Ohio House approves bills aimed at veterans, mental health providers

Ohio would exempt disability severance pay for honorably discharged veterans from the state income tax, and would shield certain mental health workers from public records law, under a pair of bills sponsored by Franklin County lawmakers that passed the House this week.

“This is a great example of how the legislature can work together to deliver real results that have a minimal fiscal impact on the state and keep Ohio’s promise to our veterans by eliminating hardships,” said Rep. Erica Crawley, D-Columbus, a Navy veteran and lead sponsor of House Bill 18.

The bill, which passed the House 98-0 Wednesday and now goes to the Senate, would allow veterans to get a refundable tax credit on income taxes paid on disability severance going back to January 1991, which mirrors federal law.

Disability severance pay is a one-time lump sum paid to a veteran who sustains a service-connected disability that is significant enough to prevent them from performing their duties, but does not qualify the veteran for disability retirement. The amount is calculated by multiplying the veteran’s years of serve by two months of base pay.

Read more: https://www.dispatch.com/news/20190328/ohio-house-approves-bills-aimed-at-veterans-mental-health-providers