Bill Analysis

Legislative Service Commission

LSC Analysis of House Bill

H.B. 371

126th General Assembly

(As Introduced)

 

Reps.     Buehrer, Trakas, Raussen, Gibbs, J. McGregor, Uecker, Reidelbach, Brinkman, Combs, Faber, White, Schaffer, Hagan, Wagoner, Hughes, Oelslager, Hood, Fessler, Fende, Allen, Perry, Yuko, Bubp

BILL SUMMARY

·        Creates the Fuel Production Task Force to study opportunities for and barriers to increasing fuel production in Ohio.

·        Declares an emergency.

CONTENT AND OPERATION

Task Force

(Section 1)

The bill creates in temporary law a Fuel Production Task Force.  Under the bill, the Task Force must meet as often as necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities.  Those consist of studying opportunities for and barriers to increasing the number of refineries and increasing the production of fuel from agricultural products in Ohio, in order to maximize fuel supply and create jobs for Ohio citizens; and, within 180 days after member appointments, submitting a report of its findings and recommendations to the Governor, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and the President and Minority Leader of the Senate.  The bill provides that the Task Force ceases to exist upon submission of its report.

Membership

The task force consists of 12 members:  (1) three members of the House of Representatives, two of which are from the majority party and appointed by the Speaker and one of which is from the minority party and appointed by the House Minority Leader, (2) three members of the Senate, with similar party representation and appointments by the President of the Senate and Senate Minority Leader, (3) the Director of Environmental Protection or the Director's designee, (4) the Director of Development or the Director's designee, (5) two members representing the public, one appointed by the Speaker and the other appointed by the Senate President, (6) one member representing farmers, appointed by the Governor from a list of names provided by the Ohio Farm Bureau, and (7) one member representing the petroleum industry, appointed by the Governor from a list of names provided by the Ohio Petroleum Council.

Appointments must be made within 30 days of the bill's effective date.  The Task Force members must elect a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among its members, and will serve without compensation.  The bill declares that serving as a Task Force member does not constitute the holding of a public office or position of employment under Ohio law and does not constitute grounds for removal of public officers or employees from their offices or positions of employment.

Emergency

(Section 2)

If enacted, the bill provides that it will go into immediate effect as an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.  The stated reason for that declaration is that high energy use in Ohio, steeply rising fuel prices, and lack of refining capacity have a negative impact on the state's economic growth.

HISTORY

ACTION

DATE

JOURNAL ENTRY

 

 

 

Introduced

10-05-05

p.         1659

 

 

 

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