Butler County Today

The Senate Local Government Committee has commenced hearings on House Bill 315, known as the Township Omnibus Bill. The bill's sponsor, State Representative Thomas Hall from Madison Township, made the announcement. Key aspects of the bill include extending township authority to form or modify community authorities, granting townships the ability to establish Township Preservation Commissions for federal grant eligibility, allocating $1.5 million per fiscal year for modernizing zoning regulations, and creating a township license plate for vehicle identification.

"We must equip our townships with the tools and support they need to meet the development goals of the community and the state," stated Hall. He added that this is his second consecutive General Assembly sponsoring a township omnibus bill and expressed his commitment to continue supporting local townships.

In parallel, the Senate Health Committee has started hearings on House Bill 303, also sponsored by Hall. This legislation aims to create a process for adding new training or continuing education topics for EMS personnel.

"There are always new and creative ideas by which we can look to best equip our EMS professionals," said Hall. "This legislation is a simple proposal that will open up access to the most up-to-date and robust training initiatives that in turn, will save lives."

Both bills are scheduled for further committee hearings.