Last week Governor Kasich signed House Bill 53,  the Ohio Department of Transportation Budget Bill which includes $2.228 million in each of the two fiscal years for road improvements within 1545 park districts.

The park district funding had been in question prior to an OPRA lobbying effort in the Ohio Senate.  The bill was introduced and passed the Ohio House with program language in place, but with funding levels left to the discretion of the ODOT Director.  The OPRA effort in the Senate received strong support from Senator Gayle Manning (R-Lorain County), Senator Frank LaRose (R-Summit County), Senator Kevin Bacon (R-Franklin County) and Senator Tom Patton (R-Cuyahoga County).  A joint House-Senate Conference committee agreed with the OPRA-backed Senate plan to include the funding, a plan which was ultimately approved with the signature of the Governor last week.

OPRA provides administrative support for the program, with funds divided among 1545 park districts based on county motor vehicle registration statistics.