The Ohio House has introduced the Ohio Blockchain Basics Act, a bill aiming to secure digital asset ownership and prevent extra taxes on crypto payments. The legislation safeguards key practices such as self-custody, mining, and staking while exempting specific cryptocurrency transactions from money transmission licensing requirements. 24th of February saw Representative Steve Demetriou introduce the bill, co-sponsored by lawmakers Tex Fischer, Brian Lorenz, Ty D. Mathews, Riordan McClain, and Josh Williams. The bill seeks to establish a regulatory framework that supports digital asset usage within the state. One key provision prohibits governments from imposing extra taxes, fees, or charges on crypto payments, ensuring equal treatment compared to traditional transactions. However, crypto transactions will still be subject to standard tax obligations including state and sales taxes. Beyond tax measures, the bill emphasizes individual rights to self-custody their cryptocurrencies through hardware wallets and protection for staking and mining activities without requiring a money transmission license, as long as local zoning regulations are adhered to. This legislation also encourages wider cryptocurrency adoption by prohibiting state restrictions on accepting digital assets as payment methods, while allowing residential crypto mining operations subject to local ordinances. The bill further ensures a fair regulatory environment by preventing selective zoning modifications that could disadvantage mining businesses in industrial zones. Meanwhile, Georgia has introduced a separate Bitcoin reserve bill, Senate Bill 228, granting the state treasurer unrestricted authority to invest in Bitcoin. This bill removes investment limits and sets policies for Bitcoin transactions unlike SB 178, which is more conservative in its proposal and supported by Republicans.