Explanation
BACKGROUND
Ordinance No. 3554-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on December 10, 2025, which amended Title 45 of the Columbus City Codes by enacting a new Chapter 4553 and regulated the practice of utility reselling for residential properties in the City of Columbus.
After ordinance passage it was determined that more time was needed to allow for further time to clarify provisions and to allow the applicable entities affected by this ordinance additional time for compliance. This ordinance extends the compliance deadline from one (1) year to two (2) years from the effective date of the ordinance, making the new compliance deadline December 31st, 2027.
Fiscal Impact: No additional funding is required.
Emergency Justification: Emergency action is requested in order to prevent penalties from being assessed to the applicable entities under the current compliance deadline.
Title
To amend Ordinance No. 3554-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on December 10, 2025, to extend the compliance deadline by one (1) year to December 31st, 2027; and to declare an emergency. ($0.00)
Body
WHEREAS, Ordinance No. 3554-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on December 10, 2025, amended Title 45 of the Columbus City Codes by enacting a new Chapter 4553 and regulated the practice of utility reselling for residential properties in the City of Columbus; and
WHEREAS, after ordinance passage it was determined that more time was needed to allow for further time to clarify provisions and to allow the applicable entities affected by this ordinance additional time for compliance; and
WHEREAS, an emergency exists in the usual daily operation of the city in that it is immediately necessary to amend Ordinance 3554-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on December 10, 2025 to prevent penalties from being assessed to the applicable entities under the current compliance deadline, all for the immediate preservation of the public health, peace, property, safety, and welfare; and, NOW THEREFORE.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
SECTION 1. That Section 2 of Ordinance No. 3554-2025, passed by Columbus City Council on December 10, 2025, is hereby amended as follows, with additions in underline and deletions in strikethrough:
SECTION 2. All applicable entities must be in compliance with this code section within 1 year of the ordinance effective date by December 31st, 2027.
SECTION 2. That existing Title of Ordinance No. 3554-2025 and all references in the Background section and recitals of Ordinance No. 3554-2025 inconsistent with this ordinance are hereby repealed.
SECTION 3. That all provisions of Ordinance No. 3554-2025 not expressly repealed herein shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 4. That for the reason stated in the preamble hereto, which is hereby made a part hereof, this ordinance is hereby declared to be an emergency measure and shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage and approval by the Mayor, or ten days after passage if the Mayor neither approves nor vetoes the same.