Last week, State Senator Teresa Fedor (D- Toledo) announced the Senate concurrence on Senate Bills 108 and 109, which will provide critical Covid-19 financial assistance for bars, restaurants, small businesses, indoor entertainment venues and childcare assistance.
“Covid-19 has triggered a devastating women’s recession, with many women being forced to leave the workforce to care for children who were learning virtually,” Fedor said. “These dollars will go a long way to help us build back our economy and help Ohio workers and families.”
These bills will provide financial support to assist in Covid-19 relief efforts, including:
• $150 million for small businesses
• $100 million for restaurants and bars
• $25 million for the lodging industry
• $20 million for indoor entertainment venues
• $10 million for new businesses
• $4.7 million to support local fairs
• $3 million to support costs of the two veterans homes in Ohio
• $21 million for the Pandemic-Electronic Benefit Transfer Program (P-EBT)
• $10 million for food banks
• $20 million in Medicaid Program Support
• $26 million for the foster care program
• $41 million in Federal Unemployment Programs
• $34 million TANF block grant to counties
The bill will also provide $10,000 to all eligible applicants for grants through the Business Grant Relief Program on or before December 11, 2020, whose requests were not funded. Senate Bills 108 and 109 originally passed the Senate in March and underwent changes in the House, including an additional $55 million for childcare support, bringing the total to $122 million for that purpose.
“Increased childcare support is crucial for women reentering the workforce after the Covid-19 pandemic,” Fedor said. “Since the start of the pandemic, women have accounted for 56% of workforce exits, despite making up just 48% of the workforce. Employment for women may not recover to pre-pandemic levels until 2024—two full years after recovery for men. We have a long way to go on the road to recovery, but these pieces of legislation are important first steps.”