Mike DeWine
Ohio Gov. DeWine ignores questions about gun safety amid state lawsuit against Columbus gun law
During a news conference Wednesday, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine repeatedly ignored questions about gun safety, which came on a day a 7-year-old was shot in the head in Cleveland, and as the state is suing Columbus over a safe gun storage law. The child was shot Wednesday morning and remains in critical condition at University […]
Judge slams former Ohio regulator for not giving details about how he spent $4.3M in utility money
FirstEnergy conceded it was a bribe, but its former executives and former PUCO Chairman Sam Randazzo said it wasn't. Either way, a judge in a federal class-action case is again ordering Randazzo to fork over documents — including emails — addressing how he spent the $4.3 million he got from FirstEnergy in 2019 just as he was about to take the helm of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the agency tasked with regulating FirstEnergy.
Bipartisan rail safety bill headed for U.S. Senate vote
It’s been just over three months since a Norfolk Southern train derailed near East Palestine, Ohio. Federal legislation meant to improve rail safety and reduce similar incidents is advancing in the U.S. Senate. The Railway Safety Act of 2023 is a bipartisan effort led by Ohio’s U.S. Senators, Republican J.D. Vance and Democrat Sherrod Brown. […]
Taft among former Ohio governors who say Ohioans should get to decide on abortion
Former Ohio governors are speaking out against the proposal to make it more difficult to amend the state constitution and the bill to allow for an August special election, telling the current GOP that voters should decide if abortion should be legal. Gov. Mike DeWine’s team responded, saying the governor did not ask for the […]
What changes do Ohio budget drafters have in mind for sports betting?
Sports betting went live in Ohio just five months ago. But lawmakers are already wrangling over small tweaks and big changes for the industry in the state budget. Ohio established its sports gaming system in late 2021, but it didn’t go live until Jan. 1 this year. One of the chief questions lawmakers had to […]
Opponents say Ohio income tax cut hurts the poor; advocates say it doesn’t help wealthy enough
Ohio’s proposed income tax cut meant to benefit the middle class isn’t helpful and is just taxing, according to advocates on each side of the financial debate. On Wednesday, the House passed a $95 billion budget, $88 billion of it from the general revenue fund (GRF) and $7 billion of it being one-time GRF, overage […]
Bipartisan opposition makes Ohio Republican August election, minority-rule power grab look absurd
More than 200 bipartisan groups, four bipartisan former Ohio governors, and Ohio’s entire system of bipartisan elections officials are all against a special August election proposed by Ohio Republican politicians to attack the power of voters and enshrine 41% minority rule over the state constitution. This week, current Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said he […]
95% of Ohio schools offered prevention-focused programs and supports, according to new ODE report
Almost all Ohio schools offered prevention-focused programs and supports during the 2020-21 school year. Ninety-five percent of Ohio schools, to be exact, offered these programs and supports, according to the Ohio Department of Education’s 2020-21 Prevention Services Data Report that was released Tuesday. “Providing students with the tools they need to better cope with life […]
Reading curriculum changes need evaluation
Earlier this month, Education Week reported on a policy trend that Ohio Gov. DeWine has made a central focus of his 2024-2025 budget: reform of reading curriculum standards. This reform in particular centers around a fulcrum of debate about how to teach reading in schools. In particular, a popular but controversial program called “Reading Recovery” […]
Feed Ohio school children. Please. At the very least, feed the children.
A strain of anti-public education ideology has been running rampant among a number of lawmakers in the Ohio Statehouse for many years now. The consequences can been seen across Ohio as districts have been robbed of previous state funding, such as the many millions lost with the phase-out of Tangible Personal Properties reimbursements. As Ohio […]
Ohio’s new texting-and-driving law takes effect, with a 6-month warning period
Beginning today (April 4) it’s a primary offense to use your phone while driving. That means law enforcement can pull drivers over for using their phone without any other pretext. The measure carries several exceptions, including allowances for hands-free operation, but Ohio Department of Transportation guidance warns, “in most cases, anything more than a single […]
Ohio Gov. DeWine touts career tech during Plain City visit
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine kicked off the week Monday with a visit to Tolles Career and Tech Center in Plain City. The facility mostly serves high school juniors and seniors interested in trades with specialized, hands-on instruction. The governor has made boosting investments in career tech a budget priority. During Monday’s tour he spoke with […]