Rob McColley
Legislature on the clock to redraw Ohio’s unconstitutional Congressional district map
As the state awaits the Ohio Supreme Court’s decision on the second round of legislative maps, the state legislature is on a timeline to revise the invalid congressional map as well. The state’s high court decided in a 4-3 decision on Jan. 13 that a congressional map passed by the General Assembly was not valid, […]
Senate passes congressional map that continues GOP stronghold over state
Ohio Senate Republicans rushed through a congressional redistricting map Tuesday introduced to the public less than 24 hours before. It was passed out of committee 5-2 along partisan lines before being passed by the whole chamber later in the day 24-7, also along partisan lines. The passage came on the same day a committee who […]
Betraying voters, Ohio Senate President Huffman and House Speaker Cupp declare moral bankruptcy
Nearly 75% of Ohio voters reformed the state constitution in 2018 to end gerrymandering and bring about fair, legal U.S. Congressional districts. Instead state Republican legislative leaders hijacked the process, betrayed voters, and have all but declared total moral and ethical bankruptcy in their cynical pursuit of political power at all costs. The behavior of […]
Buckeyes coach Day lends support of ‘NIL’ bill as it passes Ohio Senate
Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day is fully supportive of a bill to let college athletes make money off of personal sponsorship deals. It’s fair to the players and it could set them up for the years after their playing days are over. But mostly, with the dam breaking on the notion of college […]
Local control, or killing renewables? Bill sparks debate
A bill that would allow neighbors to block wind turbines and solar arrays in the rural corners of Ohio is sparking an intense debate over land owners’ rights and local control. Two bills are making their way through the legislature that would allow small groups of citizens to block solar and wind farms after they’re […]
DeWine vetoes bill targeting his pandemic authority; override awaits
Gov. Mike DeWine has vetoed a bill seeking to allow lawmakers to rescind public health orders they disagree with, once again fulfilling a pledge to block any legislation targeting his administration’s authority to respond aggressively to a deadly pandemic. The ball is now in the legislature’s court to override his veto. Republican legislative leaders have […]
Lawmakers pass bill to let them rescind health orders, setting up clash with DeWine
The Ohio General Assembly approved a bill Wednesday to allow lawmakers to strike down health orders they disagree with, sending the legislation to a governor who has already vowed to veto it. Republican leaders in the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate committed to holding votes to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of Senate […]
Ohio bill slashing “regulatory restrictions” by 30% has watchdog, fire official worried
A bill making its way through the Ohio Senate would require the state to slash almost a third of all state rules based on whether they contain certain words. While supporters say the bill, sponsored by Sens. Rob McColley, R-Napoleon, and Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, will cut business-suffocating red tape, opponents say it’s an arbitrary, simple-minded […]
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 […]
Census data delays may significantly impact Ohio redistricting process
Delays in processing the 2020 U.S. Census data will likely impact Ohio’s ability to redraw legislative districts later this year. The U.S. Census Bureau announced last Friday it has pushed back the deadline to release population data to Sept. 30, months later than was originally expected, due to the pandemic. The delay could pose major […]
Public health officials say SB 22 would hamper pandemic response
Public health took center stage at the Ohio Statehouse on Wednesday, if only for an hour, with experts crediting the government pandemic response for saving lives and asking lawmakers not to hamper the ability to do so again in the future. Officials representing health departments throughout Ohio are opposed to Republican-backed legislation that would give […]
Legislation seeks to provide internet access in unserved areas of Ohio
Ohio legislators are making quick work on the issue of broadband expansion so far in 2021, with the goal of providing internet access to all areas of the state. A Republican-led effort is already seeing progress during the new legislative term. On Wednesday afternoon, the Ohio Senate voted unanimously to pass a bill to finance […]