The Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee at 9:45 a.m. favorably reported Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 to the committee on rules and reference after hearing proponent testimony from Karen Alon, director of Union County Tourism.

Alon told the committee that Union County is working with the America250 Ohio Commission to mount local programming tied to the nation’s semiquincentennial and described the expected economic and community benefits. “On behalf of Union County Tourism, thank you for the opportunity to share with you today the impact that America 250 Ohio commission, and the initiatives outlined by their leadership is having on our community,” Alon said. The Union County America250 planning task force received a $5,000 grant from the commission, she said, and will use the funds to launch a gamified “America250 celebration trail” that opens July 1 and will run through July 31, 2026.

Why it matters: Alon presented statewide and county-level tourism figures she said support the effort, including that more than 238,400,000 visitors to Ohio spent $42,800,000,000 in 2023 and that visitors to Union County spent $159,700,000 in 2023, an increase of about 36% since the county’s 2021 survey. She said tax revenue from visitor spending saved Union County households $744 in 2023. The trail will include more than 250 stops in Union County and use cooperative marketing with the Ohio Department of Development; prizes will be purchased from local small businesses.

Details offered by Alon included examples of participating local businesses and items she said would be offered as prizes: Winans Coffee and Chocolate (an America250 chocolate lollipop), CNA Engraving (an America250 magnet), Scott’s Miracle-Gro (plant food), the Leo Burby Bulb Company (bulbs), and Mac 4 Designs (keepsake frames, hats, puzzles). Alon described program themes coordinated with the commission — such as a fourth-grade pass, murals, heritage trees and plantings, and themed itineraries for group travel — and said the initiative aims to boost visitation, workforce recruitment and local small-business revenue.

Formal action: Vice Chair Brenner moved that the committee favorably report Senate Concurrent Resolution 10 to the committee on rules and reference. The clerk called the roll; members recorded as voting “yes” during the roll call were Chairwoman Manchester; Vice Chair Brenner; Senator Johnson; Senator O’Brien; Senator Landis; and Senator DeMaurin (as read by the clerk). No second was recorded on the transcript. Committee leadership declared that, with sufficient votes, the resolution was favorably reported to the committee on rules and reference and that the roll would remain open at the chair’s discretion until 5:00 p.m. The committee then closed the second hearing on SCR 10 and adjourned.

The testimony drew no questions from committee members, and the meeting record shows no amendments or conditions attached to the motion. The transcript does not specify a full roll-call tally beyond the names read aloud, nor does it list any “no” votes or abstentions.

Next steps: The resolution was transmitted to the committee on rules and reference for further consideration. The committee left the roll call open until the chair’s discretion at 5:00 p.m., per the clerk’s announcement in the hearing.