Ohio
Congratulations and donations follow Ohio native Burrow’s Heisman victory
The congratulations have come pouring in for Joe Burrow, the Louisiana State University quarterback and Athens native who on Saturday earned the 2019 Heisman Trophy. The award is given annually to college football’s top player. Burrow, a 2015 graduate of Athens High School, is the first Ohioan to win a Heisman since Columbus’ Troy Smith […]
New Ohio law mandates harsher penalties for promoting prostitution
Gov. Mike DeWine has signed into law stricter penalties in Ohio for those convicted of promoting prostitution. Senate Bill 5, sponsored by Sens. Stephanie Kunze, R-Hilliard, and Matt Dolan, R-Chagrin Falls, passed both state legislative chambers unanimously. DeWine signed the bill into law on Dec. 12. Ohio now has tougher penalties related to the crime […]
Report: Ohio absentee ballot applications rejected due to signature issues
Issues with signatures proved to be the difference in thousands of Ohioans not being able to vote in last year’s general election, an Associated Press investigation found. These voters had requested absentee ballots but did not receive them “because of missing or mismatched signatures on their ballot applications,” AP reported. More than 6,500 absentee ballot […]
A ban on bans: Ohio House approves bill to stop local govts from enacting plastic bag bans
At the heart of it, Ohio House Bill 242 served as a political Rorschach test. The bill, which the House approved on Wednesday, bans Ohio communities from instituting a tax or prohibition on plastic bags and other single-use items such as straws and cups. Supporters, primarily Republicans, see this as a simple matter of commercial […]
Bill to increase hospital billing transparency presented to Ohio House committee
A bill seeking to create more transparency in hospital billing was recently brought to an Ohio House Committee for review. State Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, presented Senate Bill 97 to a recent meeting of the House Committee on Health. He said the bill would require hospitals to give estimates to patients at least seven […]
Bill looks to give employers ‘affirmative defense’ in sex harassment cases
A bill that would provide an “affirmative defense” for employers in sexual harassment cases is continuing through the Ohio Legislature. House Bill 352, also called the “Employment Law Uniformity Act,” has been touted by its sponsors as a new way to allow “timely, fair, and efficient resolution of claims for both employers and employees,” according […]
Senators hear of need for center line rumble strips on Ohio’s highways
Having lost two sisters in separate fatal car crashes, Emily Ludwig is urging state lawmakers to act to make the state highways more safe for Ohioans. Her sisters, Amanda and Meghann, were both victims in Columbiana County crashes caused by distracted driving. In both the 2012 and 2014 crashes, another vehicle went left-of-center on an […]
Pharmacy board shows support for addiction treatment Ohio House bill
The State of Ohio Board of Pharmacy on Tuesday spoke in support of a bill that would expand the types of facilities that could provide drug addiction treatment, including help with opioid dependence. The Ohio House’s Committee on Health held the fourth hearing on House Bill 341, which also has the support of the Ohio […]
Bill would set ground rules for electric scooters in Ohio
State Rep. James Hoops gave fellow legislators an offer they perhaps could not refuse. If any senators wanted to ride an electric scooter, Hoops said he knew some people who have one and would let them take a spin. These days, of course, e-scooters are as ubiquitous in Columbus and other big cities as are […]
Tax credit for donors to anti-abortion pregnancy centers moves toward full Ohio House vote
A bill giving a tax credit to donors for pregnancy centers who promote carrying a pregnancy to term was approved in the state House Ways and Means Committee on Tuesday, moving it toward a full House vote. Supporters and critics of House Bill 297 made their cases in the fourth committee hearing on the bill, […]
Bill regulating nurse overtime awaits Ohio House vote
UPDATE 12/11/19 3:16 p.m.: The House approved House Bill 144 on Wednesday with a vote of 80-13. A bill seeking to regulate overtime requirements for nurses is making its way through the legislature, with support from the Ohio Nurses Association and opposition from the Ohio Hospital Association and state Chamber of Commerce. House Bill 144 […]
Trump Administration’s food stamp rule change will make many Ohioans go hungry
No one should have to choose between food, paying their rent or going to the doctor. In Ohio, over 1.69 million people struggle with hunger and uncertainty about where their next meal is coming from. More than half a million of them are children. Last week, the Trump Administration finalized a new rule that will […]