House passes a bill that could establish a Defense and Space Commission in the state

Ohio House lawmakers passed a bill to establish the Ohio Defense and Space Commission that would develop strategies to grow the Buckeye State’s defense and aerospace sectors.

House Bill 292, introduced by state Reps. Ty Mathews, R-Findlay, and Nick Santucci, R-Niles, passed the Ohio House on March 4. If the Senate passes the bill and Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signs it, the legislation would help the Buckeye State compete for federal defense spending, attract aerospace companies, and coordinate strategy among military, research, and manufacturing partners across Ohio.

“Today, Ohio takes a bold step in being a leader in rebuilding our nation’s defense industrial base,” Matthews said in the press release. “I am proud to sponsor this historic legislation, which pushes not only our state forward but our nation. It signals to the country that Ohio is open for business and a great place for investment.”

The bill would also allow the commission to administer “the Defense and Aerospace Industries Expansion Program,” recruit “international businesses to invest in the state for defense and aerospace industry purposes,” promote “research, development, and manufacturing of technology to counter unmanned aerial vehicle systems in Ohio,” consider “policies intended to improve the quailty of life for service members and veterans,” and study and develop “comprehensive strategies to promote the defense and aerospace industries” in Ohio.

“Ohio has long been a leader in aerospace and defense, supporting hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs and driving innovation across our state,” Santucci said in a release. “Establishment of the Ohio Defense and Space Commission protects jobs, strengthens our economy, and keeps Ohio at the forefront of national defense and advanced manufacturing.”

Alexandra Denney of the Ohio Business Roundtable defended the bill in her testimony before the House Veterans and Military Development Committee by saying that even though Ohio has a very strong aerospace and defense presence, with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, the Air Force Research Laboratory, and NASA Glenn Research Center being the most well-known examples, the state still needs to improve due to the increased competition between states for defense funding and innovation projects.

“The Ohio Defense Commission would bring together legislative leaders and regional representatives to align state strategy, identify emerging opportunities, and ensure Ohio is peaking with a unified voice when competing for federal projects and private-sector investment,” she said in prepared testimony.

Executive Director of the Defense Innovation Networking Group, Health Murray, promoted his interests by telling lawmakers that the bill could help smaller manufacturing companies enter the defense supply chain while supporting technology development.

“For organizations like ours, H.B. 292 offers the tools to expand operations, increase competitiveness, and create more Ohio jobs, allowing an overall stronger Midwest defense ecosystem,” he said in prepared testimony. “It demonstrates that Ohio is ready to lead on national defense priorities while strengthening our local economies and communities.”