ban
She’s Ohio’s only trans female playing varsity sports; lawmakers want her out
Ember had only just made varsity when she learned about the state legislation that would block her from playing softball. To say she made varsity is something of a stretch. Her northeast Ohio high school team is short on players. It has no junior varsity counterpart. There aren’t even enough athletes to keep up a […]
Senate GOP signals skepticism on vaccine mandate ban
Several Republicans in the Ohio Senate indicated reluctance to legislation prohibiting universities, employers, and most health care facilities from requiring vaccination against COVID-19. All but one Republican in the chamber passed House Bill 218 last month, overriding objections from business, health care, and public health organizations. During Senate committee reviews and interviews Tuesday, however, some […]
Health care PACs fund campaigns of anti-vaccine legislators
Nearly 3,900 Ohioans are currently hospitalized with COVID-19, the most since mid-January, when vaccines were a scarce commodity allocated only to the neediest recipients. Through the pandemic, meanwhile, the Ohio Hospital Association’s PAC has contributed $13,000 to Republican lawmakers who co-sponsored legislation to ban vaccine mandates from hospitals, colleges, and employers in Ohio. Critics of […]
House GOP passes vaccine mandate ban after months of effort
After nearly six months of sustained efforts from anti-vaccination lawmakers and activists, Ohio House Republicans passed legislation Thursday prohibiting schools, colleges, and employers from requiring vaccination from employees and students. The legislation also extends a broad immunity for people and businesses against lawsuits alleging they negligently spread COVID-19. It passed with a nearly party line, […]
History Thursday: When the Supreme Court said yes to vaccine mandates
The vaccine mandate debate may be rejuvenated, but it’s hardly new. The U.S. Supreme Court answered the can-they-do-that question more than 115 years ago. In an era when infectious diseases killed more Americans than any other cause of death, smallpox was ripping through Cambridge, Massachusetts. State lawmakers passed a statute allowing local boards of health, […]
Senate committee eyes vote to shield natural gas from cities’ bans
Update: The Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee passed House Bill 201 at 10 a.m. Tuesday. An Ohio Senate committee could vote out legislation Tuesday that would shield the natural gas industry from the potential of cities seeking to crack down on fossil fuel emissions. If passed, House Bill 201 would block any city or […]
House passes bill blocking cities from banning natural gas
The state House of Representatives passed legislation last week that would block Ohio cities from limiting or banning residents from obtaining natural gas or propane services for their homes. All House Republicans and two Democrats voted in favor of House Bill 201, which would undercut potential efforts from cities taking a go-at-it alone approach to […]
House to consider blocking cities from banning natural gas
An Ohio House committee sent legislation to the floor Wednesday that would prohibit local governments from blocking consumers from obtaining natural gas hookups. House Bill 201, as passed by Republicans on the House Energy Committee, prohibits cities from passing laws that “limits the use of, prohibits, or prevents residential, commercial, or industrial consumers within their […]
State Republicans seek to ban cities from limiting natural gas development
Ohio lawmakers are considering a pair of bills that would block cities and counties from opting out of pipeline projects or limiting the use of natural gas. Lobbyists representing the coal and natural gas industries appeared before the House Energy and Natural Resources committee Wednesday in support. House Bill 192 would prohibit city or county […]