HB 372 Signed into Law
Governor Ted Strickland signed House Bill 372 into law on December 20, 2007. This law provides new and expanded military and veteran benefits.
Act Summary
- Exempts from the estate certain probate fees when a decedent dies while in active service as a U.S. Armed Forces or National Guard member serving in a combat zone.
- Exempts from Ohio income tax, retired military personnel pay for service in the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Marine Corps, reserve component thereof, or the National Guard. Begins with tax year 2008.
- Requires a state or local licensing agency to renew an expired occupational or professional license or certificate held by a member of the National Guard or the reserves that expired because of the member’s service.
- Allows a licensee who has been called to active duty upon the order of the Governor to have an extension of time in which to fulfill continuing education requirements.
- Requires a licensing agency to consider relevant military experience in determining whether a licensee has fulfilled continuing education requirements.
- Prohibits discrimination based on military status with respect to the Ohio Civil Rights Act and various other anti-discrimination laws regarding employment and work-related issues, housing and real estate acquisition, health care, and insurance.
- Requires the Attorney General to appoint a staff member of the Consumer Protection Division to expedite certain cases or issues raised by a person, or the person’s immediate family, who is deployed on active duty.
- Extends the 20 percent credit available to certain military persons on civil service examinations to any member of the National Guard or a reserve component of the U.S. Armed Forces who has completed more than 180 days of active duty service pursuant to an order of the President or an act of Congress.
- Creates the Incumbent Worker Training Program to make grants to certain Ohio businesses and trainers to increase employee occupational skills.
- Allows a person who was awarded a battle star for engagement in actual combat against the enemy to request the display of the combat battle star on a special combat or military license plate.
- Requires the Registrar of Motor Vehicles to adopt rules to determine (1) the specific combat or military license plates that are appropriate for the display of battle stars, and (2) the documentary evidence necessary as proof of the battle star award.
- Creates Civil Air Patrol license plates, available to members in good standing of the Civil Air Patrol.
- Eliminates all fees and taxes charged for “Purple Heart” license plates except for the additional fees charged for initial reserve and personalized “Purple Heart” license plates, which are reduced by 25 percent.
- Designates routes I-70 and I-71 in Ohio as the “Purple Heart Trail.”
If you have questions, contact Michael Forrest at forrest.73@osu.edu or (614) 292-7047. A more detailed explanation of the legislation can be found at www.legislature.state.oh.us (enter Bill 372 in the “Current Legislation” box).