In January, outgoing Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed into law Senate Bill 255, which establishes a statewide policy on occupational regulations but was amended to address concerns from the association community.

The Professional Certification Commission (PCC) and a number of Ohio-based associations—in particular, the Ohio Society of Association Executives and the Ohio Society of CPAs—worked closely with state legislators in Columbus to change some of the language in the bill.

ASAE and others had been concerned about a provision that would have allowed the state to offer a government-run certification program in certain circumstances. The PCC and others were able to negotiate new language in the final legislation that doesn’t set the state up as a competitor to existing voluntary certification programs.

ASAE continues to work with the PCC to address legislation in a dozen other states that have introduced bills that challenge voluntary professional credentialing granted by associations and other groups.

Former Ohio Gov. John Kasich. (Alex Hanson/Flickr)