OHIO LEGISLATIVE SERVICE COMMISSION
Office of Research Legislative Budget
www.lsc.ohio.gov and Drafting Office
H.B. 526 Bill Analysis
135th General Assembly
Click here for H.B. 526’s Fiscal Note
Version: As Introduced
Primary Sponsors: Reps. Liston and McClain
Effective date:
Jason Hoskins, Attorney
SUMMARY
 Requires that a portion of the amount of child or spousal support collected on behalf of
an assistance group participating in Ohio Works First be paid to the assistance group.
 Provides for the assistance group to be paid $100 of the support if the group has one
child and $200 of the support if the group has two or more children.
 Requires that amount to be disregarded and not included as countable income for the
purposes of determining eligibility for or the amount of cash assistance received under
Ohio Works First.
 Delays the effective date of these provisions for 18 months.
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Pass-through of support payments under Ohio Works First
The bill revises the law governing child and spousal support payments collected on
behalf of an assistance group participating in Ohio Works First (a program that provides
time-limited cash assistance to low-income families with children). It is one of the state’s
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) programs. An assistance group is a group of
individuals treated as a unit for purposes of determining eligibility for and the amount of
assistance provided under Ohio Works First.1
Currently, an assistance group’s participation in Ohio Works First constitutes an
assignment to the Department of Job and Family Services of any rights members of the group
have to child or spousal support from any other person. The Department is required to deposit
1 R.C. 5107.02(B), not in the bill.
June 20, 2024
Office of Research and Drafting LSC Legislative Budget Office
support payments into the Child Support Collections Fund or the Child Support Administrative
Fund.2
The bill requires that a portion of the child and spousal support collected on behalf of an
assistance group during a month be paid to the assistance group. If the assistance group
includes one child, the group is to be paid $100 of the support collected. If the assistance group
includes two or more children, the group is to be paid $200. All of the remainder is to be used
to make cash assistance payments under Ohio Works First.3 Under current law, the entire
amount collected must be used to make cash assistance payments.
The bill requires that the amount of support paid to an assistance group be disregarded
and not included as countable income for the purposes of determining (1) the amount of cash
assistance the group is to receive under Ohio Works First and (2) whether the group is initially
eligible to participate in the program and continues to be eligible.4
Delayed effective date
The bill delays implementation of these provisions for 18 months following the bill’s
effective date.
HISTORY
Action Date
Introduced 05-15-24
ANHB0526IN-135/sb
2 R.C. 5107.20(B).
3 R.C. 5107.20(D).
4 R.C. 5167.20(E). Conforming amendments to R.C. 5167.05(B) and 5107.10(D).
P a g e |2 H.B. 526
As Introduced


Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 5107.05, 5107.10, 5107.20