Fund of Fidelity Municipal Trust

 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

March 1, 2024

 

This Statement of Additional Information (SAI) is not a prospectus. Portions of the fund's annual report are incorporated herein. The annual report(s) are supplied with this SAI.

To obtain a free additional copy of a prospectus or SAI, dated March 1, 2024, or an annual report, please call Fidelity at 1-800-544-8544 or visit Fidelity's web site at www.fidelity.com.

For more information on any Fidelity® fund, including charges and expenses, call Fidelity at the number indicated above for a free prospectus. Read it carefully before investing or sending money.

245 Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210 

OFS-OFR-PTB-0224

1.701220.126

 

The following policies and limitations supplement those set forth in the prospectus. Unless otherwise noted, whenever an investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of the fund's assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the fund's acquisition of such security or other asset. Accordingly, any subsequent change in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with the fund's investment policies and limitations.

The fund's fundamental investment policies and limitations cannot be changed without approval by a "majority of the outstanding voting securities" (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940 (1940 Act)) of the fund. However, except for the fundamental investment limitations listed below, the investment policies and limitations described in this Statement of Additional Information (SAI) are not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval.

The following are the fund's fundamental investment limitations set forth in their entirety.

Diversification

The fund may not with respect to 75% of the fund's total assets, purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, or securities of other investment companies) if, as a result, (a) more than 5% of the fund's total assets would be invested in the securities of that issuer, or (b) the fund would hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of that issuer.

For purposes of the fund's diversification limitation discussed above, Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC (FMR) identifies the issuer of a security depending on its terms and conditions. In identifying the issuer, FMR will consider the entity or entities responsible for payment of interest and repayment of principal and the source of such payments; the way in which assets and revenues of an issuing political subdivision are separated from those of other political entities; and whether a governmental body is guaranteeing the security.

For purposes of the fund's diversification limitation discussed above, FMR does not consider traditional bond insurance to be a separate security or the insurer to be a separate issuer. Therefore, the diversification limitation does not limit the percentage of fund assets that may be invested in securities insured by a single bond insurer.

Senior Securities

The fund may not issue senior securities, except in connection with the insurance program established by the fund pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission or as otherwise permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

Borrowing

The fund may not borrow money, except that the fund may borrow money for temporary or emergency purposes (not for leveraging or investment) in an amount not exceeding 33 1/3% of its total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings). Any borrowings that come to exceed this amount will be reduced within three days (not including Sundays and holidays) to the extent necessary to comply with the 33 1/3% limitation.

Underwriting

The fund may not underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that the fund may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 in the disposition of restricted securities or in connection with investments in other investment companies.

Concentration

The fund may not purchase the securities of any issuer (other than securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities, or tax-exempt obligations issued or guaranteed by a U.S. territory or possession or a state or local government, or a political subdivision of any of the foregoing) if, as a result, more than 25% of the fund's total assets would be invested in securities of companies whose principal business activities are in the same industry.

For purposes of the fund's concentration limitation discussed above, FMR identifies the issuer of a security depending on its terms and conditions. In identifying the issuer, FMR will consider the entity or entities responsible for payment of interest and repayment of principal and the source of such payments; the way in which assets and revenues of an issuing political subdivision are separated from those of other political entities; and whether a governmental body is guaranteeing the security.

For purposes of the fund's concentration limitation discussed above, FMR may analyze the characteristics of a particular issuer and security and assign an industry or sector classification consistent with those characteristics in the event that the third-party classification provider used by FMR does not assign a classification.

Real Estate

The fund may not purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the fund from investing in securities or other instruments backed by real estate or securities of companies engaged in the real estate business).

Commodities

The fund may not purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent the fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

Loans

The fund may not lend any security or make any other loan if, as a result, more than 33 1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties, but this limitation does not apply to purchases of debt securities or to repurchase agreements, or to acquisitions of loans, loan participations or other forms of debt instruments.

Investing for Control or Management

The fund may not invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control or management.

Pooled Funds

The fund may, notwithstanding any other fundamental investment policy or limitation, invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company managed by FMR or an affiliate or successor with substantially the same fundamental investment objective, policies, and limitations as the fund.

 

The following investment limitations are not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval.

Short Sales

The fund does not currently intend to sell securities short, unless it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short, and provided that transactions in futures contracts, options, and swaps are not deemed to constitute selling securities short.

Margin Purchases

The fund does not currently intend to purchase securities on margin, except that the fund may obtain such short-term credits as are necessary for the clearance of transactions, and provided that margin payments in connection with futures contracts and options on futures contracts shall not constitute purchasing securities on margin.

Borrowing

The fund may borrow money only (a) from a bank or from a registered investment company or portfolio for which FMR or an affiliate serves as investment adviser or (b) by engaging in reverse repurchase agreements with any party (reverse repurchase agreements are treated as borrowings for purposes of the fundamental borrowing investment limitation).

Illiquid Securities

The fund does not currently intend to purchase any security if, as a result, more than 10% of its net assets would be invested in securities that are deemed to be illiquid because they are subject to legal or contractual restrictions on resale or because they cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business at approximately the prices at which they are valued.

For purposes of the fund's illiquid securities limitation discussed above, if through a change in values, net assets, or other circumstances, the fund were in a position where more than 10% of its net assets were invested in illiquid securities, it would consider appropriate steps to protect liquidity.

Loans

The fund does not currently intend to engage in repurchase agreements or make loans, but this limitation does not apply to purchases of debt securities.

Pooled Funds

The fund does not currently intend to invest all of its assets in the securities of a single open-end management investment company managed by FMR or an affiliate or successor with substantially the same fundamental investment objective, policies, and limitations as the fund.

 

In addition to the fund's fundamental and non-fundamental investment limitations discussed above:

In order to qualify as a "regulated investment company" under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, the fund currently intends to comply with certain diversification limits imposed by Subchapter M.

 

The following pages contain more detailed information about types of instruments in which the fund may invest, techniques the fund's adviser (or a sub-adviser) may employ in pursuit of the fund's investment objective, and a summary of related risks. The fund's adviser (or a sub-adviser) may not buy all of these instruments or use all of these techniques unless it believes that doing so will help the fund achieve its goal. However, the fund's adviser (or a sub-adviser) is not required to buy any particular instrument or use any particular technique even if to do so might benefit the fund.

On the following pages in this section titled "Investment Policies and Limitations," and except as otherwise indicated, references to "an adviser" or "the adviser" may relate to the fund's adviser or a sub-adviser, as applicable.

Affiliated Bank Transactions. A Fidelity® fund may engage in transactions with financial institutions that are, or may be considered to be, "affiliated persons" of the fund under the 1940 Act. These transactions may involve repurchase agreements with custodian banks; short-term obligations of, and repurchase agreements with, the 50 largest U.S. banks (measured by deposits); municipal securities; U.S. Government securities with affiliated financial institutions that are primary dealers in these securities; short-term currency transactions; and short-term borrowings. In accordance with exemptive orders issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Board of Trustees has established and periodically reviews procedures applicable to transactions involving affiliated financial institutions.

Asset-Backed Securities represent interests in pools of purchase contracts, financing leases, or sales agreements entered into by municipalities. Payment of interest and repayment of principal may be largely dependent upon the cash flows generated by the assets backing the securities and, in certain cases, supported by letters of credit, surety bonds, or other credit enhancements. Asset-backed security values may also be affected by other factors including changes in interest rates, the availability of information concerning the pool and its structure, the creditworthiness of the servicing agent for the pool, the originator of the loans or receivables, or the entities providing the credit enhancement. In addition, these securities may be subject to prepayment risk.

Collateralized Loan Obligations (CLO) are a type of asset-backed security. A CLO is a trust typically collateralized by a pool of loans, which may include, among others, domestic and foreign senior secured loans, senior unsecured loans, and subordinate corporate loans, including loans that may be rated below investment grade or equivalent unrated loans. CLOs may charge management fees and administrative expenses. For CLOs, the cash flows from the trust are split into two or more portions, called tranches, varying in risk and yield. The riskiest portion is the "equity" tranche which bears the bulk of defaults from the bonds or loans in the trust and serves to protect the other, more senior tranches from default in all but the most severe circumstances. Since they are partially protected from defaults, senior tranches from a CLO trust typically have higher ratings and lower yields than their underlying securities and can be rated investment grade. Despite the protection from the equity tranche, CLO tranches can experience substantial losses due to actual defaults, increased sensitivity to defaults due to collateral default and disappearance of protecting tranches, market anticipation of defaults, as well as aversion to CLO securities as a class. Normally, CLOs are privately offered and sold, and thus, are not registered under the securities laws. As a result, investments in CLOs may be characterized by a fund as illiquid securities, however an active dealer market may exist allowing them to qualify for Rule 144A transactions.

Borrowing. If a fund borrows money, its share price may be subject to greater fluctuation until the borrowing is paid off. If a fund makes additional investments while borrowings are outstanding, this may be considered a form of leverage.

Cash Management. A fund may hold uninvested cash or may invest it in cash equivalents such as money market securities, repurchase agreements, or shares of short-term bond or money market funds, including (for Fidelity® funds and other advisory clients only) shares of Fidelity® Central funds. Generally, these securities offer less potential for gains than other types of securities. A municipal fund's uninvested cash may earn credits that reduce fund expenses.

Central Funds are special types of investment vehicles created by Fidelity for use by the Fidelity® funds and other advisory clients. Central funds are used to invest in particular security types or investment disciplines, or for cash management. Central funds incur certain costs related to their investment activity (such as custodial fees and expenses), but generally do not pay additional management fees. The investment results of the portions of a Fidelity® fund's assets invested in the Central funds will be based upon the investment results of those funds.

Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Notice of Exclusion. The Adviser, on behalf of the Fidelity® fund to which this SAI relates, has filed with the National Futures Association a notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term "commodity pool operator" (CPO) under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, and the rules of the CFTC promulgated thereunder, with respect to the fund's operation. Accordingly, neither a fund nor its adviser is subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool or a CPO. As of the date of this SAI, the adviser does not expect to register as a CPO of the fund. However, there is no certainty that a fund or its adviser will be able to rely on an exclusion in the future as the fund's investments change over time. A fund may determine not to use investment strategies that trigger additional CFTC regulation or may determine to operate subject to CFTC regulation, if applicable. If a fund or its adviser operates subject to CFTC regulation, it may incur additional expenses.

Disruption to Financial Markets and Related Government Intervention. Economic downturns can trigger various economic, legal, budgetary, tax, and regulatory reforms across the globe. Instability in the financial markets in the wake of events such as the 2008 economic downturn led the U.S. Government and other governments to take a number of then-unprecedented actions designed to support certain financial institutions and segments of the financial markets that experienced extreme volatility, and in some cases, a lack of liquidity. Federal, state, local, foreign, and other governments, their regulatory agencies, or self-regulatory organizations may take actions that affect the regulation of the instruments in which a fund invests, or the issuers of such instruments, in ways that are unforeseeable. Reforms may also change the way in which a fund is regulated and could limit or preclude a fund's ability to achieve its investment objective or engage in certain strategies. Also, while reforms generally are intended to strengthen markets, systems, and public finances, they could affect fund expenses and the value of fund investments in unpredictable ways.

Similarly, widespread disease including pandemics and epidemics, and natural or environmental disasters, such as earthquakes, droughts, fires, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and climate-related phenomena generally, have been and can be highly disruptive to economies and markets, adversely impacting individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a fund's investments. Economies and financial markets throughout the world have become increasingly interconnected, which increases the likelihood that events or conditions in one region or country will adversely affect markets or issuers in other regions or countries, including the United States. Additionally, market disruptions may result in increased market volatility; regulatory trading halts; closure of domestic or foreign exchanges, markets, or governments; or market participants operating pursuant to business continuity plans for indeterminate periods of time. Further, market disruptions can (i) prevent a fund from executing advantageous investment decisions in a timely manner, (ii) negatively impact a fund's ability to achieve its investment objective, and (iii) may exacerbate the risks discussed elsewhere in a fund's registration statement, including political, social, and economic risks.

The value of a fund's portfolio is also generally subject to the risk of future local, national, or global economic or natural disturbances based on unknown weaknesses in the markets in which a fund invests. In the event of such a disturbance, the issuers of securities held by a fund may experience significant declines in the value of their assets and even cease operations, or may receive government assistance accompanied by increased restrictions on their business operations or other government intervention. In addition, it remains uncertain that the U.S. Government or foreign governments will intervene in response to current or future market disturbances and the effect of any such future intervention cannot be predicted.

Dollar-Weighted Average Maturity is derived by multiplying the value of each security by the time remaining to its maturity, adding these calculations, and then dividing the total by the value of a fund's portfolio. An obligation's maturity is typically determined on a stated final maturity basis, although there are some exceptions to this rule.

Under certain circumstances, a fund may invest in nominally long-term securities that have maturity-shortening features of shorter-term securities, and the maturities of these securities may be deemed to be earlier than their ultimate maturity dates by virtue of an existing demand feature or an adjustable interest rate. Under other circumstances, if it is probable that the issuer of an instrument will take advantage of a maturity-shortening device, such as a call, refunding, or redemption provision, the date on which the instrument will probably be called, refunded, or redeemed may be considered to be its maturity date. When a municipal bond issuer has committed to call an issue of bonds and has established an independent escrow account that is sufficient to, and is pledged to, refund that issue, the number of days to maturity for the prerefunded bond is considered to be the number of days to the announced call date of the bonds.

Duration is a measure of a bond's price sensitivity to a change in its yield. For example, if a bond has a 5-year duration and its yield rises 1%, the bond's value is likely to fall about 5%. Similarly, if a bond fund has a 5-year average duration and the yield on each of the bonds held by the fund rises 1%, the fund's value is likely to fall about 5%. For funds with exposure to foreign markets, there are many reasons why all of the bond holdings do not experience the same yield changes. These reasons include: the bonds are spread off of different yield curves around the world and these yield curves do not move in tandem; the shapes of these yield curves change; and sector and issuer yield spreads change. Other factors can influence a bond fund's performance and share price. Accordingly, a bond fund's actual performance will likely differ from the example.

Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) are shares of other investment companies, commodity pools, or other entities that are traded on an exchange. Assets underlying the ETF shares may consist of stocks, bonds, commodities, or other instruments, depending on an ETF's investment objective and strategies. An ETF may seek to replicate the performance of a specific index or may be actively managed.

Typically, shares of an ETF that tracks an index are expected to increase in value as the value of the underlying benchmark increases. However, in the case of inverse ETFs (also called "short ETFs" or "bear ETFs"), ETF shares are expected to increase in value as the value of the underlying benchmark decreases. Inverse ETFs seek to deliver the opposite of the performance of the benchmark they track and are often marketed as a way for investors to profit from, or at least hedge their exposure to, downward moving markets. Investments in inverse ETFs are similar to holding short positions in the underlying benchmark.

ETF shares are redeemable only in large blocks of shares often called "creation units" by persons other than a fund, and are redeemed principally in-kind at each day's next calculated net asset value per share (NAV). ETFs typically incur fees that are separate from those fees incurred directly by a fund. A fund's purchase of ETFs results in the layering of expenses, such that the fund would indirectly bear a proportionate share of any ETF's operating expenses. Further, while traditional investment companies are continuously offered at NAV, ETFs are traded in the secondary market (e.g., on a stock exchange) on an intra-day basis at prices that may be above or below the value of their underlying portfolios.

Some of the risks of investing in an ETF that tracks an index are similar to those of investing in an indexed mutual fund, including tracking error risk (the risk of errors in matching the ETF's underlying assets to the index or other benchmark); and the risk that because an ETF that tracks an index is not actively managed, it cannot sell stocks or other assets as long as they are represented in the index or other benchmark. Other ETF risks include the risk that ETFs may trade in the secondary market at a discount from their NAV and the risk that the ETFs may not be liquid. ETFs also may be leveraged. Leveraged ETFs seek to deliver multiples of the performance of the index or other benchmark they track and use derivatives in an effort to amplify the returns (or decline, in the case of inverse ETFs) of the underlying index or benchmark. While leveraged ETFs may offer the potential for greater return, the potential for loss and the speed at which losses can be realized also are greater. Most leveraged and inverse ETFs "reset" daily, meaning they are designed to achieve their stated objectives on a daily basis. Leveraged and inverse ETFs can deviate substantially from the performance of their underlying benchmark over longer periods of time, particularly in volatile periods.

Funds of Funds and Other Large Shareholders. Certain Fidelity® funds and accounts (including funds of funds) invest in other funds ("underlying funds") and, as a result, may at times have substantial investments in one or more underlying funds.

An underlying fund may experience large redemptions or investments due to transactions in its shares by funds of funds, other large shareholders, or similarly managed accounts. While it is impossible to predict the overall effect of these transactions over time, there could be an adverse impact on an underlying fund's performance. In the event of such redemptions or investments, an underlying fund could be required to sell securities or to invest cash at a time when it may not otherwise desire to do so. Such transactions may increase an underlying fund's brokerage and/or other transaction costs and affect the liquidity of a fund's portfolio. In addition, when funds of funds or other investors own a substantial portion of an underlying fund's shares, a large redemption by such an investor could cause actual expenses to increase, or could result in the underlying fund's current expenses being allocated over a smaller asset base, leading to an increase in the underlying fund's expense ratio. Redemptions of underlying fund shares could also accelerate the realization of taxable capital gains in the fund if sales of securities result in capital gains. The impact of these transactions is likely to be greater when a fund of funds or other significant investor purchases, redeems, or owns a substantial portion of the underlying fund's shares.

When possible, Fidelity will consider how to minimize these potential adverse effects, and may take such actions as it deems appropriate to address potential adverse effects, including redemption of shares in-kind rather than in cash or carrying out the transactions over a period of time, although there can be no assurance that such actions will be successful. A high volume of redemption requests can impact an underlying fund the same way as the transactions of a single shareholder with substantial investments. As an additional safeguard, Fidelity® fund of funds may manage the placement of their redemption requests in a manner designed to minimize the impact of such requests on the day-to-day operations of the underlying funds in which they invest. This may involve, for example, redeeming its shares of an underlying fund gradually over time.

Futures, Options, and Swaps. The success of any strategy involving futures, options, and swaps depends on an adviser's analysis of many economic and mathematical factors and a fund's return may be higher if it never invested in such instruments. Additionally, some of the contracts discussed below are new instruments without a trading history and there can be no assurance that a market for the instruments will continue to exist. Government legislation or regulation could affect the use of such instruments and could limit a fund's ability to pursue its investment strategies. If a fund invests a significant portion of its assets in derivatives, its investment exposure could far exceed the value of its portfolio securities and its investment performance could be primarily dependent upon securities it does not own.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company may limit the extent to which a fund may enter into futures, options on futures, and forward contracts.

Futures Contracts. In purchasing a futures contract, the buyer agrees to purchase a specified underlying instrument at a specified future date. In selling a futures contract, the seller agrees to sell a specified underlying instrument at a specified date. Futures contracts are standardized, exchange-traded contracts and the price at which the purchase and sale will take place is fixed when the buyer and seller enter into the contract. Some currently available futures contracts are based on specific securities or baskets of securities, some are based on commodities or commodities indexes (for funds that seek commodities exposure), and some are based on indexes of securities prices (including foreign indexes for funds that seek foreign exposure). In addition, some currently available futures contracts are based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) and other interest rates. Futures on indexes and futures not calling for physical delivery of the underlying instrument will be settled through cash payments rather than through delivery of the underlying instrument. Futures can be held until their delivery dates, or can be closed out by offsetting purchases or sales of futures contracts before then if a liquid market is available. A fund may realize a gain or loss by closing out its futures contracts.

The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of its underlying instrument. Therefore, purchasing futures contracts will tend to increase a fund's exposure to positive and negative price fluctuations in the underlying instrument, much as if it had purchased the underlying instrument directly. When a fund sells a futures contract, by contrast, the value of its futures position will tend to move in a direction contrary to the market for the underlying instrument. Selling futures contracts, therefore, will tend to offset both positive and negative market price changes, much as if the underlying instrument had been sold.

The purchaser or seller of a futures contract or an option for a futures contract is not required to deliver or pay for the underlying instrument or the final cash settlement price, as applicable, unless the contract is held until the delivery date. However, both the purchaser and seller are required to deposit "initial margin" with a futures broker, known as a futures commission merchant, when the contract is entered into. If the value of either party's position declines, that party will be required to make additional "variation margin" payments to settle the change in value on a daily basis. This process of "marking to market" will be reflected in the daily calculation of open positions computed in a fund's NAV. The party that has a gain is entitled to receive all or a portion of this amount. Initial and variation margin payments do not constitute purchasing securities on margin for purposes of a fund's investment limitations. Variation margin does not represent a borrowing or loan by a fund, but is instead a settlement between a fund and the futures commission merchant of the amount one would owe the other if the fund's contract expired. In the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of a futures commission merchant that holds margin on behalf of a fund, the fund may be entitled to return of margin owed to it only in proportion to the amount received by the futures commission merchant's other customers, potentially resulting in losses to the fund.

There is no assurance a liquid market will exist for any particular futures contract at any particular time. Exchanges may establish daily price fluctuation limits for futures contracts, and may halt trading if a contract's price moves upward or downward more than the limit in a given day. On volatile trading days when the price fluctuation limit is reached or a trading halt is imposed, it may be impossible to enter into new positions or close out existing positions. The daily limit governs only price movements during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example, futures prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of positions and subjecting some holders of futures contracts to substantial losses.

If the market for a contract is not liquid because of price fluctuation limits or other market conditions, it could prevent prompt liquidation of unfavorable positions, and potentially could require a fund to continue to hold a position until delivery or expiration regardless of changes in its value. These risks may be heightened for commodity futures contracts, which have historically been subject to greater price volatility than exists for instruments such as stocks and bonds.

Because there are a limited number of types of exchange-traded futures contracts, it is likely that the standardized contracts available will not match a fund's current or anticipated investments exactly. A fund may invest in futures contracts based on securities with different issuers, maturities, or other characteristics from the securities in which the fund typically invests, which involves a risk that the futures position will not track the performance of the fund's other investments.

Futures prices can also diverge from the prices of their underlying instruments, even if the underlying instruments match a fund's investments well. Futures prices are affected by such factors as current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility of the underlying instrument, and the time remaining until expiration of the contract, which may not affect security prices the same way. Imperfect correlation may also result from differing levels of demand in the futures markets and the securities markets, from structural differences in how futures and securities are traded, or from imposition of daily price fluctuation limits or trading halts. A fund may purchase or sell futures contracts with a greater or lesser value than the securities it wishes to hedge or intends to purchase in order to attempt to compensate for differences in volatility between the contract and the securities, although this may not be successful in all cases. If price changes in a fund's futures positions are poorly correlated with its other investments, the positions may fail to produce anticipated gains or result in losses that are not offset by gains in other investments. In addition, the price of a commodity futures contract can reflect the storage costs associated with the purchase of the physical commodity.

Futures contracts on U.S. Government securities historically have reacted to an increase or decrease in interest rates in a manner similar to the manner in which the underlying U.S. Government securities reacted. To the extent, however, that a fund enters into such futures contracts, the value of these futures contracts will not vary in direct proportion to the value of the fund's holdings of U.S. Government securities. Thus, the anticipated spread between the price of the futures contract and the hedged security may be distorted due to differences in the nature of the markets. The spread also may be distorted by differences in initial and variation margin requirements, the liquidity of such markets and the participation of speculators in such markets.

Options. By purchasing a put option, the purchaser obtains the right (but not the obligation) to sell the option's underlying instrument at a fixed strike price. In return for this right, the purchaser pays the current market price for the option (known as the option premium). Options have various types of underlying instruments, including specific assets or securities, baskets of assets or securities, indexes of securities or commodities prices, and futures contracts (including commodity futures contracts). Options may be traded on an exchange or over-the-counter (OTC). The purchaser may terminate its position in a put option by allowing it to expire or by exercising the option. If the option is allowed to expire, the purchaser will lose the entire premium. If the option is exercised, the purchaser completes the sale of the underlying instrument at the strike price. Depending on the terms of the contract, upon exercise, an option may require physical delivery of the underlying instrument or may be settled through cash payments. A purchaser may also terminate a put option position by closing it out in the secondary market at its current price, if a liquid secondary market exists.

The buyer of a typical put option can expect to realize a gain if the underlying instrument's price falls substantially. However, if the underlying instrument's price does not fall enough to offset the cost of purchasing the option, a put buyer can expect to suffer a loss (limited to the amount of the premium, plus related transaction costs).

The features of call options are essentially the same as those of put options, except that the purchaser of a call option obtains the right (but not the obligation) to purchase, rather than sell, the underlying instrument at the option's strike price. A call buyer typically attempts to participate in potential price increases of the underlying instrument with risk limited to the cost of the option if the underlying instrument's price falls. At the same time, the buyer can expect to suffer a loss if the underlying instrument's price does not rise sufficiently to offset the cost of the option.

The writer of a put or call option takes the opposite side of the transaction from the option's purchaser. In return for receipt of the premium, the writer assumes the obligation to pay or receive the strike price for the option's underlying instrument if the other party to the option chooses to exercise it. The writer may seek to terminate a position in a put option before exercise by closing out the option in the secondary market at its current price. If the secondary market is not liquid for a put option, however, the writer must continue to be prepared to pay the strike price while the option is outstanding, regardless of price changes. When writing an option on a futures contract, a fund will be required to make margin payments to a futures commission merchant as described above for futures contracts.

If the underlying instrument's price rises, a put writer would generally expect to profit, although its gain would be limited to the amount of the premium it received. If the underlying instrument's price remains the same over time, it is likely that the writer will also profit, because it should be able to close out the option at a lower price. If the underlying instrument's price falls, the put writer would expect to suffer a loss. This loss should be less than the loss from purchasing the underlying instrument directly, however, because the premium received for writing the option should mitigate the effects of the decline.

Writing a call option obligates the writer to sell or deliver the option's underlying instrument or make a net cash settlement payment, as applicable, in return for the strike price, upon exercise of the option. The characteristics of writing call options are similar to those of writing put options, except that writing calls generally is a profitable strategy if prices remain the same or fall. Through receipt of the option premium, a call writer should mitigate the effects of a price increase. At the same time, because a call writer must be prepared to deliver the underlying instrument or make a net cash settlement payment, as applicable, in return for the strike price, even if its current value is greater, a call writer gives up some ability to participate in price increases and, if a call writer does not hold the underlying instrument, a call writer's loss is theoretically unlimited.

Where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price to close out the put or call option on the secondary market may move more or less than the price of the related security.

There is no assurance a liquid market will exist for any particular options contract at any particular time. Options may have relatively low trading volume and liquidity if their strike prices are not close to the underlying instrument's current price. In addition, exchanges may establish daily price fluctuation limits for exchange-traded options contracts, and may halt trading if a contract's price moves upward or downward more than the limit in a given day. On volatile trading days when the price fluctuation limit is reached or a trading halt is imposed, it may be impossible to enter into new positions or close out existing positions. If the market for a contract is not liquid because of price fluctuation limits or otherwise, it could prevent prompt liquidation of unfavorable positions, and potentially could require a fund to continue to hold a position until delivery or expiration regardless of changes in its value.

Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size, and strike price, the terms of OTC options (options not traded on exchanges) generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option contract. While this type of arrangement allows the purchaser or writer greater flexibility to tailor an option to its needs, OTC options generally are less liquid and involve greater credit risk than exchange-traded options, which are backed by the clearing organization of the exchanges where they are traded.

Combined positions involve purchasing and writing options in combination with each other, or in combination with futures or forward contracts, to adjust the risk and return characteristics of the overall position. For example, purchasing a put option and writing a call option on the same underlying instrument would construct a combined position whose risk and return characteristics are similar to selling a futures contract. Another possible combined position would involve writing a call option at one strike price and buying a call option at a lower price, to reduce the risk of the written call option in the event of a substantial price increase. Because combined options positions involve multiple trades, they result in higher transaction costs and may be more difficult to open and close out.

A fund may also buy and sell options on swaps (swaptions), which are generally options on interest rate swaps. An option on a swap gives a party the right (but not the obligation) to enter into a new swap agreement or to extend, shorten, cancel or modify an existing contract at a specific date in the future in exchange for a premium. Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, a fund will generally incur a greater degree of risk when it writes (sells) an option on a swap than it will incur when it purchases an option on a swap. When a fund purchases an option on a swap, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when a fund writes an option on a swap, upon exercise of the option the fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement. A fund that writes an option on a swap receives the premium and bears the risk of unfavorable changes in the preset rate on the underlying interest rate swap. Whether a fund's use of options on swaps will be successful in furthering its investment objective will depend on the adviser's ability to predict correctly whether certain types of investments are likely to produce greater returns than other investments. Options on swaps may involve risks similar to those discussed below in "Swap Agreements."

Because there are a limited number of types of exchange-traded options contracts, it is likely that the standardized contracts available will not match a fund's current or anticipated investments exactly. A fund may invest in options contracts based on securities with different issuers, maturities, or other characteristics from the securities in which the fund typically invests, which involves a risk that the options position will not track the performance of the fund's other investments.

Options prices can also diverge from the prices of their underlying instruments, even if the underlying instruments match a fund's investments well. Options prices are affected by such factors as current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility of the underlying instrument, and the time remaining until expiration of the contract, which may not affect security prices the same way. Imperfect correlation may also result from differing levels of demand in the options and futures markets and the securities markets, from structural differences in how options and futures and securities are traded, or from imposition of daily price fluctuation limits or trading halts. A fund may purchase or sell options contracts with a greater or lesser value than the securities it wishes to hedge or intends to purchase in order to attempt to compensate for differences in volatility between the contract and the securities, although this may not be successful in all cases. If price changes in a fund's options positions are poorly correlated with its other investments, the positions may fail to produce anticipated gains or result in losses that are not offset by gains in other investments.

Swap Agreements. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors. Cleared swaps are transacted through futures commission merchants that are members of central clearinghouses with the clearinghouse serving as a central counterparty similar to transactions in futures contracts. In a standard "swap" transaction, two parties agree to exchange one or more payments based, for example, on the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments (such as securities, commodities, indexes, or other financial or economic interests). The gross payments to be exchanged between the parties are calculated with respect to a notional amount, which is the predetermined dollar principal of the trade representing the hypothetical underlying quantity upon which payment obligations are computed.

Swap agreements can take many different forms and are known by a variety of names, including interest rate swaps (where the parties exchange a floating rate for a fixed rate), asset swaps (e.g., where parties combine the purchase or sale of a bond with an interest rate swap), total return swaps, and credit default swaps. Depending on how they are used, swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility of a fund's investments and its share price and, if applicable, its yield. Swap agreements are subject to liquidity risk, meaning that a fund may be unable to sell a swap contract to a third party at a favorable price. Certain standardized swap transactions are currently subject to mandatory central clearing or may be eligible for voluntary central clearing. Central clearing is expected to decrease counterparty risk and increase liquidity compared to uncleared swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterpart to each participant's swap. However, central clearing does not eliminate counterparty risk or illiquidity risk entirely. In addition depending on the size of a fund and other factors, the margin required under the rules of a clearinghouse and by a clearing member futures commission merchant may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by a fund to support its obligations under a similar uncleared swap. However, regulators have adopted rules imposing certain margin requirements, including minimums, on certain uncleared swaps which could reduce the distinction.

A total return swap is a contract whereby one party agrees to make a series of payments to another party based on the change in the market value of the assets underlying such contract (which can include a security or other instrument, commodity, index or baskets thereof) during the specified period. In exchange, the other party to the contract agrees to make a series of payments calculated by reference to an interest rate and/or some other agreed-upon amount (including the change in market value of other underlying assets). A fund may use total return swaps to gain exposure to an asset without owning it or taking physical custody of it. For example, a fund investing in total return commodity swaps will receive the price appreciation of a commodity, commodity index or portion thereof in exchange for payment of an agreed-upon fee.

In a credit default swap, the credit default protection buyer makes periodic payments, known as premiums, to the credit default protection seller. In return the credit default protection seller will make a payment to the credit default protection buyer upon the occurrence of a specified credit event. A credit default swap can refer to a single issuer or asset, a basket of issuers or assets or index of assets, each known as the reference entity or underlying asset. A fund may act as either the buyer or the seller of a credit default swap. A fund may buy or sell credit default protection on a basket of issuers or assets, even if a number of the underlying assets referenced in the basket are lower-quality debt securities. In an unhedged credit default swap, a fund buys credit default protection on a single issuer or asset, a basket of issuers or assets or index of assets without owning the underlying asset or debt issued by the reference entity. Credit default swaps involve greater and different risks than investing directly in the referenced asset, because, in addition to market risk, credit default swaps include liquidity, counterparty and operational risk.

Credit default swaps allow a fund to acquire or reduce credit exposure to a particular issuer, asset or basket of assets. If a swap agreement calls for payments by a fund, the fund must be prepared to make such payments when due. If a fund is the credit default protection seller, the fund will experience a loss if a credit event occurs and the credit of the reference entity or underlying asset has deteriorated. If a fund is the credit default protection buyer, the fund will be required to pay premiums to the credit default protection seller. In the case of a physically settled credit default swap in which a fund is the protection seller, the fund must be prepared to pay par for and take possession of debt of a defaulted issuer delivered to the fund by the credit default protection buyer. Any loss would be offset by the premium payments the fund receives as the seller of credit default protection.

If the creditworthiness of a fund's swap counterparty declines, the risk that the counterparty may not perform could increase, potentially resulting in a loss to the fund. To limit the counterparty risk involved in swap agreements, a Fidelity® fund will enter into swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness. This risk for cleared swaps is generally lower than for uncleared swaps since the counterparty is a clearinghouse, but there can be no assurance that a clearinghouse or its members will satisfy its obligations. Although there can be no assurance that a fund will be able to do so, a fund may be able to reduce or eliminate its exposure under a swap agreement either by assignment or other disposition, or by entering into an offsetting swap agreement with the same party or another creditworthy party. A fund may have limited ability to eliminate its exposure under a credit default swap if the credit of the reference entity or underlying asset has declined.

A fund bears the risk of loss of the amount expected to be received under a swap agreement in the event of the default or bankruptcy of a swap agreement counterparty. A fund would generally be required to provide margin or collateral for the benefit of that counterparty. If a counterparty to a swap transaction becomes insolvent, the fund may be limited temporarily or permanently in exercising its right to the return of related fund assets designated as margin or collateral in an action against the counterparty.

Swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to a fund's interest. A fund bears the risk that an adviser will not accurately forecast market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing swap positions for a fund. If an adviser attempts to use a swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, a fund may be exposed to the risk that the swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment, which could cause substantial losses for a fund. While hedging strategies involving swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments. Swaps are complex and often valued subjectively.

Illiquid Investments means any investment that cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. Difficulty in selling or disposing of illiquid investments may result in a loss or may be costly to a fund. Illiquid securities may include (1) repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days without demand/redemption features, (2) OTC options and certain other derivatives, (3) private placements, (4) securities traded on markets and exchanges with structural constraints, and (5) loan participations.

Under the supervision of the Board of Trustees, a Fidelity® fund's adviser classifies the liquidity of a fund's investments and monitors the extent of a fund's illiquid investments.

Various market, trading and investment-specific factors may be considered in determining the liquidity of a fund's investments including, but not limited to (1) the existence of an active trading market, (2) the nature of the security and the market in which it trades, (3) the number, diversity, and quality of dealers and prospective purchasers in the marketplace, (4) the frequency, volume, and volatility of trade and price quotations, (5) bid-ask spreads, (6) dates of issuance and maturity, (7) demand, put or tender features, and (8) restrictions on trading or transferring the investment.

Fidelity classifies certain investments as illiquid based upon these criteria. Fidelity also monitors for certain market, trading and investment-specific events that may cause Fidelity to re-evaluate an investment's liquidity status and may lead to an investment being classified as illiquid. In addition, Fidelity uses a third-party to assist with the liquidity classifications of the fund's investments, which includes calculating the time to sell and settle a specified size position in a particular investment without the sale significantly changing the market value of the investment.

Increasing Government Debt. The total public debt of the United States and other countries around the globe as a percent of gross domestic product has, at times, grown rapidly. Although high debt levels do not necessarily indicate or cause economic problems, they may create certain systemic risks if sound debt management practices are not implemented.

A high national debt level may increase market pressures to meet government funding needs, which may drive debt cost higher and cause a country to sell additional debt, thereby increasing refinancing risk. A high national debt also raises concerns that a government will not be able to make principal or interest payments when they are due. In the worst case, unsustainable debt levels can decline the valuation of currencies, and can prevent a government from implementing effective counter-cyclical fiscal policy in economic downturns.

Rating services have, in the past, lowered their long-term sovereign credit rating on the United States. The market prices and yields of securities supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government may be adversely affected by rating services' decisions to downgrade the long-term sovereign credit rating of the United States.

Indexed Securities are instruments whose prices are indexed to the prices of other securities, securities indexes, or other financial indicators. Indexed securities typically, but not always, are debt securities or deposits whose values at maturity or coupon rates are determined by reference to a specific instrument, statistic, or measure.

Indexed securities also include commercial paper, certificates of deposit, and other fixed-income securities whose values at maturity or coupon interest rates are determined by reference to the returns of particular stock indexes. Indexed securities can be affected by stock prices as well as changes in interest rates and the creditworthiness of their issuers and may not track the indexes as accurately as direct investments in the indexes.

Indexed securities may have principal payments as well as coupon payments that depend on the performance of one or more interest rates. Their coupon rates or principal payments may change by several percentage points for every 1% interest rate change.

The performance of indexed securities depends to a great extent on the performance of the instrument or measure to which they are indexed, and may also be influenced by interest rate changes in the United States and abroad. Indexed securities may be more volatile than the underlying instruments or measures. Indexed securities are also subject to the credit risks associated with the issuer of the security, and their values may decline substantially if the issuer's creditworthiness deteriorates. Recent issuers of indexed securities have included banks, corporations, and certain U.S. Government agencies.

Insolvency of Issuers, Counterparties, and Intermediaries. Issuers of fund portfolio securities or counterparties to fund transactions that become insolvent or declare bankruptcy can pose special investment risks. In each circumstance, risk of loss, valuation uncertainty, increased illiquidity, and other unpredictable occurrences may negatively impact an investment. Each of these risks may be amplified in foreign markets, where security trading, settlement, and custodial practices can be less developed than those in the U.S. markets, and bankruptcy laws differ from those of the U.S.

As a general matter, if the issuer of a fund portfolio security is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds and preferred stock have priority over the claims of common stock owners. These events can negatively impact the value of the issuer's securities and the results of related proceedings can be unpredictable.

If a counterparty to a fund transaction, such as a swap transaction, a short sale, a borrowing, or other complex transaction becomes insolvent, the fund may be limited in its ability to exercise rights to obtain the return of related fund assets or in exercising other rights against the counterparty. Uncertainty may also arise upon the insolvency of a securities or commodities intermediary such as a broker-dealer or futures commission merchant with which a fund has pending transactions. In addition, insolvency and liquidation proceedings take time to resolve, which can limit or preclude a fund's ability to terminate a transaction or obtain related assets or collateral in a timely fashion. If an intermediary becomes insolvent, while securities positions and other holdings may be protected by U.S. or foreign laws, it is sometimes difficult to determine whether these protections are available to specific trades based on the circumstances. Receiving the benefit of these protections can also take time to resolve, which may result in illiquid positions.

Interfund Borrowing and Lending Program. Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the SEC, a Fidelity® fund may lend money to, and borrow money from, other funds advised by FMR or its affiliates. Municipal funds currently intend to participate in this program only as borrowers. A Fidelity® fund will borrow through the program only when the costs are equal to or lower than the costs of bank loans. Interfund borrowings normally extend overnight, but can have a maximum duration of seven days. Loans may be called on one day's notice. A Fidelity® fund may have to borrow from a bank at a higher interest rate if an interfund loan is called or not renewed.

Inverse Floaters have variable interest rates that typically move in the opposite direction from movements in prevailing short-term interest rate levels - rising when prevailing short-term interest rates fall, and falling when short-term interest rates rise. The prices of inverse floaters can be considerably more volatile than the prices of other investments with comparable maturities and/or credit quality.

Investment-Grade Debt Securities. Investment-grade debt securities include all types of debt instruments that are of medium and high-quality. Investment-grade debt securities include repurchase agreements collateralized by U.S. Government securities as well as repurchase agreements collateralized by equity securities, non-investment-grade debt, and all other instruments in which a fund can perfect a security interest, provided the repurchase agreement counterparty has an investment-grade rating. Some investment-grade debt securities may possess speculative characteristics and may be more sensitive to economic changes and to changes in the financial conditions of issuers. An investment-grade rating means the security or issuer is rated investment-grade by a credit rating agency registered as a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (NRSRO) with the SEC (for example, Moody's Investors Service, Inc.), or is unrated but considered to be of equivalent quality by a fund's adviser. For purposes of determining the maximum maturity of an investment-grade debt security, an adviser may take into account normal settlement periods.

Lower-Quality Debt Securities. Lower-quality debt securities include all types of debt instruments that have poor protection with respect to the payment of interest and repayment of principal, or may be in default. These securities are often considered to be speculative and involve greater risk of loss or price changes due to changes in the issuer's capacity to pay. The market prices of lower-quality debt securities may fluctuate more than those of higher-quality debt securities and may decline significantly in periods of general economic difficulty, which may follow periods of rising interest rates.

The market for lower-quality debt securities may be thinner and less active than that for higher-quality debt securities, which can adversely affect the prices at which the former are sold. Adverse publicity and changing investor perceptions may affect the liquidity of lower-quality debt securities and the ability of outside pricing services to value lower-quality debt securities.

A fund may choose, at its expense or in conjunction with others, to pursue litigation or otherwise to exercise its rights as a security holder to seek to protect the interests of security holders if it determines this to be in the best interest of the fund's shareholders.

Low or Negative Yielding Securities. During periods of very low or negative interest rates, a fund may be unable to maintain positive returns. Interest rates in the U.S. and many parts of the world, including Japan and some European countries, are at or near historically low levels. Japan and those European countries have, from time to time, experienced negative interest rates on certain fixed income instruments. Very low or negative interest rates may magnify interest rate risk for the markets as a whole and for the funds. Changing interest rates, including rates that fall below zero, may have unpredictable effects on markets, may result in heightened market volatility and may detract from fund performance to the extent a fund is exposed to such interest rates.

Municipal Insurance. A municipal bond may be covered by insurance that guarantees the bond's scheduled payment of interest and repayment of principal. This type of insurance may be obtained by either (i) the issuer at the time the bond is issued (primary market insurance), or (ii) another party after the bond has been issued (secondary market insurance).

Both primary and secondary market insurance guarantee timely and scheduled repayment of all principal and payment of all interest on a municipal bond in the event of default by the issuer, and cover a municipal bond to its maturity, typically enhancing its credit quality and value.

Municipal bond insurance does not insure against market fluctuations or fluctuations in a fund's share price. In addition, a municipal bond insurance policy will not cover: (i) repayment of a municipal bond before maturity (redemption), (ii) prepayment or payment of an acceleration premium (except for a mandatory sinking fund redemption) or any other provision of a bond indenture that advances the maturity of the bond, or (iii) nonpayment of principal or interest caused by negligence or bankruptcy of the paying agent. A mandatory sinking fund redemption may be a provision of a municipal bond issue whereby part of the municipal bond issue may be retired before maturity.

Because a significant portion of the municipal securities issued and outstanding is insured by a small number of insurance companies, not all of which have the highest credit rating, an event involving one or more of these insurance companies could have a significant adverse effect on the value of the securities insured by that insurance company and on the municipal markets as a whole. Ratings of insured bonds reflect the credit rating of the insurer, based on the rating agency's assessment of the creditworthiness of the insurer and its ability to pay claims on its insurance policies at the time of the assessment. While the obligation of a municipal bond insurance company to pay a claim extends over the life of an insured bond, there is no assurance that municipal bond insurers will meet their claims. A higher-than-anticipated default rate on municipal bonds or in connection with other insurance the insurer provides could strain the insurer's loss reserves and adversely affect its ability to pay claims to bondholders.

FMR may decide to retain an insured municipal bond that is in default, or, in FMR's view, in significant risk of default. While a fund holds a defaulted, insured municipal bond, the fund collects interest payments from the insurer and retains the right to collect principal from the insurer when the municipal bond matures, or in connection with a mandatory sinking fund redemption.

Municipal Leases and participation interests therein may take the form of a lease, an installment purchase, or a conditional sale contract and are issued by state and local governments and authorities to acquire land or a wide variety of equipment and facilities. Generally, a fund will not hold these obligations directly as a lessor of the property, but will purchase a participation interest in a municipal obligation from a bank or other third party. A participation interest gives the purchaser a specified, undivided interest in the obligation in proportion to its purchased interest in the total amount of the issue.

Municipal leases frequently have risks distinct from those associated with general obligation or revenue bonds. State constitutions and statutes set forth requirements that states or municipalities must meet to incur debt. These may include voter referenda, interest rate limits, or public sale requirements. Leases, installment purchases, or conditional sale contracts (which normally provide for title to the leased asset to pass to the governmental issuer) have evolved as a means for governmental issuers to acquire property and equipment without meeting their constitutional and statutory requirements for the issuance of debt. Many leases and contracts include "non-appropriation clauses" providing that the governmental issuer has no obligation to make future payments under the lease or contract unless money is appropriated for such purposes by the appropriate legislative body on a yearly or other periodic basis. Non-appropriation clauses free the issuer from debt issuance limitations. If a municipality stops making payments or transfers its obligations to a private entity, the obligation could lose value or become taxable.

Municipal Market Disruption Risk. The value of municipal securities may be affected by uncertainties in the municipal market related to legislation or litigation involving the taxation of municipal securities or the rights of municipal securities holders in the event of a bankruptcy. Proposals to restrict or eliminate the federal income tax exemption for interest on municipal securities are introduced before Congress from time to time. Proposals also may be introduced before state legislatures that would affect the state tax treatment of a municipal fund's distributions. If such proposals were enacted, the availability of municipal securities and the value of a municipal fund's holdings would be affected, and the Trustees would reevaluate the fund's investment objectives and policies. Municipal bankruptcies are relatively rare, and certain provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code governing such bankruptcies are unclear and remain untested. Further, the application of state law to municipal issuers could produce varying results among the states or among municipal securities issuers within a state. These legal uncertainties could affect the municipal securities market generally, certain specific segments of the market, or the relative credit quality of particular securities. Any of these effects could have a significant impact on the prices of some or all of the municipal securities held by a fund.

Municipal securities may be susceptible to downgrade, default, and bankruptcy, particularly during economic downturns. Factors affecting municipal securities include the budgetary constraints of local, state, and federal governments upon which the municipalities issuing municipal securities may be relying for funding, as well as lower tax collections, fluctuations in interest rates, and increasing construction costs. Municipal securities are also subject to the risk that the perceived likelihood of difficulties in the municipal securities markets could result in increased illiquidity, volatility, and credit risk. Certain municipal issuers may be unable to obtain additional financing through, or be required to pay higher interest rates on, new issues, which may reduce revenues available for these municipal issuers to pay existing obligations. In addition, certain municipal issuers may be unable to issue or market securities, resulting in fewer investment opportunities for funds investing in municipal securities.

Education. In general, there are two types of education-related bonds: those issued to finance projects for public and private colleges and universities, and those representing pooled interests in student loans. Bonds issued to supply educational institutions with funds are subject to the risk of unanticipated revenue decline, primarily the result of decreasing student enrollment or decreasing state and federal funding. Among the factors that may lead to declining or insufficient revenues are restrictions on students' ability to pay tuition, availability of state and federal funding, and general economic conditions. Student loan revenue bonds are generally offered by state (or substate) authorities or commissions and are backed by pools of student loans. Underlying student loans may be guaranteed by state guarantee agencies and may be subject to reimbursement by the United States Department of Education through its guaranteed student loan program. Others may be private, uninsured loans made to parents or students which are supported by reserves or other forms of credit enhancement. Recoveries of principal due to loan defaults may be applied to redemption of bonds or may be used to re-lend, depending on program latitude and demand for loans. Cash flows supporting student loan revenue bonds are impacted by numerous factors, including the rate of student loan defaults, seasoning of the loan portfolio, and student repayment deferral periods of forbearance. Other risks associated with student loan revenue bonds include potential changes in federal legislation regarding student loan revenue bonds, state guarantee agency reimbursement and continued federal interest and other program subsidies currently in effect.

Electric Utilities. The electric utilities industry has been experiencing, and will continue to experience, increased competitive pressures. Federal legislation in the last two years will open transmission access to any electricity supplier, although it is not presently known to what extent competition will evolve. Other risks include: (a) the availability and cost of fuel, (b) the availability and cost of capital, (c) the effects of conservation on energy demand, (d) the effects of rapidly changing environmental, safety, and licensing requirements, and other federal, state, and local regulations, (e) timely and sufficient rate increases, and (f) opposition to nuclear power.

Health Care. The health care industry is subject to regulatory action by a number of private and governmental agencies, including federal, state, and local governmental agencies. A major source of revenues for the health care industry is payments from the Medicare and Medicaid programs. As a result, the industry is sensitive to legislative changes and reductions in governmental spending for such programs. Numerous other factors may affect the industry, such as general and local economic conditions; demand for services; expenses (including malpractice insurance premiums); and competition among health care providers. In the future, the following elements may adversely affect health care facility operations: adoption of legislation proposing a national health insurance program; other state or local health care reform measures; medical and technological advances which dramatically alter the need for health services or the way in which such services are delivered; changes in medical coverage which alter the traditional fee-for-service revenue stream; and efforts by employers, insurers, and governmental agencies to reduce the costs of health insurance and health care services.

Housing. Housing revenue bonds are generally issued by a state, county, city, local housing authority, or other public agency. They generally are secured by the revenues derived from mortgages purchased with the proceeds of the bond issue. It is extremely difficult to predict the supply of available mortgages to be purchased with the proceeds of an issue or the future cash flow from the underlying mortgages. Consequently, there are risks that proceeds will exceed supply, resulting in early retirement of bonds, or that homeowner repayments will create an irregular cash flow. Many factors may affect the financing of multi-family housing projects, including acceptable completion of construction, proper management, occupancy and rent levels, economic conditions, and changes to current laws and regulations.

Transportation. Transportation debt may be issued to finance the construction of airports, toll roads, highways, or other transit facilities. Airport bonds are dependent on the general stability of the airline industry and on the stability of a specific carrier who uses the airport as a hub. Air traffic generally follows broader economic trends and is also affected by the price and availability of fuel. Toll road bonds are also affected by the cost and availability of fuel as well as toll levels, the presence of competing roads and the general economic health of an area. Fuel costs and availability also affect other transportation-related securities, as do the presence of alternate forms of transportation, such as public transportation.

Water and Sewer. Water and sewer revenue bonds are often considered to have relatively secure credit as a result of their issuer's importance, monopoly status, and generally unimpeded ability to raise rates. Despite this, lack of water supply due to insufficient rain, run-off, or snow pack is a concern that has led to past defaults. Further, public resistance to rate increases, costly environmental litigation, and Federal environmental mandates are challenges faced by issuers of water and sewer bonds.

Put Features entitle the holder to sell a security back to the issuer at any time or at specified intervals. In exchange for this benefit, a fund may accept a lower interest rate. Securities with put features are subject to the risk that the put provider is unable to honor the put feature (purchase the security). Demand features and standby commitments are types of put features.

Refunding Contracts. Securities may be purchased on a when-issued basis in connection with the refinancing of an issuer's outstanding indebtedness. Refunding contracts require the issuer to sell and a purchaser to buy refunded municipal obligations at a stated price and yield on a settlement date that may be several months or several years in the future. A purchaser generally will not be obligated to pay the full purchase price if the issuer fails to perform under a refunding contract. Instead, refunding contracts generally provide for payment of liquidated damages to the issuer. A purchaser may secure its obligations under a refunding contract by depositing collateral or a letter of credit equal to the liquidated damages provisions of the refunding contract.

Repurchase Agreements involve an agreement to purchase a security and to sell that security back to the original seller at an agreed-upon price. The resale price reflects the purchase price plus an agreed-upon incremental amount which is unrelated to the coupon rate or maturity of the purchased security. As protection against the risk that the original seller will not fulfill its obligation, the securities are held in a separate account at a bank, marked-to-market daily, and maintained at a value at least equal to the sale price plus the accrued incremental amount. The value of the security purchased may be more or less than the price at which the counterparty has agreed to purchase the security. In addition, delays or losses could result if the other party to the agreement defaults or becomes insolvent. A fund may be limited in its ability to exercise its right to liquidate assets related to a repurchase agreement with an insolvent counterparty. A Fidelity® fund may engage in repurchase agreement transactions with parties whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the fund's adviser.

Restricted Securities (including Private Placements) are subject to legal restrictions on their sale. Difficulty in selling securities may result in a loss or be costly to a fund. Restricted securities, including private placements of private and public companies, generally can be sold in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to an exemption from registration under the Securities Act of 1933 (1933 Act), or in a registered public offering. Where registration is required, the holder of a registered security may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expense and a considerable period may elapse between the time it decides to seek registration and the time it may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the holder might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to seek registration of the security.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. In a reverse repurchase agreement, a fund sells a security to another party, such as a bank or broker-dealer, in return for cash and agrees to repurchase that security at an agreed-upon price and time. A Fidelity® fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with parties whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the fund's adviser. Such transactions may increase fluctuations in the market value of a fund's assets and, if applicable, a fund's yield, and may be viewed as a form of leverage. Under SEC requirements, a fund needs to aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with its reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness (e.g., borrowings, if applicable) when calculating the fund's asset coverage ratio or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions.

SEC Rule 18f-4. In October 2020, the SEC adopted a final rule related to the use of derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements and certain other transactions by registered investment companies (the "rule"). Subject to certain exceptions, the rule requires the funds to trade derivatives and certain other transactions that create future payment or delivery obligations subject to a value-at-risk (VaR) leverage limit and to certain derivatives risk management program, reporting and board oversight requirements. Generally, these requirements apply to any fund engaging in derivatives transactions unless a fund satisfies a "limited derivatives users" exception, which requires the fund to limit its gross notional derivatives exposure (with certain exceptions) to 10% of its net assets and to adopt derivatives risk management procedures. Under the rule, when a fund trades reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions, it needs to aggregate the amount of indebtedness associated with the reverse repurchase agreements or similar financing transactions with the aggregate amount of any other senior securities representing indebtedness (e.g., borrowings, if applicable) when calculating the fund's asset coverage ratio or treat all such transactions as derivatives transactions. The SEC also provided guidance in connection with the final rule regarding the use of securities lending collateral that may limit securities lending activities. In addition, under the rule, a fund may invest in a security on a when-issued or forward-settling basis, or with a non-standard settlement cycle, and the transaction will be deemed not to involve a senior security (as defined under Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act), provided that (i) the fund intends to physically settle the transaction and (ii) the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date (the "Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision"). A fund may otherwise engage in when-issued, forward-settling and non-standard settlement cycle securities transactions that do not meet the conditions of the Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision so long as the fund treats any such transaction as a derivatives transaction for purposes of compliance with the rule. Furthermore, under the rule, a fund will be permitted to enter into an unfunded commitment agreement, and such unfunded commitment agreement will not be subject to the asset coverage requirements under the 1940 Act, if the fund reasonably believes, at the time it enters into such agreement, that it will have sufficient cash and cash equivalents to meet its obligations with respect to all such agreements as they come due. These requirements may limit the ability of the funds to use derivatives, short sales, reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions, and the other relevant transactions as part of its investment strategies. These requirements also may increase the cost of the fund's investments and cost of doing business, which could adversely affect investors.

Securities of Other Investment Companies, including shares of closed-end investment companies (which include business development companies (BDCs)), unit investment trusts, and open-end investment companies such as mutual funds and ETFs, represent interests in professionally managed portfolios that may invest in any type of instrument. Investing in other investment companies (including investment companies managed by the Adviser and its affiliates) involves substantially the same risks as investing directly in the underlying instruments, but may involve additional expenses at the underlying investment company-level, such as portfolio management fees and operating expenses, unless such fees have been waived by the Adviser. Fees and expenses incurred indirectly by a fund as a result of its investment in shares of one or more other investment companies generally are referred to as "acquired fund fees and expenses" and may appear as a separate line item in a fund's prospectus fee table. For certain investment companies, such as BDCs, these expenses may be significant. Certain types of investment companies, such as closed-end investment companies, issue a fixed number of shares that trade on a stock exchange or over-the-counter at a premium or a discount to their NAV. Others are continuously offered at NAV, but may also be traded in the secondary market. Similarly, ETFs trade on a securities exchange and may trade at a premium or a discount to their NAV. 

The securities of closed-end funds may be leveraged. As a result, a fund may be indirectly exposed to leverage through an investment in such securities. An investment in securities of closed-end funds that use leverage may expose a fund to higher volatility in the market value of such securities and the possibility that the fund's long-term returns on such securities will be diminished. 

A fund's ability to invest in securities of other investment companies may be limited by federal securities laws. To the extent a fund acquires securities issued by unaffiliated investment companies, the Adviser's access to information regarding such underlying fund's portfolio may be limited and subject to such fund's policies regarding disclosure of fund holdings.

A fund that seeks to track the performance of a particular index could invest in investment companies that seek to track the performance of indexes other than the index that the fund seeks to track.

Sources of Liquidity or Credit Support. Issuers may employ various forms of credit and liquidity enhancements, including letters of credit, guarantees, swaps, puts, and demand features, and insurance provided by domestic or foreign entities such as banks and other financial institutions. An adviser and its affiliates may rely on their evaluation of the credit of the issuer or the credit of the liquidity or credit enhancement provider in determining whether to purchase or hold a security supported by such enhancement. In evaluating the credit of a foreign bank or other foreign entities, factors considered may include whether adequate public information about the entity is available and whether the entity may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls, or other government restrictions that might affect its ability to honor its commitment. Changes in the credit quality of the issuer and/or entity providing the enhancement could affect the value of the security or a fund's share price.

Special Purpose Acquisition Companies (SPACs). A fund may invest in stock, warrants, and other securities of SPACs or similar special purpose entities that pool money to seek potential acquisition opportunities. SPACs are collective investment structures formed to raise money in an initial public offering for the purpose of merging with or acquiring one or more operating companies (the "de-SPAC Transaction"). Until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets in US government securities, money market securities and cash. In connection with a de-SPAC Transaction, the SPAC may complete a PIPE (private investment in public equity) offering with certain investors. A fund may enter into a contingent commitment with a SPAC to purchase PIPE shares if and when the SPAC completes its de-SPAC Transaction.

Because SPACs do not have an operating history or ongoing business other than seeking acquisitions, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the SPAC's management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Some SPACs may pursue acquisitions only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. An investment in a SPAC is subject to a variety of risks, including that (i) an attractive acquisition or merger target may not be identified at all and the SPAC will be required to return any remaining monies to shareholders; (ii) an acquisition or merger once effected may prove unsuccessful and an investment in the SPAC may lose value; (iii) the values of investments in SPACs may be highly volatile and may depreciate significantly over time; (iv) no or only a thinly traded market for shares of or interests in a SPAC may develop, leaving a fund unable to sell its interest in a SPAC or to sell its interest only at a price below what the fund believes is the SPAC interest's intrinsic value; (v) any proposed merger or acquisition may be unable to obtain the requisite approval, if any, of shareholders; (vi) an investment in a SPAC may be diluted by additional later offerings of interests in the SPAC or by other investors exercising existing rights to purchase shares of the SPAC; (vii) the warrants or other rights with respect to the SPAC held by a fund may expire worthless or may be repurchased or retired by the SPAC at an unfavorable price; (viii) a fund may be delayed in receiving any redemption or liquidation proceeds from a SPAC to which it is entitled; and (ix) a significant portion of the monies raised by the SPAC for the purpose of identifying and effecting an acquisition or merger may be expended during the search for a target transaction.

Purchased PIPE shares will be restricted from trading until the registration statement for the shares is declared effective. Upon registration, the shares can be freely sold, but only pursuant to an effective registration statement or other exemption from registration. The securities issued by a SPAC, which are typically traded either in the over-the-counter market or on an exchange, may be considered illiquid, more difficult to value, and/or be subject to restrictions on resale.

Standby Commitments are puts that entitle holders to same-day settlement at an exercise price equal to the amortized cost of the underlying security plus accrued interest, if any, at the time of exercise. A fund may acquire standby commitments to enhance the liquidity of portfolio securities.

Ordinarily a fund will not transfer a standby commitment to a third party, although it could sell the underlying municipal security to a third party at any time. A fund may purchase standby commitments separate from or in conjunction with the purchase of securities subject to such commitments. In the latter case, the fund would pay a higher price for the securities acquired, thus reducing their yield to maturity.

Issuers or financial intermediaries may obtain letters of credit or other guarantees to support their ability to buy securities on demand. An adviser may rely upon its evaluation of a bank's credit in determining whether to purchase an instrument supported by a letter of credit. In evaluating a foreign bank's credit, an adviser will consider whether adequate public information about the bank is available and whether the bank may be subject to unfavorable political or economic developments, currency controls, or other governmental restrictions that might affect the bank's ability to honor its credit commitment.

Standby commitments are subject to certain risks, including the ability of issuers of standby commitments to pay for securities at the time the commitments are exercised; the fact that standby commitments are not generally marketable; and the possibility that the maturities of the underlying securities may be different from those of the commitments.

Structured Securities (also called "structured notes") are derivative debt securities, the interest rate on or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator. The value of the interest rate on and/or the principal of structured securities is determined by reference to changes in the value of a reference instrument (e.g., a security or other financial instrument, asset, currency, interest rate, commodity, or index) or the relative change in two or more reference instruments. A structured security may be positively, negatively, or both positively and negatively indexed; that is, its value or interest rate may increase or decrease if the value of the reference instrument increases. Similarly, its value or interest rate may increase or decrease if the value of the reference instrument decreases. Further, the change in the principal amount payable with respect to, or the interest rate of, a structured security may be calculated as a multiple of the percentage change (positive or negative) in the value of the underlying reference instrument(s); therefore, the value of such structured security may be very volatile. Structured securities may entail a greater degree of market risk than other types of debt securities because the investor bears the risk of the reference instrument. Structured securities may also be more volatile, less liquid, and more difficult to accurately price than less complex securities or more traditional debt securities. In addition, because structured securities generally are traded over-the-counter, structured securities are subject to the creditworthiness of the counterparty of the structured security, and their values may decline substantially if the counterparty's creditworthiness deteriorates.

Temporary Defensive Policies. Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund reserves the right to invest without limitation in short-term instruments, to hold a substantial amount of uninvested cash, or to invest more than normally permitted in taxable obligations for temporary, defensive purposes.

Tender Option Bonds are created by depositing intermediate- or long-term, fixed-rate or variable rate, municipal bonds into a trust and issuing two classes of trust interests (or "certificates") with varying economic interests to investors. Holders of the first class of trust interests, or floating rate certificates, receive tax-exempt interest based on short-term rates and may tender the certificate to the trust at par. As consideration for providing the tender option, the trust sponsor (typically a bank, broker-dealer, or other financial institution) receives periodic fees. The trust pays the holders of the floating rate certificates from proceeds of a remarketing of the certificates or from a draw on a liquidity facility provided by the sponsor. A fund investing in a floating rate certificate effectively holds a demand obligation that bears interest at the prevailing short-term tax-exempt rate. The floating rate certificate is typically an eligible security for money market funds. Holders of the second class of interests, sometimes called the residual income certificates, are entitled to any tax-exempt interest received by the trust that is not payable to floating rate certificate holders, and bear the risk that the underlying municipal bonds decline in value. In selecting tender option bonds, FMR will consider the creditworthiness of the issuer of the underlying bond deposited in the trust, the experience of the custodian, and the quality of the sponsor providing the tender option. In certain instances, the tender option may be terminated if, for example, the issuer of the underlying bond defaults on interest payments.

Transfer Agent Bank Accounts. Proceeds from shareholder purchases of a Fidelity® fund may pass through a series of demand deposit bank accounts before being held at the fund's custodian. Redemption proceeds may pass from the custodian to the shareholder through a similar series of bank accounts.

If a bank account is registered to the transfer agent or an affiliate, who acts as an agent for the fund when opening, closing, and conducting business in the bank account, the transfer agent or an affiliate may invest overnight balances in the account in repurchase agreements or money market funds. Any balances that are not invested in repurchase agreements or money market funds remain in the bank account overnight. Any risks associated with such an account are investment risks of the fund. The fund faces the risk of loss of these balances if the bank becomes insolvent.

Variable and Floating Rate Securities provide for periodic adjustments in the interest rate paid on the security. Variable rate securities provide for a specified periodic adjustment in the interest rate, while floating rate securities have interest rates that change whenever there is a change in a designated benchmark rate or the issuer's credit quality, sometimes subject to a cap or floor on such rate. Some variable or floating rate securities are structured with put features that permit holders to demand payment of the unpaid principal balance plus accrued interest from the issuers or certain financial intermediaries. For purposes of determining the maximum maturity of a variable or floating rate security, a fund's adviser may take into account normal settlement periods.

In addition to other interbank offered rates (IBORs), the most common benchmark rate for floating rate securities is London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), which is the rate of interest offered on short-term interbank deposits, as determined by trading between major international banks. After the global financial crisis, regulators globally determined that existing interest rate benchmarks should be reformed based on concerns that LIBOR and other IBORs were susceptible to manipulation. Replacement rates that have been identified include the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR, which is intended to replace U.S. dollar LIBOR and measures the cost of U.S. dollar overnight borrowings) and the Sterling Overnight Index Average rate (SONIA, which is intended to replace pound sterling LIBOR and measures the overnight interest rate paid by banks in the sterling market). At the end of 2021, certain LIBORs were discontinued, but the most widely used LIBORs may continue to be provided on a representative basis until at least mid-2023. In addition, the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has announced that it will require the publication of synthetic LIBOR for the one-month, three-month and six-month U.S. Dollar LIBOR settings after June 30, 2023 through at least September 30, 2024. Although the transition process away from IBORs has become increasingly well-defined, any potential effects of a transition away from the IBORs on a fund and the financial instruments in which it invests can be difficult to ascertain, and may depend on factors that include, but are not limited to: (i) existing fallback or termination provisions in individual contracts; (ii) the effect of new legislation relating to the discontinuation of LIBOR and the use of replacement rates, and (iii) whether, how, and when industry participants develop and adopt new reference rates and fallbacks for both legacy and new products and instruments. Moreover, certain aspects of the transition from IBORs will rely on the actions of third-party market participants, such as clearing houses, trustees, administrative agents, asset servicers and certain service providers; the Adviser cannot guarantee the performance of such market participants and any failure on the part of such market participants to manage their part of the IBOR transition could impact a fund. Such transition may result in a reduction in the value of IBOR-based instruments held by a fund, a reduction in the effectiveness of certain hedging transactions and increased illiquidity and volatility in markets that currently rely on an IBOR to determine interest rates, any of which could adversely impact the fund's performance.

In many instances bonds and participation interests have tender options or demand features that permit the holder to tender (or put) the bonds to an institution at periodic intervals and to receive the principal amount thereof. Variable rate instruments structured in this fashion are considered to be essentially equivalent to other variable rate securities. The IRS has not ruled whether the interest on these instruments is tax-exempt. Fixed-rate bonds that are subject to third-party puts and participation interests in such bonds held by a bank in trust or otherwise may have similar features.

When-Issued and Forward Purchase or Sale Transactions involve a commitment to purchase or sell specific securities at a predetermined price or yield in which payment and delivery take place after the customary settlement period for that type of security. Typically, no interest accrues to the purchaser until the security is delivered.

When purchasing securities pursuant to one of these transactions, the purchaser assumes the rights and risks of ownership, including the risks of price and yield fluctuations and the risk that the security will not be issued as anticipated. Because payment for the securities is not required until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with a fund's investments. If a fund remains substantially fully invested at a time when a purchase is outstanding, the purchases may result in a form of leverage. When a fund has sold a security pursuant to one of these transactions, the fund does not participate in further gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a delayed-delivery transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, a fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or suffer a loss.

A fund may renegotiate a when-issued or forward transaction and may sell the underlying securities before delivery, which may result in capital gains or losses for the fund.

Zero Coupon Bonds do not make interest payments; instead, they are sold at a discount from their face value and are redeemed at face value when they mature. Because zero coupon bonds do not pay current income, their prices can be more volatile than other types of fixed-income securities when interest rates change. In calculating a fund's dividend, a portion of the difference between a zero coupon bond's purchase price and its face value is considered income.

In addition to the investment policies and limitations discussed above, a fund is subject to the additional operational risk discussed below.

Considerations Regarding Cybersecurity. With the increased use of technologies such as the Internet to conduct business, a fund's service providers are susceptible to operational, information security and related risks. In general, cyber incidents can result from deliberate attacks or unintentional events and may arise from external or internal sources. Cyber attacks include, but are not limited to, gaining unauthorized access to digital systems (e.g., through "hacking" or malicious software coding) for purposes of misappropriating assets or sensitive information; corrupting data, equipment or systems; or causing operational disruption. Cyber attacks may also be carried out in a manner that does not require gaining unauthorized access, such as causing denial-of-service attacks on websites (i.e., efforts to make network services unavailable to intended users). Cyber incidents affecting a fund's manager, any sub-adviser and other service providers (including, but not limited to, fund accountants, custodians, transfer agents and financial intermediaries) have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, interference with a fund's ability to calculate its NAV, impediments to trading, the inability of fund shareholders to transact business, destruction to equipment and systems, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs. Similar adverse consequences could result from cyber incidents affecting issuers of securities in which a fund invests, counterparties with which a fund engages in transactions, governmental and other regulatory authorities, exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for fund shareholders) and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future.

While a fund's service providers have established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber incidents, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, a fund cannot control the cyber security plans and systems put in place by its service providers or any other third parties whose operations may affect a fund or its shareholders. A fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

 

Puerto Rico. The following section provides a summary of the complex factors, including both economic and political conditions, affecting the financial situation in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico (as used in this section, the Commonwealth or Puerto Rico) and is based on information in publicly available documents, certain of which may be outdated or may not be updated regularly. This information has not been independently verified and it should be noted that municipal issuers may not be subject to the same disclosure requirements as other bond issuers, and any information provided by municipal issuers may be less reliable than information provided by other bond issuers. The information provided below is subject to change rapidly, substantially, and without notice, and the inclusion of such information herein shall not under any circumstances create any implication that there has been no change in the affairs of the Commonwealth or its issuers since the date of its preparation. Any such change(s) may adversely affect the Commonwealth's and applicable issuer's cash flows, expenditures, or revenues, or otherwise negatively impact the current or projected Commonwealth financial situation, which in turn could hamper fund performance. 

Further, the marketability, valuation, or liquidity of municipal securities issued by the Commonwealth, its localities, and their political subdivisions, instrumentalities, or authorities (collectively, Puerto Rico Municipal Securities) may be negatively affected in the event that an issuer of Puerto Rico Municipal Securities defaults on its debt obligations or other market events arise, which in turn may negatively affect fund performance, sometimes substantially. A credit-rating downgrade relating to default by, or insolvency of, one or several issuers of Puerto Rico Municipal Securities could affect the market values, marketability, and liquidity of many or all Puerto Rico Municipal Securities. 

In addition, economic and other conditions within the Commonwealth and the rest of the United States may affect the credit risk of the Commonwealth's localities, and their political subdivisions, instrumentalities, or authorities to the extent that such issuers are reliant upon appropriations from the Commonwealth. Puerto Rico continues to face severe fiscal and economic stress, including a high level of unemployment, substantial debt service obligations, and significant underfunding of its public retirement systems, which could negatively affect the value of investments in Puerto Rico Municipal Securities. The difficulties encountered by insurers of Puerto Rico Municipal Securities in the wake of the 2008-2009 financial crisis, recent natural disasters, the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and other credit and overall market events may also continue to impact Puerto Rico Municipal Securities negatively. 

The Economy of Puerto Rico. The Commonwealth of Puerto Rico differs from the states in its relationship with the federal government. Most U.S. federal taxes, except those such as Social Security taxes, are not levied in Puerto Rico. No U.S. federal income tax is collected from Puerto Rico residents on income earned in Puerto Rico, except for certain federal employees who are subject to taxes on their salaries. Although Puerto Rico's citizens have voted in favor of being admitted as a state on three separate occasions (most recently in November 2020), the U.S. Congress is under no obligation to take any action in response to these referendums.  

The economy of Puerto Rico is closely linked to the U.S. economy, as most of the external factors that affect the Puerto Rico economy (other than oil prices) are determined by the policies and performance of the U.S. economy. These external factors include exports, direct investment, the amount of federal transfer payments, the level of interest rates, the rate of inflation, and tourist expenditures. The economy of Puerto Rico also depends, in part, on transfers from the federal government. The majority of these federal transfer payments were made to individuals in Puerto Rico under various social programs including Medicaid, Social Security, Veteran's Benefits, and U.S. Civil Service Retirement Benefits. 

Puerto Rico entered an economic recession in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2006 and experienced continuous economic decline through 2018. According to the International Monetary Fund, real GDP growth for Puerto Rico was 1.2% in 2019, reflecting continued disaster relief spending and structural reforms, however GDP contracted in 2020 due to the COVID-19 impact. This contraction was offset by increased unemployment insurance benefits and other federal and local relief programs. 

Puerto Rico will receive additional federal COVID-19 relief aid through numerous federal aid packages passed in 2020 and 2021. The 2022 fiscal plan estimates $83.8 billion of disaster relief funding will be deployed through 2025. The unprecedented levels of federal aid related to the recent natural disasters and COVID-19 pandemic are key to stimulating Puerto Rico's economy in the next several years. The 2022 fiscal plan incorporates updated forecasts to account for the short-term income effects of relief aid and stimulus funds spending. Real GNP is projected to increase by 5.2% in fiscal year 2022 and then moderate to 0.6% growth in fiscal year 2023.

Puerto Rico's unemployment rate fell to 5.9% in July 2022, the lowest rate since 1947. Total non-farm employment is up 4.6% year over year and the labor participation rate has increased to 44.1%, up from about 41% last year.

Puerto Rico's population has been in decline over the past decade and is expected to continue to decline, due to a combination of outmigration and economic factors. However, Puerto Rico's population has not dropped as steeply as forecast, with population declining just 0.5% between 2020 and 2021 rather than the 1.6% decline assumed in the 2020 fiscal plan. The 2022 fiscal plan predicts an annual decline of 1% through 2026. The challenge of sustaining economic growth is considerable given current wealth levels and demographic trends.

Fiscal Plan and Budget; Commonwealth Debt. Puerto Rico's fiscal year 2022 budget provides for approximately $10.1 billion in general fund expenditures. Puerto Rico's budget is impacted by extensive unfunded pension obligations related to the Commonwealth's three public retirement systems - the Employees Retirement System, the Teachers Retirement System, and the Judiciary Retirement System - all of which are funded primarily through appropriations from the general fund. Since 2000, the Commonwealth has faced a number of fiscal challenges and has found itself unable to structurally balance its budget and fund essential services. Such challenges led to the enactment of the Puerto Rico Oversight, Management, and Economic Stability Act (PROMESA) on June 30, 2016. PROMESA provides for a bankruptcy-like orderly restructuring of the Commonwealth's debt and creates a seven-member oversight board to manage the Commonwealth's finances (Oversight Board). The budget process requires the Oversight Board, the Governor, and the Commonwealth's Legislative Assembly to develop a budget that is consistent with the approved fiscal plan. 

Since PROMESA was enacted in 2016, there have been numerous legal proceedings initiated by creditors of the Commonwealth and other constituencies. These groups mounted a number of complex legal attacks to the efficacy and validity of PROMESA, calling into question the validity of the Oversight Board appointments. The U.S. Supreme Court ultimately concluded that the appointment of the members to the Oversight Board was valid.

The Commonwealth has been in bankruptcy proceedings for roughly five years, but in the first quarter of 2022 the Commonwealth's central government exited bankruptcy and executed a debt exchange, impacting the majority of outstanding bonded debt. Puerto Rico's bankruptcy court approved a consensually negotiated debt adjustment plan in January, followed by a debt exchange, which became effective in March 2022. The plan reduced Puerto Rico's direct debt obligations to $7.4 billion from $34.3 billion and annual debt service from $4.2 billion to $1.15 billion.

Puerto Rico's Oversight Board will continue to oversee and approve annual fiscal plans, budgets, and spending. The plan of adjustment required Puerto Rico to formally adopt a new debt management policy to make sure debt service remains affordable and sustainable. Bond proceeds from future debt issuances may only be used to fund capital projects. Debt to cover operating deficits is no longer permissible. New debt must begin amortizing within two years and cannot have a maturity greater than 30 years. Future debt refundings must result in cash flow savings in every fiscal year and cannot increase principal. The new guardrails are intended to keep Puerto Rico's debt profile from becoming unsustainable in the future. Current law requires the board remain in place until four consecutive years have ended with balanced operations, based on audited financials. Board oversight is likely to remain in place through 2026, if fiscal year 2022 is deemed the first balanced budget. In addition to four consecutive years of balanced budgets, Puerto Rico must also demonstrate adequate access to short-term and long-term credit markets at reasonable interest rates. Demonstrated affordable market access is a necessary legal requirement for the board to be terminated.

Natural Disasters. In September 2017, Puerto Rico was hit by two devastating hurricanes - Irma and Maria - within the span of two weeks. Hurricane Maria caused an estimated $80 billion in damages and left the Commonwealth's critical infrastructure severely damaged. In late December 2019 and January 2020, a series of earthquakes caused an estimated $200 million in damage. The aftershocks from these earthquakes may continue for years, and it is not currently possible to predict the extent of the damage that could arise from any aftershocks. In addition, the Commonwealth was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which had a substantial adverse effect on the health of the population and economic activity. The full extent of the impact of the hurricanes, earthquakes and aftershocks, and the pandemic on Puerto Rico's economy and foreign investment in Puerto Rico is difficult to estimate but is expected to have substantial adverse economic effects. In addition to diverting funds to relief and recovery efforts, Puerto Rico is expected to lose substantial revenue as a result of decreased tourism and general business operations. All these developments have a material adverse effect on the Commonwealth's finances and negatively impact the payment of principal and interest, the marketability, liquidity, and value of securities issued by Puerto Rico that are held by a fund. Natural disasters may become more frequent and severe as a result of global climate change. Given the particular vulnerability of Puerto Rico to the effects of climate change, disruptions in international efforts to address climate-related issues may have a disproportionate impact on a fund's investments in Puerto Rico.

Bond Ratings. Most of Puerto Rico's debt has now been restructured. To the extent this debt restructuring effort continues to have a negative impact on the liquidity or value of Puerto Rican Municipal Securities, this may affect a fund's investments and its performance. Puerto Rico's newly restructured general obligation debt is not currently rated by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., Standard & Poor's Rating Services, or Fitch, Inc. and a rating assignment is not expected in the near-term. 

Ohio. The following information regarding the State and its local units of government is a summary based upon information drawn from official statements and has not been independently verified. 

The Fund's performance is directly tied to the ability of issuers of Ohio and the ability of the State of Ohio (as used in this section, the State) to continue to make principal and interest payments on their securities, which in turn depends on economic and other conditions within the State. The following section provides only a summary of (and does not purport to explain, predict, or fully describe) the complex factors, including both economic and political conditions, affecting the financial situation in the State and is based on information in publicly available documents as of the date of this SAI. The Fund has not independently verified this information, although the Fund has no reason to believe that it is not correct in all material respects. The information provided below is subject to change rapidly, substantially, and without notice, and the inclusion of such information herein shall not under any circumstances create any implication that there has been no change in the affairs of the State or its issuers since the date hereof. Any such change(s) may adversely affect the State's and applicable issuer's cash flows, expenditures, or revenues, or otherwise negatively impact the current or projected State financial situation, which in turn could hamper the Fund's performance. 

Generally, the creditworthiness of Ohio obligations of local issuers is unrelated to that of obligations of the State itself, and the State has no responsibility to make payments on those local obligations. 

There may be specific factors that at particular times apply in connection with investment in particular Ohio obligations or in those obligations of particular Ohio issuers. It is possible that the investment may be in particular Ohio obligations, or in those of particular issuers, as to which those factors apply. However, the information below is intended only as a general summary, and is not intended as a discussion of any specific factors that may affect any particular obligation or issuer. 

Much of this information is as of December 12, 2023, particularly debt figures and other statistics. 

Ohio is the seventh most populous state. The Census count for 2020 was 11,797,517, up from 11,536,504 in 2010, representing a 2.3% population growth. The July 2023 Census estimate of Ohio's population is 11,756,058. 

Ohio has a diverse economy. While Ohio has a strong manufacturing presence in chemicals, food and beverages, motor vehicles, and fabricated metal products, the greatest growth in Ohio's economy in recent years has been in the non-manufacturing sectors. Ohio's 2022 economic output, as measured by gross state product (GSP), totaled $822.7 billion, 3.20% of the national GDP and seventh largest among the states. The State ranks fourth within the manufacturing sector as a whole ($129.4 billion) and fifth in durable goods ($68.3 billion). As a percent of Ohio's 2022 GSP, 15.7% was attributable to manufacturing, with 23.0% attributable to the goods-producing sectors and 33.6% to the business services sectors, including finance, insurance and real estate. Ohio is the ninth largest exporting state with 2022 merchandise exports totaling $56.4 billion. The State's leading export products are machinery (including electrical machinery), motor vehicles (including parts), aircraft/spacecraft and plastics, which together accounted for more than half of that total. Agriculture is an important segment of the economy, with approximately half of the State's area devoted to farming and a significant portion of total employment in agribusiness. 

In earlier years, the State's overall unemployment rate was commonly somewhat higher than the national figure. For example, the reported 1980 average monthly State rate was 8.4%, compared to the 7.1% national figure. In 1990 and 2000, the average monthly State rates were even with the national figures at 5.6% and 4.0%, respectively. From 2005 through 2010, the annual State rates were higher than the national rates with 2005 (5.9% vs. 5.1%), 2006 (5.4% vs. 4.6%), 2007 (5.6% vs. 4.6%), 2008 (6.4% vs. 5.8%), 2009 (10.3% vs. 9.3%), and 2010 (10.3% vs. 9.6%). Then, in 2011, the State again experienced a lower average unemployment rate than the nation as a whole (8.8% vs. 8.9%). This trend continued in 2012 (7.4% vs. 8.1%). The State's unemployment rate of 7.5% was higher than the national rate for 2013 of 7.4%, and in 2014 and 2015, the State unemployment rates (5.8% and 4.9%, respectively) dropped below the national rates (6.2% and 5.3%, respectively). In 2016 and 2017, the State unemployment rate was 5.0% in each of those years, above the national rate of 4.9% and 4.4%, respectively. In 2018 and 2019, the State's unemployment rates dropped to 4.6% and 4.2%, respectively, but were higher than the national rates of 3.9% of 3.7%, respectively. In 2020, the State unemployment rate of 8.2% was slightly higher than the national rate of 8.1%. In 2021, the State's unemployment rate decreased to 5.1%, lower than the national rate of 5.4%. In 2022, the State's unemployment rate of 4.0% was higher than the national rate of 3.6%. In 2022, the State's unemployment rate ranged from a low of 3.3% in July to a high of 4.0% in January (with figures only available through October 2023). The unemployment rate and its effects vary among geographic areas of the State. 

There can be no assurance that future national, regional or statewide economic difficulties, and the resulting impact on State or local government finances generally, will not adversely affect the market value of Ohio obligations held in an Ohio Fund or the ability of particular obligors to make timely payments of debt service on (or lease payments relating to) those obligations. 

Consistent with the Ohio Constitution provision that no State appropriation may be made for a period longer than two years, the State operates on the basis of a fiscal biennium for its appropriations and expenditures. Under current law, the biennium for operating purposes runs from July 1 in an odd-numbered year to June 30 in the next odd-numbered year (e.g., the current fiscal biennium began July 1, 2023, and ends June 30, 2025). Conversely, the biennium for general capital appropriations purposes runs from July 1 in an even-numbered year to June 30 in the next even-numbered year (e.g., July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2024). Within a fiscal biennium, the State operates based on a July 1 to June 30 fiscal year. The Governor is required to submit the Executive Budget to the General Assembly no later than four weeks after the General Assembly convenes in January each odd-numbered year. In years of a new Governor's inauguration, the budget must be submitted by March fifteenth. Appropriations legislation reflecting that Executive Budget is then introduced for committee hearings and review first in the House and then in the Senate and finally in Conference Committee, with that appropriations legislation as approved by the General Assembly then presented to the Governor for approval (with possible line-item vetoes). 

The General Revenue Fund (GRF) is the largest fund in the State. Sales and use taxes and Personal income taxes are the major sources of GRF tax revenue. The last complete fiscal year ended June 30, 2023, with an unobligated GRF fund balance (after year-end transfers) of $7.357 billion. The State also has a "rainy day" fund (the Budget Stabilization Fund (BSF)) which by law is intended to carry a balance of up to 10.0% of the GRF revenue for the preceding fiscal year (this amount was 8.5% for FYs 2016 through 2022 and 5% for FY 2016 and prior years). The BSF balance as of August 1, 2023 was $3.65 billion (includes $150 million of transfers), which equals 8.6% of FY 2023 GRF revenue. 

The GRF ending fund balance (after year-end transfers) for FY 2023 was $2.684 billion. 

Recent biennium ending GRF balances were: 

(a) Reflects the ending cash balance less amounts encumbered to cover financial commitments made prior to the end of the fiscal year. 

(b) Reflects the ending fund balance less any amounts designated for transfer to other funds, including the BSF. 

Actions have been and may be taken by the State to ensure revenue/expenditure balance (particularly in the GRF), some of which are described below. None of those actions has been applied to appropriations or expenditures needed for debt service, lease payments, or other payments involving any State debt-related obligations. 

The appropriations acts for the 2024-25 biennium included all necessary appropriations for debt service on State obligations and for lease payments relating to lease rental obligations issued by the Treasurer of State and for Certificates of Participation. 

The Revised Code imposes a limitation on most GRF appropriations commencing with the 2008-09 fiscal biennium. This statutory limitation initially used FY 2007 GRF appropriations as a baseline (excluding appropriations for debt service, tax relief and refunds, and certain appropriations reflecting moneys received from the federal government) and then applies an annual growth factor equal to the greater of 3.5% or the sum of the inflation rates and rate of State population change. Every fourth fiscal year thereafter becomes a new base year. All GRF appropriations since FY 2007 have complied with this limitation. 

The following is a general discussion of State finances, particularly GRF receipts and expenditures, for recent and the current biennia. As evidenced by the paragraphs below, the State administrations and both houses of the General Assembly have been and remain committed to taking actions that ensure a balance of GRF resources and expenditures. 

2018-19 Biennium. 

The 2018-19 biennial appropriations Act was passed by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor (with selective vetoes) on June 30, 2017. 

To address lower GRF revenue estimates for the 2018-19 fiscal biennium, the Act included both across-the-board and targeted spending cuts across most State agencies and programs. The Act provided for the following GRF appropriations: 

GRF Appropriations 2018-19 Biennium ($ in billions)

Major GRF program categories reflected the following GRF appropriation changes (excluding debt service appropriations): 

•Medicaid - FY 2018 appropriations decreased 15.0% over FY 2017 expenditures (as discussed below, driven largely by the replacement of the Medicaid managed care organization sales tax, the receipts of which were being deposited into the GRF, by a new health insuring corporation provider assessment, the receipts of which are now deposited into a dedicated non- GRF fund), and FY 2019 appropriations increased 5.7% over FY 2018 appropriations. 

•Elementary and secondary education - FY 2018 appropriations increased 1.5% over FY 2017 expenditures, and FY 2019 appropriations increased 1.6% over FY 2018 appropriations. 

•Higher education - FY 2018 appropriations increased 0.5% over FY 2017 expenditures, and FY 2019 appropriations decreased 0.3% over FY 2018 appropriations. 

•Mental health and developmental disabilities - FY 2018 appropriations decreased 0.9% over FY 2017 expenditures (driven by the shift in funding of certain Medicaid expenditures to the Medicaid program category), and FY 2019 appropriations increased 2.1% over FY 2018 appropriations. 

•Corrections and youth services - FY 2018 appropriations increased 4.2% over FY 2017 expenditures, and FY 2019 appropriations increased 1.6% over FY 2018 appropriations. 

The Act also modified certain components of the school funding formula to better distribute resources to districts with less capacity to raise revenues locally (see Schools and Municipalities below) and limited increases in tuition and fees for two- and four-year higher education institutions. 

The Executive Budget, the 2018-19 biennial appropriations Act, and separate appropriations acts for the biennium included all necessary debt service and lease rental or other payment appropriation authority related to State debt obligations. 

The foregoing appropriations were based upon available balances and estimated GRF revenue for the biennium as follows:

Estimated State & Federal GRF Revenue 2018-19 Biennium ($ in billions)

Sources of revenues reflected in the 2018-19 biennial appropriations Act included $84.5 million in transfers to the GRF from non-GRF funds, $200 million from unclaimed funds, $31 million from the sale of prison farmland, and $20 million from a tax amnesty program. 

The 2018-19 biennial appropriations Act reflected certain tax law changes, resulting in an estimated net GRF revenue increase of $12.8 million in FY 2018 and an estimated net GRF revenue decrease of $30.8 million in FY 2019, including: 

•Reduced the number of personal income tax brackets from nine to seven in tax year 2017 and for certain low income taxpayers completely exempted the first $10,500 of taxable income, with increasing bracketed base rates and percentages up to a maximum on incomes over $210,600 of $8,073 plus 4.997% on the amount over $210,600. 

•Temporarily increased the percent of GRF tax revenues deposited into the public library fund from 1.66% to 1.68% in each of FYs 2018 and 2019. 

•Increased the State personal income tax deduction from $2,000 to $4,000 for contributions to accounts for college savings and care for disabled individuals. 

•Authorized a one-time sales tax holiday on the purchase of clothing and school supplies in August 2018 (separate legislation enacted by the General Assembly authorized a sales tax holiday in August 2017). 

The 2018-19 biennial appropriations Act also reflected: 

•The creation of a new health insuring corporation provider assessment, the revenues of which are being deposited into a non-GRF dedicated purpose fund, to fully replace the forgone GRF sales tax revenue resulting from the federal policy ruling by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that Ohio's sales tax on Medicaid managed care organizations was impermissible as a means of generating revenue to draw federal matching dollars. The GRF revenue loss was estimated to be $600 million in each of FYs 2018 and 2019. 

•Increased the portion of the commercial activity tax deposited into the GRF (estimated at $175 million in FY 2018 and $179 million in FY 2019) from 75% to 85% to more closely match the amounts needed to make compensating payments to school districts and local governments in connection with the prior phase-out of the tangible personal property tax. The requirement to transfer funds in excess of the compensating payments formula to the GRF at the end of each fiscal year remained unchanged. 

In July 2018, OBM revised the FY 2019 GRF revenue forecast to reflect updated economic assumptions, actual FY 2018 revenue performance, and certain minor tax law adjustments enacted by the General Assembly after adoption of the 2018-19 biennial appropriations Act. As part of this revision, OBM increased the estimated FY 2019 GRF tax revenue forecast by $531.1 million, a 2.4% increase compared to the original FY 2019 tax revenue forecast. This increase in forecasted tax revenues was largely within the personal income tax (increased by $379.5 million or 4.5%) and the sales and use tax (increased by $129.0 million or 1.3%). Effective January 1, 2019, personal income tax employer withholding rates were reduced by 3.3% to fully reflect the income tax rate reductions enacted in the 2016-17 biennial budget. This was estimated to result in a one-time $148.5 million reduction to personal income tax revenue in FY 2019. FY 2020 personal income tax revenue was not affected as the reduction in withholding was offset by reduced income tax refunds as final returns were filed for tax year 2019. 

FY 2019 Financial Results. The State ended FY 2019 with GRF cash and fund balances of $1.54 billion and $1.15 billion, respectively. Of that ending GRF fund balance, the State carried forward $834.0 million, including $168.8 million reserved to maintain the statutory target of one-half of one percent of FY 2019 GRF revenues as an ending fund balance, and transferred $172.0 million to the H2Ohio fund (see 2020-21 Biennium below for discussion of this fund), $31.0 million to the statewide treatment and prevention fund, $39.0 million to the emergency purposes and disaster services funds, $20.0 million to the school bus purchase fund, $19 million to the tobacco use prevention fund, and $31.4 million across six other smaller purposes. 

2020-21 Biennium. 

The 2020-21 biennial appropriations Act, which was preceded by a 17-day interim appropriations act, was passed by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor (with selective vetoes) on July 18, 2019. Reflecting the tax law changes described herein and an underlying economic forecast prepared in the first half of 2019, that Act provided for the GRF appropriations outlined below. The underlying economic forecast did not consider the economic effects of the pandemic as described below under Outbreak of COVID-19. 

 GRF Appropriations 2020-21 Biennium ($ in billions)

Major program categories reflected the following GRF appropriation changes (excluding GRF debt service appropriations): 

The 2020-21 biennial appropriations Act also created the H2Ohio fund to support water quality projects in Lake Erie and across Ohio's rivers, lakes, and waterways. The H2Ohio fund was initially seeded by a $172 million transfer from the FY 2019 ending GRF fund balance. 

The Executive Budget, 17-day interim appropriations act, the 2020-21 biennial appropriations Act and separate appropriations acts for the biennium all included necessary debt service and lease rental or other payment appropriation authority related to State debt obligations for the entire biennium. 

The foregoing appropriations were based upon available balances and estimated GRF revenue for the biennium and have been adjusted with updated revenue forecasts as of June 10, 2020 as follows: 

Estimated State & Federal GRF Revenue 2020-21 Biennium ($ in billions)

The 2020-21 biennial appropriations Act reflected the following tax policy and allocation changes, among others, which resulted in a net GRF revenue decrease of $410 million in FY 2020 and $177 million in FY 2021: 

•An across-the-board 4.0% reduction in State personal income tax rates and elimination of the bottom two income tax brackets (effective in tax year 2019), coupled with a freeze on the indexing of the income tax brackets (through tax year 2020). The tax bracket changes eliminated any tax liability for individuals with taxable income less than $21,750. 

•Modified eligibility for various means-tested State personal income tax credits such that high-income taxpayers with little non-business income are not eligible for the tax credits (effective tax year 2019). 

•Created two new non-refundable tax credits, one for lead abatement expenses capped at $5 million annually (effective in tax year 2020) and one for Qualified Opportunity Zone investments that is limited to no more than $50 million per fiscal biennium (effective in tax year 2019). 

•Increased the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21 years old and created a tax on the volume of nicotine- containing vapor products (effective October 2019). 

•Modified the presumption of a seller having a substantial nexus with Ohio in accordance with South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc. for purposes of collecting the sales and use tax on retail sales through "marketplace facilitators" (effective October 2019). 

•Temporarily increased the percent of GRF tax revenues deposited into the local government fund from 1.66% to 1.68% in each of FYs 2020 and 2021. 

•Temporarily increased the percent of GRF tax revenues deposited into the public library fund from 1.66% to 1.70% in each of FYs 2020 and 2021. 

OBM updated the FY 2021 GRF revenue forecast to reflect economic assumptions (influenced by the COVID-19 Pandemic) and actual FY 2020 revenue performance. For further information relating to the updated FY 2021 GRF revenue forecast see Outbreak of COVID-19 below. 

FY 2021 Financial Results: The State ended FY 2021 with GRF cash and fund balances of $4.72 billion and $4.03 billion, respectively. As authorized in the 2022-2023 biennial appropriations act, the entire fund balance was carried forward into FY 2022, including $197.7 million reserved to maintain the statutory target of one-half of one percent of FY 2021 GRF revenues as an ending fund balance, and $1.2 billion transferred to the Health and Human Services Fund, $132.0 million transferred to the H2Ohio Fund, $100.0 million transferred to the Investing in Ohio Fund, and $66.3 million transferred across three other smaller purposes. 

FY 2021 GRF tax revenues were greater than both the original forecast derived in July 2019 for the enacted FY 2020-21 operating budget as well as the updated forecast issued with the FY 2022-23 Executive operating budget. Tax revenues for the fiscal year were $1.54 billion above the original forecast. Of the $1.54 billion positive variance, $774.6 million occurred during the last quarter of the fiscal year, with sales tax revenues exceeding estimates by large margins in each month of the quarter. 

2022-23 Biennium.

The 2022-23 biennial appropriations Act was passed by the General Assembly and signed by the Governor (with selective vetoes) on June 30, 2021. Reflecting the tax law changes described below and a conservative underlying economic forecast, that Act provides for the following GRF appropriations: 

GRF Appropriations 2022-23 Biennium ($ in billions) 

Major program categories reflected the following GRF appropriation changes (excluding GRF debt service appropriations): 

The 2022-23 biennial appropriations Act revised the school funding formula to consider resident income levels in addition to property tax values (see Schools and Municipalities). The Act also authorized the BSF to retain interest earnings. 

The foregoing appropriations were based upon available balances and estimated GRF revenue for the biennium as follows: 

 Estimated State & Federal GRF Revenue 2022-23 Biennium ($ in billions)

Because of an extension in the filing date for tax year 2019 returns, an estimated $719.0 million in income tax revenue was received in FY 2021 rather than in FY 2020, thereby impacting the FYs 2021-2022 growth rate. 

Amended Substitute House Bill 110, the biennial budget for FYs 2022-2023, included several transfers from the General Revenue Fund. Estimated FY 2022 transfers from the General Revenue Fund total $2.98 billion, the largest of which is $1.2 billion for the Health and Human Services Fund. 

The 2022-23 biennial appropriations Act reflected the following tax policy and allocation changes, among others, which were estimated to result in a net GRF revenue decrease of $1.0 billion in FY 2022 and $977.0 million in FY 2023: 

•Made an across-the-board 3.0% reduction in State personal income tax rates on non-business income, except for consolidating the top two income brackets and setting the new top rate at 3.99%. 

•Increased the threshold for zero tax liability, in which filers with taxable incomes below $25,000 are no longer subject to Ohio personal income tax. 

•Contained a one-year (tax year 2021) suspension of bracket indexing, and two-year (tax years 2021 and 2022) suspension of personal exemption indexing. 

•Established new non-refundable tax credits for home-schooling expenses, for tuition paid to non-chartered private schools, and for contributions made to non-profit scholarship granting organizations. 

•Repealed sales and use tax on employment services; also enacted an exemption for sales of investment coins and bullion. 

•Continued the increase, on a temporary basis, of the percent of GRF tax revenues deposited into the public library fund from 1.66% to 1.70% in each of FYs 2022 and 2023. 

On January 21, 2022, Governor Mike DeWine announced Intel Corporation's plan to invest $20 billion to construct a new semiconductor manufacturing plant in Ohio for which the State appropriated $691 million for state and local infrastructure improvement, $600 million for onshoring incentive grants, and an estimated $650 million 30-year job creation tax credit. Incentives included performance benchmarks allowing the State to recover proceeds disbursed should the company fail to meet contracted obligations. The State's assistance is from available resources and not funded by debt proceeds. The positive impact of this development on Ohio is expected to lead to 20,000 additional jobs - 3,000 direct Intel jobs, 7,000 construction jobs throughout the build period, and 10,000 or more indirect and support jobs. 

Since enactment of the operating budget for the FY 2022-23 biennium, several tax law changes were passed by the Ohio General Assembly. These include: 

•Income tax credit to assist new farmers. 

•Income tax credit for employers of students enrolled in a career-technical education program. 

•Temporary increase in the total amount of issued historic building rehabilitation tax credits, and modifications to the Ohio opportunity zone tax credit program. 

•Define capital gains from sales of investment in a business as "business income" and therefore eligible for either the Ohio business income deduction or subject to the 3% income tax rate. 

•Establish a tax on pass-through entities, wherein an individual investor's share of such tax is not subject to the $10,000 limit of the federal income tax deduction on state and local taxes paid. 

FY 2023 Financial Results. The State ended FY 2023 with GRF cash and fund balances of $8.99 billion and $7.36 billion, respectively. As authorized in the 2024-25 budget bill, the entire fund balance was carried forward into FY 2024, including $212.6 million reserved to maintain the statutory target of one-half of one percent of FY 2023 GRF revenues. The FY 2024-2025 budget bill also included several FY 2023 ending balance transfers including $741.0 million to the Expanded Sales Tax Holiday Fund, $700.0 million to the One-Time Strategic Community Investments Fund, and $667.0 million to the All Ohio Future Fund.

FY 2023 GRF tax revenues were greater than both the original forecast derived in July 2021 for the enacted FY 2022-23 operating budget as well as the updated forecast issued in August 2022. Tax revenues for the fiscal year were $994.2 million above the updated forecast. This variance was driven by the personal income tax, which was $645.1 above estimate in fiscal year 2023. In addition, sales and use taxes were $149.2 million above estimate, and the commercial activity tax outperformed estimate by $82.9 million.

Outbreak of COVID-19 

As has been widely reported, the outbreak of COVID-19, a new strain of coronavirus that can result in severe respiratory disease, was first detected in December of 2019, and declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Governor DeWine and the Director of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) issued a declaration of a state of emergency in the State on March 9, 2020 and rescinded the order thereby ending the state-declared public health emergency on June 17, 2021. During that period, the Governor and the General Assembly took certain actions to mitigate the economic effect of the COVID-19 outbreak on the State's financial position. 

On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to address the economic disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the CARES Act, the State was directly allocated a minimum of $2.49 billion of the total $4.53 billion granted by the Federal Government to the State and its eligible local governments. These funds were used for necessary expenditures incurred due to COVID-19. The State maintains a comprehensive presentation of financial and transactional data online. The Ohio Checkbook (https://checkbook.ohio.gov), and more information on Federal Funding for COVID-19 in Ohio can be found at https://checkbook.ohio.gov/coronavirus. 

To balance the State budget in FY 2020 (due to anticipated declines in revenue and increased costs relating to the State's response to the COVID-19 pandemic), Governor DeWine directed spending cuts of approximately $775 million for the remainder of the fiscal year (June 30, 2020), including: $210 million in Medicaid spending; $300 million in K-12 education spending; $110 million in higher education spending; $55 million in other education spending; and $100 million in other State agencies and programs spending. The State also continued the previously announced hiring freezes, travel limitations, and contracting restrictions. 

Initial revised FY 2021 revenue projections indicated that available State revenue receipts and balances in the GRF were projected to be $36.0 billion, approximately $2.43 billion less than originally estimated (and $200 million less than the reserve held in the BSF as stated above). 

In response to those updated revenue projections for FY 2021 and in addition to the budgetary controls already in place, OBM and the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) implemented cost savings measures to further reduce expenditures by State agencies, boards, and commissions including continuing employment-related freezes and mandatory cost savings programs for exempt employees for FY 2021. On March 25, 2021, DAS rescinded the order that froze all exempt employee pay rates and step increases effective with the pay period beginning April 11, 2021. 

On January 22, 2021, Governor DeWine signed an executive order formally finalizing the FY 2021 budget reductions at $390 million across all agencies. Because this reduction was less than the previously anticipated cuts, the Governor authorized the Department of Education to allot an additional $160 million and the Department of Higher Education to allot an additional $100 million of enacted FY 2021 GRF appropriations previously withheld. To provide further relief for Ohioans and to align with the extended Federal tax filing deadline, the State also adjusted its 2020 tax filing date from April 15, 2021, to May 17, 2021. 

On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). This $1.9 trillion economic stimulus and COVID-19 relief package was aimed at providing emergency assistance to individuals, businesses, and state and local governments affected by COVID-19, among other measures. Under ARPA, the Federal Government allocated approximately $10.7 billion to Ohio's state and local governments with an additional $268.6 million allocated specifically for use in State capital projects to continue efforts to mitigate the fiscal effects stemming from COVID-19. 

In the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, unemployment insurance claims increased significantly from an average of 7,915 claims per week during the first 11 weeks of 2020 to 274,288 during the week ending March 28, 2020. Between January and June 2020, Ohio's Unemployment Trust Fund balance dropped from $1.26 billion to zero. On June 16, 2020, Ohio received an advance from the federal government to continue to pay the increased unemployment insurance claims. On September 3, 2021, Ohio paid off its $1.47 billion loan using ARPA funds.   

Like other states, Ohio is aware of and is investigating allegations of overpayment or fraud with respect to unemployment claims and will pursue repayment where warranted. Such potential overpayment or fraud, and repayment thereof, will have no material effect on the State's ability to pay debt service on its bonded indebtedness. The State has improved preventative safeguards to limit overpayments or fraudulent payments of unemployment compensation. 

Current Biennium

The 135th General Assembly passed and the Governor signed four bills that provide appropriations to operate State government through fiscal years 2024 and 2025. House Bills 23, 31, 32, and 33, collectively referred to as the "2024-2025 budget", provide the following GRF appropriations:

GRF Appropriations 2024-25 Biennium ($ in billions)

Major program categories reflect the following GRF appropriation changes (excluding GRF debt service appropriations):

•Medicaid - FY 2024 appropriations increase 10.8% over FY 2023 expenditures, and FY 2025 appropriations increase 13.9% over FY 2024 appropriations.

•Elementary and Secondary Education - including transfers from the GRF in support of student wellness and success, FY 2024 appropriations increase 10.4% over FY 2023 expenditures, and FY 2025 appropriations increase 3.6% over FY 2024 appropriations. 

•Higher Education - FY 2024 appropriations increase 6.8% over FY 2023 expenditures, and FY 2025 appropriations increase 2.0% over FY 2024 appropriations.

The foregoing appropriations were based upon available balances and estimated GRF revenue for the biennium as follows:

Estimated State & Federal GRF Revenue 2024-2025 Biennium ($ in billions)

The FY 2024-25 biennial budget was conservatively crafted with several transfers from the General Revenue Fund to use one-time resources for one-time investments. Estimated FY 2024 transfers from the General Revenue Fund total $5.6 billion, including $667 million for the All Ohio Future Fund and $700 million for the One Time Strategic Community Investments Fund. 

The 2024-25 biennial budget includes the following tax policy changes:

•The number of businesses subject to the commercial activities tax will be dramatically reduced by 90% by excluding up to $3 million in gross receipts per business in 2024 and up to $6 million in gross receipts per business in 2025.

•The sports gaming tax rate increases to 20% with proceeds dedicated to the school funding formula.

•Personal income tax reductions in the budget will reduce the number of personal income tax brackets. By 2024, the state personal income tax will have two rate brackets (one consisting of taxable income between $26,051 and $100,000, and the other consisting of income above $100,000), with marginal tax rates of 2.75% and 3.5%, respectively. There remains no tax liability if taxable income is $26,050 or below.

•A new expanded sales tax holiday will use surplus revenue to provide tax relief to consumers in August 2024 and future years if tax receipts exceed budgeted estimates. 

•The state sales tax on baby products, such as diapers, wipes, car seats, and strollers is eliminated, which will save Ohio families $16 million per year. 

•The supply of affordable single-family housing will be supported by a new tax credit totaling $200 million over four years.

•New low-income housing tax credits in the amount of $100 million per fiscal year, allocated over a four-year period, will go toward the development and rehabilitation of low-income, multi-family rental housing projects that increase the affordable housing supply. 

•Ohioans planning to purchase a home will be able to open a home ownership savings account. Qualifying contributions to such accounts shall receive tax-favored treatment. Contributions of up to $5,000 per year for individuals and $10,000 per year for couples filing jointly, may be deducted from the contributor's Ohio personal income tax return (with a lifetime maximum $25,000 deduction per contributor per account). 

Fiscal Year 2023 ended the fiscal year with the largest GRF cash balance in Ohio history. The Budget Stabilization Fund is at an all-time high and House Bill 33 raised the cap on the balance of the Budget Stabilization Fund to 10% of the GRF, allowing the fund to continue to grow. The FY 2024 biennial budget is balanced.

State Debt. The incurrence or assumption of debt by the State without a popular vote is, with limited exceptions, prohibited by the Ohio Constitution. The State is authorized to incur debt limited in amount to $750,000 to cover casual deficits or to address failures in revenues or to meet expenses not otherwise provided for. The Constitution also expressly precludes the State from assuming the debts of any county, city, town, or township, or of any corporation. An exception, however, exists in both cases, for debts incurred to repel invasion, suppress insurrection, or defend the State in war. The Constitution further provides that "Except the debts above specified. . . no debt whatever shall hereafter be created by, or on behalf of the state." 

By 20 constitutional amendments approved from 1921 to present, Ohio voters have authorized the incurrence of State general obligation debt and the pledge of taxes or excises to its payment, all related to the financing of capital facilities, except for three that funded bonuses for veterans, one to fund coal technology research and development, and one to fund specified research and development activities. Currently, tax supported general obligation debt of the State is authorized to be incurred for the following purposes: highways, local infrastructure, coal development, natural resources and parks, higher education, common schools, conservation, and research and development. Authorizations for site development and veterans compensation purposes have been fully exhausted or expired. Although supported by the general obligation pledge, highway debt is also backed by a pledge of and has always been paid from the State's motor fuel taxes and other highway user receipts that are constitutionally restricted in use to highway related purposes. 

State special obligation debt, the owners or holders of which are not given the right to have excises or taxes levied by the General Assembly to pay principal and interest, is authorized for purposes specified by Section 2i of Article VIII of the Constitution. The Treasurer of State currently issues the special obligations authorized under that section for parks and recreation and mental health facilities, and for facilities to house branches and agencies of State government and their functions, including: State office buildings and facilities for the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) and others, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), correctional and juvenile detention facilities for the Departments of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC) and Youth Services (DYS), and various cultural facilities, and has issued previously for the Department of Public Safety (DPS). Debt service on all of these special obligations is paid from GRF appropriations, except for debt issued for ODOT and DPS facilities which is paid from highway user receipts. All of those debt service payments are subject to biennial appropriations by the General Assembly pursuant to leases or other agreements entered into by the State. 

Certificates of Participation (COPs). State agencies have also improved buildings/equipment, information systems, and non- highway transportation projects with local and State use, in connection with which the State has entered into lease-purchase agreements with terms ranging from 8 to 20 years. Certificates of Participation (COPs) have been issued with regards to those agreements that represent fractionalized interests in, and are payable from, the State's anticipated lease payments. The maximum annual payment from GRF appropriations under those existing agreements is $45.3 million in FY 2025 and the total GRF-supported principal amount outstanding is $165.1 million as of December 12, 2023. Payments by the State are subject to biennial appropriations by the General Assembly with the lease terms subject to automatic renewal for each biennium for which those appropriations are made. The approval of the OBM Director and either the General Assembly or the State Controlling Board is required if COPs are to be publicly offered in connection with those agreements. 

Revenue Bonds. Certain State agencies issue revenue bonds that are payable from revenues from or relating to revenue producing facilities, such as those issued by the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission. As confirmed by judicial interpretation, such revenue bonds do not constitute debt under the constitutional provisions described above. The Constitution authorizes State bonds for certain economic development and housing purposes (the latter issued by the Ohio Housing Finance Agency) to which tax moneys may not be obligated or pledged. 

Tax Credits in Support of Other Long-Term Obligations. The State has authorized the issuance of fully refundable tax credits in support of credit-collateralized bonds issued from time to time by the Columbus-Franklin County Finance Authority to provide funding for the Ohio Capital Fund to promote venture capital investment in Ohio and any additional bonds that may be issued to refinance those outstanding bonds or provide additional funding for that purpose. Those tax credits may be claimed by the bond trustee for the purpose of restoring the bond reserve fund for those credit-collateralized bonds in the event it is drawn upon and its required balance is not restored from other sources. Those credits may not be claimed after June 30, 2036, and the maximum amount of tax credits that may be claimed is $20 million in any fiscal year. The bond trustee has filed such tax credit claims in connection with the payment of Bond Service Charges each February and August from February 15, 2017 through February 15. 2023. Tax credit payments made with respect to those tax credit claims (exclusive of certain required repayments to the State) totaled $7.5 million in FY 2017, $15.4 million in FY 2018, $13.5 million in FY 2019, $15.2 million in FY 2020, $10.7 million in FY 2021, $10.0 million in FY 2022, $8.8 million in FY 2023 and $8 million so far in FY 2024. Total outstanding principal on the credit-collateralized bonds after the August 15, 2023, payment date is $56.76 million with the highest annual debt service payment due on the outstanding credit-collateralized bonds occurring in FY 2024 in the amount of approximately $16.9 million. Proceeds of the Ohio Capital Fund bonds fund investments in venture capital funds to promote investment in seed and early-stage Ohio-based business enterprises. 

Prior Economic Development and Revitalization Obligations. Prior to the February 1, 2013, granting of a 25-year franchise on the State's spirituous liquor system to JobsOhio, there were $725.0 million of outstanding State bonds and notes secured by a pledge of the State's profits from the sale of spirituous liquor. In connection with the granting of that franchise, provision was made for the payment of all the debt service on those bonds and notes which are now defeased and no longer outstanding obligations of the State. Those bonds and notes were originally issued to fund a statewide economic development program that assisted in the financing of facilities and equipment for industry, commerce, research, and distribution, including technology innovation, by providing loans and loan guarantees. Under its franchise agreement with JobsOhio, the State may not issue additional obligations secured by a pledge of profits from the sale of spirituous liquor during the 25-year term of that franchise. 

Obligations and Funding Commitments for Highway Projects Payable from Highway Related Non-GRF Funds. As described above, the State issues general obligations for highway infrastructure and special obligations for ODOT and DPS transportation facilities that are paid from the State's motor fuel tax and other highway user receipts that are constitutionally restricted in use to highway related purposes. In addition, the State has and expects to continue financing selected highway infrastructure projects by issuing federal highway grant anticipation revenue (GARVEE) bonds and entering into agreements that call for debt service payments to be made from federal Title 23 transportation funds allocated to the State, subject to biennial appropriations by the 

General Assembly. The highest annual State payment under those agreements in the current or any future FY is $144.3 million in FY 2024. In the event of any insufficiency in the anticipated federal allocations to make payments on GARVEE bonds, the payments are to be made from any lawfully available moneys appropriated to ODOT for the purpose. 

In December 2014, ODOT entered into its first public-private agreement to provide "availability payments" in support of the development and operation of a State highway improvement project. Those availability payments commenced in December 2018 and are paid from non-GRF funds available to ODOT remaining after the payment of debt service on highway general obligations, ODOT special obligations, and GARVEE bonds. The availability payment in FY 2023 was $26.8 million, with availability payments estimated to increase modestly each year from $27.4 million in FY 2024 to a maximum payment of $39.9 million in FY 2053. Availability payments are subject to biennial appropriation by the General Assembly with the public-private agreement subject to automatic renewal for each biennium if and when those availability payments are appropriated for that biennium. 

Constitutional Limitation on Annual Debt Service. A 1999 constitutional amendment provides an annual debt service "cap" applicable to most future issuances of State general obligations and other State direct obligations payable from the GRF or net State lottery proceeds. Generally, new obligations may not be issued if debt service for any future FY on those new and then outstanding obligations of those categories would exceed 5% of the total of estimated GRF revenues (excluding GRF receipts from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) plus net State lottery proceeds for the fiscal year of issuance. Those direct obligations of the State include general obligations and special obligations that are paid from the State's GRF but exclude (i) general obligation debt for third frontier research and development, development of sites and facilities , and veterans' compensation, and (ii) general obligation debt payable from non-GRF funds such as highway bonds that are paid from highway user receipts. Pursuant to the implementing legislation, the Governor has designated the OBM Director as the State official responsible for making the 5% determinations and certifications. Application of the 5% cap may be waived in a particular instance by a three-fifths vote of each house of the Ohio General Assembly. The most recent 5% determination and certification of 2.62% was made on December 21, 2023. 

Schools and Municipalities. Litigation was commenced in the Ohio courts in 1991 questioning the constitutionality of Ohio's system of school funding and compliance with the constitutional requirement that the State provide a "thorough and efficient system of common schools." On December 11, 2002, the Supreme Court of Ohio, in a 4-3 decision on a motion to reconsider its own decision rendered in September 2001, concluded (as it previously had in its 1997 and 2000 opinions) that the State did not comply with that requirement, even after again noting and crediting significant steps in preceding years. 

In its prior decisions, the Supreme Court of Ohio stated as general base threshold requirements that every school district have enough funds to operate, an appropriate number of teachers, sound and safe buildings, and equipment sufficient for all students to be afforded an educational opportunity. With respect to funding sources, the Court concluded in its 1997 and 2000 decisions that property taxes may no longer be the primary means of school funding in Ohio. 

On March 4, 2003, the plaintiffs filed with the original trial court a motion to schedule and conduct a conference to address compliance with the orders of the court in that case, the State petitioned the Ohio Supreme Court to issue a writ prohibiting that conference on compliance, and the trial court subsequently petitioned the Ohio Supreme Court for guidance as to the proper course to follow. On May 16, 2003, the Ohio Supreme Court granted that writ and ordered the dismissal of the motion before the trial court. On October 20, 2003, the United States Supreme Court declined to accept the plaintiffs' subsequent petition requesting further review of the case. 

In the years following this litigation, the General Assembly has taken steps, including significantly increasing State funding for public schools, as discussed below. In addition, at the November 1999 election electors approved a constitutional amendment authorizing the issuance of State general obligation debt for school buildings and for higher education facilities. December 2000 legislation also addressed certain mandated programs and reserves, characterized by the plaintiffs and the Court as "unfunded mandates." 

Prior to FYs 2009 and 2010, Ohio's 613 public school districts and 49 joint vocational school districts received a major portion (but less than 50%) of their operating moneys from State subsidy appropriations (the primary portion of which is known as the Foundation Program) distributed in accordance with statutory formulae that consider both local needs and local taxing capacity. The Foundation Program amounts have steadily increased in most recent years, including small aggregate increases even in those fiscal years in which appropriation reductions were imposed. 

School districts also rely upon receipts from locally voted taxes. In part because of provisions of some State laws, such as partially limiting the increase (without further vote of the local electorate) in voted property tax collections that would otherwise result from increased assessed valuations, some school districts have experienced varying degrees of difficulty in meeting mandated and discretionary increased costs. Local electorates have largely determined the total moneys available for their schools. 

Locally elected boards of education and their school administrators are responsible for managing school programs and budgets within statutory requirements. 

The State's school subsidy formulas that were used until FY 2009 were structured to encourage both program quality and local taxing effort. Until the late 1970's, although there were some temporary school closings, most local financial difficulties that arose were successfully resolved by the local districts themselves by some combination of voter approval of additional property tax levies, adjustments in program offerings, or other measures. For more than 20 years, requirements of law and levels of State funding have sufficed to prevent school closings for financial reasons, which in any case are prohibited by current law. 

Legislation was enacted in 1996 to address school districts in financial straits. It is similar to that for municipal "fiscal emergencies" and "fiscal watch" discussed below under Municipalities, but is particularly tailored to certain school districts and their then-existing or potential fiscal problems. Newer legislation created a third, more preliminary, category of "fiscal caution." A current listing of school districts in fiscal emergency or watch status can be found on the Auditor of State's website at http://www.auditor.state.oh.us. 

To broaden the potential local tax revenue base, school districts also may submit, for voter approval, income taxes on the district income of individuals and estates. Many districts have submitted the question of the proposed income tax to their respective electors, and income taxes are currently approved in 210 districts. 

Biennial school funding State appropriations from the GRF (including property tax reimbursements) and Lottery Profits Education Fund (LPEF) (but excluding federal and special revenue funds) for recent biennia were: 

•2016-17 - $20.0 billion (a 9.3% increase over the previous biennium). 

•2018-19 - $20.7 billion (a 3.5% increase over the previous biennium). 

•2020-21 - $21.9 billion (a 5.7% increase over the previous biennium). 

•2022-23 - $23.0 billion (a 4.9% increase over the previous biennium). 

The appropriations for school funding for the 2024-25 biennium are $26.7 billion (a 16.1% increase from the previous biennium), representing an increase of 13.5% in FY 2024 over FY 2023 and an increase of 1.8% in FY 2025 over FY 2024. 

The amount of lottery profits transferred to the LPEF totaled $1.17 billion in FY 2018, $1.15 billion in FY 2019, $1.13 billion in FY 2020, $1.36 billion in FY 2021, $1.41 billion in FY 2022, $1.46 billion in FY 2023, and is currently estimated to be $1.42 billion in FY 2024 and $1.44 billion in FY 2025. Ohio participation in the multi-state lottery commenced in May 2002. A constitutional provision requires that net lottery profits be paid into LPEF be used solely for the support of elementary, secondary, vocational, and special education purposes, including application to debt service on general obligation bonds to finance common school facilities. The 2010-11 biennial appropriations Act also authorized the implementation of video lottery terminals (VLTs) at Ohio's seven horse racing tracks. 

The 2016-17 biennial appropriations Act modified certain components of the funding formula to distribute new resources to districts with less capacity to raise revenue through local sources. Under the modified formula, each school district's education aid was based on a per pupil funding amount of $5,900 in FY 2016 and $6,000 in FY 2017, multiplied by each school district's "state share index," which used a three-year average of adjusted property valuation per pupil and the median income of that school district to calculate the percentage of the per-pupil amount to be paid by the State and the amount assumed to be contributed by the school district through local sources. The 2016-17 biennial appropriations Act also supplemented transportation funds for low density districts and continued to provide additional funds for students with exceptional needs, including those with special needs and the disabled, and limited English proficiency, and for economically disadvantaged and gifted students. Funding was also provided based on the number of K-3 students at each school district to help school districts comply with Ohio's 3rd grade reading guarantee. The Act continued funding for the "Straight A Fund" to develop and implement creative and innovative instructional models to inspire learning and student growth. 

The 2018-19 biennial appropriations Act maintained all components of the 2016-17 funding formula with minor modifications. School district's education aid continued to be paid based on a per pupil funding amount (increasing to $6,010 in FY 2018 and $6,020 in FY 2019) multiplied by each school district's state share index. The 2018-19 appropriations Act reduced the minimum share of transportation funding to better target school districts with lower capacity to raise revenue locally and increased the multiplier in the formula for computing capacity aid to provide additional aid to low wealth school districts and those with small populations and low property valuation. The Act also modified the calculations for temporary transitional aid and the gain cap to consider changes in student population. Funding also continued for other education initiatives including Early Childhood Education, EdChoice Expansion Scholarships, and the Community Connectors grant program. 

The 2020-21 biennial appropriations Act provided each school district with the same amount of core funding and pupil transportation funding as it received under the funding formula for FY 2019, along with other limited payments and adjustments, such as preschool special education payments and catastrophic cost reimbursements. The 2020-21 biennial appropriations Act also provided additional payments to school districts for student wellness and success to provide support for mental health counseling, wraparound supports, mentoring, and after-school programs. The Act also provided for additional payments to qualifying school districts that experienced an increase in enrollment between FYs 2016 and 2019. 

The 2022-23 biennial appropriations Act implemented a new funding formula known as the Fair School Funding Plan. The new formula established a base cost methodology based on student to teacher ratios, minimum staffing levels, and actual costs for schools. Under the new formula, each school district has a unique base cost amount which replaced the prior Opportunity Grant amount of $6,020 per pupil. The formula revised categorical funding and implemented a new state and local cost share methodology using property and income factors for all districts. Community schools, STEM schools, educational choice scholarship programs, and open enrollment were directly funded. Instead of a Gain Cap, most components of the formula were subject to a general phase-in percentage of 16.67% in FY 2022 and 33.33% in FY 2023. The Act also provided for additional payments to support school bus purchases, community school facilities, and quality community schools. 

The 2024-25 biennial appropriations Act continues the phase-in of the school funding formula enacted in FY 2022. The phase-in percentage will increase to 50% in FY 2024 and 66.67% in FY 2025. The formula will continue the base cost methodology based on student to teacher ratios, minimum staffing levels, and actual costs for schools. Data for calculating base cost and local capacity will update. Several factors will increase including gifted professional development funding, career awareness funding, and the transportation minimum state share percentage. The minimum state share percentage of base cost will increase from 5% to 10%. The Act also provides for additional payments to support literacy initiatives, career-technical education programs, community school facilities, quality community and STEM schools, and an equity supplement to brick-and-mortar community schools. The Act also establishes universal eligibility for the EdChoice Expansion Scholarship Program, providing full scholarships for families with income up to 450% of the federal poverty level. Families with income above 450% will receive partial scholarship amounts with a minimum scholarship of 10%.

Municipalities. Ohio has a mixture of urban and rural population, with approximately three-quarters urban. There are 926 incorporated cities and villages (municipalities with populations under 5,000) in the State. Six cities have populations of more than 100,000 and 18 cities exceed 50,000. 

A 1979 act established procedures for identifying and assisting those few cities and villages experiencing defined "fiscal emergencies." A commission composed of State and local officials, and private sector members experienced in business and finance appointed by the Governor, monitors the fiscal affairs of a municipality facing substantial financial problems. The Act requires the municipality to develop, subject to approval and monitoring by its commission, a financial plan to eliminate deficits and cure any defaults and otherwise remedy fiscal emergency conditions and to take other actions required under its financial plan. It also provides enhanced protection for the municipality's bonds and notes and, subject to the act's stated standards and controls, permits the State to purchase limited amounts of the municipality's short-term obligations (used only once, in 1980). 

The number of distributions to most local governments, including municipalities, from the several State local government revenue assistance funds have been subject to reductions and other adjustments in several of those recent biennia. 

The fiscal emergency legislation has been amended to extend its potential application to all Ohio counties and townships. This extension is on an "if and as needed" basis and is not aimed at particularly identified existing fiscal problems of those subdivisions. A current listing of governments in each status can be found on the Auditor of State's website at http://www.auditor. state.oh.us.

Orders for the purchase or sale of portfolio securities are placed on behalf of the fund by Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC (FMR or the Adviser) pursuant to authority contained in the management contract.  

To the extent that the Adviser grants investment management authority to a sub-adviser (see the section entitled "Management Contract"), that sub-adviser is authorized to provide the services described in the respective sub-advisory agreement, and in accordance with the policies described in this section. Furthermore, the sub-adviser's trading and associated policies, which may differ from the Adviser's policies, may apply to that fund, subject to applicable law.

The Adviser or a sub-adviser may be responsible for the placement of portfolio securities transactions for other investment companies and investment accounts for which it has or its affiliates have investment discretion.

The fund will not incur any commissions or sales charges when it invests in shares of certain pooled investment vehicles (including any underlying Central funds), but it may incur such costs when it invests directly in other types of securities.

Purchases and sales of equity securities on a securities exchange or OTC are effected through brokers who receive compensation for their services. Generally, compensation relating to securities traded on foreign exchanges will be higher than compensation relating to securities traded on U.S. exchanges and may not be subject to negotiation. Compensation may also be paid in connection with principal transactions (in both OTC securities and securities listed on an exchange) and agency OTC transactions executed with an electronic communications network (ECN) or an alternative trading system. Equity securities may be purchased from underwriters at prices that include underwriting fees.

Purchases and sales of fixed-income securities are generally made with an issuer or a primary market-maker acting as principal. Although there is no stated brokerage commission paid by the fund for any fixed-income security, the price paid by the fund to an underwriter includes the disclosed underwriting fee and prices in secondary trades usually include an undisclosed dealer commission or markup reflecting the spread between the bid and ask prices of the fixed-income security. New issues of equity and fixed-income securities may also be purchased in underwritten fixed price offerings. 

The Trustees of the fund periodically review the Adviser's performance of its responsibilities in connection with the placement of portfolio securities transactions on behalf of the fund. The Trustees also review the compensation paid by the fund over representative periods of time to determine if it was reasonable in relation to the benefits to the fund.

The Selection of Securities Brokers and Dealers

The Adviser or its affiliates generally have authority to select brokers (whether acting as a broker or a dealer) to place or execute the fund's portfolio securities transactions. In selecting brokers, including affiliates of the Adviser, to execute the fund's portfolio securities transactions, the Adviser or its affiliates consider the factors they deem relevant in the context of a particular trade and in regard to the Adviser's or its affiliates' overall responsibilities with respect to the fund and other investment accounts, including any instructions from the fund's portfolio manager, which may emphasize, for example, speed of execution over other factors. Based on the factors considered, the Adviser or its affiliates may choose to execute an order using ECNs, including broker-sponsored algorithms, internal crossing, or by verbally working an order with one or more brokers. Other possibly relevant factors include, but are not limited to, the following: price; costs; the size, nature and type of the order; the speed of execution; financial condition and reputation of the broker; broker specific considerations (e.g., not all brokers are able to execute all types of trades); broker willingness to commit capital; the nature and characteristics of the markets in which the security is traded; the trader's assessment of whether and how closely the broker likely will follow the trader's instructions to the broker; confidentiality and the potential for information leakage; the nature or existence of post-trade clearing, settlement, custody and currency convertibility mechanisms; and the provision of additional brokerage and research products and services, if applicable and where allowed by law.

In seeking best execution for portfolio securities transactions, the Adviser or its affiliates may from time to time select a broker that uses a trading method, including algorithmic trading, for which the broker charges a higher commission than its lowest available commission rate. The Adviser or its affiliates also may select a broker that charges more than the lowest commission rate available from another broker. Occasionally the Adviser or its affiliates execute an entire securities transaction with a broker and allocate all or a portion of the transaction and/or related commissions to a second broker where a client does not permit trading with an affiliate of the Adviser or in other limited situations. In those situations, the commission rate paid to the second broker may be higher than the commission rate paid to the executing broker. For futures transactions, the selection of a futures commission merchant is generally based on the overall quality of execution and other services provided by the futures commission merchant. The Adviser or its affiliates execute futures transactions verbally and electronically.

The Acquisition of Brokerage and Research Products and Services

Brokers (who are not affiliates of the Adviser) that execute transactions for a fund managed outside of the European Union may receive higher compensation from the fund than other brokers might have charged the fund, in recognition of the value of the brokerage or research products and services they provide to the Adviser or its affiliates.

Research Products and Services. These products and services may include, when permissible under applicable law, but are not limited to: economic, industry, company, municipal, sovereign (U.S. and non-U.S.), legal, or political research reports; market color; company meeting facilitation; compilation of securities prices, earnings, dividends and similar data; quotation services, data, information and other services; analytical computer software and services; and investment recommendations. In addition to receiving brokerage and research products and services via written reports and computer-delivered services, such reports may also be provided by telephone and in video and in-person meetings with securities analysts, corporate and industry spokespersons, economists, academicians and government representatives and others with relevant professional expertise. The Adviser or its affiliates may request that a broker provide a specific proprietary or third-party product or service. Some of these brokerage and research products and services supplement the Adviser's or its affiliates' own research activities in providing investment advice to the fund.

Execution Services. In addition, when permissible under applicable law, brokerage and research products and services include those that assist in the execution, clearing, and settlement of securities transactions, as well as other incidental functions (including, but not limited to, communication services related to trade execution, order routing and algorithmic trading, post-trade matching, exchange of messages among brokers or dealers, custodians and institutions, and the use of electronic confirmation and affirmation of institutional trades).

Mixed-Use Products and Services. Although the Adviser or its affiliates do not use fund commissions to pay for products or services that do not qualify as brokerage and research products and services or eligible external research under MiFID II and FCA regulations (as defined below), where allowed by applicable law, they, at times, will use commission dollars to obtain certain products or services that are not used exclusively in the Adviser's or its affiliates' investment decision-making process (mixed-use products or services). In those circumstances, the Adviser or its affiliates will make a good faith judgment to evaluate the various benefits and uses to which they intend to put the mixed-use product or service, and will pay for that portion of the mixed-use product or service that does not qualify as brokerage and research products and services or eligible external research with their own resources (referred to as "hard dollars").

Benefit to the Adviser. The Adviser's or its affiliates' expenses likely would be increased if they attempted to generate these additional brokerage and research products and services through their own efforts, or if they paid for these brokerage and research products or services with their own resources. Therefore, an economic incentive exists for the Adviser and/or its affiliates to select or recommend a broker-dealer based on its interest in receiving the brokerage and research products and services, rather than on the Adviser's or its affiliates' funds interest in receiving most favorable execution. The Adviser and its affiliates manage the receipt of brokerage and research products and services and the potential for conflicts through its Commission Uses Program. The Commission Uses Program effectively "unbundles" commissions paid to brokers who provide brokerage and research products and services, i.e., commissions consist of an execution commission, which covers the execution of the trade (including clearance and settlement), and a research charge, which is used to cover brokerage and research products and services. Those brokers have client commission arrangements (each a CCA) in place with the Adviser and its affiliates (each of those brokers referred to as CCA brokers). In selecting brokers for executing transactions on behalf of the fund, the trading desks through which the Adviser or its affiliates may execute trades are instructed to execute portfolio transactions on behalf of the fund based on the quality of execution without any consideration of brokerage and research products and services the CCA broker provides. Commissions paid to a CCA broker include both an execution commission and a research charge, and while the CCA broker receives the entire commission, it retains the execution commission and either credits or transmits the research portion (also known as "soft dollars") to a CCA pool maintained by each CCA broker. Soft dollar credits (credits) accumulated in CCA pools are used to pay research expenses. In some cases, the Adviser or its affiliates may request that a broker that is not a party to any particular transaction provide a specific proprietary or third-party product or service, which would be paid with credits from the CCA pool. The administration of brokerage and research products and services is managed separately from the trading desks, and traders have no responsibility for administering the research program, including the payment for research. The Adviser and/or its affiliates, at times, use a third-party aggregator to facilitate payments to research providers. Where an aggregator is involved, the aggregator would maintain credits in an account that is segregated from the aggregator's proprietary assets and the assets of its other clients and uses those credits to pay research providers as instructed by the Adviser or its affiliates. Furthermore, where permissible under applicable law, certain of the brokerage and research products and services that the Adviser or its affiliates receive are furnished by brokers on their own initiative, either in connection with a particular transaction or as part of their overall services. Some of these brokerage and research products or services may be provided at no additional cost to the Adviser or its affiliates or have no explicit cost associated with them. In addition, the Adviser or its affiliates may request that a broker provide a specific proprietary or third-party product or service, certain of which third-party products or services may be provided by a broker that is not a party to a particular transaction and is not connected with the transacting broker's overall services.

The Adviser's Decision-Making Process. In connection with the allocation of fund brokerage, the Adviser and/or its affiliates make a good faith determination that the compensation paid to brokers and dealers is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and/or research products and services provided to the Adviser and/or its affiliates, viewed in terms of the particular transaction for the fund or the Adviser's or its affiliates' overall responsibilities to that fund or other investment companies and investment accounts for which the Adviser or its affiliates have investment discretion; however, each brokerage and research product or service received in connection with the fund's brokerage does not benefit all funds and certain funds will receive the benefit of the brokerage and research product or services obtained with other funds' commissions. As required under applicable laws or fund policy, commissions generated by certain funds may only be used to obtain certain brokerage and research products and services. As a result, certain funds will pay more proportionately for certain types of brokerage and research products and services than others, while the overall amount of brokerage and research products and services paid by each fund continues to be allocated equitably. While the Adviser and its affiliates take into account the brokerage and/or research products and services provided by a broker or dealer in determining whether compensation paid is reasonable, neither the Adviser, its affiliates, nor the fund incur an obligation to any broker, dealer, or third party to pay for any brokerage and research product or service (or portion thereof) by generating a specific amount of compensation or otherwise. Typically, for funds managed by the Adviser or its affiliates outside of the European Union or the United Kingdom, these brokerage and research products and services assist the Adviser or its affiliates in terms of their overall investment responsibilities to the fund or any other investment companies and investment accounts for which the Adviser or its affiliates may have investment discretion. Certain funds or investment accounts may use brokerage commissions to acquire brokerage and research products and services that also benefit other funds or accounts managed by the Adviser or its affiliates, and not every fund or investment account uses the brokerage and research products and services that may have been acquired through that fund's commissions.

Research Contracts. The Adviser and/or its affiliates have arrangements with certain third-party research providers and brokers through whom the Adviser and/or its affiliates effect fund trades, whereby the Adviser and/or its affiliates may pay with fund commissions or hard dollars for all or a portion of the cost of research products and services purchased from such research providers or brokers. If hard dollar payments are used, the Adviser and/or its affiliates, at times, will cause the fund to pay more for execution than the lowest commission rate available from the broker providing research products and services to the Adviser and/or its affiliates, or that may be available from another broker. The Adviser's and/or its affiliates' determination to pay for research products and services separately is wholly voluntary on the Adviser's or its affiliates' part and may be extended to additional brokers or discontinued with any broker participating in this arrangement.

Funds Managed within the European Union. The Adviser and its affiliates have established policies and procedures relating to brokerage commission uses in compliance with the revised Markets in Financial Instruments Directive in the European Union, commonly referred to as "MiFID II", as implemented in the United Kingdom through the Conduct of Business Sourcebook Rules of the UK Financial Conduct Authority (the FCA), where applicable.

Funds, or portions thereof, that are managed within the United Kingdom by FMR Investment Management (UK) Limited (FMR UK) use research payment accounts (RPAs) to cover costs associated with equity and high income external research that is consumed by those funds or investment accounts in accordance with MiFID II and FCA regulations. With RPAs, funds pay for external research through a separate research charge that is generally assessed and collected alongside the execution commission1. For funds that use an RPA, FMR UK establishes a research budget. The budget is set by first grouping funds or investment accounts by strategy (e.g., asset allocation, blend, growth, etc.), and then determining what external research is consumed to support the strategies and portfolio management services provided within the European Union or the United Kingdom. In this regard, research budgets are set by research needs and are not otherwise linked to the volume or value of transactions executed on behalf of the fund or investment account. For funds where portions are managed both within and outside of the United Kingdom, external research may be paid using both a CCA and an RPA. Determinations of what is eligible research and how costs are allocated are made in accordance with the Adviser's and its affiliates' policies and procedures. Costs for research consumed by funds that use an RPA will be allocated among the funds or investment accounts within defined strategies pro rata based on the assets under management for each fund or investment account. While the research charge paid on behalf of any one fund that uses an RPA varies over time, the overall research charge determined at the fund level on an annual basis will not be exceeded.

FMR UK is responsible for managing the RPA and may delegate its administration to a third-party administrator for the facilitation of the purchase of external research and payments to research providers. RPA assets will be maintained in accounts at a third-party depository institution, held in the name of FMR UK. FMR UK provides on request, a summary of: (i) the providers paid from the RPA; (ii) the total amount they were paid over a defined period; (iii) the benefits and services received by FMR UK; and (iv) how the total amount spent from the RPA compares to the research budget set for that period, noting any rebate or carryover if residual funds remain in the RPA.

Impacted funds, like those funds that participate in CCA pools, at times, will make payments to a broker that include both an execution commission and a research charge, but unlike CCAs (for which research charges may be retained by the CCA broker and credited to the CCA, as described above), the broker will receive separate payments for the execution commission and the research charge and will promptly remit the research charge to the RPA. Assets in the RPA are used to satisfy external research costs consumed by the funds.

If the costs of paying for external research exceed the amount initially agreed in relation to funds in a given strategy, the Adviser or its affiliates may continue to charge those funds or investment accounts beyond the initially agreed amount in accordance with MiFID II, continue to acquire external research for the funds or investment accounts using its own resources, or cease to purchase external research for those funds or investment accounts until the next annual research budget. If assets for specific funds remain in the RPA at the end of a period, they may be rolled over to the next period to offset next year's research charges for those funds or rebated to those funds.

Funds managed by FMR UK that trade only fixed income securities will not participate in RPAs because fixed income securities trade based on spreads rather than commissions, and thus unbundling the execution commission and research charge is impractical. Therefore, FMR UK and its affiliates have established policies and procedures to ensure that external research that is paid for through RPAs is not made available to FMR UK portfolio managers that manage fixed income funds or investment accounts in any manner inconsistent with MiFID II and FCA regulations.

1The staff of the SEC addressed concerns that reliance on an RPA mechanism to pay for research would be permissible under Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 by indicating that they would not recommend enforcement against investment advisers who used an RPA to pay for research and brokerage products and services so long as certain conditions were met. Therefore, references to "research charges" as part of the RPA mechanism to satisfy MiFID II requirements can be considered "commissions" for Section 28(e) purposes.

Commission Recapture

From time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates engages in brokerage transactions with brokers (who are not affiliates of the Adviser) who have entered into arrangements with the Adviser or its affiliates under which the broker will, at times, rebate a portion of the compensation paid by a fund (commission recapture). Not all brokers with whom the fund trades have been asked to participate in brokerage commission recapture.

Affiliated Transactions

The Adviser or its affiliates place trades with certain brokers, including National Financial Services LLC (NFS), through its Fidelity Capital Markets (FCM) division, and  Kezar Trading LLC (formerly Luminex Trading & Analytics LLC) (Kezar Trading), with whom they are under common control or otherwise affiliated, provided the Adviser or its affiliates determine that these affiliates' trade-execution abilities and costs are comparable to those of non-affiliated, qualified brokerage firms, and that such transactions be executed in accordance with applicable rules under the 1940 Act and procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees of the fund and subject to other applicable law. In addition, from time to time, the Adviser or its affiliates place trades with brokers that use NFS or Fidelity Clearing Canada ULC (FCC) as a clearing agent and/or use Level ATS, an alternative trading system that is deemed to be affiliated with the Adviser, for execution services.

In certain circumstances, trades are executed through alternative trading systems or national securities exchanges in which the Adviser or its affiliates have an interest. Any decision to execute a trade through an alternative trading system or exchange in which the Adviser or its affiliates have an interest would be made in accordance with applicable law, including best execution obligations. For trades placed on such a system or exchange, not limited to ones in which the Adviser or its affiliates have an ownership interest, the Adviser or its affiliates derive benefit in the form of increased valuation(s) of its equity interest, where it has an ownership interest, or other remuneration, including rebates.

The Trustees of the fund have approved procedures whereby a fund is permitted to purchase securities that are offered in underwritings in which an affiliate of the adviser or certain other affiliates participate. In addition, for underwritings where such an affiliate participates as a principal underwriter, certain restrictions may apply that could, among other things, limit the amount of securities that the fund could purchase in the underwritings.

Non-U.S. Securities Transactions

To facilitate trade settlement and related activities in non-U.S. securities transactions, the Adviser or its affiliates effect spot foreign currency transactions with foreign currency dealers. In certain circumstances, due to local law and regulation, logistical or operational challenges, or the process for settling securities transactions in certain markets (e.g., short settlement periods), spot currency transactions are effected on behalf of funds by parties other than the Adviser or its affiliates, including funds' custodian banks (working through sub-custodians or agents in the relevant non-U.S. jurisdiction) or broker-dealers that executed the related securities transaction.

Trade Allocation

Although the Trustees and officers of the fund are substantially the same as those of certain other Fidelity® funds, investment decisions for the fund are made independently from those of other Fidelity® funds or investment accounts (including proprietary accounts). The same security is often held in the portfolio of more than one of these funds or investment accounts. Simultaneous transactions are inevitable when several funds and investment accounts are managed by the same investment adviser, or an affiliate thereof, particularly when the same security is suitable for the investment objective of more than one fund or investment account.

When two or more funds or investment accounts are simultaneously engaged in the purchase or sale of the same security or instrument, the prices and amounts are allocated in accordance with procedures believed by the Adviser to be appropriate and equitable to each fund or investment account. In some cases this could have a detrimental effect on the price or value of the security or instrument as far as the fund is concerned. In other cases, however, the ability of the fund to participate in volume transactions will produce better executions and prices for the fund.

Commissions Paid

A fund may pay compensation including both commissions and spreads in connection with the placement of portfolio transactions. The amount of brokerage commissions paid by a fund may change from year to year because of, among other things, changing asset levels, shareholder activity, and/or portfolio turnover.

For Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund, the following table shows the fund's portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal period(s) ended December 31, 2023 and 2022. Variations in turnover rate may be due to a fluctuating volume of shareholder purchase and redemption orders, market conditions, and/or changes in the Adviser's investment outlook.

 

For the fiscal year(s) ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021, Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund paid no brokerage commissions.

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund paid no brokerage commissions to firms for providing research or brokerage services.

During the twelve-month period ended September 30, 2023, Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund did not allocate brokerage commissions to firms for providing research or brokerage services.

The NAV is the value of a single share. NAV is computed by adding the value of a fund's investments, cash, and other assets, subtracting its liabilities, and dividing the result by the number of shares outstanding.

The Board of Trustees has designated the fund's investment adviser as the valuation designee responsible for the fair valuation function and performing fair value determinations as needed. The adviser has established a Fair Value Committee (the Committee) to carry out the day-to-day fair valuation responsibilities and has adopted policies and procedures to govern the fair valuation process and the activities of the Committee.

Shares of open-end investment companies (including any underlying Central funds) held by a fund are valued at their respective NAVs.

Generally, other portfolio securities and assets held by a fund, as well as portfolio securities and assets held by an underlying Central fund, are valued as follows:

If quotations are not available, debt securities are usually valued on the basis of information furnished by a pricing service that uses a valuation matrix which incorporates both dealer-supplied valuations and electronic data processing techniques.

Futures contracts are valued at the settlement or closing price. Options are valued at their market quotations, if available. Swaps are valued daily using quotations received from independent pricing services or recognized dealers.

Prices described above are obtained from pricing services that have been approved by the Committee. A number of pricing services are available and a fund may use more than one of these services. A fund may also discontinue the use of any pricing service at any time. A fund's adviser through the Committee engages in oversight activities with respect to the fund's pricing services, which includes, among other things, testing the prices provided by pricing services prior to calculation of a fund's NAV, conducting periodic due diligence meetings, and periodically reviewing the methodologies and inputs used by these services.

Other portfolio securities and assets for which market quotations, official closing prices, or information furnished by a pricing service are not readily available or, in the opinion of the Committee, are deemed unreliable will be fair valued in good faith by the Committee in accordance with applicable fair value pricing policies. For example, if, in the opinion of the Committee, a security's value has been materially affected by events occurring before a fund's pricing time but after the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded, that security will be fair valued in good faith by the Committee in accordance with applicable fair value pricing policies. In fair valuing a security, the Committee may consider factors including, but not limited to, price movements in futures contracts and American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), market and trading trends, the bid/ask quotes of brokers, and off-exchange institutional trading. The frequency that portfolio securities or assets are fair valued cannot be predicted and may be significant.

In determining the fair value of a private placement security for which market quotations are not available, the Committee generally applies one or more valuation methods including the market approach, income approach and cost approach. The market approach considers factors including the price of recent investments in the same or a similar security or financial metrics of comparable securities. The income approach considers factors including expected future cash flows, security specific risks and corresponding discount rates. The cost approach considers factors including the value of the security's underlying assets and liabilities.

The fund's adviser reports to the Board information regarding the fair valuation process and related material matters.

 

The fund may make redemption payments in whole or in part in readily marketable securities or other property pursuant to procedures approved by the Trustees if Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC determines it is in the best interests of the fund. Such securities or other property will be valued for this purpose as they are valued in computing the NAV of a fund or class, as applicable. Shareholders that receive securities or other property will realize, upon receipt, a gain or loss for tax purposes, and will incur additional costs and be exposed to market risk prior to and upon the sale of such securities or other property.

The fund, in its discretion, may determine to issue its shares in kind in exchange for securities held by the purchaser having a value, determined in accordance with the fund's policies for valuation of portfolio securities, equal to the purchase price of the fund shares issued. The fund will accept for in-kind purchases only securities or other instruments that are appropriate under its investment objective and policies. In addition, the fund generally will not accept securities of any issuer unless they are liquid, have a readily ascertainable market value, and are not subject to restrictions on resale. All dividends, distributions, and subscription or other rights associated with the securities become the property of the fund, along with the securities. Shares purchased in exchange for securities in kind generally cannot be redeemed for fifteen days following the exchange to allow time for the transfer to settle.

 

Dividends. To the extent that the fund's income is reported in a written statement to shareholders as federally tax-exempt interest, the dividends declared by the fund will be federally tax-exempt, provided that the fund qualifies to pay tax-exempt dividends. In order to qualify to pay tax-exempt dividends, at least 50% of the value of the fund's total assets (including uninvested assets) must consist of tax-exempt municipal securities at the close of each quarter of the fund's taxable year. Short-term capital gains are taxable at ordinary income tax rates.

Generally, the fund purchases municipal securities whose interest, in the opinion of bond counsel, is free from federal income tax. Neither FMR nor the fund guarantees that this opinion is correct, and there is no assurance that the IRS will agree with bond counsel's opinion. Issuers or other parties generally enter into covenants requiring continuing compliance with federal tax requirements to preserve the tax-free status of interest payments over the life of the security. If at any time the covenants are not complied with, or if the IRS otherwise determines that the issuer did not comply with relevant tax requirements, interest payments from a security could become federally taxable, possibly retroactively to the date the security was issued and you may need to file an amended income tax return. For certain types of structured securities, the tax status of the pass-through of tax-free income may also be based on the federal and state tax treatment of the structure.

Interest on certain "private activity" securities is subject to the federal Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) for individuals, although the interest continues to be excludable from gross income for other tax purposes. Interest from private activity securities is a tax preference item for the purposes of determining whether an individual is subject to the AMT and the amount of AMT to be paid, if any.

A portion of the gain on municipal bonds and other bonds purchased at market discount is taxable to shareholders as ordinary income, not as capital gains.

Ohio Tax Matters. Under current Ohio law, distributions with respect to the shares of the fund ("Distributions"), to the extent that such Distributions are properly attributable to interest on, or gain on the sale, exchange, or other disposition of, obligations issued by or on behalf of the State of Ohio or its political subdivisions, or the agencies or instrumentalities thereof ("Ohio Obligations"), are exempt from all Ohio state and local taxation, except the estate tax, the domestic insurance company tax, the dealers in intangibles tax, the tax levied on the basis of the total equity capital of financial institutions, and the net worth basis of the corporate franchise tax. Moreover, Distributions that consist of interest on obligations of the United States or its territories or possessions or of any authority, commission, or instrumentality of the United States the interest on which is exempt from state income taxes under the laws of the United States are exempt from the Ohio personal income tax, the net income base of the Ohio corporation franchise tax, and municipal and school district income taxes in Ohio. The foregoing conclusions regarding Ohio state and local taxation are based on the assumption that the fund will continue to qualify as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code and that at all times at least 50% of the value of total assets of the fund will consist of Ohio Obligations or similar obligations of other states or their subdivisions.

Capital Gain Distributions. Unless your shares of the fund are held in a tax-advantaged retirement plan, the fund's long-term capital gain distributions are federally taxable to shareholders generally as capital gains.

The following table shows the fund's aggregate capital loss carryforward as of December 31, 2023, which is available to offset future capital gains. A fund's ability to utilize its capital loss carryforwards in a given year or in total may be limited.

Returns of Capital. If the fund's distributions exceed its taxable income and capital gains realized during a taxable year, all or a portion of the distributions made in the same taxable year may be recharacterized as a return of capital to shareholders. A return of capital distribution will generally not be taxable, but will reduce each shareholder's cost basis in the fund and result in a higher reported capital gain or lower reported capital loss when those shares on which the distribution was received are sold in taxable accounts.

Tax Status of the Fund. The fund intends to qualify each year as a "regulated investment company" under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code so that it will not be liable for federal tax on income and capital gains distributed to shareholders. In order to qualify as a regulated investment company, and avoid being subject to federal income or excise taxes at the fund level, the fund intends to distribute substantially all of its net investment income and net realized capital gains within each calendar year as well as on a fiscal year basis (if the fiscal year is other than the calendar year), and intends to comply with other tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies.

Other Tax Information. The information above is only a summary of some of the tax consequences generally affecting the fund and its shareholders, and no attempt has been made to discuss individual tax consequences. It is up to you or your tax preparer to determine whether the sale of shares of the fund resulted in a capital gain or loss or other tax consequence to you. In addition to federal income taxes, shareholders may be subject to state and local taxes on fund distributions, and shares may be subject to state and local personal property taxes. Investors should consult their tax advisers to determine whether the fund is suitable to their particular tax situation.

The Trustees, Members of the Advisory Board (if any), and officers of the trust and fund, as applicable, are listed below. The Board of Trustees governs the fund and is responsible for protecting the interests of shareholders. The Trustees are experienced executives who meet periodically throughout the year to oversee the fund's activities, review contractual arrangements with companies that provide services to the fund, oversee management of the risks associated with such activities and contractual arrangements, and review the fund's performance. Each of the Trustees oversees 314 funds.

The Trustees hold office without limit in time except that (a) any Trustee may resign; (b) any Trustee may be removed by written instrument, signed by at least two-thirds of the number of Trustees prior to such removal; (c) any Trustee who requests to be retired or who has become incapacitated by illness or injury may be retired by written instrument signed by a majority of the other Trustees; and (d) any Trustee may be removed at any special meeting of shareholders by a two-thirds vote of the outstanding voting securities of the trust. Each Trustee who is not an interested person (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the trust and the fund is referred to herein as an Independent Trustee. Each Independent Trustee shall retire not later than the last day of the calendar year in which his or her 75th birthday occurs. The Independent Trustees may waive this mandatory retirement age policy with respect to individual Trustees. Officers and Advisory Board Members hold office without limit in time, except that any officer or Advisory Board Member may resign or may be removed by a vote of a majority of the Trustees at any regular meeting or any special meeting of the Trustees. Except as indicated, each individual has held the office shown or other offices in the same company for the past five years.

Experience, Skills, Attributes, and Qualifications of the Trustees. The Governance and Nominating Committee has adopted a statement of policy that describes the experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills that are necessary and desirable for potential Independent Trustee candidates (Statement of Policy). The Board believes that each Trustee satisfied at the time he or she was initially elected or appointed a Trustee, and continues to satisfy, the standards contemplated by the Statement of Policy. The Governance and Nominating Committee also engages professional search firms to help identify potential Independent Trustee candidates who have the experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills consistent with the Statement of Policy. From time to time, additional criteria based on the composition and skills of the current Independent Trustees, as well as experience or skills that may be appropriate in light of future changes to board composition, business conditions, and regulatory or other developments, have also been considered by the professional search firms and the Governance and Nominating Committee. In addition, the Board takes into account the Trustees' commitment and participation in Board and committee meetings, as well as their leadership of standing and ad hoc committees throughout their tenure.

In determining that a particular Trustee was and continues to be qualified to serve as a Trustee, the Board has considered a variety of criteria, none of which, in isolation, was controlling. The Board believes that, collectively, the Trustees have balanced and diverse experience, qualifications, attributes, and skills, which allow the Board to operate effectively in governing the fund and protecting the interests of shareholders. Information about the specific experience, skills, attributes, and qualifications of each Trustee, which in each case led to the Board's conclusion that the Trustee should serve (or continue to serve) as a trustee of the fund, is provided below.

Board Structure and Oversight Function. Abigail P. Johnson is an interested person and currently serves as Chairman. The Trustees have determined that an interested Chairman is appropriate and benefits shareholders because an interested Chairman has a personal and professional stake in the quality and continuity of services provided to the fund. Independent Trustees exercise their informed business judgment to appoint an individual of their choosing to serve as Chairman, regardless of whether the Trustee happens to be independent or a member of management. The Independent Trustees have determined that they can act independently and effectively without having an Independent Trustee serve as Chairman and that a key structural component for assuring that they are in a position to do so is for the Independent Trustees to constitute a substantial majority for the Board. The Independent Trustees also regularly meet in executive session. Michael E. Kenneally serves as Chairman of the Independent Trustees and as such (i) acts as a liaison between the Independent Trustees and management with respect to matters important to the Independent Trustees and (ii) with management prepares agendas for Board meetings.

Fidelity® funds are overseen by different Boards of Trustees. The fund's Board oversees Fidelity's investment-grade bond, money market, asset allocation and certain equity funds, and other Boards oversee Fidelity's alternative investment, high income and other equity funds. The asset allocation funds may invest in Fidelity® funds that are overseen by such other Boards. The use of separate Boards, each with its own committee structure, allows the Trustees of each group of Fidelity® funds to focus on the unique issues of the funds they oversee, including common research, investment, and operational issues. On occasion, the separate Boards establish joint committees to address issues of overlapping consequences for the Fidelity® funds overseen by each Board.

The Trustees operate using a system of committees to facilitate the timely and efficient consideration of all matters of importance to the Trustees, the fund, and fund shareholders and to facilitate compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and oversight of the fund's activities and associated risks. The Board, acting through its committees, has charged FMR and its affiliates with (i) identifying events or circumstances the occurrence of which could have demonstrably adverse effects on the fund's business and/or reputation; (ii) implementing processes and controls to lessen the possibility that such events or circumstances occur or to mitigate the effects of such events or circumstances if they do occur; and (iii) creating and maintaining a system designed to evaluate continuously business and market conditions in order to facilitate the identification and implementation processes described in (i) and (ii) above. Because the day-to-day operations and activities of the fund are carried out by or through FMR, its affiliates, and other service providers, the fund's exposure to risks is mitigated but not eliminated by the processes overseen by the Trustees. While each of the Board's committees has responsibility for overseeing different aspects of the fund's activities, oversight is exercised primarily through the Operations and Audit Committees. In addition, an ad hoc Board committee of Independent Trustees has worked with FMR to enhance the Board's oversight of investment and financial risks, legal and regulatory risks, technology risks, and operational risks, including the development of additional risk reporting to the Board. Appropriate personnel, including but not limited to the fund's Chief Compliance Officer (CCO), FMR's internal auditor, the independent accountants, the fund's Treasurer and portfolio management personnel, make periodic reports to the Board's committees, as appropriate, including an annual review of Fidelity's risk management program for the Fidelity® funds. The responsibilities of each standing committee, including their oversight responsibilities, are described further under "Standing Committees of the Trustees."

Interested Trustees*:

Correspondence intended for a Trustee who is an interested person may be sent to Fidelity Investments, 245 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

Name, Year of Birth; Principal Occupations and Other Relevant Experience+

Abigail P. Johnson (1961)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2009

Trustee

Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Ms. Johnson also serves as Trustee of other Fidelity® funds. Ms. Johnson serves as Chairman (2016-present), Chief Executive Officer (2014-present), and Director (2007-present) of FMR LLC (diversified financial services company), President of Fidelity Financial Services (2012-present) and President of Personal, Workplace and Institutional Services (2005-present). Ms. Johnson is Chairman and Director of Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC (investment adviser firm, 2011-present). Previously, Ms. Johnson served as Chairman and Director of FMR Co., Inc. (investment adviser firm, 2011-2019), Vice Chairman (2007-2016) and President (2013-2016) of FMR LLC, President and a Director of Fidelity Management & Research Company (2001-2005), a Trustee of other investment companies advised by Fidelity Management & Research Company, Fidelity Investments Money Management, Inc. (investment adviser firm), and FMR Co., Inc. (2001-2005), Senior Vice President of the Fidelity® funds (2001-2005), and managed a number of Fidelity® funds. Ms. Abigail P. Johnson and Mr. Arthur E. Johnson are not related.

Jennifer Toolin McAuliffe (1959)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2016

Trustee

Ms. McAuliffe also serves as Trustee of other Fidelity® funds and as Trustee of Fidelity Charitable (2020-present). Previously, Ms. McAuliffe served as Co-Head of Fixed Income of Fidelity Investments Limited (now known as FIL Limited (FIL)) (diversified financial services company), Director of Research for FIL's credit and quantitative teams in London, Hong Kong and Tokyo and Director of Research for taxable and municipal bonds at Fidelity Investments Money Management, Inc. Ms. McAuliffe previously served as a member of the Advisory Board of certain Fidelity® funds (2016). Ms. McAuliffe was previously a lawyer at Ropes & Gray LLP and an international banker at Chemical Bank NA (now JPMorgan Chase & Co.). Ms. McAuliffe also currently serves as director or trustee of several not-for-profit entities.

Christine J. Thompson (1958)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2023

Trustee

Ms. Thompson also serves as a Trustee of other Fidelity® funds. Ms. Thompson serves as Leader of Advanced Technologies for Investment Management at Fidelity Investments (2018-present). Previously, Ms. Thompson served as Chief Investment Officer in the Bond group at Fidelity Management & Research Company (2010-2018) and held various other roles including Director of municipal bond portfolio managers and Portfolio Manager of certain Fidelity® funds.

* Determined to be an "Interested Trustee" by virtue of, among other things, his or her affiliation with the trust or various entities under common control with FMR.

+ The information includes the Trustee's principal occupation during the last five years and other information relating to the experience, attributes, and skills relevant to the Trustee's qualifications to serve as a Trustee, which led to the conclusion that the Trustee should serve as a Trustee for the fund.

Independent Trustees:

Correspondence intended for an Independent Trustee may be sent to Fidelity Investments, P.O. Box 55235, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-5235.

Name, Year of Birth; Principal Occupations and Other Relevant Experience+

Elizabeth S. Acton (1951)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2013

Trustee

Ms. Acton also serves as Trustee of other Fidelity® funds. Prior to her retirement, Ms. Acton served as Executive Vice President, Finance (2011-2012), Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer (2002-2011) and Treasurer (2004-2005) of Comerica Incorporated (financial services). Prior to joining Comerica, Ms. Acton held a variety of positions at Ford Motor Company (1983-2002), including Vice President and Treasurer (2000-2002) and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Ford Motor Credit Company (1998-2000). Ms. Acton currently serves as a member of the Board and Audit and Finance Committees of Beazer Homes USA, Inc. (homebuilding, 2012-present). Ms. Acton previously served as a member of the Advisory Board of certain Fidelity® funds (2013-2016).

Laura M. Bishop (1961)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2023

Trustee

Ms. Bishop also serves as Trustee or Member of the Advisory Board of other Fidelity® funds. Prior to her retirement, Ms. Bishop held a variety of positions at United Services Automobile Association (2001-2020), including Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (2014-2020) and Senior Vice President and Deputy Chief Financial Officer (2012-2014). Ms. Bishop currently serves as a member of the Audit Committee and Compensation and Personnel Committee (2021-present) of the Board of Directors of Korn Ferry (global organizational consulting). Previously, Ms. Bishop served as a Member of the Advisory Board of certain Fidelity® funds (2022-2023).    

Ann E. Dunwoody (1953)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2018

Trustee

General Dunwoody also serves as Trustee of other Fidelity® funds. General Dunwoody (United States Army, Retired) was the first woman in U.S. military history to achieve the rank of four-star general and prior to her retirement in 2012 held a variety of positions within the U.S. Army, including Commanding General, U.S. Army Material Command (2008-2012). General Dunwoody currently serves as a member of the Board, Chair of Nomination Committee and a member of the Corporate Governance Committee of Kforce Inc. (professional staffing services, 2016-present) and a member of the Board of Automattic Inc. (software engineering, 2018-present). Previously, General Dunwoody served as President of First to Four LLC (leadership and mentoring services, 2012-2022), a member of the Advisory Board and Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of L3 Technologies, Inc. (communication, electronic, sensor and aerospace systems, 2013-2019) and a member of the Board and Audit and Sustainability and Corporate Responsibility Committees of Republic Services, Inc. (waste collection, disposal and recycling, 2013-2016). General Dunwoody also serves on several boards for non-profit organizations, including as a member of the Board, Chair of the Nomination and Governance Committee and a member of the Audit Committee of the Noble Reach Foundation (formerly Logistics Management Institute) (consulting non-profit, 2012-present) and a member of the Board of ThanksUSA (military family education non-profit, 2014-present). Previously, General Dunwoody served as a member of the Board of Florida Institute of Technology (2015-2022) and a member of the Council of Trustees for the Association of the United States Army (advocacy non-profit, 2013-2021). General Dunwoody previously served as a member of the Advisory Board of certain Fidelity® funds (2018).

John Engler (1948)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2014

Trustee

Mr. Engler also serves as Trustee of other Fidelity® funds. Previously, Mr. Engler served as Governor of Michigan (1991-2003), President of the Business Roundtable (2011-2017) and interim President of Michigan State University (2018-2019). Previously, Mr. Engler served as a member of the Board of Stride, Inc. (formerly K12 Inc.) (technology-based education company, 2012-2022), a member of the Board of Universal Forest Products (manufacturer and distributor of wood and wood-alternative products, 2003-2019) and Trustee of The Munder Funds (2003-2014). Mr. Engler previously served as a member of the Advisory Board of certain Fidelity® funds (2014-2016).

Robert F. Gartland (1951)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2010

Trustee

Mr. Gartland also serves as Trustee of other Fidelity® funds. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Gartland held a variety of positions at Morgan Stanley (financial services, 1979-2007), including Managing Director (1987-2007) and Chase Manhattan Bank (1975-1978). Mr. Gartland previously served as Chairman and an investor in Gartland & Mellina Group Corp. (consulting, 2009-2019), as a member of the Board of National Securities Clearing Corporation (1993-1996) and as Chairman of TradeWeb (2003-2004).

Robert W. Helm (1957)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2023

Trustee

Mr. Helm also serves as Trustee or Member of the Advisory Board of other Fidelity® funds. Mr. Helm was formerly Deputy Chairman (2003-2020), partner (1991-2020) and an associate (1984-1991) of Dechert LLP (formerly Dechert Price & Rhoads). Mr. Helm currently serves on boards and committees of several not-for-profit organizations, including as a Trustee and member of the Executive Committee of the Baltimore Council on Foreign Affairs, a member of the Board of Directors of the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Baltimore and a member of the Life Guard Society of Mt. Vernon. Previously, Mr. Helm served as a Member of the Advisory Board of certain Fidelity® funds (2021-2023).     

Michael E. Kenneally (1954)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2009

Trustee

Chairman of the Independent Trustees

Mr. Kenneally also serves as Trustee of other Fidelity® funds and was Vice Chairman (2018-2021) of the Independent Trustees of certain Fidelity® funds. Prior to retirement in 2005, he was Chairman and Global Chief Executive Officer of Credit Suisse Asset Management, the worldwide fund management and institutional investment business of Credit Suisse Group. Previously, Mr. Kenneally was an Executive Vice President and the Chief Investment Officer for Bank of America. In this role, he was responsible for the investment management, strategy and products delivered to the bank's institutional, high-net-worth and retail clients. Earlier, Mr. Kenneally directed the organization's equity and quantitative research groups. He began his career as a research analyst and then spent more than a dozen years as a portfolio manager for endowments, pension plans and mutual funds. He earned the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation in 1991.     

Mark A. Murray (1954)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2016

Trustee

Mr. Murray also serves as Trustee of other Fidelity® funds. Previously, Mr. Murray served as Co-Chief Executive Officer (2013-2016), President (2006-2013) and Vice Chairman (2013-2020) of Meijer, Inc. Mr. Murray serves as a member of the Board (2009-present) and Public Policy and Responsibility Committee (2009-present) and Chair of the Nuclear Review Committee (2019-present) of DTE Energy Company (diversified energy company). Mr. Murray previously served as a member of the Board of Spectrum Health (not-for-profit health system, 2015-2019) and as a member of the Board and Audit Committee and Chairman of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of Universal Forest Products, Inc. (manufacturer and distributor of wood and wood-alternative products, 2004-2016). Mr. Murray also serves as a member of the Board of many community and professional organizations. Mr. Murray previously served as a member of the Advisory Board of certain Fidelity® funds (2016).

Carol J. Zierhoffer (1960)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2023

Trustee

Ms. Zierhoffer also serves as Trustee or Member of the Advisory Board of other Fidelity® funds. Prior to her retirement, Ms. Zierhoffer held a variety of positions at Bechtel Corporation (engineering company, 2013-2019), including Principal Vice President and Chief Information Officer (2013-2016) and Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer (2016-2019). Ms. Zierhoffer currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors, Audit Committee and Compensation Committee of Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (healthcare technology, 2020-present) and as a member of the Board of Directors, Audit and Finance Committee and Nominating and Governance Committee of Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. (aviation operating services, 2021-present). Previously, Ms. Zierhoffer served as a member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee and as the founding Chair of the Information Technology Committee of MedAssets, Inc. (healthcare technology, 2013-2016), and as a Member of the Advisory Board of certain Fidelity® funds (2023).    

+ The information includes the Trustee's principal occupation during the last five years and other information relating to the experience, attributes, and skills relevant to the Trustee's qualifications to serve as a Trustee, which led to the conclusion that the Trustee should serve as a Trustee for the fund.

Advisory Board Members and Officers:

Correspondence intended for a Member of the Advisory Board (if any) may be sent to Fidelity Investments, P.O. Box 55235, Boston, Massachusetts 02205-5235. Correspondence intended for an officer may be sent to Fidelity Investments, 245 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210.

Name, Year of Birth; Principal Occupation

Heather Bonner (1977)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2023

Assistant Treasurer

Ms. Bonner also serves as an officer of other funds. Ms. Bonner is a Senior Vice President (2022-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments (2022-present). Ms. Bonner serves as Vice President, Treasurer, or Assistant Treasurer of certain Fidelity entities. Prior to joining Fidelity, Ms. Bonner served as Managing Director at AQR Capital Management (2013-2022) and was the Treasurer and Principal Financial Officer of the AQR Funds (2013-2022).

Craig S. Brown (1977)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2019

Assistant Treasurer

Mr. Brown also serves as an officer of other funds. Mr. Brown is a Vice President (2015-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Mr. Brown serves as Assistant Treasurer of FIMM, LLC (2021-present). Previously, Mr. Brown served as Assistant Treasurer of certain Fidelity® funds (2019-2022).     

John J. Burke III (1964)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2018

Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Burke also serves as Chief Financial Officer of other funds. Mr. Burke is Head of Fidelity Fund and Investment Operations (2018-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Mr. Burke serves as President, Executive Vice President, or Director of certain Fidelity entities. Previously Mr. Burke served as head of Asset Management Investment Operations (2012-2018).

Margaret Carey (1973)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2023

Secretary and Chief Legal Officer (CLO)

Ms. Carey also serves as an officer of other funds and as CLO of certain Fidelity entities. Ms. Carey is a Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel (2019-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments.        

David J. Carter (1973)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2020

Assistant Secretary

Mr. Carter also serves as Assistant Secretary of other funds. Mr. Carter is a Senior Vice President, Deputy General Counsel (2022-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Mr. Carter serves as Chief Legal Officer of Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company LLC - Shareholder Division (transfer agent, 2020-present).

Jonathan Davis (1968)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2010

Assistant Treasurer

Mr. Davis also serves as an officer of other funds. Mr. Davis is a Vice President (2006-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Mr. Davis serves as Assistant Treasurer of certain Fidelity entities.        

Laura M. Del Prato (1964)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2018

President and Treasurer

Ms. Del Prato also serves as an officer of other funds. Ms. Del Prato is a Senior Vice President (2017-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Ms. Del Prato serves as Vice President or Assistant Treasurer of certain Fidelity entities. Previously, Ms. Del Prato served as President and Treasurer of The North Carolina Capital Management Trust: Cash Portfolio and Term Portfolio (2018-2020).     

Robin Foley (1964)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2023

Vice President

Ms. Foley also serves as Vice President of other funds. Ms. Foley serves as Head of Fidelity's Fixed Income division (2023-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Previously, Ms. Foley served as Chief Investment Officer of Bonds (2017-2023).     

Christopher M. Gouveia (1973)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2023

Chief Compliance Officer

Mr. Gouveia also serves as Chief Compliance Officer of other funds. Mr. Gouveia is a Senior Vice President of Asset Management Compliance (2019-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Mr. Gouveia serves as Compliance Officer of Fidelity Management Trust Company (2023-present). Previously, Mr. Gouveia served as Chief Compliance Officer of the North Carolina Capital Management Trust (2016-2019).          

Colm A. Hogan (1973)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2016

Assistant Treasurer

Mr. Hogan also serves as an officer of other funds. Mr. Hogan is a Vice President (2016-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Mr. Hogan serves as Assistant Treasurer of certain Fidelity entities. Previously, Mr. Hogan served as Deputy Treasurer of certain Fidelity® funds (2016-2020) and Assistant Treasurer of certain Fidelity® funds (2016-2018). 

Chris Maher (1972)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2013

Assistant Treasurer

Mr. Maher also serves as an officer of other funds. Mr. Maher is a Vice President (2008-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Mr. Maher serves as Assistant Treasurer of certain Fidelity entities. Previously, Mr. Maher served as Assistant Treasurer of certain funds (2013-2020).     

Brett Segaloff (1972)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2021

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) Officer

Mr. Segaloff also serves as AML Officer of other funds. Mr. Segaloff is a Vice President (2022-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Mr. Segaloff serves as Anti Money Laundering Compliance Officer or Anti Money Laundering/Bank Secrecy Act Compliance Officer of certain Fidelity entities.          

Stacie M. Smith (1974)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2013

Assistant Treasurer

Ms. Smith also serves as an officer of other funds. Ms. Smith is a Senior Vice President (2016-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Ms. Smith serves as Assistant Treasurer of certain Fidelity entities and has served in other fund officer roles.

Jim Wegmann (1979)

Year of Election or Appointment: 2021

Deputy Treasurer

Mr. Wegmann also serves as an officer of other funds. Mr. Wegmann is a Vice President (2016-present) and is an employee of Fidelity Investments. Mr. Wegmann serves as Assistant Treasurer of FIMM, LLC (2021-present). Previously, Mr. Wegmann served as Assistant Treasurer of certain Fidelity® funds (2019-2021).          

Standing Committees of the Trustees. The Board of Trustees has established various committees to support the Independent Trustees in acting independently in pursuing the best interests of the funds and their shareholders. Currently, the Board of Trustees has four standing committees. The members of each committee are Independent Trustees.

The Operations Committee is composed of all of the Independent Trustees, with Mr. Kenneally currently serving as Chair. The committee normally meets at least six times a year, or more frequently as called by the Chair, and serves as a forum for consideration of issues of importance to, or calling for particular determinations by, the Independent Trustees. The committee considers matters involving potential conflicts of interest between the funds and FMR and its affiliates, including matters involving potential claims of one or more funds (e.g., for reimbursements of expenses or losses) against FMR, and reviews proposed contracts and the proposed continuation of contracts between the funds and FMR and its affiliates, and annually reviews and makes recommendations regarding contracts with third parties unaffiliated with FMR, including insurance coverage and custody agreements. The committee has oversight of compliance issues not specifically within the scope of any other committee. These matters include, but are not limited to, significant non-conformance with contract requirements and other significant regulatory matters and recommending to the Board of Trustees the designation of a person to serve as the funds' CCO. The committee (i) serves as a primary point of contact (generally after the Independent Trustee who serves as a liaison for the CCO) for the CCO with regard to Board-related functions; (ii) oversees the annual performance review of the CCO; (iii) makes recommendations concerning the CCO's compensation; and (iv) makes recommendations as needed in respect of the removal of the CCO.

The Audit Committee is composed of all of the Independent Trustees, with Ms. Acton currently serving as Chair. At least one committee member will be an "audit committee financial expert" as defined by the SEC. The committee normally meets four times a year, or more frequently as called by the Chair or a majority of committee members. The committee meets separately, at least annually, with the funds' Treasurer, with the funds' Chief Financial Officer, with personnel responsible for the internal audit function of FMR LLC, with the funds' outside auditors, and with the funds' CCO. The committee has direct responsibility for the appointment, compensation, and oversight of the work of the outside auditors employed by the funds. The committee assists the Trustees in overseeing and monitoring: (i) the systems of internal accounting and financial controls of the funds and the funds' service providers (to the extent such controls impact the funds' financial statements); (ii) the funds' auditors and the annual audits of the funds' financial statements; (iii) the financial reporting processes of the funds; (iv) whistleblower reports; and (v) the accounting policies and disclosures of the funds. The committee considers and acts upon (i) the provision by any outside auditor of any non-audit services for any fund, and (ii) the provision by any outside auditor of certain non-audit services to fund service providers and their affiliates to the extent that such approval (in the case of this clause (ii)) is required under applicable regulations of the SEC. It is responsible for approving all audit engagement fees and terms for the funds and for resolving disagreements between a fund and any outside auditor regarding any fund's financial reporting. Auditors of the funds report directly to the committee. The committee will obtain assurance of independence and objectivity from the outside auditors, including a formal written statement delineating all relationships between the auditor and the funds and any service providers consistent with the rules of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board. It oversees and receives reports on the funds' service providers' internal controls and reviews the adequacy and effectiveness of the service providers' accounting and financial controls, including: (i) any significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal controls over financial reporting that are reasonably likely to adversely affect the funds' ability to record, process, summarize, and report financial data; (ii) any change in the fund's internal control over financial reporting that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the fund's internal control over financial reporting; and (iii) any fraud, whether material or not, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the funds' or service providers internal controls over financial reporting. The committee will also review any correspondence with regulators or governmental agencies or published reports that raise material issues regarding the funds' financial statements or accounting policies. These matters may also be reviewed by the Operations Committee. The committee reviews at least annually a report from each outside auditor describing any material issues raised by the most recent internal quality control, peer review, or Public Company Accounting Oversight Board examination of the auditing firm and any material issues raised by any inquiry or investigation by governmental or professional authorities of the auditing firm and in each case any steps taken to deal with such issues. The committee will oversee and receive reports on the funds' financial reporting process from the funds' Treasurer and outside auditors and will oversee the resolution of any disagreements concerning financial reporting among applicable parties. The committee will discuss with FMR, the funds' Treasurer, outside auditors and, if appropriate, internal audit personnel of FMR LLC their qualitative judgments about the appropriateness and acceptability of accounting principles and financial disclosure practices used or proposed for adoption by the funds. The committee will review with FMR, the funds' outside auditor, internal audit personnel of FMR LLC and legal counsel, as appropriate, matters related to the audits of the funds' financial statements. The committee will discuss regularly and oversee the review of the internal controls of the funds and their service providers with respect to accounting, financial matters and risk management programs related to the funds. The committee will review periodically the funds' major internal controls exposures and the steps that have been taken to monitor and control such exposures.

The Fair Valuation Committee is composed of all of the Independent Trustees, with Mr. Murray currently serving as Chair. The Committee normally meets quarterly, or more frequently as called by the Chair. The Fair Valuation Committee oversees the valuation of securities held by the funds, including the fair valuation of securities by the funds' valuation designee. The Committee receives and reviews related reports and information consistent with its oversight obligations.

The Governance and Nominating Committee is composed of Messrs. Kenneally (Chair) and Gartland (Vice Chair), and Ms. Acton. The committee meets as called by the Chair. With respect to fund governance and board administration matters, the committee periodically reviews procedures of the Board of Trustees and its committees (including committee charters) and periodically reviews compensation of Independent Trustees. The committee monitors corporate governance matters and makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees on the frequency and structure of the Board of Trustee meetings and on any other aspect of Board procedures. It acts as the administrative committee under the retirement plan for Independent Trustees who retired prior to December 30, 1996 and under the fee deferral plan for Independent Trustees. It monitors the performance of legal counsel employed by both the funds and the Independent Trustees. The committee will engage and oversee any counsel utilized by the Independent Trustees as may be necessary or appropriate under applicable regulations or otherwise. The committee also approves Board administrative matters applicable to Independent Trustees, such as expense reimbursement policies and compensation for attendance at meetings, conferences and other events. The committee oversees compliance with the provisions of the code of ethics and any supplemental policies regarding personal securities transactions applicable to the Independent Trustees. The committee reviews the functioning of each Board committee and makes recommendations for any changes, including the creation or elimination of standing or ad hoc Board committees. The committee monitors regulatory and other developments to determine whether to recommend modifications to the committee's responsibilities or other Trustee policies and procedures in light of rule changes, reports concerning "recommended practices" in corporate governance and other developments in mutual fund governance. The committee meets with Independent Trustees at least once a year to discuss matters relating to fund governance. The committee recommends that the Board establish such special or ad hoc Board committees as may be desirable or necessary from time to time in order to address ethical, legal, or other matters that may arise. The committee also oversees the annual self-evaluation of the Board of Trustees and establishes procedures to allow it to exercise this oversight function. In conducting this oversight, the committee shall address all matters that it considers relevant to the performance of the Board of Trustees and shall report the results of its evaluation to the Board of Trustees, including any recommended amendments to the principles of governance, and any recommended changes to the funds' or the Board of Trustees' policies, procedures, and structures. The committee reviews periodically the size and composition of the Board of Trustees as a whole and recommends, if necessary, measures to be taken so that the Board of Trustees reflects the appropriate balance of knowledge, experience, skills, expertise, and diversity required for the Board as a whole and contains at least the minimum number of Independent Trustees required by law. The committee makes nominations for the election or appointment of Independent Trustees and non-management Members of any Advisory Board, and for membership on committees. The committee has the authority to retain and terminate any third-party advisers, including authority to approve fees and other retention terms. Such advisers may include search firms to identify Independent Trustee candidates and board compensation consultants. The committee may conduct or authorize investigations into or studies of matters within the committee's scope of responsibilities, and may retain, at the funds' expense, such independent counsel or other advisers as it deems necessary. The committee will consider nominees to the Board of Trustees recommended by shareholders based upon the criteria applied to candidates presented to the committee by a search firm or other source. Recommendations, along with appropriate background material concerning the candidate that demonstrates his or her ability to serve as an Independent Trustee of the funds, should be submitted to the Chair of the committee at the address maintained for communications with Independent Trustees. If the committee retains a search firm, the Chair will generally forward all such submissions to the search firm for evaluation. With respect to the criteria for selecting Independent Trustees, it is expected that all candidates will possess the following minimum qualifications: (i) unquestioned personal integrity; (ii) not an interested person of the funds within the meaning of the 1940 Act; (iii) does not have a material relationship (e.g., commercial, banking, consulting, legal, or accounting) with the adviser, any sub-adviser or their affiliates that could create an appearance of lack of independence in respect of the funds; (iv) has the disposition to act independently in respect of FMR and its affiliates and others in order to protect the interests of the funds and all shareholders; (v) ability to attend regularly scheduled Board meetings during the year; (vi) demonstrates sound business judgment gained through broad experience in significant positions where the candidate has dealt with management, technical, financial, or regulatory issues; (vii) sufficient financial or accounting knowledge to add value in the complex financial environment of the funds; (viii) experience on corporate or other institutional oversight bodies having similar responsibilities, but which board memberships or other relationships could not result in business or regulatory conflicts with the funds; and (ix) capacity for the hard work and attention to detail that is required to be an effective Independent Trustee in light of the funds' complex regulatory, operational, and marketing setting. The Governance and Nominating Committee may determine that a candidate who does not have the type of previous experience or knowledge referred to above should nevertheless be considered as a nominee if the Governance and Nominating Committee finds that the candidate has additional qualifications such that his or her qualifications, taken as a whole, demonstrate the same level of fitness to serve as an Independent Trustee.

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, each committee held the number of meetings shown in the table below:

 

The following table sets forth information describing the dollar range of equity securities beneficially owned by each Trustee in the fund and in all funds in the aggregate within the same fund family overseen by the Trustee for the calendar year ended December 31, 2023.

Interested Trustees

Independent Trustees

The following table sets forth information describing the compensation of each Trustee and Member of the Advisory Board (if any) for his or her services for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

Compensation Table(A)

As of December 31, 2023, the Trustees, Members of the Advisory Board (if any), and officers of the fund owned, in the aggregate, less than 1% of each class's total outstanding shares, with respect to the fund.

As of December 31, 2023, the following owned of record and/or beneficially 5% or more of the outstanding shares:

 

 

FMR LLC, as successor by merger to FMR Corp., is the ultimate parent company of FMR, FMR Investment Management (UK) Limited, Fidelity Management & Research (Hong Kong) Limited, and Fidelity Management & Research (Japan) Limited. The voting common shares of FMR LLC are divided into two series. Series B is held predominantly by members of the Johnson family, including Abigail P. Johnson, directly or through trusts, and is entitled to 49% of the vote on any matter acted upon by the voting common shares. Series A is held predominantly by non-Johnson family member employees of FMR LLC and its affiliates and is entitled to 51% of the vote on any such matter. The Johnson family group and all other Series B shareholders have entered into a shareholders' voting agreement under which all Series B shares will be voted in accordance with the majority vote of Series B shares. Under the 1940 Act, control of a company is presumed where one individual or group of individuals owns more than 25% of the voting securities of that company. Therefore, through their ownership of voting common shares and the execution of the shareholders' voting agreement, members of the Johnson family may be deemed, under the 1940 Act, to form a controlling group with respect to FMR LLC.

At present, the primary business activities of FMR LLC and its subsidiaries are: (i) the provision of investment advisory, management, shareholder, investment information and assistance and certain fiduciary services for individual and institutional investors; (ii) the provision of securities brokerage services; (iii) the management and development of real estate; and (iv) the investment in and operation of a number of emerging businesses.

FMR, FMR Investment Management (UK) Limited, Fidelity Management & Research (Hong Kong) Limited, Fidelity Management & Research (Japan) Limited, Fidelity Distributors Company LLC (FDC), and the fund have adopted a code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act that sets forth employees' fiduciary responsibilities regarding the fund, establishes procedures for personal investing, and restricts certain transactions. Employees subject to the code of ethics, including Fidelity investment personnel, may invest in securities for their own investment accounts, including securities that may be purchased or held by the fund.

The fund has entered into a management contract with FMR, pursuant to which FMR furnishes investment advisory and other services.

Management Services. Under the terms of its management contract with the fund, FMR acts as investment adviser and, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, has overall responsibility for directing the investments of the fund in accordance with its investment objective, policies and limitations. FMR also provides the fund with all necessary office facilities and personnel for servicing the fund's investments, compensates all officers of the fund and all Trustees who are interested persons of the trust or of FMR, and compensates all personnel of the fund or FMR performing services relating to research, statistical and investment activities.

In addition, FMR or its affiliates, subject to the supervision of the Board of Trustees, provide the management and administrative services necessary for the operation of the fund. These services include providing facilities for maintaining the fund's organization; supervising relations with custodians, transfer and pricing agents, accountants, underwriters and other persons dealing with the fund; preparing all general shareholder communications and conducting shareholder relations; maintaining the fund's records and the registration of the fund's shares under federal securities laws and making necessary filings under state securities laws; developing management and shareholder services for the fund; and furnishing reports, evaluations and analyses on a variety of subjects to the Trustees.

Management-Related Expenses. In addition to the management fee payable to FMR, the fund or each class thereof, as applicable, pays all of its expenses that are not assumed by those parties. The fund pays for the typesetting, printing, and mailing of its proxy materials to shareholders, legal expenses, and the fees of the custodian, auditor, and Independent Trustees. Other expenses paid by the fund include interest, taxes, brokerage commissions, fees and expenses associated with the fund's securities lending program, if applicable, the fund's proportionate share of insurance premiums and Investment Company Institute dues, and the costs of registering shares under federal securities laws and making necessary filings under state securities laws. The fund is also liable for such non-recurring expenses as may arise, including costs of any litigation to which the fund may be a party, and any obligation it may have to indemnify its officers and Trustees with respect to litigation.

Management Fee.

For the services of FMR under the fund's management contract, each class of the fund pays FMR a monthly management fee.

For the fund, a mandate rate is calculated based on the monthly average net assets of a group of funds advised by FMR within a designated asset class. This rate may vary by share class.

The mandate rate is calculated on a cumulative basis pursuant to the following schedule:

MANDATE RATE SCHEDULE

For the fund, a discount percentage is calculated based on the monthly average net assets of a broader group of funds advised by FMR representing multiple asset classes and the monthly average net assets of the fund. After determination of the applicable tier bound level in the following schedule, the discount percentage for the fund is calculated on a cumulative basis pursuant to the schedule. For the fund, the discount rate for a class is the class's mandate rate multiplied by the discount percentage.

DISCOUNT PERCENTAGE SCHEDULE

The annual management fee rate for the class of shares of the fund offered through this SAI is the lesser of (1) the class's mandate rate reduced by the class's discount rate or (2) the amount set forth in the following table:

One-twelfth of the management fee rate is applied to the class's average net assets for the month, giving a dollar amount which is the management fee for the class for that month.

A different management fee rate may be applicable to each class of the fund. The difference between classes is the result of separate arrangements for class-level services and/or waivers of certain expenses. It is not the result of any difference in advisory or custodial fees or other expenses related to the management of the fund's assets, which do not vary by class.

The following table shows the amount of management fees paid by the fund for the fiscal year(s) ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 to its current manager and prior affiliated manager(s), if any.

FMR may, from time to time, voluntarily reimburse all or a portion of a fund's or, in the case of a multiple class fund, a class's operating expenses. FMR retains the ability to be repaid for these expense reimbursements in the amount that expenses fall below the limit prior to the end of the fiscal year.

Expense reimbursements will increase returns and yield, and repayment of the reimbursement will decrease returns and yield.

Sub-Advisers - FMR Investment Management (UK) Limited, Fidelity Management & Research (Hong Kong) Limited, and Fidelity Management & Research (Japan) Limited. 

On behalf of the fund, FMR has entered into sub-advisory agreements with Fidelity Management & Research (Hong Kong) Limited (FMR H.K.) and Fidelity Management & Research (Japan) Limited (FMR Japan).

On behalf of the fund, FMR has entered into a sub-advisory agreement with FMR UK.

Pursuant to the sub-advisory agreements, FMR may receive from the sub-advisers investment research and advice on issuers outside the United States (non-discretionary services) and FMR may grant the sub-advisers investment management authority and the authority to buy and sell securities if FMR believes it would be beneficial to the fund (discretionary services). 

FMR, and not the fund, pays the sub-advisers. 

Effective March 1, 2024, under the terms of the sub-advisory agreements, FMR pays each sub-adviser monthly fees equal to 110% of the sub-adviser's costs for providing sub-advisory services. 

Cormac Cullen is Co-Portfolio Manager of Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund and receives compensation for those services. Michael Maka is Co-Portfolio Manager of Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund and receives compensation for those services. Elizah McLaughlin is Co-Portfolio Manager of Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund and receives compensation for those services. As of December 31, 2023, portfolio manager compensation generally consists of a fixed base salary determined periodically (typically annually), a bonus, and in certain cases, participation in several types of equity-based compensation plans. A portion of each portfolio manager's compensation may be deferred based on criteria established by FMR or at the election of the portfolio manager.

Each portfolio manager's base salary is determined by level of responsibility and tenure at FMR or its affiliates. The primary components of each portfolio manager's bonus are based on (i) the pre-tax investment performance of the portfolio manager's fund(s) and account(s) measured against a benchmark index assigned to each fund or account, and (ii) the investment performance of other municipal bond funds and accounts. The pre-tax investment performance of each portfolio manager's fund(s) and account(s) is weighted according to the portfolio manager's tenure on those fund(s) and account(s) and the average asset size of those fund(s) and account(s) over the portfolio manager's tenure. Each component is calculated separately over the portfolio manager's tenure on those fund(s) and account(s) over a measurement period that initially is contemporaneous with the portfolio manager's tenure, but that eventually encompasses rolling periods of up to three years for the comparison to a benchmark index. A smaller, subjective component of each portfolio manager's bonus is based on the portfolio manager's overall contribution to management of FMR. The portion of each portfolio manager's bonus that is linked to the investment performance of Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund is based on the fund's pre-tax investment performance measured against the Bloomberg Ohio Enhanced Municipal Bond Index. Each portfolio manager also is compensated under equity-based compensation plans linked to increases or decreases in the net asset value of the stock of FMR LLC, FMR's parent company. FMR LLC is a diverse financial services company engaged in various activities that include fund management, brokerage, retirement, and employer administrative services.

A portfolio manager's compensation plan may give rise to potential conflicts of interest. Although investors in the fund may invest through either tax-deferred accounts or taxable accounts, a portfolio manager's compensation is linked to the pre-tax performance of the fund, rather than its after-tax performance. A portfolio manager's base pay tends to increase with additional and more complex responsibilities that include increased assets under management and a portion of the bonus relates to marketing efforts, which together indirectly link compensation to sales. When a portfolio manager takes over a fund or an account, the time period over which performance is measured may be adjusted to provide a transition period in which to assess the portfolio. The management of multiple funds and accounts (including proprietary accounts) may give rise to potential conflicts of interest if the funds and accounts have different objectives, benchmarks, time horizons, and fees as a portfolio manager must allocate time and investment ideas across multiple funds and accounts. In addition, a fund's trade allocation policies and procedures may give rise to conflicts of interest if the fund's orders do not get fully executed due to being aggregated with those of other accounts managed by FMR or an affiliate. A portfolio manager may execute transactions for another fund or account that may adversely impact the value of securities held by a fund. Securities selected for other funds or accounts may outperform the securities selected for the fund. Portfolio managers may be permitted to invest in the funds they manage, even if a fund is closed to new investors. Trading in personal accounts, which may give rise to potential conflicts of interest, is restricted by a fund's Code of Ethics.

Portfolio managers may receive interests in certain funds or accounts managed by FMR or one of its affiliated advisers (collectively, "Proprietary Accounts"). A conflict of interest situation is presented where a portfolio manager considers investing a client account in securities of an issuer in which FMR, its affiliates or their (or their fund clients') respective directors, officers or employees already hold a significant position for their own account, including positions held indirectly through Proprietary Accounts. Because the 1940 Act, as well as other applicable laws and regulations, restricts certain transactions between affiliated entities or between an advisor and its clients, client accounts managed by FMR or its affiliates, including accounts sub-advised by third parties, are, in certain circumstances, prohibited from participating in offerings of such securities (including initial public offerings and other offerings occurring before or after an issuer's initial public offering) or acquiring such securities in the secondary market. For example, ownership of a company by Proprietary Accounts has, in certain situations, resulted in restrictions on FMR's and its affiliates' client accounts' ability to acquire securities in the company's initial public offering and subsequent public offerings, private offerings, and in the secondary market, and additional restrictions could arise in the future; to the extent such client accounts acquire the relevant securities after such restrictions are subsequently lifted, the delay could affect the price at which the securities are acquired. 

A conflict of interest situation is presented when FMR or its affiliates acquire, on behalf of their client accounts, securities of the same issuers whose securities are already held in Proprietary Accounts, because such investments could have the effect of increasing or supporting the value of the Proprietary Accounts. A conflict of interest situation also arises when FMR investment advisory personnel consider whether client accounts they manage should invest in an investment opportunity that they know is also being considered by an affiliate of FMR for a Proprietary Account, to the extent that not investing on behalf of such client accounts improves the ability of the Proprietary Account to take advantage of the opportunity. FMR has adopted policies and procedures and maintains a compliance program designed to help manage such actual and potential conflicts of interest.

The following table provides information relating to other accounts managed by Cormac Cullen as of December 31, 2023:

 

* Includes Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund ($505 (in millions) assets managed). The amount of assets managed of the fund reflects trades and other assets as of the close of the business day prior to the fund's fiscal year-end.

As of December 31, 2023, the dollar range of shares of Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund beneficially owned by Mr. Cullen was none.

The following table provides information relating to other accounts managed by Michael Maka as of December 31, 2023:

 

* Includes Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund ($505 (in millions) assets managed). The amount of assets managed of the fund reflects trades and other assets as of the close of the business day prior to the fund's fiscal year-end.

As of December 31, 2023, the dollar range of shares of Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund beneficially owned by Mr. Maka was none.

The following table provides information relating to other accounts managed by Elizah McLaughlin as of December 31, 2023:

 

* Includes Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund ($505 (in millions) assets managed). The amount of assets managed of the fund reflects trades and other assets as of the close of the business day prior to the fund's fiscal year-end.

As of December 31, 2023, the dollar range of shares of Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund beneficially owned by Ms. McLaughlin was none.

 

 

The fund has entered into a distribution agreement with Fidelity Distributors Company LLC (FDC), an affiliate of FMR. The principal business address of FDC is 900 Salem Street, Smithfield, Rhode Island 02917. FDC is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc.

The fund's distribution agreement calls for FDC to use all reasonable efforts, consistent with its other business, to secure purchasers for shares of the fund, which are continuously offered.

Promotional and administrative expenses in connection with the offer and sale of shares are paid by FMR.

The Trustees have approved a Distribution and Service Plan with respect to shares of the fund (the Plan) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (the Rule).

The Rule provides in substance that a fund may not engage directly or indirectly in financing any activity that is primarily intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund except pursuant to a plan approved on behalf of the fund under the Rule.

The Plan, as approved by the Trustees, allows shares of the fund and/or FMR to incur certain expenses that might be considered to constitute indirect payment by the fund of distribution expenses.

The Plan adopted for the fund or class, as applicable, is described in the prospectus.

Under the Plan, if the payment of management fees by the fund to FMR is deemed to be indirect financing by the fund of the distribution of its shares, such payment is authorized by the Plan.

The Plan specifically recognizes that FMR may use its management fee revenue, as well as its past profits or its other resources, to pay FDC for expenses incurred in connection with providing services intended to result in the sale of shares of the fund and/or shareholder support services. In addition, the Plan provides that FMR, directly or through FDC, may pay significant amounts to intermediaries that provide those services.

Currently, the Board of Trustees has authorized such payments for shares of the fund.

Prior to approving the Plan, the Trustees carefully considered all pertinent factors relating to the implementation of the Plan, and determined that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit the fund or class, as applicable, and its shareholders.

In particular, the Trustees noted that the Plan does not authorize payments by shares of the fund other than those made to FMR under its management contract with the fund.

To the extent that the Plan gives FMR and FDC greater flexibility in connection with the distribution of shares, additional sales of shares or stabilization of cash flows may result.

Furthermore, certain shareholder support services may be provided more effectively under the Plan by local entities with whom shareholders have other relationships.

FDC or an affiliate may compensate, or upon direction make payments for certain retirement plan expenses to intermediaries. A number of factors are considered in determining whether to pay these additional amounts. Such factors may include, without limitation, the level or type of services provided by the intermediary, the level or expected level of assets or sales of shares, and other factors. In addition to such payments, FDC or an affiliate may offer other incentives such as sponsorship of educational or client seminars relating to current products and issues, payments or reimbursements for travel and related expenses associated with due diligence trips that an intermediary may undertake in order to explore possible business relationships with affiliates of FDC, and/or payments of costs and expenses associated with attendance at seminars, including travel, lodging, entertainment, and meals. Certain of the payments described above may be significant to an intermediary. As permitted by SEC and Financial Industry Regulatory Authority rules and other applicable laws and regulations, FDC or an affiliate may pay or allow other incentives or payments to intermediaries.

The fund's transfer agent or an affiliate may also make payments and reimbursements from its own resources to certain intermediaries (who may be affiliated with the transfer agent) for providing recordkeeping and administrative services to plan participants or for providing other services to retirement plans. Please see "Transfer and Service Agent Agreements" in this SAI for more information.

FDC or an affiliate may also make payments to banks, broker-dealers and other service-providers (who may be affiliated with FDC) for distribution-related activities and/or shareholder services. If you have purchased shares of the fund through an investment professional, please speak with your investment professional to learn more about any payments his or her firm may receive from FMR, FDC, and/or their affiliates, as well as fees and/or commissions the investment professional charges. You should also consult disclosures made by your investment professional at the time of purchase.

Any of the payments described in this section may represent a premium over payments made by other fund families. Investment professionals may have an added incentive to sell or recommend a fund over others offered by competing fund families, or retirement plan sponsors may take these payments into account when deciding whether to include a fund as a plan investment option.

Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Company LLC (FIIOC), an affiliate of FMR, which is located at 245 Summer Street, Boston, Massachusetts 02210 (or an agent, including an affiliate), performs transfer agency services under the terms of the fund's management contract.

Prior to March 1, 2024, the fund or class, as applicable, bore the cost of transfer agency services under a separate agreement covering such services.

FIIOC may collect fees charged in connection with providing certain types of services such as exchanges, closing out fund balances, checkwriting, wire transactions, and providing historical account research, as applicable.

FIIOC bears the expense of typesetting, printing, and mailing prospectuses, statements of additional information, and all other reports, notices, and statements to existing shareholders, with the exception of proxy statements.

Fund shares may be owned by intermediaries for the benefit of their customers. In those instances, a fund may not maintain an account for shareholders, and some or all of the recordkeeping services for these accounts may be performed by third parties. FIIOC or an affiliate may make payments to intermediaries (including affiliates of FIIOC) for recordkeeping and other services.

Retirement plans may also hold fund shares in the name of the plan or its trustee, rather than the plan participant. In situations where FIIOC or an affiliate does not provide recordkeeping services, plan recordkeepers, who may have affiliated financial intermediaries who sell shares of the fund, may, upon direction, be paid for providing recordkeeping services to plan participants. Payments may also be made, upon direction, for other plan expenses. FIIOC may also pay an affiliate for providing services that otherwise would have been performed by FIIOC.

In certain situations where FIIOC or an affiliate provides recordkeeping services to a retirement plan, payments may be made to pay for plan expenses. The amount of such payments may be based on investments in particular Fidelity® funds, or may be fixed for a given period of time. Upon direction, payments may be made to plan sponsors, or at the direction of plan sponsors, third parties, for expenses incurred in connection with the plan. FIIOC may also pay an affiliate for providing services that otherwise would have been performed by FIIOC.

Fidelity Service Company, Inc. (FSC), an affiliate of FMR (or an agent, including an affiliate), calculates the NAV and dividends for shares, maintains the fund's portfolio and general accounting records, and administers the fund's securities lending program under the terms of the fund's management contract.

Prior to March 1, 2024, the fund bore the cost of pricing and bookkeeping services under a separate agreement covering such services. For providing pricing and bookkeeping services, FSC received a monthly fee based on the fund's average daily net assets throughout the month. Pricing and bookkeeping fees paid by the fund to FSC for the fiscal year(s) ended December 31, 2023, 2022, and 2021 are shown in the following table.

 

 

Trust Organization.

Fidelity® Ohio Municipal Income Fund is a fund of Fidelity Municipal Trust, an open-end management investment company created under an initial declaration of trust dated June 22, 1984.

The Trustees are permitted to create additional funds in the trust and to create additional classes of a fund.

The assets of the trust received for the issue or sale of shares of each fund and all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof, subject to the rights of creditors, are allocated to such fund, and constitute the underlying assets of such fund. The underlying assets of each fund in the trust shall be charged with the liabilities and expenses attributable to such fund. Any general expenses of the trust shall be allocated between or among any one or more of the funds.

Shareholder Liability. The trust is an entity commonly known as a "Massachusetts business trust." Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of such a trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable for the obligations of the trust.

The Declaration of Trust contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for the debts, liabilities, obligations, and expenses of the trust or fund. The Declaration of Trust provides that the trust shall not have any claim against shareholders except for the payment of the purchase price of shares and requires that each agreement, obligation, or instrument entered into or executed by the trust or the Trustees relating to the trust or to a fund shall include a provision limiting the obligations created thereby to the trust or to one or more funds and its or their assets. The Declaration of Trust further provides that shareholders of a fund shall not have a claim on or right to any assets belonging to any other fund.

The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification out of a fund's property of any shareholder or former shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the fund solely by reason of his or her being or having been a shareholder and not because of his or her acts or omissions or for some other reason. The Declaration of Trust also provides that a fund shall, upon request, assume the defense of any claim made against any shareholder for any act or obligation of the fund and satisfy any judgment thereon. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which a fund itself would be unable to meet its obligations. Fidelity Management & Research Company LLC believes that, in view of the above, the risk of personal liability to shareholders is remote.

Voting Rights. The fund's capital consists of shares of beneficial interest. Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each dollar of net asset value they own. The voting rights of shareholders can be changed only by a shareholder vote. Shares may be voted in the aggregate, by fund, and by class.

The shares have no preemptive or conversion rights. Shares are fully paid and nonassessable, except as set forth under the heading "Shareholder Liability" above.

The trust or a fund or a class may be terminated upon the sale of its assets to, or merger with, another open-end management investment company, series, or class thereof, or upon liquidation and distribution of its assets. The Trustees may reorganize, terminate, merge, or sell all or a portion of the assets of a trust or a fund or a class without prior shareholder approval. In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of a trust, shareholders of each of its funds are entitled to receive the underlying assets of such fund available for distribution. In the event of the dissolution or liquidation of a fund or a class, shareholders of that fund or that class are entitled to receive the underlying assets of the fund or class available for distribution.

Custodian(s).

The Bank of New York Mellon, 1 Wall Street, New York, New York, is custodian of the assets of the fund.

The custodian is responsible for the safekeeping of the fund's assets and the appointment of any subcustodian banks and clearing agencies.

From time to time, subject to approval by a fund's Treasurer, a Fidelity® fund may enter into escrow arrangements with other banks if necessary to participate in certain investment offerings.

FMR, its officers and directors, its affiliated companies, Members of the Advisory Board (if any), and Members of the Board of Trustees may, from time to time, conduct transactions with various banks, including banks serving as custodians for certain funds advised by FMR or an affiliate. Transactions that have occurred to date include mortgages and personal and general business loans. In the judgment of the fund's adviser, the terms and conditions of those transactions were not influenced by existing or potential custodial or other fund relationships.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.

PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, 101 Seaport Boulevard, Boston, Massachusetts, independent registered public accounting firm, audits financial statements for the fund and provides other audit, tax, and related services.

 

The fund views holdings information as sensitive and limits its dissemination. The Board authorized FMR to establish and administer guidelines for the dissemination of fund holdings information, which may be amended at any time without prior notice. FMR's Disclosure Policy Committee (comprising executive officers of FMR) evaluates disclosure policy with the goal of serving the fund's best interests by striking an appropriate balance between providing information about the fund's portfolio and protecting the fund from potentially harmful disclosure. The Board reviews the administration and modification of these guidelines and receives reports from the fund's chief compliance officer periodically.

The fund will provide a full list of holdings monthly on www.fidelity.com 30 days after the month-end (excluding high income security holdings, which generally will be presented collectively monthly and included in a list of full holdings 60 days after month-end).

Unless otherwise indicated, this information will be available on the web site until updated for the next applicable period.

The fund may also from time to time provide or make available to the Board or third parties upon request specific fund level performance attribution information and statistics. Third parties may include fund shareholders or prospective fund shareholders, members of the press, consultants, and ratings and ranking organizations. Nonexclusive examples of performance attribution information and statistics may include (i) the allocation of the fund's portfolio holdings and other investment positions among various asset classes, sectors, industries, and countries, (ii) the characteristics of the stock and bond components of the fund's portfolio holdings and other investment positions, (iii) the attribution of fund returns by asset class, sector, industry, and country and (iv) the volatility characteristics of the fund.

FMR's Disclosure Policy Committee may approve a request for fund level performance attribution and statistics as long as (i) such disclosure does not enable the receiving party to recreate the complete or partial portfolio holdings of any Fidelity® fund prior to such fund's public disclosure of its portfolio holdings and (ii) Fidelity has made a good faith determination that the requested information is not material given the particular facts and circumstances. Fidelity may deny any request for performance attribution information and other statistical information about a fund made by any person, and may do so for any reason or for no reason.

Disclosure of non-public portfolio holdings information for a Fidelity® fund's portfolio may only be provided pursuant to the guidelines below.

The Use of Holdings In Connection With Fund Operations. Material non-public holdings information may be provided as part of the activities associated with managing Fidelity® funds to: entities which, by explicit agreement or by virtue of their respective duties to the fund, are required to maintain the confidentiality of the information disclosed; other parties if legally required; or persons FMR believes will not misuse the disclosed information. These entities, parties, and persons include, but are not limited to: the fund's trustees; the fund's manager, its sub-advisers, if any, and their affiliates whose access persons are subject to a code of ethics (including portfolio managers of affiliated funds of funds); contractors who are subject to a confidentiality agreement; the fund's auditors; the fund's custodians; proxy voting service providers; financial printers; pricing service vendors; broker-dealers in connection with the purchase or sale of securities or requests for price quotations or bids on one or more securities; securities lending agents; counsel to the fund or its Independent Trustees; regulatory authorities; stock exchanges and other listing organizations; parties to litigation; third parties in connection with a bankruptcy proceeding relating to a fund holding; and third parties who have submitted a standing request to a money market fund for daily holdings information. Non-public holdings information may also be provided to an issuer regarding the number or percentage of its shares that are owned by the fund and in connection with redemptions in kind.

Other Uses Of Holdings Information. In addition, the fund may provide material non-public holdings information to (i) third parties that calculate information derived from holdings for use by FMR, a sub-adviser, or their affiliates, (ii) ratings and rankings organizations, and (iii) an investment adviser, trustee, or their agents to whom holdings are disclosed for due diligence purposes or in anticipation of a merger involving the fund. Each individual request is reviewed by the Disclosure Policy Committee which must find, in its sole discretion that, based on the specific facts and circumstances, the disclosure appears unlikely to be harmful to the fund. Entities receiving this information must have in place control mechanisms to reasonably ensure or otherwise agree that, (a) the holdings information will be kept confidential, (b) no employee shall use the information to effect trading or for their personal benefit, and (c) the nature and type of information that they, in turn, may disclose to third parties is limited. FMR relies primarily on the existence of non-disclosure agreements and/or control mechanisms when determining that disclosure is not likely to be harmful to the fund.

At this time, the entities receiving information described in the preceding paragraph are: Factset Research Systems Inc. (full or partial fund holdings daily, on the next business day); Standard & Poor's Ratings Services (full holdings weekly (generally as of the previous Friday), generally 5 business days thereafter); MSCI Inc. and certain affiliates (full or partial fund holdings daily, on the next business day); and Bloomberg, L.P. (full holdings daily, on the next business day).

FMR, its affiliates, or the fund will not enter into any arrangements with third parties from which they derive consideration for the disclosure of material non-public holdings information. If, in the future, such an arrangement is desired, prior Board approval would be sought and any such arrangements would be disclosed in the fund's SAI.

There can be no assurance that the fund's policies and procedures with respect to disclosure of fund portfolio holdings will prevent the misuse of such information by individuals and firms that receive such information.

The fund's financial statements and financial highlights for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, and report of the independent registered public accounting firm, are included in the fund's annual report and are incorporated herein by reference. 

Total annual operating expenses as shown in the prospectus fee table may differ from the ratios of expenses to average net assets in the financial highlights because total annual operating expenses as shown in the prospectus fee table include any acquired fund fees and expenses, whereas the ratios of expenses in the financial highlights do not, except to the extent any acquired fund fees and expenses relate to an entity, such as a wholly-owned subsidiary, with which a fund's financial statements are consolidated. Acquired funds include other investment companies (such as Central funds or other underlying funds) in which the fund has invested, if and to the extent it is permitted to do so.

Total annual operating expenses in the prospectus fee table and the financial highlights do not include any expenses associated with investments in certain structured or synthetic products that may rely on the exception from the definition of "investment company" provided by section 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act.