Ohio proposes Bill to Allow Gov’t to Implement Blockchain Solutions

A new bill introduced in April in the American state of Ohio’s House of Representatives would, if passed, would allow the state government and other government entities to implement blockchain solutions in the exercise of their authority. The bill 220 is sponsored by Republican Party’s State Representative Rick Carfagna, who represents Ohio’s 68th District in the House. 

As Northeast Ohio media agency Cleveland.com reported on April 25, the bill would prospectively legalize government blockchain applications such as recording car titles or hunting licenses online, where they could be accessible by authorized agencies on a secure distributed ledger. 

Earlier this week, Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted and Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish had reportedly participated in an event devoted to the cooperation between civic-minded start-ups and government, which included a panel covering the use of blockchain for government purposes.

From early on as November 2018, the state of Ohio has made a bid to position itself at the fore of blockchain and cryptocurrency adoption, becoming the reported first state to accept bitcoin (BTC) for tax payments.  In February 2019, Ohio’s state treasurer confirmed that two Ohio businesses had used the crypto tax solution, underscoring that the state itself receives the fiat equivalent from the original crypto payments.