The Ohio General Assembly recently returned to action, which means NFIB’s Ohio team will be back to work advocating for you around the Statehouse.

What to expect in 2026:

• Property tax is still top of mind for Ohioans and legislators. At the end of 2025, lawmakers provided nearly $3 billion in property tax relief. In order to backfill lost revenue, the Ohio General Assembly eliminated the 2026 expanded sales tax holiday. NFIB will continue to advocate that property tax reform should not be shifted onto small businesses through increased sales taxes, or other fees.
• Energy and datacenters will also be a top issue in 2026. NFIB is monitoring legislation related to voluntary demand response programs, aimed at regulating utility customer agreements for demand response times of peak demand. We will continue to advocate for policies that provide relief for small commercial customers.
• NFIB will continue to advocate against healthcare mandates and any other legislation that will increase the cost for employers to offer health insurance.
• Securing unemployment trust fund solvency is also a top priority, as every time there is economic downtown, Ohio has had to borrow money from the federal government. This results in increased taxes if the debt is not repaid in a timely fashion.
• House Bill 447, a bill to increase non-economic damage caps is currently being debated in the Ohio House. The NFIB has joined a coalition against the bill and has provided testimony in opposition as well.

TAKE ACTION: NFIB has a Call to Action on HB 447 available here. Contact your representative and let them know you are against HB 447.

Questions? Reach out to Ohio Assistant State Director Jacob Flowers.