SB 312: Regards federal mineral royalty payments
The state of Ohio will establish a new fund to hold federal mineral royalty payments received from the US Department of the Interior's Office of Natural Resources Revenue. The treasurer of state will deposit these payments into the fund, and then transfer an equal amount to each county of origin within thirty days. Each county will then have the option to use the funds for planning, public facilities, construction and maintenance, or provision of public services. The state will also distribute money received from the sale of national forest timber to the applicable county or counties where the forest is situated. The funds will be used to maintain county roads and bridges, and for the benefit of public schools, with 50% of the funds allocated to each purpose.
| Nov. 05, 2025 | Referred to committee: Energy |
| Oct. 29, 2025 | Introduced |
As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session
Senator Roegner
To amend section 1503.35 and to enact section 131.52 of the Revised Code regarding federal mineral royalty payments.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That section 1503.35 be amended and section 131.52 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:
2(1) "Federal mineral royalty" means the state of Ohio's
3share of payments received under 30 U.S.C. 191 from oil, gas, or
4other mineral production on federal lands within this state,
5including national forest system lands.
6(2) "County of origin" means the county where a wellhead
7or mine is located to which a federal mineral royalty is
8attributable.
9(B) The treasurer of state shall deposit all federal
10mineral royalties received from the United States department of
11the interior's office of natural resources revenue into the
12federal mineral royalty clearing fund, which is hereby
13established and shall be in the custody of the treasurer of
14state but shall not be part of the state treasury. Within thirty
15days after each deposit, the director of the office of budget
16and management shall transfer from the fund to each county of .....
17origin an amount equal to the royalty payments attributable to
18that county.
19(C) Money received by a county under division (B) of this .....
20section may be appropriated by the board of county commissioners .....
21solely for one of the following purposes:
22(1) Planning;
23(2) Construction and maintenance of public facilities;
24(3) Provision of public services.
25Sec. 1503.35. The-(A) Except as provided in division (B) .....
26of this section, the director of natural resources shall .....
27distribute money received by the state pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 500 .....
28from the sale of national forest timber and other national .....
29forest products to the applicable county or counties in which .....
30the national forest is situated. Money received by a county .....
31under this section shall be used by a county as follows:
32(A) (1) Fifty per cent shall be used to maintain county .....
33roads and bridges;
34(B) (2) Fifty per cent shall be used for the benefit of .....
35public schools.
36(B) A federal mineral royalty, as defined in section .....
37131.52 of the Revised Code, is not a forest product subject to .....
38distribution under this section. Any federal mineral royalty .....
39received by the state shall be deposited in accordance with that .....
40section.
41Section 2. That existing section 1503.35 of the Revised .....
42Code is hereby repealed. .....