Accountancy Board of Ohio provides budget testimony to Ohio Senate

Accountancy Board of Ohio (ABO) Executive Director Donna Oklok provided testimony on behalf of her agency’s proposed FY26-27 budget before the Ohio Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee on April 30.  

After months of testimony, the Ohio House of Representatives voted out the state operating budget, House Bill 96, on April 9 with a vote of 60-39. The Ohio Senate has now taken the reins and began testimony last week. 

Testimony in the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee began with statements from the Accountancy Board of Ohio, Ohio Architects Board/Ohio Landscape Architects Board, Court of Claims of Ohio, Ohio Judicial Conference, State Employment Relations Board and Department of Insurance.  

Oklok stated, “Ohio’s CPAs support an education fund for workforce development and to support students who want to become CPAs. The Board administers this fund through a licensing surcharge, which has been used to fund millions of dollars in scholarships, exam prep courses, and accounting career programs at all education levels.” 

She asked that the ABO funding be approved at the requested levels, and concluded by saying, “We are proud of our strong working relationship with the Ohio Society of CPAs and will continue to make that relationship even stronger.” 

There were no questions from committee members.