Ohio

2 live

2025-2026 Regular Session

2 bills · In session · adjourns 31 Dec 2026

HB272 Introduced

Regards food dyes, PFAS, fluoride, and certain substance releases

Ohio's HB 272 buries a straightforward prohibition on weather modification within an omnibus consumer protection bill covering PFAS chemicals, food dyes, and water fluoridation. The atmospheric release provision is notably modest compared to Ohio's other pending weather modification bill (HB 290), imposing misdemeanour penalties rather than felony charges, suggesting different legislative philosophies on enforcement severity even within the same chamber.

Latest: General Government Committee (since 14 May 2025) Unlikely to proceed

HB290 Introduced

Enact the Atmosphere Protection Act

Ohio's "Atmosphere Protection Act" imposes some of the harshest penalties in state weather modification legislation—a mandatory 3-year prison term and a minimum $500,000 fine under strict liability, meaning prosecutors need not prove intent. The Legislative Service Commission's own analysis notes uncertainty about what the undefined term "sunlight reflection methods" actually prohibits.

Latest: Natural Resources Committee (since 21 May 2025)

2023-2024 Regular Session

1 bill · Adjourned sine die

HB529 Died in committee

Enact Atmosphere Protection Act

Ohio's 2024 Atmosphere Protection Act takes an unusual regulatory approach by directing the Ohio EPA to establish public monitoring and reporting systems for solar radiation modification, essentially crowdsourcing detection before issuing cease-and-desist orders. The bill carries harsh penalties but notably limits its scope to SRM only, without addressing cloud seeding.

Remained in Energy and Natural Resources committee