Ohio’s legislature will likely advance a package of data center provisions next week, after a series of hearings in the Senate Energy Committee next week. The committee is accepting all testimony for two hearings on Tuesday. The details of the legislation are unclear, but Ohio lawmakers have a wide array
On-site power generation could do more harm than good As communities across Ohio wrestle with the impact of the state’s data center boom, “behind-the-meter” (BTM) energy generation requirements are often cited as a policy tool to keep the facilities from driving up costs for ratepayers and straining the electric grid.
Testimony to the House Energy Committee on HB 706 Chairman Holmes, Vice-Chair Mathews, Ranking Member Rader, and members of the House Energy Committee, thank you for the opportunity to submit proponent testimony on behalf of House Bill 706 (HB 706), which would prevent cost-shifting onto other ratepayers by establishing a
Co-Chairs Holmes and Chavez, and members of the Select Committee on Data Centers, thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony today. My name is Molly Bryden, and I am the Climate & Sustainability Researcher with Policy Matters Ohio, a nonprofit research institute working to build a more vibrant, equitable,
Ohio lawmakers have announced a new joint committee focused on data centers and their impact on Ohio. The joint committee is unrelated to a proposed Data Center Study Commission that would be established by H.B. 646, which recently passed the Ohio House with unanimous support. Policy Matters Ohio researcher Molly
Today, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), in partnership with the Department of Labor, released job and unemployment indicators for March. Ohio employers added 12,500 jobs that month, more than making up for February’s losses (-4,700). State and national unemployment rates both ticked down 0.1 percentage points
Unemployment drops to 4.2%, driven by workers leaving the labor force Today, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), in partnership with the Department of Labor, released job and unemployment indicators for February. Ohio employers shed 5,400 jobs that month. Ohio’s unemployment rate ticked down 0.1 percentage points
Last week, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS), in partnership with the Department of Labor, released job and unemployment indicators for January, along with annual benchmark revisions to 2025 data. Benchmarks show weaker month-to-month job growth in 2025, compared to preliminary jobs reports. The takeaway: 2025 marks
State and local legislators are responsible for making policy to ensure data center development benefits Ohio’s workforce and does not come at the expense of Ohio families, our grid stability, public resources, or environmental health. They are responsible for regulating data center development across the state, mitigating harms, and ensuring
Download our new transit funding factsheet It’s Ohio Loves Transit Week, when we recognize the critical role public transportation plays in connecting our communities year-round. Ridership levels are increasing, but National Transit Administration data* shows declining state support for Ohio’s public transportation system. Ohio lawmakers have an opportunity – and
Judge’s ruling delays additional harm Subscribe to our newsletter The Trump administration aims to rescind Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants, a move that would directly impact communities all around Ohio, especially Springfield, where the Haitian community has made significant contributions to the local economy. A federal judge blocked the
Despite the Trump administration’s claims that “no tax on tips” under H.R. 1 will deliver benefits to low-wage workers in need of tax relief, these provisions leave out a large share of tipped workers and make up less than 1% of that legislation’s tax expenditures[1] — far less than the
