Environment
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
StateOhioIntroduced
HB 297: Regards funds provided by county for Memorial Day expenses
Kevin Ritter
HB 297 status: Introduced — Effective 10/6/26 (updated Oct 6, 2026).
Source
OpenStates
Confidence
Low
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
01
What this bill does
Official summary alongside an AI-generated read on where it stands and why.
Overall Score
65OUT OF 100
Score:65/100 civic fit
Risk:Low Risk
Impact:Low Impact 20/100
Constitutionality100%
Bipartisan70%
Public opinion85%
Bill summary
What changes
The bill amends section 307.66 of the Ohio Revised Code to increase the maximum amount a county government can allocate to military and veterans organizations for expenses related to Memorial Day.
Who is affected
County governments in Ohio and local military or veteran organizations that receive municipal funding for commemorative holiday activities.
Requirements and enforcement
The bill provides permissive authority; counties may choose to increase their support for these groups up to the new statutory limit.
Costs and funding
Increases in spending are at the discretion of individual county boards; there is no state-mandated cost increase.
When it takes effect
Effective 10/6/2026.
Potential benefits
Allows for better support of local veterans' organizations and potentially improves the capacity for local Memorial Day commemorative services.
Risks and tradeoffs
The potential for minor impact on county budgets and the variance in support levels between different counties.
What is still unknown
The specific dollar amounts of the new caps are not provided in the abstract.
02
Impact analysis
✦ AI analysisModeled effects across six domains, estimated from bill text and comparable legislation.
Economy
Positive outlook
60%
Benefits
- Provides increased funding capacity for veteran organizations
- Adjusts outdated spending caps for current inflationary costs
- Supports local organizational funding for commemorative events
Risks
- May increase pressure on limited county budgets
- Reduces available funds for other municipal priorities
- Creates potential funding disparity between different counties
Society
Positive outlook
70%
Benefits
- Increases community recognition of veteran service
- Enhances the scale or quality of local Memorial Day ceremonies
- Supports long-standing traditions for honoring fallen military
Risks
- Benefits are localized and dependent on county board decisions
- Does not provide direct benefits to individual veteran health
- Impact is limited to a single annual commemorative holiday
Technology Industry
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Civic Accountability
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
Public Health & Safety
No direct effect
Neutral — no direct effect identified.
Benefits
- No material direct effect identified.
Risks
- No material direct effect identified.
03
How trustworthy & consequential it is
Sourcing already shown above, this is what the analysis found worth flagging.
Source
OpenStates
Official bill text or data from OpenStates.
Confidence
Low
Information is limited or incomplete.
Analysis basis
OpenStates summary
Source used for this bill's analysis.
Source note
The fiscal impact is entirely dependent on county-level budgetary discretion rather than a mandatory state-wide program.
Analysis scope
Source provided is limited to an abstract, preventing full textual analysis.
04
Where it stands
Official record- IntroducedCurrent
- CommitteeUpcoming
- Chamber votesUpcoming
- Final agreementUpcoming
- GovernorUpcoming
- EnactedUpcoming
05
How it affects your district
✦ Personalized
Set your location
Add your district to see how this bill may affect your community and who to contact.
Your Representatives
Your representatives appear here once you add your location.
06
Take action
Contact your representatives
Let them know how you feel about this bill.
Share your view
Join the discussion and see what others are saying.
Track this bill
Stay updated on progress and changes.