Ohio House Transportation Committee - 6-2-2026

Say again?

Thank you, Chair. Chair Willis, Vice Chair Daniels, and Ranking Member Grimm, and members of the House Transportation Committee, I want to thank you for the opportunity to provide sponsored testimony on Senate Bill 365. 365 creates a road naming to designate a portion of State Route 11 in honor of Trooper Nicholas P. Caton. On October 16, 2025, Trooper Caton of the Ohio State Highway Patrol tragically lost his life in the line of duty. He served on the patrol since 2012. His background is deeply rooted in the 33rd Senate District. He not only attended school in Carroll County, but he also attended YSU, Youngstown State University, and lived over in Mahoning County as well. Not only did he serve as a law enforcement officer, as a state trooper, protecting the roadways, but also protected our country, serving his country in 2007 with the Ohio Army National Guard. And he served two different deployments, one in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. and he finished at the rank of Staff Sergeant. In 2022, because of his outstanding service as a trooper and his unwavering dedication of protecting others, he was named Trooper of the Year. Two years later, in 2024, he earned the designation of Master Trooper. He was not only dedicated to his life as a trooper, dedicated as a serviceman, but also more importantly a father and a husband. He was married to his high school sweetheart, Lindsey, and is a proud father of his son and daughter. You know it very difficult when you have a loss like this in your community and so with your support I hope that we able to get a designation for Route 11 So thank you Chairman and happy to answer any questions committee might have

Yes, I can.

Yeah, absolutely.

Thank you. Thank you, sir. Good to see you. Chairman Willis, Vice Chair Daniels, Ranking Member Grimm, and members of the House Transportation Committee, I'm Lieutenant Colonel Josh Swindell, Assistant Superintendent of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. It is my honor to testify in support of this memorial dedication for Trooper Nick Caton. I would like to thank Senator Katrona for sponsoring this legislation. When he learned of Nick's passing, he asked what he could do. I want to thank the members of this committee and all members of the House for honoring Nick with a moment of silence after his death. That display of respect and collective remembrance did not go unnoticed. It was comforting no others shared in our grief. Finally, I want to thank you all for your continued support of the men and women of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Chairman Willis, Vice Chair Daniels, Ranking Members Grimm, and members of the House Transportation Committee, thank you again for today's opportunity to testify on behalf of the Ohio State Highway Patrol in memory of Trooper Nicholas P. Caton. Before I ask for any questions, we also have our district staff and several members from the Canfield Post is where he served. So they came down as well to be here to be in support of Lindsey, Nick's mom and friends to support her as we go through this process. And I personally had an opportunity to be his captain, his district commander when he was a trooper up there, a young trooper at the time. They were having their children and growing a family. And I got to meet them during a wars banquet. Of course, I knew, see Nick at the post all the time. So definitely bothers all of us, but I appreciate the time that you guys are taking for us, and I'll be happy to answer any questions.

Thank you for having me.

Yeah. Good morning. Chairman Willis, Vice Chair Daniels, Ranking Member Grimm, and members of the House Transportation Committee, I am Lindsay Caton. Naming a portion of State Route 11 in honor of my husband is both deeply emotional and incredibly meaningful for our family. The place where his life was taken, while serving and protecting others, will always hold a painful significance for us. But knowing it may also stand as a lasting tribute to his service brings us a sense of comfort. Nick chose to become a state trooper because he believed in helping people, standing up for what is right, and keeping his community safe. that sense of duty guided him every day to put on his uniform while we lost him far too soon His commitment to others and the sacrifice he made will never be forgotten For our family and friends, seeing his name along that roadway would serve as a reminder not only of the tragedy we endured, but the life he lived and the purpose he served. It would also stand as a symbol to everyone who travels that road that a man once gave his life there in service to others. On behalf of our family, I want to express our sincere gratitude to the committee for considering this honor. It means more than words could fully express to know that his service and sacrifice continue to be remembered. Chairman Willis, Vice Chair Daniels, Ranking Member Grimm, and members of the House Transportation Committee, thank you for today's opportunity to testify in support of the Trooper Nicholas Caton Memorial Highway. I'm happy to answer any questions.

Thank you. Greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

Well, good morning. Good morning. I have gone from the House very long, but yet it's amazing. When I look around, I see folks that are new that I haven't seen before. So nice to meet all the new faces. Chairman Wills and Vice Chair Daniels, Ranking Member Grimm, and members of this committee, I'm very pleased today to offer sponsored testimony on Senate Bill 364, which will rename a portion of U.S. 322 in Cleveland to the Cleveland Police Officer Jameson Ritter Memorial Highway. On July 4th of 2024, Officer Ritter responded to a 911 call reporting a violent fugitive. When Officer Ritter arrived, the fugitive attempted to escape on a bicycle, firing four shots as he fled. One shot hit Officer Ritter, failedly wounded him, and he was only 27 years old. Officer Ritter was a decorated veteran. Officer Ritter was a decorated police officer. Officer Ritter is survived by his parents and three siblings. I understand the parents are watching this today, but they've been here to Columbus from Rochester on every particular hearing that we've had. Because in addition to this road naming, there was a bill that you folks had voted for, and I appreciate that. It was the competency bill. So the perpetrator of this murder was given a year of treatment to make sure he was competent, a competency thing. And you have a year to do that. Well, he didn't take his medicine for six months. And thus he was going to be able to leave. I want to give a shout out first of all to you guys for helping us get this bill passed and as quickly as we by the time things were going in for February February 20th was the deadline to get the bill done signed by the governor And we got it back at the 19th. We voted on a change that you guys had made, good change. But it was the 20th, the next day, the deadline day. The governor was at a gubernatorial retreat. This is a good story. In a very tragic situation, this is a positive story. My governor, your governor, flew back to Columbus Airport, 8.30 at night, signed the bill with Charlie's Chicken thing behind him at the airport. I think that was probably the only bill that's ever been signed by a governor in the law, by Charlie's Chicken. And then got back in the flight and went back to his gubernatorial convention. Also, Secretary of State LaRose was there, because after the bill was signed, it's got to be audited by the Secretary of State. So by midnight, the bill was done, because on February 21st, folks, he would have gone without being able to be charged, and that would have been a travesty. The Ritter family and the City of Cleveland expressed their utter appreciation to this body for memorializing Jameson's sacrifice, and Jameson always put his family and community first, and now this is our opportunity at the General Assembly to say thank you for his ultimate sacrifice. The portion of US 322 that stretches along the 3rd District Police Station where Jamison was stationed to East 81st Street where he was killed. His family and I both believe that this is a fitting tribute to Jamison's life in service to the City of Cleveland, and I humbly ask your support for this bill. I thank you for your time, and I welcome any questions you might have.

Thank you, Chairman. Thanks, committee.

Thank you so much. Chairman Willis, Vice Chairman Daniels, Ranking Member Grimm, and members of the Transportation Committee, thank you so much for the opportunity to provide sponsor testimony on Senate Bill 280. This legislation is a reintroduction of something I worked on way back in the 132nd GA when I was here in the House, which would have designated the high-mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle, the Humvee, as a historic vehicle in the state of Ohio. In preparation for this bill's reintroduction, I have been in contact with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and they have ensured me that there are no current federal regulations that would restrict any Humvees from the road. Since its first introduction in 1985, the Humvee has seen widespread use in the United States military, The Humvee proved to be an invaluable asset to the United States during its combat debut for the invasion of Panama in 1989. It was then seen and more widely implemented during the Gulf War, as well as seeing continuing service throughout the global war on terrorism. The Humvee is a cornerstone of the United States military operation, symbolizing innovation, resilience, and adaptability. Its iconic design and contributions to national defense make it a worthy candidate for historical vehicle status. The Humvee holds a unique status as the direct successor of the Willys Jeep, another iconic military vehicle used in World War II and far beyond. Although there are some Humvees on the market that certainly exceed the 25-year age requirement for the historic vehicles, There are still many Humvee models that are more recent in their production by the United States military and not yet meeting that threshold. By allowing the Humvee to circumvent this current restriction, the state of Ohio can finally give this specific vehicle the distinction that is so deserving. More broadly, this legislation even creates a pathway for Ohio's residents to register their Humvee for general transportation across many public roadways. by simply passing a state highway patrol safety inspection, the Humvee will be cleared for the open road. This removes any ambiguity or legality surrounding the Humvee's use. By allowing the historic tag registration through Ohio's BMV, I hope to inspire and motivate Ohio citizens to get their own. I want to see more of these renowned Humvees appear alongside Willie's Jeeps and Deuce and Half trucks present at many of our local patriotic parades. Senate Bill 280 passed out of the Senate Transportation Committee. The chairman just walked out this door. And Senate floor unanimously with no opponent testimony. And I guess the nugget of this is when we go to these parades like the Fourth of July parade, Independence Day parade, or Memorial Day parade, it's really cool to see these World War II vehicles and occasionally a Korean War vehicle. But going back to the Persian Gulf especially, so many of our soldiers won that great victory riding along in this iconic vehicle. To do them honor in these parades in particular I think is what I'm really trying to do with this. Happy to answer any questions, sir.

Very welcome, sir. Thank you.

Thank you. Chairman Willis, Vice Chair Daniels, and Ranking Member Grimm, and members of the House Transportation Committee, thank you for the opportunity to provide sponsored testimony on House Bill 526, which seeks to create a new parking placard for Ohioans living with invisible disabilities. Representative Ray, unfortunately, could not be here in person due to a committee conflict, but she has submitted for your perusal written testimony for your review. This bill was brought to fruition because of the experiences and activism of one of Rep. Ray's constituents who has multiple sclerosis and has faced hardship and backlash from using handicapped parking spaces. I have myself heard from a plethora of constituents who have shared similar experiences. This legislation is about dignity, awareness, and reducing unnecessary burdens that many of our constituents face every day while simply trying to access parking accommodations while out completing everyday tasks like going to work and to the grocery store. Currently, the state issues the standard blue and temporary red placards for individuals with disability and limit or impair their abilities to walk. However, many qualifying conditions such as multiple sclerosis, severe lung disease, cardiovascular conditions, and neurological disorders are often not immediately visible by bystanders. Too often, Ohioans who do not use wheelchairs, walkers, or oxygen support are met with judgment, or even hostile confrontations when using an accessible parking space, despite having a valid medical necessity. House Bill 526 addresses this by introducing an orange removable windshield placard with the white international symbol of access. The bill does not change the medical criteria required to qualify for a placard. An applicant must still meet one of the existing statutory definitions, such as being unable to walk 200 feet without resting or requiring portable oxygen. This new placard is specifically for individuals whose disability is not clearly visible to others. It serves as a clear signal to the public that this user has a legitimate medically verified need for the space. House Bill 526 is a common sense steps towards a more inclusive Ohio. It is an opportunity for us to raise awareness about the multitude of invisible disabilities that affect many of our Ohioans. It provides a simple voluntary way for individuals with invisible disabilities to navigate their daily lives with more peace and reduce unwarranted burdens of being questioned about their health Chairman Willis, Vice Chair Daniels, Rankin-Marion Grimm, and members of the transportation community, thank you again for the opportunity to present sponsored testimony, and I'll take any questions. except for the chair.

Thank you.

Thank you so much, Chair, and thank you so much, Representative, for being here. I think this is a great bill. Was this inspired by any other states that have these particular placards for those who have disabilities that we may not be able to see?

Thank you for the question. Sure. Well, hopefully this will be something that inspires other states to do as well, because that way it's visible and we can see that instead of asking for identification. So thank you very much for bringing this bill.

Any other questions from the committee? Chair recognizes Representative Troy.

Would that be the same as under existing law? To the chair, to Representative Troy, nothing changes. All the document required to determine the disability and the costs remain the same. So nothing changes at all other than adding additional color to the placard.

welcome to committee sir thank you well thank you chairman Willis vice chair Daniels ranking member Grimm and members of the committee I'm Tad Nicholson I'm the executive director for the Ohio corn and wheat growers Association I'm pleased to offer support for House Bill 773 on behalf of the Ohio corn and wheat growers our association represents the interest of more than 38,000 Ohio grain producers who depend on value-added markets like animal agriculture and ethanol production to generate stable and profitable demand for the crops they raise. Each year, our growers have the opportunity to market their corn to Ohio's seven ethanol plants, which have the capacity to produce more than 730 million gallons of fuel-grade ethanol. Coupled with livestock and exports, ethanol production diversifies and strengthens our market opportunities and helps our members' small businesses thrive. We applaud the sponsors of this bill, Representative Williams and Klopfenstein, for pursuing a unique opportunity to promote this homegrown fuel along one of Ohio's busiest traveled routes, which will bring new savings to drivers. The sponsors developed a proposal after engaging directly with constituents and learning firsthand the value that expanded ethanol sales can bring inside the farm gate and to the wallets of Ohio drivers. E15 fuel is safe, reliable, domestically produced fuel that drivers can use right now. Already federally approved for use in all cars, light-duty trucks and SUVs, built since 2001, drivers on Ohio's turnpike don't have to purchase a new vehicle to begin savings, but they do need access at the pump. House Bill 773 delivers that access in a measured, cost-effective way. Your vote in support of this measure will help place one piece of a much larger demand puzzle that Ohio's fuel producers are assembling. For years, we've been focused on delivering E15 as a choice for consumers all across the country. So far, our efforts have resulted in more than 225 billion road miles driven on E15 fuel. With nearly 2 billion passenger vehicle miles driven on the Ohio Turnpike every year, you could help a significant pool of drivers engage in a truly free market where they can determine which fuel works best for them through real choices and real access. We know that in a free market, price educates. Consumers who see that the savings they can secure through higher ethanol blends start asking the right questions and learn for themselves what will work in their vehicles. Each of those consumers represents a growth opportunity for Ohio's corn and ethanol producers. For Ohio's corn growers, that's a clear win. For drivers who begin to benefit from lower prices, for E15, that's a clear win. That's why today I ask for your vote in support of House Bill 773. Mr. Chair, I thank you for the opportunity to testify on behalf of Ohio's grain farmers. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, appreciate it, Chairman. Chairman Willis, Vice Chair Daniels, Ranking Member Grimm, and honorable members of the House Transportation Committee, Thank you for the opportunity to provide proponent testimony for House Bill 773. My name is Brad Bales. I serve as Senior Director of State and National Policy for the Ohio Farm Bureau. Our members represent all facets of Ohio agriculture, and our grassroots policy process ensures we are advocating for policies that directly benefit our members and their families. House Bill 773 will increase demand for Ohio's corn and ethanol, while also helping consumers save money at the pump when we are seeing gas prices over $4 a gallon. Agriculture in Ohio is currently facing a generational set of economic challenges not seen since the 1980s. And our farmers have waited far too long for a policy environment that reflects today's economic realities. While recent progress on the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, otherwise known as the Farm Bill, and the Nationwide Consumer and Fuel Retailer Choice Act of 2025 at the federal level have been promising, additional tools are needed at the state level to help bolster Ohio's domestic commodity markets. House Bill 773 would allow travel plazas on the turnbike to offer E15, or also advertised as unlimited 88, at their pump. which benefits the state's corn markets as well as help educate the public of the availability of this option during their fill-up on the turnpike, as access to E15 throughout the state is still limited. E15 is an alternative gasoline option that has up to 15% ethanol compared to 87 octane, which would be 10%, and has been around for decades. Any passenger vehicle manufactured after 2001 is compatible with E15, which is estimated to be about 96% of light-duty vehicles on the road today. On average, this 15% ethanol blend saves customers $0.30 per gallon. During this period of high energy volatility, these savings have surged even higher, regularly reaching $0.50 per gallon, providing immediate relief to working families without requiring any government subsidies or new vehicle purchases. Giving motorists the option to use E15 is also a common-sense win for the environment. Modern corn ethanol reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 44% to 52% compared to petroleum gasoline. Adoption of E15 nationally would also reduce carbon emissions by over 17.62 million tons annually, the equivalent of removing 3 million cars from the road while also reducing tailpipe pollutants and particulate matter by up to 50 Currently Ohio has seven ethanol plants producing processing approximately 217 million bushels of corn annually to create 730 million gallons of fuel and supports 14,000 jobs across the state. Most of Ohio's corn crop and the ethanol produced from it are shipped out of state and around the world for various purposes. In an increasingly volatile global economy, using local fuel sources ensures energy independence and crucial demand for our farmers' crops. Thank you for your engagement on this issue. Ohio's farmers look forward to being able to help consumers have a greater awareness of the options to help offset surging prices at the pump. Chairman Willis, members of the committee, thank you for your time. I would also like to thank the bill sponsors, Representative Klopstein and Representative Williams for introducing this critical tool as we're trying to deal with a difficult farm economy. And I look forward to any questions you may have.

Thank you.

All right. Thank you. Chairman Willis, Vice Chair Daniels, Ranking Member Grimm, and distinguished members of the House Transportation Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today in support of the House Bill 773. My name is Regis Sherry, and I serve as the general manager of the Poet Marion facility, which is the largest of the seven Ohio ethanol production facilities. I'm here today on behalf of the Ohio Ethanol Producers Association. Ohio is one of the nation's top agricultural leaders. The state consistently ranks among the top ten in U.S. corn and ethanol production, generating hundreds of millions of bushels annually that support not only our livestock industry, but also our robust renewable fuel sector. With seven ethanol plants operating across the state and combined production capacity of approximately 732 million gallons per year, Ohio plays a vital role in America's energy independence and rural economic viability. Despite the strong production foundation, Ohio unfortunately lags in consumer access to E15. While many other states have expanded availability of this higher ethanol blend, too many Ohio drivers still cannot easily purchase it at the pump. We applaud the sponsors of the House Bill 773 for offering a practical and impactful step forward. nearly 2 billion passenger miles are driven on the turnpike annually. By ensuring access to E15 at the Ohio Turnpike Service Plaza, many more consumers in Ohio will have more choices at the pump. The opportunity to save and will increase the visibility and demand for Ohio manufactured ethanol. As Representative Williams had said, this bill puts Ohio first. E15 is a proven cost-effective fuel option and has been federally approved for the use of all cars, light-duty vehicles, and SUVs, 2001 or newer. When available it has consistently offered consumers significant savings Currently around Ohio consumers are able to save up to 50 cents per gallon compared to the regular unleaded gasoline Expanding access to our own service stations is one of the smartest ways to deliver immediate relief at the pump while keeping consumer dollars circulating within Ohio's economy. By supporting HB 773, you are supporting Ohio farmers whose corn is grown, harvested, and processed right here in our state, Ohio jobs at ethanol plants in agriculture and across the supply chain, Ohio consumers who deserve greater choice and the availability to purchase cleaner burning, lower cost fuel made from Ohio grown resources. This legislation is not only about fuel, it's about strengthening Ohio's agriculture economy, enhancing energy security, and giving families and businesses a practical tool to reduce their fuel expenses. On behalf of the Ohio Ethanols Producers Association, I strongly urge the committee's support of House Bill 773. Thank you again for your time and leadership on this important issue. I'm happy to answer any questions that you have.

Thank you, Mr. Sherry, for your testimony on this. So the E15-88 octane gas, the only place I see it is at the sheet stations. Any of the other retailers of the state of Ohio providing that option? Because I know that the Turnpike bids these plazas out. So I'm just wondering if any of the retailers that have that contract right now even provide the ability to get the 88-octane gasoline.

Any other questions from the committee? Again, I appreciate your testimony today, sir.

Next, I've entered an in-person testimony from Mr. Brandon Kern of the Ohio Soybean Association. Good to see you again, sir. It's been too long, Mr. Chairman. Welcome to the committee. The floor is yours.

Thanks so much for your testimony today. I think I expressed before, I'm very interested in how this feasibility study rolls out, not just for the very important portion of this as bio deals on our roads, but getting further on this road of getting to aviation jet fuel that's based on these same technologies, you know, near and dear to my heart. So greatly appreciate the Soybean Association being in there also to help us understand it and help us get further down the road on that, pun intended. Any questions from the committee? Hearing none, thanks again for the testimony today, sir.

Please do note we have written testimony from Pete Probst of Indigenous Energy and Chris Bliley from Growth Energy. And that will stand as the second hearing on House Bill 773. Looping back, we'll have the first hearing on House Bill 931 with Rep. Williams to use E15 blended fuel for state motor vehicles. Welcome to committee, sir. The floor is yours.

The bill specifically excludes vehicles already governed under separate statutory fuel requirements and directs the Department of Administrative Services to implement the policy gradually over a four year period and a 25% increments. This phase in approach allows the state to adopt responsibly while ensuring agencies and employees have time to comply with the transition. The legislation also directs the Department of Administrative Services to adopt rules governing implementation and require state agencies to notify employees operating state vehicles of the E15 fuel requirements. Employees will be instructed to purchase E15 blended fuel whenever possible in accordance with the law. If Ohio is going to continue promoting ethanol production, supporting E15 infrastructure expansion, and emphasizing the importance of domestic energy independence, then the state itself should be leading by example. We should not be asking Ohio consumers and businesses to embrace E15 while the state government declines to do the same with vehicles already capable of using it. With simple statutory directives, we can save taxpayer dollars when using state machinery while also demonstrating and encouraging Ohio's willingness to use E15. Chairman Willis, members of the committee, once again I thank you for your time and consideration and I welcome any and all questions. Greatly appreciate you bringing the bill to us. I thought you were gonna call me Chair Williams there for a second. Okay. Well, I think today you're dressed as good as I am sometimes. It was close. It was close. Is that you? Gotcha. Chair recognizes Representative Klopp to sign.

I haven't gotten it back yet about what the actual consumption that we have of our state vehicles. I mean, we're talking 40 to 50 cents per gallon in savings. There's going to be some fuel efficiency loss, you know, between 1 and 2 percent, according to current statistics. I'm willing to have a conversation about whether or not we put in a longer glide path, whether this needs to be 8 years or 10 years or 12 years to get us to full capacity or whether we want to cap it at 50%. But as we continue to see investments by places like Sheetz, which is by my house, every single gas station that they're putting in my community has E15. And every chance available, I go and I get E15. Now, mind you, on my drive down here this morning, my gas got low. I had to go to a regular gas station and get regular fuel. But I definitely looked at two other gas stations before I stopped at that one and see if they had E15, because I think it needs to be available. But we do understand that some of the older gas stations are not making that conversion. Maybe future legislation could provide a financial incentive for them to do so. But I think the state should take an assertive effort in finding E15. For me, I do have apps on my phones that I can search the closest E15 vendor when I'm on the road. And I think the state of Ohio should look at that, and especially many of our state agencies, many of our departments have gasoline storage on site for their vehicles. and all they need to do is purchase the blend directly from our refineries or our blending station and be able to have it ready, willing, and able to fill up their vehicles at the end of each shift or the beginning of each shift to make it readily available. I think there would be not only a cost saving but a benefit to the state of Ohio because as you are well aware, over 50% of our corn is currently going into biofuels. And I went and toured an ethanol plant and the majority of that ethanol being produced was being shipped out of the state of Ohio.

Sure.

I definitely, through the chair, I will, because I'm excited to be able to show you guys some cost savings, for once. Chair recognizes Kevin Miller.

Yeah, through the chair to the member. So there's two different ways that you can do it. You could have traditional gasoline where there's a blending station like what we see at our gas station, or you could just use that traditional pump. I mean, it's simply draining the gas that's in there and filling it up with E15. And it's just you don't want to blend it. You don't want to have half regular unleaded and half E15. You don't want to make that blend in your tank. Now, you can do it in your vehicle. I've had half my tank had E15, and I had to fill up, and I got regular. But it's better to use one fuel or the other the majority of the time. So unless you're going to have both available, then you would need, if they weren't two separate stations to be able to fuel, you could have a blending station if necessary. And that's what typically happens at the gas stations nowadays. They don't need to actually ship in E15. They ship in traditional fuel and ethanol, and then there's a blend, and that's how we get all of our different blends at the pump nowadays. And that's why it's easier than it used to be.

And to the chair, I think when we show that cost savings and we show that Ohio is investing in that infrastructure, I think you're going to start seeing the private industry do that as well. I think you're going to see that shift, knowing that we're supporting Ohio's economy. We're supporting not only national fuel independence, but state fuel independence, where we're a little bit immune from the rise and fall of gas prices if we're able to guarantee that we can save 40, 50 cents on a gallon. Yeah, and I really appreciate the fact that we actually identify this as a renewable energy source. We should identify the fact that it's going to help our own air quality inside our own state while supporting our farmers, while supporting. So it's a win-win.

He's ready. Any other questions from the committee? Hearing none, thank you, sir, for bringing the bill and your testimony today. That will stand as the first hearing on House Bill 931. Moving forward, we are prepared for the second hearing of House Bill 672. We did not have any proponent testimony given to us for today. Is there anyone who would wish to testify on House Bill 672? This is Reps Klopstein and Peterson to exempt a vehicle towing farm machinery from vehicle size limits. Hearing none, that will stand as the second hearing on House Bill 672. And we'll now move to the second hearing on House Bill 776. This is Representative Loren's bill to regards motorcycle lane filtering and lane splitting. For proponent testimony today, we have Bob Davis from the American Motorcycle Association for in-person proponent testimony. Welcome to the committee, sir. The floor is yours.

questions. I greatly appreciate the testimony today, especially from AMA. We've met, I think, only on teams at this point, maybe, to talk about these things and discuss the fact that the AMA inside Ohio is a big part, I think, of what we are. Having the museum there and all of the things that are in there make it It raises the importance of the two-wheeled vehicles I think we have inside Ohio, and so greatly support it. This is one of those things that I, you know, as a not currently certified, but, you know, former Motorcycle Safety Foundation and Motorcycle Ohio rider coach, this is one of those things that you can't deny the stats, and the stats lead to less injury and less loss of life. So we want to try to support as many of those things as we can. It's not necessarily a practice that I like, and most people are very uncomfortable with it. But, again, the statistics don't lie, and we have plenty of stats from the states that have gone forward. So I think it's something that will be supported, but we'll see. Any questions from the committee?

Through the chair to Representative Daniels. Good question. What we've seen so far is that lane filtering in slower speeds has been more successful getting through legislation in other states. Right now, California is the only state that allows what we would consider lane splitting. This bill defines lane splitting, which is riding through higher speed traffic and makes that illegal. It's just been more accepted, it seems like, so far. Sorry.

Thank you.

Yes sir

because of experience.

We appreciate that.

The floor is yours. Chairman Willis, co-chair Daniels, ranking member Grimm, and members of the Transportation Committee, thank you for the opportunity to speak before you today in support of HB 776. My name is Coleman Fusey. I'm an avid motorcyclist. I'm also chairman of the board of American Bikers Aimed Toward Education, which is a motorcycle rights organization here in Ohio. I'd like to relate my experience. On September 2nd, 2025, I was stopped on my motorcycle at a red light at the intersection of East Broad and Napoleon Avenue. I was rear-ended with the collision ejecting me from my motorcycle. Excuse me. Fortunately, I was not thrown very far, and neither myself or my motorcycle contacted the vehicle in front of me. This occurred in the afternoon with dry conditions and good visibility. There was no sound of a braking, just the impact. I did not sustain any major injuries, just soreness from the impact and road rash. My motorcycle, however, was totaled. The fact that I had stopped a little further back from the vehicle in front of me saved me from serious injury. I feel that if I had the opportunity to lane filter, I would have been in a less perilous position. The ability to lane filter, especially in situations where there is stop-and-go traffic, would lessen the chances of motorcycles being rear-ended. I would also respectfully point out that this is not a means to give riders an advantage in certain scenarios, but a means to protect them from inattentive drivers. Thank you for your time and attention, and if there are any questions, I would be happy to address them.

Thank you, sir. I appreciate the time. Thank you.

You too.

The floor is yours. Good afternoon. Chairman Willis, Vice Chair Daniels, Ranking Member Grimm, members of the House Transportation Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify in support of House Bill 814. House Bill 814 establishes a clear data-driven pathway to eliminate Ohio's e-check program the moment it is no longer needed to meet federal air quality standards. Ohio's e-check program was created for a specific reason, to help counties come into compliance with federal ozone and air quality standards under the Clean Air Act. That's a legitimate goal, and in large part, Ohio has achieved it. However, good results have not led to less regulation. Every year Ohioans in certain counties are still required to take their vehicles to an e station pay a fee take time out of their day and wait for a test even as the air quality that justified the program has improved House Bill 814 does not simply abolish e It establishes a clear objective standard If the U.S. EPA determines the affected areas are in attainment with the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for criteria pollutants, including ozone, the Ohio EPA director must request that the program be removed from the state's implementation plan, and once approved, must discontinue it immediately. This trigger is the same federal agency that required the program in the first place. If Ohio's air quality no longer requires its mandate, there is no justification for continuing to impose it. The right answer is to eliminate it systematically, responsibly, and in coordination with the federal government, exactly as House Bill 814 provides. One marker of good governance is the willingness to end programs that have fulfilled their purpose. House Bill 814 embeds that principle into Ohio law. It says when the goal is met, the mandate ends, and when data shows compliance, the burden lifts. This is a common-sense standard that Ohioans across the political spectrum can support. We urge the committee to advance the bill, and I'm happy to take questions.

Vice Chair Daniels. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you very much, Ms. Covins, for coming today. I did my e-check last week on my Audi. Of course, it passed perfectly because everything passes unless you've got a jalopy, basically. So hasn't Ohio reached attainment before, and then they changed the standard on us or something like that to enable to continue a program? Because that seems to be what government wants to do is continue programs indefinitely.

vehicles have changed in the last 25 years. This constant testing for those select counties that got stuck with it. I just am curious whether the counties that don't have E-check have seen the same decline in emissions problems or not, if you know. Through the chair to the vesture, I don't know.

Yeah, always interesting to try to figure out where there's any supporting data for something. Of course, the EPA is probably not going to help us with that. But I do agree there have been times when we've gotten to the point where we would have met a standard only to be then hit with, oh, there's a new standard. We've revised the standard, right? So we want to try to get away from that at this point, realizing that we're putting the burden on a lot of people who are the least capable of actually having the means to take care of that burden. And having already gotten to the point where we know that those standards are met doesn't make much sense at this point. So greatly appreciate your testimony. Any other questions from the committee? Thank you so much for being here today, ma'am.

Members, please do note the fact we have six other folks that did submit written testimony. Please review those at your leisure. Are there any last questions or comments today or anyone else who wishes to testify? Hearing none, just a reminder, everyone, if you do plan to testify in the committee, please provide your testimony and your witness slip 24 hours in advance so we can have time to get through that sorted and uploaded to the iPads. Seeing no other business before the committee at 12.07 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2nd, we are hereby adjourned.