benefit compliance.
Additional legislation supported or opposed by NFIB includes House Bill 133, offering tax credits for small employers providing Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs); House Bill 105, seeking more transparency in third-party litigation funding; Senate Bill 143, prohibiting criminal background check questions on initial job applications (which NFIB opposes); and House Bill 447, aiming to increase non-economic damages caps—also opposed by NFIB.
These developments reflect ongoing efforts by NFIB Ohio to advocate for policies impacting small businesses across the state. The upcoming Small Business Day offers members an opportunity to engage directly with legislators about these issues.
