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Ohio Secretary of State signs voter data sharing agreements with three states
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has struck a deal to share voter data with three other Republican-led states. The agreement comes roughly six months after LaRose chose to exit a much larger, bipartisan interstate compact known as ERIC. Ohio’s new agreements give the state access to interstate voter information on its own terms. When […]
Ohio Senate committee on rail safety releases recommendations
The Ohio Senate’s Select Committee on Rail Safety unveiled its final report Wednesday morning. The Senate set up the panel in the wake of the East Palestine derailment in February of this year. The report offers a limited a set of recommendations — in no small part because federal authorities take precedence on regulating rail […]
Dark money group running attack ads in Ohio against Sherrod Brown with almost no public disclosures
About a week ago, an ad began airing that criticizes U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-OH, over U.S. immigration policy. The ad itself is about what you’d expect. The narrator crams as many policy failure claims as possible into 30 seconds over stock footage of tent cities and migrant caravans. Although the ad places blame on […]
Columbus fighting Ohio firearm regulation preemptions in court again
Columbus is continuing its case against the state on gun safety, arguing that a state law barring local firearm ordinances is unconstitutional. After a long delay, a county common pleas judge agreed with the city, and filed an order to put the law on hold. But an appeals court went the other way. The panel […]
An Arkansas social media parental consent law was halted. How is Ohio impacted?
A federal court ruling in Arkansas has cast doubt on one of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s policy priorities. The governor urged lawmakers to require most minors get parental consent before using social media. They agreed to include the proposal in the budget. But this week a judge in Arkansas halted a similar law from taking […]
Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance criticizes SpaceX lawsuit
Last week, the Department of Justice sued SpaceX, alleging the company routinely discriminated against refugee or asylee job seekers. In a letter, Ohio Republican U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance criticized Attorney General Merrick Garland for pursuing the case. Vance contends SpaceX may have made a good faith mistake, while downplaying the ongoing pattern of discrimination the […]
Coming soon in Ohio? ALEC releases new raft of model legislation
The American Legislative Exchange Council unveiled 23 new pieces of model legislation this summer — potentially offering a sneak peek at upcoming agenda items in Ohio. The organization, commonly known as ALEC, is a kind of “bill mill,” drafting and disseminating proposals state lawmakers can try out back home. Among the organization’s ideas? Prohibitions on […]
Ohio Republican lawmakers propose allowing chaplains in public schools
State Rep. Reggie Stoltzfus, R-Paris Township, has filed legislation proposing to allow Ohio’s public school districts to employ chaplains. The proposal comes after Texas lawmakers approved a similar measure over the objections of civil rights groups, academics and even some chaplains themselves. Stoltzfus’ measure would allow districts to hire chaplains or accept volunteers. Regardless of […]
Google announces plans to invest $1.7 billion in a trio of Central Ohio data centers
In New Albany Monday, two of Ohio’s congressmen joined Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to announce the expansion of Google’s footprint in the area. Between data centers in New Albany Columbus and Lancaster, the search giant plans to invest $1.7 billion this year in technical infrastructure in Ohio. The initiative only adds to a boom in […]
Ohio’s employment hit a new high, how big a deal is that?
When Ohio released its last monthly jobs report, Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted took an unusual victory lap, touting “the most filled jobs in Ohio history.” In raw numbers, Ohio has reached a new peak in terms of labor participation, since officials began tracking it in 1990. “Ohio is the heart of […]
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine gets plaudits for OneOhio pick, pans for the process
This week, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tapped an executive director to lead the OneOhio Recovery Foundation. The nonprofit charged with administering more than $1 billion in opioid settlement money has faced criticism over lack of transparency. While critics of OneOhio praise DeWine’s pick, they argue the nomination process was opaque. State and local officials negotiated […]
Shaker Heights man found guilty of double voting in 2020 and 2022
A Cuyahoga County judge found Shaker Heights resident James Saunders guilty of voter fraud Tuesday. Saunders cast votes in both Ohio and Florida during the 2020 and 2022 elections. Despite suspicions among conservatives about rampant voter fraud benefiting Democrats, Saunders is a Trump supporter. According to FEC data he gave more than $5,600 to the […]