Diane Grendell
Attorney fees provision sours support for guardianship overhaul
A bipartisan team of House lawmakers is working on a sweeping update to Ohio’s guardianship laws. The changes stem in large part from recommendations offered by the Ohio Judicial Conference, and they come at a moment when Britney Spears’ conservatorship case has put added attention on the issue. The problem? HB 488 also carries an […]
Ohio representatives file new anti-trans bill, targeting health care providers
Ohio House lawmakers are running back a fight over trans youth in the state. But this time, instead of focusing on school sports, the proposal would prohibit offering minors any kind of gender affirming treatment — from hormones to surgery. The measure, H.B. 454, puts the onus on health care providers by defining that treatment […]
‘Anti-Corruption Act’ would target dark money spending in Ohio
Should nonprofit organizations that spend money on Ohio elections be forced to publicly disclose who funds them? Some lawmakers say yes and are trying once again to change the state’s campaign finance law in an effort to make political spending more transparent. State Reps. Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, and Bride Rose Sweeney, D-Cleveland, have reintroduced […]
Bill seeks to end ‘dark money’ spending in Ohio elections
Republican lawmakers are proposing to revamp some of Ohio’s campaign finance laws that would shine a light on “dark money” groups. Public officials from both parties have called for reforms in the wake of the House Bill 6 scandal, which saw the speaker of the Ohio House arrested as well as widespread attention paid to […]
Health orgs. backed Ohio’s pandemic response, then gave $ to politicians working to undermine it
As Ohio lawmakers considered a bill last November to allow themselves to strike down public health orders, a handful of organizations banded together to state their unequivocal opposition. “Now is not the time to let up. The public health crisis is not over,” the organizations told lawmakers. This disagreement in a matter of life and […]
The family court judge who threatened a mother with contempt for getting her child a COVID-19 test
By Marshall Allen, ProPublica, and Rachel Dissell for ProPublica ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive their biggest stories as soon as they’re published. This article was originally published by ProPublica which worked in partnership with Eye on Ohio, the nonprofit, nonpartisan Ohio Center for Journalism. Sign up for […]
DeWine endorsements highlighted in suburban legislative districts
Though Gov. Mike DeWine remains controversial among some Republican state legislators, the political party is still highlighting endorsements from Ohio’s top executive in select races. DeWine has faced an onslaught of criticism and legislative rebuke from the Ohio Statehouse related to his year-long response to the coronavirus pandemic. Much of the backlash has come from […]
DeWine: Bill to end COVID-19 emergency order doesn’t end the threat
The legislative effort to undermine Gov. Mike DeWine’s coronavirus pandemic response continues. The latest example: a proposed “Restore Ohio Now” bill from Rep. Diane Grendell, R-Chesterland, that would end the COVID-19 State of Emergency in Ohio. The State of Emergency was among the very first orders signed by the governor in addressing the virus. The […]
Conservative lawmakers have spent the pandemic targeting DeWine. Now they want to impeach him.
Bill Bader Jr. was fed up. A health order signed by Gov. Mike DeWine had forced his race track to close. Bader threatened to reopen without the state’s permission, which got him in some hot water. He felt frustrated and that nobody would listen. Enter state Rep. Paul Zeltwanger. The Republican lawmaker from Mason serving […]
Dr. Acton resignation follows months in the spotlight, crosshairs
Shortly before Ohio restaurants were set to reopen, Dr. Amy Acton was asked which restaurant she planned to dine at first. Acton had no answer to give. “I have no life right now,” she replied, half-jokingly, explaining that her around-the-clock responsibilities managing the state’s coronavirus response did not afford her much time to contemplate a […]
Ohio House passes health dept. COVID-19 data bill
A bill forcing Ohio health officials to report certain COVID-19 statistics passed another hurdle Wednesday. House Bill 624 was approved by the Ohio House of Representatives by a vote of 61-34. It was a partyline vote, with all Republicans voting in favor and all Democrats voting against. It will require passage by the Ohio Senate […]
House bill requires health depts. to report COVID-19 data it already reports
Is it that the Ohio Department of Health is deliberately withholding some COVID-19 information from the public? Or, is it that the department does present the information, but does so in a “one-sided” and “convoluted” way? That depends on which supporter of House Bill 624 is talking. But all supporters agree on this view: The […]