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OhioHB 81136th General Assembly (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

Make appropriations for Bureau of Workers' Comp for FY 2026-27

Sponsored By: Brian Stewart (Republican)

Signed by Governor

EmploymentWorkers' CompensationFinance and Appropriations

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

14 provisions identified: 7 benefits, 4 costs, 3 mixed.

Prosthetic payments for injured Ohio workers

Ohio must pay from its surplus fund to buy, repair, or replace prosthetics for specified work-related amputations or losses. Payment is required even without a separate award for that loss. Officials can also approve qualifying custom-made or fitted replacement devices regardless of injury date or last benefit payment. This authority excludes dental appliances, glasses, hearing aids, ostomy products, cosmetic devices, and items without a significant effect on muscle-and-bone function. These payments do not extend deadlines for changing past claim decisions.

Ohio benefit limits for professional athletes

Qualifying sports employers can obtain Ohio approval for coverage under another state’s law. This applies to specified collectively bargained coverage or qualifying single-entity leagues that insure players and coaches. Once approved, covered athletes, coaches, and their dependents cannot apply for or receive Ohio workers’ compensation benefits. Their only remedy against the employer is under the policy-issuing state’s law, wherever the injury or disease occurs.

Prison workers gain coverage with limits

Ohio’s corrections department covers qualifying federally certified prison-program workers as employees in both customer-model and employer-model enterprises. Workers must voluntarily agree before starting, including giving up medical-provider choice while imprisoned. For injuries or diseases from authorized work, workers or deceased workers’ dependents must ask the department to file claims within state deadlines. During custody, treatment uses department providers, direct claims are barred, and appeals are limited to internal review. After release, workers can seek treatment and compensation; payments stop upon return to custody and may resume after release. The department pays claim costs other than medical costs incurred during custody, when compensation is not payable.

Coordinated job rehabilitation for eligible workers

Ohio’s workers’ compensation bureau and Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities can agree to provide coordinated job-rehabilitation services and staff. Clients must qualify for services from both agencies. The bureau can use State Insurance Fund money to pay for services and staff under the agreement.

Ohio funds workers’ compensation and safety

The law provides about $380.6 million for Ohio workers’ compensation programs in fiscal year 2026 and $388.3 million in 2027. Each year includes $41.3 million for Safety Grants and $14.7 million for the Safety and Health Workforce Safety Innovation Center. At the bureau’s direction, the treasurer must move up to about $80.72 million in 2026 and $82.53 million in 2027 from the State Insurance Fund to the Safety and Hygiene Fund. Those transfers support listed safety, grant, health and wellness, campaign, and innovation programs. Safety and Hygiene Operating funds can also match federal grants received by the safety division; no matching amount is set.

Updated drug-test rule for injured workers

Ohio changes the federal drug-test cutoff reference from 49 C.F.R. 40.87 to 40.85 for a presumption against workers’ compensation claims. The reference uses the January 1, 2024 version, or later changes made by law or rule. The presumption applies only when a qualifying test occurs within 32 hours of injury and the employer posts the required notice. Workers can challenge the presumption.

New deadlines for workers’ medical bills

Ohio generally bars payment for medical or job-rehabilitation bills submitted over one year after service or when payable, whichever is later. Providers cannot charge workers for these barred bills. The administrator can make exceptions by rule; Medicare requests to recover conditional payments are exempt. The bureau can also pay up to $500 per request to settle recovery claims from Medicare, Ohio Medicaid, or providers with assigned recovery rights. Those settlements use the surplus fund and must resolve requests involving covered, or likely covered, work injuries or diseases.

Ohio funds compensation fraud and oversight

Attorney General Payments funds provide $869,610 in fiscal year 2026 and $900,046 in 2027 for the Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit. Payments enter the Workers’ Compensation Section Fund at the start of each quarter. The law also directs $212,500 in each fiscal year from the Workers’ Compensation Fund to the Deputy Inspector General fund. Transfers are scheduled for July 1 and January 1, or as soon as possible afterward, to cover bureau and Industrial Commission oversight. Additional transfers and appropriation increases require Controlling Board approval.

Stronger accountability for compensation fund leaders

Ohio’s workers’ compensation board members, administrator, and chief investment officer are designated as fiduciaries to the State Insurance Fund, replacing their trustee designation. This places responsibility for protecting the fund on those officials. Board members lose their seats after missing nine or more regular or special meetings in any consecutive 12-month period. Vacancies are filled through the original appointment process.

Less reporting for self-insured employer organizations

Self-insured professional and alternate employer organizations no longer submit specified client payroll and claim-cost information for state-fund premium calculations. They also no longer disclose those removed reporting duties to clients. Lease-termination notices remain due within 30 days of termination, bankruptcy, shutdown, or registration revocation. Employee transfers between related organizations must still be reported within 14 days. Detailed client payroll and claim information on those forms remains required only for organizations that are not self-insured.

Simpler approval for private prison-work operators

Private parties seeking employer-model prison enterprises no longer need to show proof of bureau-provided workers’ compensation coverage. They still need approval from Ohio’s corrections director and liability insurance in an amount the director considers sufficient. They also must have no unresolved state finding requiring repayment. These rules apply to Ohio’s federally certified prison industries program.

Incarcerated people lose public-worker safety coverage

Incarcerated people are excluded from the public-employee definition under Ohio’s public workplace safety law. This applies in prisons, jails, halfway houses, community-based correctional facilities, and alternative residential facilities. The exclusion lasts while the person is incarcerated in a listed facility.

Ohio drops specified workplace safety duties

The workers’ compensation administrator no longer has specified duties to investigate and set workplace hours, safety devices, safeguards, and protective methods. The law also removes the duty to establish and maintain safety and hygiene museums. Other workplace-safety powers and duties remain.

Public workplace inspections face new limits

Ohio limits public workplace inspections and investigations to those authorized by safety rules, employee or representative requests, or statutory notifications. Other state inspection requirements still apply. When a public employer requests a safety inspection, the administrator or designee must conduct it within a reasonable time. Information from that requested inspection cannot be used in related enforcement proceedings or court cases for up to three years.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Brian Stewart

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

  • Anita Somani

    Democratic • House

  • Bernard Willis

    Republican • House

  • Bill Reineke

    Republican • Senate

  • Bill Roemer

    Republican • House

  • Bob Peterson

    Republican • House

  • Brian Lampton

    Republican • House

  • C. Allison Russo

    Democratic • House

  • Casey Weinstein

    Democratic • Senate

  • Catherine D. Ingram

    Democratic • Senate

  • Chris Glassburn

    Democratic • House

  • Cindy Abrams

    Republican • House

  • D. J. Swearingen

    Republican • House

  • Dani Isaacsohn

    Democratic • House

  • Daniel P. Troy

    Democratic • House

  • Diane Mullins

    Republican • House

  • Don Jones

    Republican • House

  • Dontavius L. Jarrells

    Democratic • House

  • Erika White

    Democratic • House

  • Haraz N. Ghanbari

    Republican • House

  • Hearcel F. Craig

    Democratic • Senate

  • Jane M. Timken

    Republican • Senate

  • Jennifer Gross

    Republican • House

  • Jerry C. Cirino

    Republican • Senate

  • Joseph A. Miller, III

    Democratic • House

  • Josh Williams

    Republican • House

  • Karen Brownlee

    Democratic • House

  • Kristina D. Roegner

    Republican • Senate

  • Mark Sigrist

    Democratic • House

  • Michele Grim

    Democratic • House

  • Monica Robb Blasdel

    Republican • House

  • Nickie J. Antonio

    Democratic • Senate

  • Paula Hicks-Hudson

    Democratic • Senate

  • Sandra O'Brien

    Republican • Senate

  • Sean P. Brennan

    Democratic • House

  • Sedrick Denson

    Democratic • House

  • Steve Wilson

    Republican • Senate

  • Terry Johnson

    Republican • Senate

  • Thomas F. Patton

    Republican • Senate

  • Tim Barhorst

    Republican • House

  • Veronica R. Sims

    Democratic • House

  • William P. DeMora

    Democratic • Senate

  • Willis E. Blackshear, Jr.

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 283 • No: 1

House vote • 6/18/2025

Concurred in Senate amendments

Yes: 96 • No: 0

Senate vote • 6/18/2025

Passed

Yes: 32 • No: 0

Senate vote • 6/17/2025

Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology: Reported

Yes: 9 • No: 0

House vote • 4/2/2025

Passed

Yes: 94 • No: 0

House vote • 4/2/2025

Finance: Reported

Yes: 28 • No: 1

House vote • 3/19/2025

Rules and Reference: Reported

Yes: 11 • No: 0

House vote • 3/12/2025

Public Insurance and Pensions: Reported

Yes: 13 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Signed by Governor

    6/27/2025Governor

  2. Sent to Governor

    6/24/2025Governor

  3. Concurred in Senate amendments

    6/18/2025House

  4. Passed

    6/18/2025Senate

  5. Reported

    6/17/2025Senate

  6. Refer to Committee

    4/9/2025Senate

  7. Introduced

    4/8/2025Senate

  8. Passed

    4/2/2025House

  9. Reported

    4/2/2025House

  10. Reported

    3/19/2025House

  11. Reported

    3/12/2025House

  12. Refer to Committee

    2/13/2025House

  13. Introduced

    2/10/2025House

Bill Text

  • As Enrolled

    6/27/2025

    HTMLPDF

  • As Introduced

    HTMLPDF

  • As Passed by the House

    HTMLPDF

  • As Passed by the Senate

    HTMLPDF

  • As Re-Referred by the House Rules and Reference Committee

    HTMLPDF

  • As Reported by the House Finance Committee

    HTMLPDF

  • As Reported by the House Public Insurance and Pensions Committee

    HTMLPDF

  • As Reported by the Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology Committee

    HTMLPDF

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