SB 128 revises Ohio’s ABLE account statutes, which govern tax-advantaged savings accounts for individuals with disabilities. The bill updates the Treasurer of State’s duties in administering the program, including program development, federal compliance, reporting, fee collection, marketing, and rulemaking. It also expressly requires the state to pay account fees on behalf of Ohio account owners or beneficiaries, and it clarifies application and account-opening requirements, contribution limits, beneficiary eligibility, reporting, and restrictions such as prohibiting ABLE accounts from being used as loan collateral.
The bill also strengthens the legal protections and public-benefit treatment of ABLE accounts. It preserves the exemption of ABLE funds from attachment, execution, and garnishment, limits Medicaid estate recovery as allowed by federal law, and directs that ABLE account assets, contributions, and qualified distributions be disregarded when determining eligibility for state-, local-, or jointly funded means-tested public assistance programs. It further makes ABLE account information held by the Treasurer nonpublic.
In addition to the statutory changes, SB 128 includes an appropriation of $900,000 in each of fiscal years 2026 and 2027 for a new STABLE Maintenance Fee Subsidy line item. That money is intended to subsidize monthly fees for eligible account holders with disabilities, reducing the cost of maintaining ABLE accounts.
The available context shows no recorded committee testimony or floor votes, so there is no documented debate or opposition in the materials provided. Based on the bill text, the overall policy direction appears supportive of disability savings access and account affordability, with the appropriation and fee subsidy suggesting a favorable posture toward ABLE/STABLE account users and their families.
SB 128 amends Revised Code sections 113.51 and 113.53 to expand and clarify the Treasurer of State’s authority and responsibilities over Ohio’s ABLE savings program, while also creating a dedicated appropriation for account fee subsidies. It affects state administration of ABLE accounts, the treatment of account assets in state means-tested benefit determinations, and the confidentiality of account records. The bill also directs state funds to offset monthly maintenance fees for eligible disabled account holders through the STABLE Maintenance Fee Subsidy.
The bill appears generally supportive and beneficiary-focused, emphasizing reduced costs, stronger account protections, and broader disregard of ABLE assets for state benefit eligibility. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no direct evidence of opposition or amendment debate in the supplied materials. The inclusion of a specific appropriation suggests active legislative support for the program.
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided transcripts or votes. Potential areas of policy sensitivity inherent in the bill include the use of state funds to subsidize account fees, the exclusion of ABLE assets from means-tested eligibility calculations for state and local programs, and the confidentiality of account information. However, the supplied record does not show any member or stakeholder taking a formal opposing position.