COLUMBUS – Rep. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati) announced today that the state Controlling Board approved several items of note this week, including $7.8 million from the American Rescue Plan to support public transportation’s efforts to connect Ohioans in urban and rural parts of the state to vaccinations. The Controlling Board allocated an additional $919,200 from the American Rescue Plan for the Ohio Arts Council to support the arts sector’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Getting vaccinated is the greatest defense against severe COVID-19 infections, so it is important that Ohioans are provided a means of transportation to get this done. However, tremendous support and innovation are still necessary to further improve the lives of all Ohioans,” said Rep. Ingram.
The Controlling Board approved a number of other measures on Monday, including:
- $800,000 for six Technology Validation Start-up Fund projects;
- $120,000 over the next two years for the Bureau of Maternal, Child and Family Health to improve health outcomes for women, infants and children;
- $451,200 over the next two years for the Department of Youth Services to provide learning services and tools.
Additionally, House Democrats called on Ohio Republicans to expedite the delivery of emergency rental assistance for Ohioans in need, following the expiration of the CDC’s eviction moratorium. The federal government has provided Ohio more than $1 billion for emergency rental assistance, almost all of which has not yet been spent.
