Ohio Lawmakers Summoned for Special Session on Gas Tax Holiday

Ohio House and Senate leaders are summoning lawmakers back to Columbus next Wednesday for a special session to vote on a 90-day gas tax holiday. The move interrupts an election-season recess and occurs just six days before early voting begins.

Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for governor, led the effort to fast-track the bill, which would suspend the state's 38.5-cent gasoline tax and 47-cent diesel tax. The proposal follows a similar call for an emergency holiday by Democratic nominee Amy Acton, who cited an affordability crisis leaving some residents unable to afford travel for work or medical visits. The push for relief comes as regular gas prices average $4.52 per gallon and diesel reaches nearly $6.77, driven by conflict with Iran and restrictions in the Strait of Hormuz.

To offset a projected revenue gap exceeding $600 million, Ramaswamy proposed using the Ohio Department of Transportation's ending cash balance, the General Revenue Fund, or the state's rainy day fund. He suggested recovering funds for the rainy day fund through federal Medicaid fraud recoveries. House Speaker Matt Huffman warned that Democrats who oppose the measure do so "at their peril."

Governor Mike DeWine, who increased the gas tax in 2019 to fund infrastructure, has expressed caution regarding road funding. He stated he will analyze data from the Department of Transportation before deciding whether to support the suspension. Because Republicans hold more than three-fifths of the seats in both chambers, they can pass the measure unilaterally using an emergency clause.