Five things to know for Wednesday, Oct. 15

Bill would require drivers to provide officers with personal information

Proposed legislation would bar drivers from refusing to disclose their name, address, or date of birth when asked by a law enforcement officer.

House Bill 492, sponsored by state Reps. Sharon Ray, R-Wadsworth, and Cindy Abrams, R-Harrison, would make it a fourth-degree misdemeanor to refuse to provide the information. The measure also expands provisions related to interfering with an arrest.

Analysis: Ohio joins the flat tax revolution

Ohio was one of eight states to enact a flat tax between 2021 and 2025, a new analysis from the Tax Foundation found. State lawmakers included the flat tax in the latest two-year state budget they approved earlier this year.

The Buckeye State’s 2.75% flat tax takes effect for the 2026 tax year.

Ohio moving forward with its third round of CDL grants

The state is moving forward with distributing tax credits to support the Commercial Driver’s License Training Program. State lawmakers codified up to $1.5 million for the grants each calendar year.

The state releases applications once per year, for calendar years 2023 through 2026. Under the program, employers can earn up to $25,000 in tax credits to cover half of approved training costs.

Yost using nearly $280,000 grant for traffic safety training

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office is using a $279,750 grant to pay for seven advanced Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy courses. The Ohio Department of Public Safety awarded the attorney general’s office the grant.

Ohio law enforcement officers can take traffic safety and impaired-driving enforcement training courses at no additional cost.

Grants aim to make Ohio healthy again

The Ohio Department of Health’s Creating Healthy Communities awarded $3.15 million in grants during the 2024-25 grant year to increase opportunities for physical activity and improve access to healthy foods. The money funded projects in 31 communities.