Legislation with the backing of Attorney General Dave Yost would provide a one-time bonus to Ohio's first responders, including police officers, to commemorate their work during the coronavirus pandemic.
The House legislation would provide bonuses of either $500 or $1,000 using federal pandemic aid relief dollars.
The bill introduced Monday would also include firefighters, state troopers, sheriff's deputies, state criminal bureau agents, jail officers and EMTs. Recipients must have been continuously employed since March 2020 and not subject to any discipline since then.
The bill is sponsored by GOP Reps. Craig Riedel of Defiance and Phil Plummer, the former Montgomery County sheriff.