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Ohio bill would change 811 notice windows, tighten exemptions to reduce utility strikes
Summary
House Bill 227 would shorten and clarify 811 notice rules, redefine low‑risk exemptions and move from working‑day counting to calendar days; utility and safety stakeholders testified the changes would improve locate accuracy and restore eligibility for federal pipeline safety grants.
Industry and safety representatives told the House Commerce and Labor Committee that House Bill 227 would improve underground utility protection by clarifying Ohio’s One‑Call (811) rules, changing the notice window and removing a blanket government exemption that has contributed to damages.
Speakers from the Ohio Gas Association, Ohio Oil and Gas Association and Ohio 811 described the bill as the product of years of consensus work by the Ohio Underground Damage Prevention Coalition. They said the measure would change the required notice period from "at least 48 hours, but not more than 10 working days" to "at least two working days (not including the day of notification) and not more than 16 calendar days," a shift they said would reduce confusion for multi‑state contractors.
Jason Broyles, public awareness and services supervisor for Ohio 811, said the bill also removes a blanket exemption that allowed many governmental activities to avoid a locate request and instead enumerates low‑risk activities that remain exempt. "The low‑risk activities exempted by House Bill 227 are all less than 12 inches in depth," Broyles said, noting that change would also restore Ohio's eligibility for Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) grant funding to support excavation safety work.
Industry witnesses cited Ohio and national damage statistics. Christina Polzowski of API Ohio said Ohio had more than 800 unique damages in 2023 tied to a failure to call 811 before excavation, and that natural gas pipelines accounted for the majority of impacted facilities in recent data. Rob Brundret of the Ohio Oil and Gas Association and Jimmy Stewart of the Ohio Gas Association said the modifications would create clearer rules for excavators and utility owners and help create safer job sites.
Representative White questioned the depth assumption for certain drop wires and older infrastructure. Witnesses said actual wire depth can vary with time and soil changes; damages are commonly handled through civil remedies when responsibility is debated, and compliance with locate requests remains the basis for administrative enforcement.
The committee received written testimony and heard multiple proponent witnesses; no committee vote or final action was recorded at the second hearing.
