COLUMBUS, Ohio — Gov. Mike DeWine signed off on the state’s biennium budget and vetoed several items in the process. 

What You Need To Know

• DeWine vetoed more than 40 items in the budget 


• Senate President Matt Huffman is reviewing the vetoes and indicated a consideration for potential override


• House Minority Leader Allison Russo noted the number of vetoes reflects a state budget that needed more work

Among the more than 40 vetoed items were some involving child care, health care, taxes and driver's license fees.

“We are reviewing the governor's veto message and have the remainder of the General Assembly to consider any potential override," said Senate president Matt Huffman.

House Minority Leader Allison Russo said in a statement the number of vetoes relected a budget that she believes needed more work.

"I am pleased with vetoes that better protect child care quality, public health, and the state's financial resources. However, the governor failed to veto key accountability and transparency restrictions relative to dissolving the elected state school board, expanding private school vouchers to an unsustainable level, and keeping over $1 billion in opioid settlement money a secret," Russo said in a statement. "I am proud of our Democratic lawmakers for tempering what could have been an extreme and dangerous budget. Ultimately, Ohioans expect their elected officials to work together to put people first, and I think there was more room to do that in this budget."

Lawmakers had proposed an expansion of the sales tax holiday, which DeWine removed the expansion in his signing. He left it in the hands of the Tax Commission, Office of Budget Management and the County Commissioners Association to address the revenue.

It's not clear how much revenue would come out of state coffers as the holiday is the largest source of revenue which many counties depend on.

Policy Matters Ohio said Doula services have proven to be helpful in addressing maternal and infant mortality, especially among Black women. A doula is a trained professional who supports mothers before, during and after giving birth, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Legislators originally included funds to support the establishment of doula services in Ohio’s Medicaid program, which would require licensing changes and changes in Medicaid so the services could be covered.

DeWine removed the community organization participation connected to those services and left licensing to the board of nursing.

In similar fashion, Step Up to Quality child care was another focus of the budget. Legislators attempted to raise the percentage of services provided by child care providers to kids needing public assistance from 25% to 50%.

If 50% of provider services went to those receiving public assistance, they wouldn’t be required to participate in the system. 

DeWine vetoed the percentage expansion, keeping the original 25%. Any provider with 25% of services going to kids needing public support will be required to take part in Step Up to Quality. 

Ohio Policy Vice President Chad Aldis said there weren't many surprises in the governor's vetoes.

"In the education realm, Governor DeWine deserves praise for resisting calls to veto the reorganization of the Department of Education and expansion of the EdChoice Scholarship program," Aldis said in a statement. "These policy initiatives, along with a number of others, likely make this budget the most significant for Ohio's schools and families in decades."

For commercial activity taxes, DeWine left a tax cut in place for Ohio businesses. 

Businesses with less than $6 million in receipts will not have to pay tax on the first $6 million. 

According to Policy Matters Ohio, two-thirds of businesses currently pay $150. Based on the veto, officials there say those who have over $6 million in receipts will see a tax cut of $18,000, since they no longer have to pay on the first $6 million in receipts.

One of the final line items is driver's licenses. Lawmakers tried to reduce the barriers to getting a license restored as people can lose their license in a number of ways from not having insurance to having certain kinds of debt.

A flat fee of $40 was proposed instead of using a scale for offenses.

DeWine removed the flat fee and kept the scale for offenses, which starts at $40 for the first offense and goes up into the hundreds for subsequent offenses. 

He said the scale was a way to make sure people aren’t repeat offenders. 

To view all vetoes, click here.