Several new Ohio laws are worth knowing about heading into 2026, covering recreational cannabis, phone use behind the wheel, voter identification, school policy and vouchers, income tax rates, the minimum wage, and property tax relief for homeowners. Under the Ohio Constitution, most new laws take effect 90 days after the Governor files the signed bill with the Secretary of State.1Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Constitution Article II Section 1c – Referendum to Challenge Laws Enacted by General Assembly
Recreational Cannabis for Adults 21 and Older
After voters approved Issue 2, Ohio legalized adult-use cannabis under a framework now spread across Ohio Revised Code Chapters 3780 and 3796. Adults 21 and older can possess up to 2.5 ounces of flower and up to 15 grams of extract or concentrate.2Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3796 – Cannabis Control Home cultivation is capped at six plants per adult and twelve per household regardless of how many adults live there, and plants must be kept in a locked, enclosed space that is not visible from a public area.
Retail sales run through licensed dispensaries under the Division of Cannabis Control.3Ohio Department of Commerce. About DCC Purchases carry a 10 percent excise tax on top of standard sales tax.4Ohio Department of Taxation. Adult Use Marijuana Tax As of March 2026, when Senate Bill 56 took effect, 36 percent of that excise revenue goes to a Host Community Cannabis Fund benefiting cities and townships with dispensaries, and 64 percent flows into the General Revenue Fund. Municipalities can still ban dispensaries locally.
Workplace Rules Did Not Change
Legalization did not touch employer rights, and this catches people off guard. Ohio law expressly lets employers refuse to hire, fire, or discipline someone for cannabis use, including off-duty use, and lets them keep drug-free workplace policies and routine testing in place.5Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 3796.28 – Rights of Employer An employee fired for violating a company drug policy is treated as discharged for just cause and will not qualify for unemployment. Cannabis-related terminations do not violate Ohio’s anti-discrimination statutes.
Distracted Driving Is a Primary Offense
Ohio Revised Code 4511.204 makes holding or manually using a phone while driving a primary offense, meaning police can stop you for that alone. Texting, scrolling, watching video, or any manual interaction with an electronic device behind the wheel is prohibited.6Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4511.204 – Driving While Texting Penalties climb inside a two-year window:
- First offense: up to $150 and 2 points on your driving record.
- Second offense: up to $250 and 3 points.
- Third or subsequent offense: up to $500, 4 points, and a possible 90-day license suspension.
Points come from the BMV’s separate schedule, and court costs are added on top of the fine.7Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 4510.036 – Records of Bureau of Motor Vehicles Emergency calls such as 911 are still allowed. Hands-free technology, including voice-to-text and Bluetooth earpieces, is legal. For anything else, you need to be fully stopped outside a traffic lane before touching the phone. First responders and utility workers on official duty are exempt.
Voter ID at the Polls
House Bill 458 narrowed what counts as valid identification for voting. Ohio now requires an unexpired photo ID issued by the U.S. government or the State of Ohio. Acceptable forms include:8Ohio Secretary of State. Voter ID Requirements
- An Ohio driver’s license or state ID card (a suspended license that has not expired still counts).
- Interim documentation from the Ohio BMV.
- A U.S. passport or passport card.
- A U.S. military ID, Ohio National Guard ID, or VA identification card.
Digital IDs stored in phone wallets do not qualify. The one exception is the digital Veteran ID Card, which the VA now only issues electronically. A license showing a previous address is still accepted. If you do not have any qualifying ID, any BMV location will issue a free state ID for voting; bring proof of name, date of birth, Social Security number, and Ohio residency, and sign the attestation form.
Absentee voters follow a separate rule. A mail ballot request must include your Ohio driver’s license number, state ID number, or the last four digits of your Social Security number. Without any of those, you can submit a copy of a qualifying photo ID or a recent utility bill, bank statement, or government document showing your name and address.
K-12 Governance, Literacy, and Parental Access
House Bill 33 moved most K-12 administrative authority from the elected State Board of Education to a cabinet-level Director of Education and Workforce appointed by the Governor. The State Board still handles teacher licensure and professional conduct. The same bill required public schools to adopt phonics-based literacy instruction aligned with the Science of Reading and barred “three-cueing” methods that teach students to guess at words using pictures or context.
House Bill 8, called the Parents’ Bill of Rights, requires public schools to adopt notification policies covering student health and well-being and to let parents review instructional materials that include sexuality content.9Ohio Legislature. House Bill 8 – 135th General Assembly It also addresses released-time courses for religious instruction, and school boards must keep records of curricular choices available for parents.
Universal EdChoice Vouchers
Ohio’s EdChoice Expansion Scholarship is now open to every family regardless of household income or local district rating. For students using the scholarship at a participating private school, the amount is $6,166 in grades K through 8 and $8,408 in grades 9 through 12.10Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. EdChoice Scholarship Application windows and eligibility verification run through the school itself.
Lower Income Tax Rates
Ohio has continued to flatten its income tax. For tax year 2025, the top rate on nonbusiness income above $100,000 is 3.125 percent.11Ohio Department of Taxation. What’s New Small business owners get a separate deduction of up to $250,000 in eligible business income, or $125,000 if married filing separately. Business income above that threshold is taxed at a flat 3 percent. The income must have been reported as part of your federal adjusted gross income to qualify.12Ohio Department of Taxation. Business Income Deduction Information
Minimum Wage for 2026
The Ohio Constitution requires the state minimum wage to be adjusted every January based on the prior year’s Consumer Price Index.13Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Constitution Article II Section 34a – Minimum Wage For 2026:
- Non-tipped employees earn $11.00 per hour.
- Tipped employees earn $5.50 per hour, provided tips bring total pay to at least $11.00.
These rates apply to businesses with annual gross receipts above $405,000. Smaller employers pay the federal minimum of $7.25 per hour.14Ohio Department of Commerce. 2026 Minimum Wage Poster The adjustment is constitutional, so it happens automatically without a vote in the General Assembly. Employers must post the current wage poster, and workers who suspect underpayment can file with the Bureau of Wage and Hour Administration.15Ohio Department of Commerce. Minimum Wage Complaint
Property Tax Relief for Homeowners
Homestead Exemption
Ohio’s Homestead Exemption reduces the taxable value of a primary residence for qualifying homeowners. For tax year 2025 real property, reflected on bills arriving in 2026:16Ohio Department of Taxation. Real Property Tax – Homestead Means Testing
- Seniors 65 and older or disabled persons receive a $29,000 reduction in true value, with a household income limit of $40,000.
- Disabled veterans and surviving spouses of public service officers killed in the line of duty receive a $58,000 reduction with no income limit.
These figures are adjusted upward periodically from the base amounts set in statute.17Ohio Legislative Service Commission. Ohio Revised Code 323.152 – Reductions in Taxable Value File with your county auditor between January 1 and December 31 of the year you apply. Disabled veterans must include a DD-214 and a VA award letter.
Owner-Occupancy Credit
Separate from the Homestead Exemption, Ohio gives homeowners a 2.5 percent reduction on taxes charged by qualifying levies for a primary residence.18Ohio Department of Taxation. Application for Owner-Occupancy Tax Reduction You can only claim it on one Ohio home. Applications go to the county auditor by December 31, and factors like where you are registered to vote and where you file income taxes help establish which property counts as your principal residence.