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Telehealth expansion bill introduced in Ohio Senate
A bill to expand telehealth amid a pandemic that continues to grow in Ohio has entered a state Senate committee for consideration. House Bill 679 passed the Ohio House in June, and seeks to expand telemedicine provisions already present in law regarding fields such as psychology, speech pathology, therapy and professional counseling, independent social workers […]
State school funding overhaul begins trek through Ohio House
Public school financial leaders stood behind the state funding overhaul that was once again brought before the Ohio House Finance Committee on Tuesday. In its seventh hearing in the House, House Bill 305 was supported by chief financial officers from Akron Public Schools, Trimble Local Schools in Athens County, Chardon Local Schools in Geauga County, […]
UC police records of sex offender not protected under student privacy law, court says
The University of Cincinnati didn’t have the right to keep records of a student who was a convicted sex offender out of public view, according to the Ohio Court of Claims. After student William Houston was awarded an honor given to student who have had to overcome adversity, the university was criticized for the award, […]
Two bills seek to address unconstitutional public school funding before year’s end
Running parallel to a House Bill in the works for years, Ohio state senators have introduced a similar proposal to equalize the public school budget formula and set up the next General Assembly with a “blueprint” for a funding overhaul. In a virtual press conference on Friday, state Sen. Peggy Lehner, R-Kettering, and Sen. Vernon […]
Reproductive rights battles will continue after small election changes to judiciary, legislature
While anti-abortion groups claim victory in Ohio with little change to the majority conservative Ohio legislature, abortion-rights groups are ready for continued fights in the Statehouse and in the courts. The Ohio Supreme Court saw one seat flipped, with Judge Jennifer Brunner overtaking incumbent justice Judith French in unofficial results Tuesday. It doesn’t flip the […]
Ohio Supreme Court: Dayton shooter’s school records not part of public record
The school district where the Dayton shooter went to school is not required to release school records to a media source, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled on Thursday. After national news network CNN and other media outlets brought the case before the state’s highest court, a six-judge majority ruled that the Ohio Student Privacy Act […]
After ‘pesky’ issues on voting day, election protection advocates push for more improvements
While election protection groups reported no major issues on election day, misinformation about curbside voting and some intimidation at the polls joined technical issues in affecting voter experience at the polls, they said Wednesday. Record turnout encouraged groups like the Ohio chapters of the ACLU and the League of Women Voters, who held a media […]
Ohio Supreme Court: One incumbent looks to remain, another looks to be unseated
Ohio Supreme Court Justice Sharon Kennedy looks to have won reelection in unofficial results early Wednesday morning, while Justice Judith French looks headed for defeat by Democratic challenger Jennifer Brunner. If this result holds as is expected, Republican justices will hold a 4-3 advantage on the state high court. With Brunner’s win, Democrats add to […]
Universities stay the course, stay nimble as they ready for spring semester
As spring semester planning approaches, Ohio’s universities largely seem to be staying with their phased pandemic plans or previous plans, but testing in some areas is changing with COVID-19 numbers still a concern. Despite Portage County’s designation as a “red” county on the state’s Public Health Advisory System and categorization as a high case incidence […]
Bill seeking to prohibit ‘election intimidation’ introduced in Ohio House
A bill regarding election protections was introduced last week by a Democratic Ohio House member. Though the House won’t come back into session to consider the bill until after the general election, state Rep. Adam Miller, D-Columbus, filed the bill that would bar any “reckless attempts” to force a voter to reveal who they voted […]
Analysis: Ohio on the positive side of unemployment benefits
In an analysis of unemployment benefits nationwide, Ohio was listed among the top five states where benefits cover basic living costs. The analysis by Money studied single recipients of benefits receiving the maximum amount allowed by the state. They compared the amount off benefits with the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment, along with basic […]
Domestic violence survivors fear for their lives, but still want to vote
When trying to get away from a violent abuser and keep food on the table, the next election is usually isn’t a priority. For survivors of domestic violence, keeping their identities and locations a secret is vital for their own livelihood. Survivors don’t always think to grab a driver’s license or their latest utility bill […]