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The Ohio Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (OH-AI-Workforce)

Ohio state companion to AI Workforce. Builds on O.R.C. Title 17 (Corporations), O.R.C. Ch. 5747 / 5751 tax credits, and JobsOhio / TechCred infrastructure.

THE OHIO PRO-ENTREPRENEURSHIP & AI WORKFORCE ACT (OH-AI-WORKFORCE)

Vehicle: State passage. Ohio General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Commerce and Labor / Ways and Means / Finance.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Ohio Pro-Entrepreneurship & AI Workforce Act (OH-AI-Workforce).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that O.R.C. Title 17 governs corporations; that O.R.C. Ch. 5747 and Ch. 5751 contain income- and commercial-activity-tax credits, including the Job Creation Tax Credit under O.R.C. Sec. 122.17; that JobsOhio operates under O.R.C. Ch. 187; that Ohio TechCred and IMAP administer workforce training; and that the Ohio Department of Development administers the Ohio Research Development Fund. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH OHIO LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Qualified Ohio AI Workforce Training” means training toward an OHRMC or Federal FRAC in AI fields.
  2. (b) “Ohio Innovation Sandbox” means a regulatory sandbox under Title III.
  3. (c) “Qualified small business” has the meaning given in O.R.C. Title 17.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Ohio Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • O.R.C. Title 17 (corporations).
  • O.R.C. Ch. 5747 and Ch. 5751 (income tax and commercial activity tax).
  • O.R.C. Sec. 122.17 (Job Creation Tax Credit).
  • O.R.C. Ch. 187 (JobsOhio).

TITLE II — OHIO AI WORKFORCE TRAINING CREDIT

Sec. 201. Income-Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to O.R.C. Ch. 5747 for qualified AI workforce training expenditures, in coordination with TechCred.
  2. (b) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45BB; aggregate cap.
  3. (c) Credit equals 30% of eligible expenditures capped at $3,000 per employee / $150,000 per employer annually.
  4. (d) Ohio Department of Taxation administers.

Sec. 202. Coordination with TechCred

  1. (a) TechCred shall publish a list of qualifying OHRMC and Federal FRAC pathways.

TITLE III — OHIO INNOVATION SANDBOX

Sec. 301. Establishment

  1. (a) The Ohio Department of Development, in coordination with JobsOhio under O.R.C. Ch. 187, shall operate an Ohio Innovation Sandbox.
  2. (b) Twenty-four-month terms; renewable.

Sec. 302. Scope

  1. (a) Covers state-licensed activities in occupational-licensure boards under O.R.C. Title 47 and financial-institution activities under O.R.C. Title 11, to the extent not preempted.

TITLE IV — SMALL-BUSINESS FORMATION

Sec. 401. Expedited Formation Pathway

  1. (a) The Secretary of State shall implement an expedited formation pathway for O.R.C. Title 17 entities within 24 hours.

Sec. 402. Single-Portal Licensing

  1. (a) Ohio.gov business services shall operate a single-portal licensing system for state-level occupational licenses under O.R.C. Title 47.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect 90 days following enactment, except that Sec. 201 shall apply to tax years beginning on or after January 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: AI Workforce. Other Ohio bills: OH-ACSA, OH-MEWRA, OH-GT&P.