Lawmakers will begin returning to Columbus on Wednesday. Here’s a look at some of the issues we’ll be tracking this year in the Ohio General Assembly:

Healthcare Policy

■ Cost/price transparency

■ No new policies that put upward pressure on rates

■ Employer premium tax credit to offset state insurance mandate costs

Occupational Licensure Reform

■ Ensure barriers to entry are not kept in place to protect vested interests

■ Nearly 1/5 professions require some licensure/permission slip from the government

■ Safety and public health are paramount but common sense should prevail

Labor

■ Defeat efforts to interject government into the hiring practices of private sector businesses

Taxes

■ The General Assembly took great strides in the last budget to reduce taxes on businesses and individuals. Our municipal tax system remains complex, burdensome, and costly. We will advocate for simplification and ease of compliance within Ohio’s unique municipal income tax structure.

Civil Justice

■ Enact third-party litigation funding reform

o Require disclosure of third-party lenders to a lawsuit

o Enhanced consumer protections to ensure injured parties get compensation, not speculative investors

Education

■ New Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) – continue to monitor the rollout of the new department the focus on career technical education

Unemployment Compensation Solvency

■ While unemployment rates remain near historic lows, now is the time to put Ohio’s insolvent system on the path to long-term stability