The legislation, a limited home rule resolution, was introduced and approved Monday by the Washington Twp. Board of Trustees “out of an abundance of caution,” township Administrator Mike Thonnerieux told this news outlet.
“This resolution eliminates a challenge that we did not specifically and directly prohibit it in accordance with the new proposed legislation in House Bill 96,” Thonnerieux said. “The proposed legislation in House Bill 96 in its current form prohibits cities and townships from banning marijuana businesses if they do not have prohibition in place on the effective date of the bill.”
The measure is not a change of the township’s stance, “just an effort to address the specific proposed legislation and ensure clarity with the proposed language in House Bill 96,” he said.
The most recent version of House Bill 96 would change Ohio’s rules for recreational marijuana in two big ways. First, cities and townships with marijuana dispensaries currently receive 36% of the tax revenue, but that amount would be reduced to 20%, and that adjustment would only apply from 2026 to 2030.
Second, local governments would not be able to impose new bans on marijuana businesses unless they had already done so before July 1. If they approve a ban before that date, it remains in place. The bill is still pending in the Ohio legislature, where the Senate’s review is ongoing.
Washington Twp.’s zoning rules already block recreational marijuana, so the community follows the proposed law.
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