The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Ohio Senate Bill 316 empowers local governments to approve utility work on railroad right-of-ways
Last action · November 5, 2025: Referred to JudiciarySponsor: Andrew Brenner
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What This Bill Would Do
Ohio Senate Bill 316 allows utility providers performing health, safety, or public benefit work to bypass railroad company permission by applying directly to municipal legislative authorities or boards of county commissioners for approval.
Utility providers seeking to perform safety or public benefit work can secure approval from local s or county commissioners without needing railroad company consent, provided the local authority gives reasonable notice to the affected railroad.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
utility providers
Utility providers gain an alternative path to obtain permission for right-of-way encroachment directly from local governments instead of railroad companies.
railroad companies
Railroad companies are subject to encroachment approvals granted by local governments after receiving reasonable notice, bypassing direct company consent.
municipal corporations and county commissioners
Local legislative authorities and boards of county commissioners are granted the authority to review and unilaterally approve utility encroachments on railroad right-of-ways.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can a utility provider apply to instead of a railroad company?
What type of utility work qualifies for this alternative approval?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
Follow the record
Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
2 actions- Nov 5, 2025SenateCommitteeReferred to Judiciary
- Nov 4, 2025SenateIntroducedIntroduced
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
www.legislature.ohio.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy50Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz30Current news / social attention level
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