As winter quickly approaches and more people look to firewood to help heat their homes, the Ohio Department of Agriculture is offering some basic tips to help when purchasing wood. The following firewood rules and regulations are helpful to review: Non-packaged firewood must be sold by the cord or by fractions of a cord. One […]
Ohio State to cover full cost of tuition for Ohio Pell students at regional campuses
June 4, 2018 by
Low- and moderate-income students at Ohio State’s five regional campuses soon will have unprecedented support to cover the cost of their tuition and mandatory fees. Starting in spring 2019, the university will commit up to $3 million a year in additional financial aid to meet the tuition and mandatory fee needs of regional campus students […]
Advocates hope to put payday loan reform bill on 2019 ballot
May 29, 2018 by
Consumer advocates pushing reforms to curb payday loan interest rates and establish safeguards for Ohio borrowers aren’t waiting for the Statehouse to take action. Ohioans for Payday Loan Reform, a coalition of faith leaders and organizations that serve low-income Ohioans, can now begin collecting signatures to put a measure on the ballot as soon as […]
Ohioans urged to protect seniors from affinity fraud
May 7, 2018 by
Across the country, older Americans are being encouraged to take part in activities promoting wellness and social interaction. While it’s true remaining socially engaged can improve the quality of life for older adults, at the same time, scammers will steal seniors’ money through affinity fraud, which exploits relationships built through common interests and activities. These […]
New rule removes “gag orders” keeping Ohio pharmacies from offering lower cost prescriptions
April 8, 2018 by
Ohio Department of Insurance Director Jillian Froment today issued a bulletin requiring heightened protections for Ohio consumers related to prescription drug prices. As consumers face rising health care costs, the bulletin provides Ohioans with better information that could help them save money on prescription drugs. “Consumers have a right to better understand the cost of […]
State lawmakers vote to make Ohio’s annual sales tax holiday permanent
March 26, 2018 by
Ohio lawmakers on Wednesday approved a permanent sales tax holiday, sending the bill to Gov. John Kasich for his signature. Kasich signed bills for single-year tax-free weekends in 2015, 2016 and 2017. The three-day tax holiday will begin the first Friday of every August. Clothing and shoes priced at $75 or less and school supplies […]
Ohio Democrats push bill to increase minimum wage to $15
March 14, 2018 by
House and Senate Democrats are pushing a bill that would incrementally raise Ohio’s minimum wage to $15 by 2025. The proposal is all but dead on arrival in the Republican-controlled General Assembly, but the bill sponsors say they need to explore every path toward raising Ohio’s minimum wage from its current $8.30 an hour. “You’ve […]
Bill would prohibit Anthem, other insurers from denying some ER claims
March 5, 2018 by
As promised, a Cincinnati Democrat introduced a bill in the General Assembly that would prohibit insurance companies from denying paying for some of their policyholders’ emergency room claims. House Bill 536 attempts to halt a new rule by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield that went into effect at the beginning of the year, in which […]
Payday lenders would face stricter rules under proposed constitutional amendment
March 2, 2018 by
Ohioans urging stricter rules for payday lenders took the first step Wednesday to put an interest rate cap and other reforms on the November ballot. Supporters say a constitutional amendment is necessary because the Ohio General Assembly has failed to act on similar reforms introduced last year. The proposed amendment would cap interest rates in […]
This is America Saves Week, Military Saves Week; Ohioans urged to “Investigate Before You Invest” to help prevent financial fraud
February 26, 2018 by
The Ohio Division of Securities is partnering with the North American Securities Administrators Association (NASAA) to urge Ohio investors to “investigate before you invest” to help prevent investment fraud as part of the America Saves Week campaign. The week of Feb. 26 through March 3 is dedicated to both America Saves Week and Military Saves […]
