Committee hears third testimony on bill to create Ohio Defense Commission and Defense Fund

The House Veterans and Military Development Committee held a third hearing on House Bill 292, a proposal to create an Ohio Defense Commission and an Ohio Defense Fund to coordinate state strategy and attract federal defense investment.

Alexandra Denny, representing the Ohio Business Roundtable, told the committee the commission and fund would provide "coordination, strategic focus, and investment capacity Ohio needs to remain competitive in a defense economy that is rapidly evolving." She described the Roundtable as a nonpartisan organization representing more than 130 Ohio business leaders across manufacturing, aerospace, energy, logistics and defense-adjacent supply chains and said workforce readiness is a priority.

"States that succeed in attracting defense and advanced-technology investment are those that offer certainty, coordination, and partnership, and this bill advances all three," Denny said, urging the committee's support. She cited the Ohio Grants Alliance, created in 2022, and said it helped secure about $5,000,000,000 in federal grant funding, arguing a similar coordinated effort could benefit Ohio's defense sector.

Heath Murray of the Defense Innovation Networking Group, a Midwest-based nonprofit, also testified in support. Murray said the proposed commission would improve coordination among businesses, academic institutions and military partners and that the defense fund would help modernize infrastructure and support small and mid-sized suppliers entering the defense supply chain.

Representative Hall asked whether Ohio's education and training pipelines are aligned with defense-industry needs and whether the state can "home grow" talent. Denny replied that workforce development is a top priority for the Business Roundtable and pointed to a sister group, Ohio Excels, which she said focuses on strengthening K–12 and higher-education pipelines to fill those roles.

Members also raised the question of who should serve on the commission. Representative Paul said he was taken aback that the bill would allow three House members to serve but does not, in his view, prioritize veterans or those with military experience for those slots. Murray responded that experience in national security and defense—whether from veterans, economic development or other relevant backgrounds—should be prioritized for commission membership.

The chair noted the committee received numerous pieces of written testimony and closed the third hearing on HB 292. No vote or formal committee action on the bill was recorded during the session; the committee indicated additional hearings and review of written submissions will follow.