Attention Ohio Insurance License Holders - On Friday, March 27, Governor DeWine signed H.B. 197, emergency legislation to provide relief to businesses and Ohioans in light of the COVID-19 crisis. Click for Ohio HB 197, as enrolled. Included in the bill are several regulatory relief measures. For example, the bill automatically extends renewal deadlines for all existing Division licenses, registration certificates, and notice filings that would otherwise expire during the crisis and gives licensees/registrants the same extension to complete any other actions that are necessary to maintain those licenses and registrations. The extension provides all licensees/registrants a 90-day window after the emergency period has ended to make any renewal filings due and to take any other actions necessary to maintain licensure and registration in Ohio. Although the end date of the emergency period remains uncertain, the 90-day window is structured so that all extensions automatically end no later than December 1, 2020.
H.B. 197 also provides relief to the Division and other agencies impacted by COVID-19 by granting the agencies the same 90-day extension in which to respond to applications and filings made during the emergency period, tolling timelines otherwise imposed by statutory and regulatory review mandates. The Division currently has no plans to delay its review of licensing or registration applications as it is continuing operations via telework with minimal to no disruption in service.