Gov. Mike DeWine Issues State Budget Proposal

[March 15, 2019]

The DeWine administration continues to take shape as he’s now filled nearly all of his cabinet positions and agency directors. Another crucial component of the Governor’s agenda revolves around budget priorities.

This morning, DeWine issued his first state budget, which will garner significant attention at the Statehouse over the next three months. His two-year, $68.98 billion operating budget proposal centers on four priorities: children, mental health and substance use disorders, job creation through innovation and technology, and natural resources.

A few initial items to note as related to health care: 

• Medicaid funding from the state for FY 2020 is $14.5 billion (2.2% increase from FY 2019). Funding for FY 2021 is $15.8 billion.
• Including federal funding, the Medicaid budget for FY 2020 is $24.9 billion (2.9% increase from FY 2019). Funding for fiscal year 2021 is $26.0 billion.
• The proposal eliminates the Office of Health Transformation, created during the Kasich Administration, and assigns its duties to the Department of Medicaid.
• Calls for increasing the minimum age to buy cigarettes and nicotine products from 18 to 21 years old.

The proposal also includes a variety of appropriations for new initiatives, including $500 million for wrap-around services in schools and funding for "microdegrees" for at least 10,000 Ohioans per year.

The House Finance Committee is set to begin its formal review of the budget next week, scheduling three meetings at which it will hear from a number of DeWine cabinet directors. Lawmakers have until July 1 to approve the two-year state budget bill.