What Ohio’s State Budget Means for Urban Action Networks

In the final hour on June 30, Governor Mike DeWine signed the state budget, HB 96, with a record-breaking number of 67 vetoes, surpassing his previous record of 44 vetoes in 2023. The bill includes $90.5 billion Fiscal Year 2026-2027 budget (HB 96).

As the 70th Governor of the State of Ohio and a local hometown advocate, Governor DeWine stated his and Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel’s commitment to Ohioans and the budget “builds upon my commitment to make Ohio the best place for everyone to live their version of the American Dream," DeWine said in a statement. "It prioritizes our children, empowers our workforce, and strengthens our communities. We are investing in the people of Ohio, not just today but for generations to come." (Gongwer, 2025).

The signed budget restores priorities in favor of Ohioans and their families and vetoes those

that may be harmful. More to come as the budget updates continue to unfold:

• Making local school board races partisan offices.

• Requiring teenagers under 18 who have been tried and convicted as adults to be committed to a Department of Youth Services facility rather than a Department of Rehabilitation Correction facility.

• Banning Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funds from being used on "sugar sweetened beverages"

• Assigning a random managed care plan to individuals who do not choose a specific MCP.

• Providing an add-on rate for nursing facility dialysis services.

• Increasing the personal needs allowance for nursing home and intermediate care

  facilities from $50 to $75 a month.

• Eliminated a ban on state funds going to homeless shelters that promote or affirm gender identity, as well as a provision regarding which flags may be flown at public buildings that would have banned Pride flags.

• Requiring transfer agreements between hospitals with a maternity unit that accepts Medicaid with a freestanding birthing center.

• Limiting the transfer of cash from the Health and Human Services Fund to the General Revenue Fund for the Medicaid program to $250 million each year.

• Creating new reporting requirements on entities participating in the federal 340B drug pricing program.

• Prohibiting any state employee from working from their place of residence unless an exception applies.

• Repealing the requirement for Medicaid to provide continuous enrollment for children 0-3.

• A provision requiring libraries to relocate materials related to sexual orientation or gender identity.

So what does this mean for OUCAN and its member agencies?

It means that it’s time to make the shift from chaos to community. Many of us understand the call to action and what needs to be done for us to survive and thrive through uncertain times. Whether you are an agency leader, a dedicated kinship caregiver, the essential worker ensuring safety and order at our facilities or even the volunteer taking time to read to our Head Start leaders – we need you all!

Ohio’s urban community action network serves more than 56% of low-income households, including 16 counties and 1M residents. We are a leading resource and driving force in breaking the cycle of poverty in urban Ohio, ensuring residents are treated with dignity, and have the resources to prosper in their everyday lives.

Let us do what we do best. Here is your call to action over the next few weeks:

Find your peace and protect your energy. Whether it is listening to your favorite artist, praying/meditating, hanging out with friends or finally reading that one book. Find peace and protect your energy throughout these uncertain times. Life is still to be enjoyed, and we all deserve moments of joy and peace in our daily activities.

Advocate. Embrace your comfort level and advocate. Advocate like you have never advocated before.

Write Letters to the Editor (LTE) in the local news cycles.

Use your social network and share credible information on your personal platforms to educate and inform others.

Connect with your local, state, and federal elected officials. Get to know them and their issue areas while sharing your concerns about your priorities. You can contact them via phone and by searching their information on the internet.

Invite them to visit your district and specifically your agency and other community sites.

Build Relationships. Let's go back to building community and coalition. Connect with your neighbors, associates on LinkedIn or a new member of your community. As the African proverb goes, “If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together.”

Thank you for all you do to make our communities better. #BecauseTogetherWeCan