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Another redistricting deadline coming up, no action expected from Ohio legislature
As the deadline approaches for the Ohio General Assembly to redraw congressional district maps ordered by the Ohio Supreme Court, it seems no action is planned. The state’s highest court struck down the map for congressional voting districts in the state on July 19, giving the GA 30 days to draw a map that wasn’t […]
Fear and uncertainty grip patients as abortion referral services struggle to keep up
Abortion referral services have seen a change in how they do their work, but despite restrictions that make it less possible to get an abortion in Ohio, clinics and non-profits definitely haven’t seen a shortage of need. Abortion Fund-Ohio, which provides case management, grants and resources for patients in need of abortion care, had to […]
Ohio Supreme Court chief justice hears last oral arguments
With term limits signaling the end of her tenure as Chief Justice of the Ohio Supreme Court, Maureen O’Connor took time on Tuesday to reflect. “The Ohio Constitution is telling me it’s time to do something new,” O’Connor said. O’Connor and the rest of the supreme court justices heard arguments in three cases on Tuesday, […]
Major Ohio cities stand against abortion law
Officials in two of Ohio’s major cities officials say a six-week abortion ban in the state “willfully jeopardizes the health and safety of millions of Ohioans,” and therefore should be rescinded by the Ohio Supreme Court. The cities, Cincinnati and Columbus, further joined by Dayton, Toledo and Cleveland Heights, wrote to the state’s highest court […]
Ohio Supreme Court power could change under ‘independent state legislature’ theory
An obscure legal theory is in the sights of the U.S. Supreme Court, and that theory may create shockwaves, changing the power of the Ohio Supreme Court and the state legislature. The independent state legislature doctrine is an old theory with its genesis in the U.S. Constitution, specifically the clauses that give the state legislatures […]
Ohio AG joins with other AGs in suit against gender inclusion language in food benefits
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has signed on to a lawsuit pushing back against federal rewrites to include anti-discrimination language in food assistance programs. Attorneys General from more than 20 states filed suit in federal court against the U.S. Department of Agriculture over a memorandum regarding the Food and Nutrition Services complaint policy on gender […]
Higher ed loan program bill re-upped for Ohio legislature’s consideration
When the Ohio legislature comes back from its summer break, lawmakers will reconsider a loan program for higher education that includes loan forgiveness for students who stay in Ohio. House Bill 514 was introduced last December, but has since been re-referred twice to two different committees, landing in the Ways and Means Committee. The bill […]
Religious leaders: Abortion law violates constitutional freedoms
In court documents supporting an attempt to overturn an abortion law in Ohio, physicians and religious leaders spoke to the safety of the procedure and religious freedoms that could be infringed with the law. The briefs were part of a lawsuit in the Ohio Supreme Court fighting against Senate Bill 23, the law that was […]
Vaccine hesitancy, for various reasons, still a problem
An Ohio State University researcher found vaccine hesitancy is still an issue, for various reasons, beyond even the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the seasonal flu vaccine, which the CDC recommends people receive by the end of October every year, has seen reduced use among adults in the U.S., according to the study done by OSU-Newark Assistant […]
Ohio Attorney General asks for dismissal of abortion lawsuit
The Ohio Attorney General has asked the state supreme court to dismiss a challenge to the six-week abortion ban, saying the court does not hold jurisdiction on the issue. The lawsuit seeks to stop enforcement of the law, which had been tied up in courts before the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the legality of abortion […]
Ohio governor, education groups at odds over board of ed district deadlines
As an August deadline looms for Ohio’s State Board of Education candidates, there’s a difference of opinion as to whether the governor has an obligation to change the districts to reflect the most current redistricting plan. The difference of opinion, the governor’s office and a coalition of education advocates say, is whether redistricting and apportionment […]
Ohio Supreme Court strikes down congressional maps for second time
For the second time, the Ohio Supreme Court rejected a map for congressional districts in the state. The court ruled that the map violated the constitution by favoring one political party over another irrespective of election results across the state. “We hold that the March 2 plan unduly favors the Republican Party and disfavors the […]