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Bill Summary · HB 702

Overview

  • Bill: HB 702
  • Session: 136 (2025-2026)
  • Jurisdiction: Ohio
  • Title: Enact the Fairness in Mileage Reimbursement Act
  • Primary sponsor: Rep. Williams; co-sponsor: Rep. Josh Williams
  • Purpose: Eliminate mileage reimbursement for legislators who use electric vehicle charging facilities in designated Capitol Square parking facilities, and name the act the Fairness in Mileage Reimbursement Act.

Main purpose and intent

  • The bill aims to adjust how mileage reimbursement is handled for members of the General Assembly.
  • Specifically, it prohibits reimbursement for any week in which a member charges an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle at designated charging stations located in parking facilities at the Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts or the Ohio Statehouse in Columbus.
  • It would formalize the name of the act as the Fairness in Mileage Reimbursement Act.

Key provisions and changes

  • Mileage reimbursement (current law): Members may seek travel reimbursement for mileage per mile, up to once per week during the session, using the most direct public routes between home and the seat of government.
  • Mileage reimbursement (proposed change):
    • Any week in which a member charges an electric or plug-in hybrid vehicle at a charging station in the specified Capitol Square parking facilities would be excluded from mileage reimbursement for that week.
    • The charging locations specified are:
    • Vern Riffe Center for Government and the Arts garage
    • Ohio Statehouse garage
  • No other changes to the existing structure of compensation or salary provisions are proposed in the introduced text.
  • The bill maintains the existing schedule and tiered salary amounts for various leadership and committee roles, as well as the standard per-diem style adjustments and deductions for absences (unchanged from current law, aside from the mileage provision).

Who is affected

  • Members of the Ohio General Assembly (both Senate and House of Representatives).
  • Specifically, legislators who use plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles and charge them at the designated Capitol Square charging facilities would be ineligible for that week’s travel mileage reimbursement.

Procedural and timeline details

  • Status: Introduced and referred to committee.
  • Introduced date: February 17, 2026.
  • Assigned action history shows committee referral on February 18, 2026.
  • If enacted, the mileage reimbursement change would apply to weeks during which a member charges an electric vehicle at the specified charging stations; it does not alter salary levels or other compensation structures beyond the mileage provision.

Fiscal and policy considerations

  • The fiscal note is referenced but not provided here; the primary financial impact would be the potential reduction in reimbursed travel expenses for affected weeks.
  • The policy rationale centers on “fairness in mileage reimbursement” by tying reimbursement eligibility to use of on-site electric vehicle charging facilities.

Summary for readers

HB 702 would remove the option for General Assembly members to be reimbursed for travel that same week if they use electric vehicle charging stations at designated Capitol Square garages. The bill preserves existing salary structures and other compensation provisions, and labels the measure as the Fairness in Mileage Reimbursement Act. If enacted, eligible travelers would need to forgo mileage reimbursement in weeks when charging at the specified facilities.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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