Leadership

President-elect Donald Trump is reportedly encouraging venture capitalist and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to take the appointment of the vacant Ohio Senate seat by Governor Mike DeWine.

Ramaswamy, who had previously withdrawn his name several months back, is rumored to be a frontrunner for the position, vacated by Vice President-elect JD Vance last week, along with Ohio Lt. Governor Jon Husted.

With the Presidential Inauguration only days away, it is expected that Ohio Governor Mike DeWine will announce his appointment any day now. 1/16/2024

Anduril, a defense technology company, this week announced plans for a $900 million, 5 million square foot autonomous weapons manufacturing facility named “Arsenal 1.”

“This investment will have a resounding impact on Ohio’s economy, not just in job creation, but across the manufacturing supply chain,” said OMA President Ryan Augsburger in a statement.

The facility is expected to create over 4,000 new jobs and generate more than $2 billion in annual economic output according to the state. 1/16/2024

Former Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton this week announced her bid for governor, making her the first Democratic challenger to enter the race.

Acton, as Governor DeWine’s Director of Health, became a household name in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, launched her official bid Tuesday, citing that “…I think we all know it’s time for a change.”

Acton is one of several candidates seeking Ohio’s highest office. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost announced his intention to run with a short video on the social media platform X last November. Both he and Lt. Governor Jon Husted filed paperwork in 2024 to prepare to run in 2026.

Other speculated candidates include former Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, Treasurer Robert Sprague, and 2024 presidential candidate/entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy.

Ohio’s 2026 Gubernatorial race will be covered extensively at the OMA’s first Government Affairs Committee of the year on Feb. 27. 1/6/2024

While touring manufacturer company General Tool in Reading this week, WLWT this week pressed Ohio’s Lt. Governor Jon Husted on the growing reports that he is the frontrunner to replace U.S. Senator J.D. Vance.

Governor Mike DeWine may appoint anyone to the vacancy. No official announcement has been made from the Governor, but an announcement is expected soon following Vance’s resignation from the United States Senate days prior to his inauguration as Donald Trump’s Vice President on Jan. 20. 1/9/2024

This week, Ohio’s 136th General Assembly officially launched, with both chambers electing leadership without controversy.

Speaker of the House Matt Huffman and Senate President Rob McColley were both officially elected to lead their respective chambers, avoiding the drama of January of 2023 when then Speaker-hopeful Derek Merrin was ousted by Jason Stephens with help from Democrats.

Both Huffman and McColley highlighted similar priorities for their leadership terms, including addressing rising property taxes; further regulating recreational marijuana, and focusing on energy independence through fracking. 1/6/2024

The Ohio House and Senate have jointly released the session schedule for the first half of 2025. Lawmakers will hold numerous sessions between now and the end of June.

The two-year state budget bill which funds state operations from July 2025 through, June 2027 must be approved by June 30. The budget will be unveiled by Governor DeWine before Feb. 3.

OMA staff will be monitoring the thousands of law changes tucked into the omnibus legislation. Plan to attend the OMA Government Affairs Committee and the OMA Tax & Finance committees to follow the myriad of policy changes affecting Ohio’s manufacturing business environment. 1/9/2024

2024 was a banner year for the OMA! From hosting our first ever Washington, D.C. fly-in, to assembling leaders in manufacturing and state government for a phenomenal Leadership Forum, and expanding the OMA’s influence and advocacy across Ohio. Thank you to members who attended events, committees, webinars, and engaged as a community.

Happy Holidays, and onward to 2025! 12/18/2024

Earlier this month, the OMA Board of Directors elected two new members to serve on the OMA’s chief governing body.

Tayte French Lutz serves as Chair and Chief Executive Officer of The French Oil Mill Machinery Company in Piqua, a 4th-generation family-owned U.S. company that custom designs, manufactures. and supports hydraulic press systems.

Patrick McIntyre is the Performance Manufacturing Center lead at Honda Development & Manufacturing of America in Marysville. McIntyre holds a B.A. in Business Management from Wittenberg University in Springfield, Ohio, and an MBA in Leadership and Supply Chain Management from The Ohio State University.

Congratulations to both Tayte and Patrick! 12/18/2024

The 135th General Assembly, spanning from January 2023 – December 2024, has officially wrapped up, with lawmakers working late into the evening Wednesday to finalize their work on pieces of legislation.

Manufacturers scored several key wins during this final session, including:

• Stalling of the so-called “Prompt Pay Act” backed by unions (see Tax & Finance section)
• The Ohio Senate turning out the lights on a utility giveaway (see Energy section)
• The passage of a bill supported by both the OMA and the Ohio Alliance for Civil Justice that will prevent manufacturers from being over-named in asbestos litigation cases
• OMA supported language to remove financial barriers for those who have their driver’s licenses suspended for non-dangerous driving reasons was incorporated into House Bill 29 and passed

The 136th General Assembly will begin on January 6th with new leadership in both the House and Senate. Outgoing Senate President Matt Huffman will lead the House as its next speaker, and current Senate Majority Floor Leader Rob McColley will become the Senate President. The OMA looks forward to continuing to work with these leaders and their teams next year. 12/18/2024

At the end of each General Assembly, the legislature enters what most politicos call “Lame Duck” a chaotic slew of committee meetings and voting sessions where legislators rush to pass or stall legislation before the end of the year.

The term “Lame Duck”, as it refers to American politics, was first coined in 1863 in an issue of Congressional Globe. The term compares either legislation that fails to pass or elected officials in their final term to a lame duck, unable to take flight with the rest of its flock.

During this time, legislators scramble to pass their flagship bills, often combining them into bloated conglomerates called “Christmas Tree Bills” in an effort to pass as much legislation as possible, and to avoid having to restart the legislative process in the new year. 12/11/2024

Lawmakers, staff, and parties from around Capitol Square gathered this week for the portrait dedication ceremony for current Senate President and House Speaker-elect Matt Huffman.

Huffman, a Lima native, completes his term as Senate President at the end of the year after serving the last four years as President.

The portrait is commissioned by the Senate and privately funded at zero expense to the taxpayers. 12/11/2024

This week, Jeff Reed from OMA Member American Honda Motor Company testified against House Bill 237, which would reclassify and redefine the registration, usage, and safety requirements of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

In his testimony, Reed emphasized the need for a national definition and regulations on ATVs, and that complying with a patchwork of regulations state to state is overly burdensome for manufacturers.

The OMA joined Reed by submitting written testimony, highlighting concerns about increased compliance costs, supply chain complexities, and uneven regulatory standards that could hinder Ohio’s manufacturing competitiveness. The association encourages further collaboration with stakeholders to address these issues. 12/11/2024

In a highly anticipated decision arising from a certified question from the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, on Dec. 10, 2024, the Supreme Court of Ohio held that all common law public nuisance claims arising from the sale of a product have been abrogated by the Ohio Product Liability Act (OPLA). This decision finally gives manufacturers the clarity they have been seeking since at least 2005.

Manufacturers and distributors are most often impacted by product liability and public nuisance lawsuits. This ruling makes clear that claims must be brought under the OPLA.

“We are glad that there is no longer any doubt that plaintiffs must bring claims under the OPLA and cannot circumvent statute,” said OMA’s Lindsey Short, Chairwoman of the Ohio Alliance for Civil Justice. 12/10/2024

This week, the Ohio House approved Senate Bill 63, an OMA-supported bill that would help improve the state’s legal climate. Senate Bill 63 would prevent businesses, including manufacturers, from being over-named in asbestos litigation. The practice of over-naming currently hurts Ohio’s competitiveness because companies improperly named in these lawsuits face higher operating costs or must pay fees to be removed from litigation.

The Ohio Senate must agree to changes made by the House before sending the bill to the Governor’s desk. 12/11/2024

In his report to the Board of Directors of JobsOhio, President J.P. Nauseef recently highlighted, “For the first time in a generation, we’re seeing a reversal of historic out-migration trends, with Ohio ranking among the top 10 states nationally and #1 in the Midwest for net in-migration.”

He went on to note that the influx is strongest among 25 to 44-year-olds attracted by job opportunities and Ohio’s affordable cost of living, with many returning to be closer to family and friends. More about JobsOhio. 12/10/2024

The City of Middletown has put out a public survey for input on the redevelopment of the old Towne Mall site along the I-75 corridor.

With Middletown and the I-75 corridor being a strategic location for shipping and logistics, the city is seeking feedback and comment from manufacturers who could be impacted by the redevelopment. The survey will be open through Sunday, Dec. 15. 12/9/2024

This week, the OMA Board of Directors held its final meeting for 2024 in Columbus. OMA leadership and staff highlighted the critical work accomplished over the quarter and year, touching on the results of the Nov. election, key policy advocacy in the energy, workforce, and human resources areas, and forecasting the OMA’s budget priorities for the 2025 biennial budget.

Staff also highlighted the myriad of events hosted by the OMA this year. Thank you to all who sponsored, attended, and participated in the OMA’s events this year! 12/3/2024

Earlier this week, China announced a ban on exports of the minerals gallium, germanium, and antimony to the U.S., all of which have widespread military applications. The rule also increases the review of end-usage for graphite items shipped to the U.S.

China has curbed the export of these and other critical minerals across the board, but the new restrictions only apply to the U.S. market, further escalating trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking office next month.

Gallium and germanium are used in semiconductors, while germanium is also used in infrared technology, fiber optic cables and solar cells. Antimony is used in bullets and other weaponry, while graphite is the largest component by volume of electric vehicle batteries. 12/3/2024

This week, the National Association of Manufacturers, the OMA, and over 100 other manufacturing associations sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump highlighting regulatory actions that would boost the manufacturing economy and stop regulatory onslaughts that cost manufacturers $350 billion each year.12/3/2024

Ohio’s Senator-elect Bernie Moreno this week spoke to manufacturers at the OMA’s final Government Affairs committee of the year, detailing his key priorities over the next six years.

Moreno spoke about his plans to help improve government efficiency, including the distribution of CHIPS Act funds, his wish list for committee assignments, and his commitment to Ohio’s manufacturers. 11/21/2024