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New bill would ban transgender students from using bathroom that matches gender identity
A bill banning transgender students from being able to use the bathroom and locker room that aligns with their gender identity was recently introduced by a pair of Ohio Republican legislators. House Bill 183 — introduced by state Rep. Beth Lear, R-Galena, and state Rep. Adam Bird, R-New Richmond — would require K-12 schools and […]
Ohio Sec. of State LaRose won’t comment on election-denying financier of constitutional effort
Secretary of State Frank LaRose said it's important to make it a lot harder for voters to amend the Ohio Constitution because we need to keep powerful out-of-state special interests from meddling with the state's foundational document. But his office wouldn't respond when asked if the state's top elections official embraced or condemned the support of an Illinois billionaire who helped fund the Jan. 6, 2021 rally in Washington, D.C., and who has lavished millions on candidates who have falsely claimed that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election.
Manufacturers, consumers blast plan to make ratepayers subsidize charging stations
The number of electric vehicles on U.S. roadways is expected to ramp up dramatically in the coming years, and with it the number of charging stations will have to grow as well. Now groups representing Ohio utility consumers and manufacturers are trying to kill a plan that would force ratepayers to finance the electricity infrastructure […]
Death penalty opponents take another run at repeal
A group of Ohio lawmakers is again trying to kill the death penalty. As she has since 2011, Sen. Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, on Tuesday announced that she and some colleagues were introducing legislation abolishing it. It might seem like a shot in the dark. But amid exonerations and shifting sentiment about the ultimate punishment, Antonio […]
Former Ohio speaker, GOP chair both found guilty of racketeering
CINCINNATI — After more than nine hours of deliberation, a jury on Thursday found former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder and state Republican Chairman Matt Borges guilty of felony racketeering charges in connection with a billion-dollar utility bailout that was passed in 2019. Both men face maximum sentences of 20 years in what prosecutors said […]
Householder corruption trial: Regulator sent resume to utility he was regulating
CINCINNATI — At the start of 2019 — as work was beginning on a corrupt $1.3 billion bailout — a senior official with the state’s utility regulator sent his resume to a top lobbyist at one of the utilities he was supposed to be regulating. That might seem improper, but the top person charged in […]
Lobbyist accused of paying $15K to spy on effort to repeal corrupt utility bailout
A lobbyist with ties to the state's top Republicans in 2019 paid $15,000 for inside information about a campaign to repeal $1.3 billion in utility subsidies that were later determined to be corruptly passed, according to an FBI agent's testimony Monday. The agent also said that Secretary of State Frank LaRose wanted to meet with leaders of Akron-based FirstEnergy — the company that funded the vast majority 0f the scheme — while Attorney General Dave Yost became angered by the heavy-handed tactics used by opponents of the repeal.
Lawmakers reintroduce bill the governor vetoed less than a month ago
Ohio state senators took up a bill last week to allow people challenging an agency order to do so in their home county. If that sounds familiar, it’s probably because Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed a virtually identical measure earlier this month. In committee Tuesday, the arguments in favor of the idea sounded pretty familiar as […]
Columbus engages Central Ohio residents in the zoning code update with new exhibit
The city of Columbus has announced plans to go back to the drawing board with new updates to the city’s zoning map after 70 years. City partners and officials attribute the long wait to bureaucracy and systemic racism and hope to involve the community in the process. In a presentation on Nov.10, the City of […]
Biden student debt forgiveness plan on temporary hold after appeals court ruling
WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court on Friday temporarily blocked the Biden administration from carrying out its student loan forgiveness plan, until the court makes a determination on a request for an injunction brought by six Republican-led states, according to multiple media reports. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is giving the Biden administration […]
Analysis: Some workers still don’t have paid sick time post-pandemic
A study by the Economic Policy Institute showed disparities are still prevalent in paid leave, specifically sick time, in America. Ohio is seeing similar struggles, and policy experts still hope to see federal pandemic stimulus money go toward needed paid leave. The EPI report used data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to identify […]
Ohio GOP lawmaker introduces gun safety bill; includes red flag law, enhanced background checks
The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. It is rare for Republican lawmakers to propose a gun safety […]