Timothy J. Bechtold
Practice Areas
Industries
Education
- The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, J.D., 1978
- Xavier University, B.S., 1972, magna cum laude
Bar & Court Admissions
Tim is of counsel in the Vorys Columbus office where he is a member of the finance, energy and real estate group. His practice focuses on alcohol beverage law, assisting clients in the acquisition and transfer of liquor permits for their businesses in Ohio. He also engages in legislative and regulatory lobbying activities for the alcohol beverage industry and other clients.
His notable experience includes:
- Served for twenty years as in-house counsel and government affairs director for the Wholesale Beer and Wine Association of Ohio, Inc.
Tim is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Columbus Bar Association and the National Association of Alcohol Beverage Licensing Attorneys.
Tim has made numerous presentations on topics related to the alcohol beverage industry, including compliance seminars on gambling and smoking ban issues.
Tim received his J.D. from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law and his B.S. magna cum laude from Xavier University.
Before joining Vorys, Tim represented the Wholesale Beer and Wine Association of Ohio, Inc. before the Ohio General Assembly, Liquor Control Commission and the Division of Liquor Control on industry matters. He also managed the Political Action Committee (PAC) and provided legal advice to its members. Tim was also the legislative liaison to the State of Ohio Department of Liquor Control for five years.
Honors & Awards
- The Best Lawyers in America, Government Relations Practice, 2019-2020
News
- 8/15/2019One hundred and thirteen lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2020.
- 8/15/2018One hundred and thirteen lawyers from Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2019.
- 3/19/2015Tim Bechtold, of counsel in the Vorys Columbus office and a member of the government relations group, was quoted in a Hamilton Journal-News story titled “Liberty Twp. Approves 2 Entertainment Districts.”
Events
- 11/7/2018Vorys attorney, Tim Bechtold spoke at the Keep Ohio Beautiful 32nd Anniversary Annual Meeting & Awards Program on November 7, 2018.
- March 1-2 2018Vorys attorney Nick House presented at the 2018 ICSC Seminar; Changing the Narrative in the Age of “Fake News”: The Retail Beat Goes On. Scott Ziance and Tim Bechtold were panelists at the conference, and Ted Smith and Bryan Falk acted as moderators.
- 1/29/2016Vorys attorney Tim Bechtold will be a speaker at the Liquor and Gaming Seminar hosted by the Ohio State Bar Association on January 29, 2016.
- 9/18/2015Vorys attorney Tim Bechtold was a speaker at the Wholesale Beer and Wine Association of Ohio Annual Fall Convention on September 18, 2015.
- 3/28/2014Vorys attorney Tim Bechtold was a speaker at the Alcohol & Beverage Law Conference hosted by CLE International on March 28. 2014.
- 3/11/2014Vorys attorney Tim Bechtold was a speaker at the 21st Annual Legal Symposium on Alcohol Beverage Law & Regulation hosted by The National Alcohol Beverage Control Association on March 11, 2014.
- 2/17/2012Vorys attorney Tim Bechtold spoke at the Ohio Legislative Service Commission’s seminar, From Regulation to Prohibition to Regulation: The Evolution of Ohio's Liquor Laws, on February 17.
Insights
- 7/31/2019On July 30, 2019, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a new law legalizing and regulating “hemp,” defined as cannabis and derivatives thereof with no more than 0.3% tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) concentration on a dry weight basis.
- 11/7/2018This alert details results of the 2018 general election.
- 3/12/2018Last summer the Ohio General Assembly passed Ohio’s biennial budget and, in connection with doing so, expanded the Ohio Department of Taxation’s authority relative to the state’s processing of liquor license renewals and transfers.
- 11/9/2016This alert details results of the 2016 general election.
- 10/24/2016Tim Bechtold, of counsel in the Vorys Columbus office, authored an article for the Ohio State Bar Association’s “Law You Can Use” program.
- 12/18/2015Members of the Ohio House and Senate concluded their formal work schedule for 2015 last week with a flurry of activity aimed at finalizing pending legislative issues before heading back to their respective districts for the holidays. They are expected to return to Columbus January 20th for a very limited schedule prior to the March 15th Primary Election.
- 6/23/2015As the deadline for passage of Ohio’s budget bill looms, a House-Senate Conference Committee worked over the weekend and is expected to meet to report a compromise version of House Bill 64, the state’s two-year main operating budget bill, by mid-week.
- 1/15/2015Speaker of the House Cliff Rosenberger (R-Clarksville) and House Minority Leader Rep. Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton) announced House committee leadership positions this week for the new two-year session.
- 12/23/2014Members of the 130th Ohio General Assembly officially finished their business and headed home after the conclusion of a lengthy Ohio House floor session December 17. The hectic final days were notable both for the legislation that passed as well as for some high profile bills that did not pass.
- 11/5/2014This alert details results of the 2014 general election.
- 9/19/2014The latest edition of the Ohio Statehouse Update covers two high profile pieces of legislation that were passed this spring, as well as ongoing legislative committee hearings and meetings regarding pending bills and policy issues.
- 5/28/2014Legislators returned to Columbus this week after the Memorial Day weekend for what is likely their last two weeks of work before they break for the summer. Several high profile bills are scheduled for action before the summer break. They include SB 310, a controversial measure to put a two-year freeze on renewable and alternative energy standards, and HB 483, one of the Mid Biennial Budget Review (MBR) bills introduced by Governor John Kasich earlier this year.
- 3/25/2014The state’s two-year Capital Appropriations measure, House Bill 497, was introduced in the Ohio House on March 18. This year’s Capital Bill allocates $2.39 billion, largely bond-backed funding for brick-and-mortar construction and renovation projects for state agencies, colleges, universities and school districts. Also, for the first time in six years, the Capital Bill goes beyond funding construction and renovation needs for state-owned properties, providing approximately $160 million in funding for additional “community projects” identified as priorities across various regions of the state.
- 2/25/2014Ohio Statehouse Update: Governor Kasich Announces New Initiatives at Ohio State of the State AddressGovernor John R. Kasich announced new policy initiatives relating to education, workforce development and tax reform at his Monday night State of the State address in Medina. His proposals will be presented to the legislature as part of the Mid-Biennial Budget Review (MBR). The timetable for introduction of the MBR remains uncertain.
- 9/27/2013Just like the students who head back to school in August and the birds that start their journey south for the winter, legislators began their migration to Columbus in September. And your U. S. senators and congressmen are back at work in Washington.
- 7/1/2013On Sunday evening, Governor John Kasich signed House Bill 59, the state's two-year, $62 billion budget into law, just in time for the beginning of the new state fiscal year on July 1, 2013.
- 6/26/2013Last night on a 4-2 party line vote the Conference Committee on House Bill 59, led by the chairmen of the House and Senate Finance Committees, Rep. Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster) and Sen. Scott Oelslager (R-Canton), reported a compromise version of the state’s biennial budget bill that will now head to the House and Senate floor for a final vote to accept the changes.
- 5/29/2013Yesterday afternoon the Senate Finance Committee unveiled a substitute version of House Bill 59, the state biennial budget bill. The substitute legislation incorporates many changes, significant among which is the replacement of an across-the-board 7% income tax cut proposed in the House-passed version of the bill with a tax cut package specifically targeted at helping small businesses in Ohio.
- 4/10/2013The Ohio House Finance and Appropriations Committee accepted a substitute version of House Bill 59, the state’s biennial budget bill, at a hearing yesterday afternoon. Among numerous significant changes in the bill, the substitute legislation removes Governor Kasich’s proposed tax reforms and replaces them with an across the board 7% income tax reduction, and removes the proposed expansion of Medicaid that was projected to leverage $2.4 billion in federal funds to provide coverage for uninsured Ohioans over the next two years.
- 12/19/2012On Thursday, the Ohio General Assembly concluded its business for the 2011-2012 legislative session. The House and Senate debated a number of important measures during the fast-paced "Lame Duck"session following the November general election.
- 11/7/2012This alert details results of the 2012 primary election.
- 10/25/2012With the elections right around the corner, Vorys is providing you with unique insights from both sides of the aisle on the upcoming races.
- 10/3/2012With the November 6 General Election only five weeks away, the political campaign season is kicking into high gear. Here is a preview of the major candidate races and issues that will be on the ballot in Ohio.
- 10/1/2012The Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission held its first meeting on September 13, 2012. The Commission was created through the passage of House Bill 188 earlier this year, and is tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the Ohio Constitution, and making recommendations to the General Assembly regarding changes to the Constitution, including recommendations for changes to the process for proposing constitutional amendments.
- 2/29/2012Every 10 years, following the census, the Ohio Apportionment Board is tasked with redrawing Ohio’s House and Senate districts to reflect changes in population. The Ohio legislative districts must include 99 House Districts and 33 Senate Districts.
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- Fall 2008