This report reflects the latest happenings in government relations, in and around the Ohio statehouse. You’ll notice that it’s broad in nature and on an array of topics, from A-Z. This will be updated on a weekly basis.
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ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE ABUSE
New research is helping identify which treatments are most effective following an individual's nonfatal drug overdose in keeping that same individual from overdosing in the future. Data published recently in JAMA Internal Medicine showed that of 137,000 Medicare beneficiaries in 2020 who experienced a nonfatal drug overdose, nearly 24,000 (17.4 percent) experienced a subsequent overdose, with 1,300 (1 percent) of those overdoses being fatal. The report was assembled by researchers from the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
AGING
The Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) is hosting a series of feedback forums to hear from Ohioans about their experiences in assisted living. As part of the forums, attendees will have access to a prototype of "version 2.0" for what is now known as Ohio's Nursing Home Quality Navigator, found at https://tinyurl.com/mv8xanfn. The navigator is an online tool for finding detailed information about nursing homes, and later this year is set to be updated to include assisted living facilities, among other features. Registration for the forums is at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/F5JK2V7. Remaining forums will be held as follows:
Tuesday, Aug. 13, Dayton: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Sinclair Community College, Conference Center - Charity Auditorium, 444 W. Third St., 45402.
Wednesday, Aug. 14, West Chester: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Midpointe Library West Chester, Conference Rooms A/B, 9363 Centre Point Dr., 45069.
Tuesday, Aug. 20, Bowling Green: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., Wood County Senior Center, 140 S. Grove St., 43402.
Thursday, Aug. 29, Youngstown: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Youngstown State University, Kilcawley Center - Chestnut Room, 117 Tressel Way, 44555.
Thursday, Sept. 5, Cleveland: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., the Conference Center at Benjamin Rose Institute on Aging, 11890 Fairhill Rd., 44120.
AGRICULTURE
Conservation work affecting a 250-acre area in Delaware County culminated in a ribbon cutting on Thursday to celebrate the latest project completed as part of Gov. Mike DeWine's H2Ohio initiative. The O'Donnell Wetland Restoration and Treatment Train project in the Delaware Wildlife Area near Ashley, OH, restored two wetlands and improved five others. The combined wetlands will create a treatment train, filtering the water flowing from the wetlands to the Delaware River while capturing sediment, phosphorus and nitrogen from nearby farmland drainage.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Attorney General Dave Yost followed Franklin County Judge Michael Holbrook's decision upholding HB68 (Click) restricting gender care services for minors and transgender students' participation in sports Wednesday with a prediction, also previewing Ohio's first human trafficking hotline. "At the end of the day, I believe Judge Holbrook's decision will be upheld and HB68 will be the law of the land," he told reporters outside the 2024 Human Trafficking Summit. Addressing a standing-room-only crowd, Yost said human trafficking awareness has come a long way since his days as Delaware County prosecutor in the early 2000s.
Yost's office provided closure Thursday to the families of a rape-homicide victim and a rape survivor after a nearly four-decade wait for the culprit's identity. HE announced that his Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation's (BCII) Cold Case Unit has identified the late Thomas Collier Jordan of Arizona as the perpetrator.
The Ohio Attorney General's Office says drugs and cash seized along the busy I-70 corridor in recent days are among the state's largest on record. Commercial vehicle interdiction by the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) and the Ohio Organized Crime Investigations Commission (OOCIC)/High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area's (HIDTA) Major Drug Interdiction Task Force led to the confiscation of 300 pounds of methamphetamine, 17.6 pounds of cocaine and 30 pounds of marijuana in Madison County, with a total value of $14.6 million. Just to the west, authorities stopped a second commercial vehicle believed to be engaged in drug trafficking on Aug. 6, seizing nearly $1 million.
BALLOT ISSUES
The Ohio Supreme Court declined Thursday to speed up deliberations on a lawsuit against Attorney General Dave Yost filed by campaigners behind a constitutional amendment proposal to restrict qualified immunity for certain government employees in cases that allege a civil rights violation. Yost has rejected proposed petitions for the amendment ballot drive several times for various reasons, mostly recently on the grounds that the filing lacked a title. The lawsuit argues Yost keeps changing his justification for blocking the petition even as the campaign group has made changes to address his stated concerns.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced the Ohio Ballot Board will meet on Friday, Aug. 16, to consider ballot language for the Citizens Not Politicians redistricting amendment that will be on the November ballot. The meeting will be at 11 a.m. in the North Hearing Room of the Senate Office Building of the Statehouse. LaRose's office said the meeting will be chaired by Acting Assistant Secretary of State and former Senate President Larry Obhof, as LaRose will be temporarily out of state on U.S. Army Reserve duty. LaRose recently hired Obhof as chief counsel for the office.
FY24-25 BUDGET
State tax collections reached $2.1 billion in July, the first month of FY25, according to preliminary figures released Thursday by the Office of Budget and Management (OBM). The preliminary information does not include any reported variances from estimates because OBM is working on updating its forecasts in the middle of the biennium. The new forecast is expected to be available in September, OBM Director Kim Murnieks told Hannah News. She said the budget office considers the possibility of an updated forecast at the turnover of every fiscal year but won't undertake a new forecast when the likely changes would be "immaterial." "I would say it probably happens at least half the time, and it is likely that we will make an update based on the most recent data that we saw through FY24, both on the revenue side and on the spending side," she said.
CHILDREN/FAMILIES
Families of transgender children looking to maintain access to gender transition health care services barred by HB68 (Click) are asking the 10th District Court of Appeals to put the law back on hold temporarily while they argue their case. The plaintiffs, families of minors identified in filings by the pseudonyms Grace Goe and Madeline Moe, lost their challenge to HB68 at the trial court level earlier this week. Judge Michael Holbrook of Franklin County Common Pleas Court had issued a restraining order against the law over potential violations of the single subject rule and harm to families denied care, but on Tuesday he dissolved the order and ruled for the state, saying HB68 does not violate the Health Care Freedom amendment to the Ohio Constitution, the single-subject rule nor equal protection provisions of the federal and Ohio constitutions.
ECONOMY
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported the nation added 114,000 jobs in July, while the national unemployment rate rose to 4.3 percent, from 4.1 percent in June. BLS said the 114,000 jobs added was below the average monthly gain of 215,000 jobs over the past year. A year ago, the national unemployment rate was 3.5 percent. The number of unemployed people increased by 352,000 in July to 7.2 million. A year ago, the number of unemployed people was 5.9 million.
EDUCATION
Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) Director Stephen Dackin Tuesday announced $332,960 in Grow Ohio Grants to support local programs providing agricultural education opportunities for children in 14 communities across the state. Grant recipients will offer activities for children that support farm-to-school projects such as outdoor or indoor school gardening, hydroponics, collaboration with local food producers, and food literacy activities. Many of the awardees plan to incorporate food produced through their programs into school meals. A full list of awardees can be found at https://tinyurl.com/52cnbtbe. More information about the Grow Ohio Grant Program can be found at https://tinyurl.com/2pa2y33p.
The Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) is introducing a new public awareness campaign to remind drivers about school bus safety traffic laws, focusing on the law that requires drivers to stop for school buses that are picking up or dropping off children. OTSO, a part of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, is making educational materials available for schools, law enforcement and others through a promotion toolkit, with social media content, informational videos and printed materials including a poster, two-sided fact sheet and rack card.
ELECTIONS
Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced Wednesday an expansion of his office's Public Integrity Division ahead of the November general election. The three new members of the division, who will bolster the office's investigative and law enforcement capabilities, include Hun Yi who will serve as director of investigations, leading a team responsible for probing allegations of election misconduct, fraud and irregularities; Marty Fellure who will serve as security administrator and special investigator, focusing on the physical security of the office's election administration infrastructure and assisting Ohio's 88 county boards of elections with physical security assessments and guidance; and Austin Miller will serve as law enforcement liaison and special investigator, overseeing external partnerships with law enforcement agencies and coordinating justice system awareness of the Safe at Home program, a victim confidentiality service managed by the secretary of state's office.
ELECTIONS 2024
A combination of term limits and incumbents' declining to seek re-election means significant turnover next year for the State Board of Education (SBOE), where sitting members and newcomers have to settle into a narrower role given them by the Ohio General Assembly. Wednesday afternoon was the filing deadline for candidates in nonpartisan races, including the SBOE.
Vice President Kamala Harris may not be able to win Ohio, but she has the potential to perform better against former President Donald Trump than President Joe Biden and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to a City Club of Cleveland panel. "You start the over-under at eight points, I think, for a Trump victory in Ohio," NBC News reporter Henry Gomez said. "The only question to me before Biden dropped out was whether it stayed around eight points, or whether Trump won by 10. I do think there's some room for Kamala Harris to improve on those margins, especially if turnout in the three Cs is higher. There was slippage in those areas when Clinton and Biden were on the ballot, and Obama did very well. Obama won Ohio twice, and he did it by building a big coalition that not only included Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, but doing well in suburban areas. I think it's a big reach for Democrats. I don't think national Democrats will spend money here, at least not on the presidential race." Most of the national Democratic money in Ohio will be spent on supporting U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown's (D-OH) re-election bid, Gomez said.
Secretary of State Frank LaRose Friday announced that 154,995 inactive and out-of-date voter registrations have been removed from the state's voter rolls after county boards of elections completed the state's annual list maintenance process. The secretary of state's office said the registrations that were removed had been identified as either voters who filled out a National Change of Address (NCOA) form indicating that they have permanently moved and are therefore no longer eligible to vote at their former address, or inactive registrations previously flagged for removal but not yet removed from a county's voter registration system. The secretary of state's office said Ohioans can update or complete their voter registration prior to Monday, Oct. 7, by visiting Ohio's online voter registration system at https://olvr.ohiosos.gov/. Ohioans can also verify their registration status at https://VoteOhio.gov.
Paloma De La Fuente announced Tuesday on X/Twitter that she has withdrawn from her race for the Second Ohio Senate District seat. The Democrat was looking to unseat incumbent Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green). She wrote on X: "Due to unforeseen circumstances I am withdrawing from my race for the Second District of the Ohio State Senate. At this time, I need to prioritize the health of my family.” Democratic Party chairs in the five counties in the district will now select a replacement candidate.
ENERGY/UTILITIES
Interstate Gas Supply (IGS) says the "uncontroverted evidence" shows American Electric Power (AEP) of Ohio violated the state's corporate separation laws under electric deregulation by shifting generation costs to all customers in its service territory, including those who buy energy from an AEP competitor. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) had approved AEP Ohio's recently expired fourth electric security plan (ESP IV) in 2018, including a (1) standard service offer (SSO) of default generation service to consumers who do not shop for a competitive supplier, (2) "competition incentive rider" to ensure SSO costs are not charged off to shopping customers in distribution rates, and (3) "SSO credit rider" to make shoppers whole.
ENVIRONMENT
State and local officials touted a new Rumpke recycling center in Columbus -- the largest such facility in North America -- at its ribbon-cutting Tuesday, saying the facility will help support coming growth in the region. Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) Director Anne Vogel both spoke along with Franklin County Commissioner Kevin Boyce and company leaders. The facility reflects a $100 million investment by Rumpke and at 226,000 square feet will be the most technologically advanced center of its kind. It will have processing capability at 250,000 tons a year and speed of 60 tons per hour; a 98 percent material recovery rate; and the ability to accommodate new technology as it is developed.
The Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS) recently announced that the James A. Rhodes State Office Tower in Columbus received the 2024 Energy Star Certification from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA), signifying superior energy performance for the building.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE
Former state Sen. Marigene Valiquette of Toledo died Tuesday, Aug. 6, just 16 days short of her 100th birthday. Valiquette, a Democrat, was a respected and powerful legislator representing Toledo in both the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate and is the longest serving woman in the history of the Ohio General Assembly, serving 24 consecutive years. She was known for always wearing a red carnation. At one time, she was the only woman in the Ohio Senate. Admired for her debate skills and oratory, she chaired both the Senate Judiciary and Ways and Means committees and served as Senate Democratic Floor Leader and as a member of the Senate Finance and Rules committees.
Sen. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati) described an emerging effort to address Black maternal health care issues as a grassroots one, with "the people providing the services that need to be done." Ingram said the work she does at the policy level is based on the "real work" done by groups like Mama Certified and Queens Village. The groups' leaders joined Ingram over Zoom recently to discuss the organization's successes and growth. Ingram co-chairs the Black Maternal Health Caucus (BMHC), which works with the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus to address systemic issues in the health care system with a focus on Black women and children.
GOVERNOR
Appointments made over the week include the following:
Sandra K. Barber of Wauseon (Fulton County) reappointed to the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 30, 2029.
Adam M. Levine of Toledo (Lucas County) to the University of Toledo Board of Trustees for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending July 1, 2033; and Nathan T. Boley of Celina (Mercer County) as a student member for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending July 1, 2026.
Ellen B. Miller of Dayton (Montgomery County) to the Wright State University Board of Trustees for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 30, 2033; Ricky L. Peters of Brookville (Montgomery County) for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 30, 2027; and Lauren Johnson of Troy (Miami County) as a student member for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 30, 2026.
James Lloyd Ervin Jr. of Dublin (Franklin County) to the Central State University Board of Trustees for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 30, 2033; Shon P. Anderson of Sugarcreek Township (Greene County) for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 30, 2032; Asia T. Brown of Dayton (Montgomery County) as a student member for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 30, 2026; and Nicole C. Holt of Grove City (Franklin County) as a student for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 30, 2025.
Richard D. Dickerson of West Jefferson (Madison County) to the Ohio University Board of Trustees for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending May 13, 2033; and Pankaj Karna of Athens (Athens County) as a student member to the Ohio University Board of Trustees for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending May 13, 2026.
Richard C. Fedorovich of Hudson (Summit County) to the University of Akron Board of Trustees for a term beginning July 11, 2024, and ending July 1, 2033; and Maxwell V. Pastoria of Akron (Summit County) as a student member for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending July 1, 2026.
Kathryn H. Rinehart of Jackson (Jackson County) to the Rio Grande Community College Board of Trustees for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Oct. 10, 2025.
Jeremy B. Varner of Columbus (Franklin County) to the Governor's Executive Workforce Board for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and continuing at the pleasure of the governor.
Mitchell L. Schumacher of Woodsfield (Monroe County) to the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Jan. 14, 2027.
Timothy S. Schmalenberger of Hilliard (Franklin County) to the Ohio Landscape Architects Board for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Nov. 9, 2028.
John L. Wirchanski of Bexley (Franklin County) to the Ohio Humanities Council for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Oct. 30, 2026.
Kimpton E. Williams of Waynesville (Warren County) to the Ohio Thoroughbred Race Fund Advisory Council for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Jan. 31, 2027.
George Mussi Jr. of Westerville (Franklin County) reappointed to the Ohio War Orphans Scholarship Board for a term beginning July 1, 2024, and ending Dec. 31, 2027.
Gary K. Scherer of Circleville (Pickaway County) appointed to the Ohio Retirement Study Council for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 30, 2027; and Anthony R. Podojil of Painesville Township (Lake County) reappointed for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 30, 2026.
Lisa Dodge Burton of Powell (Delaware County) and Tammy H. Brown of Loveland (Clermont County) reappointed to the State Speech and Hearing Professionals Board for terms beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending March 22, 2027.
Paul M. Kelley of Waverly (Pike County) reappointed to the State Dental Board for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending April 6, 2028.
Brian J. Taylor of Pickerington (Fairfield County) appointed to the Dentist Loan Repayment Advisory Board for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Feb. 27, 2025; Kari A. Cunningham of Cleveland Heights (Cuyahoga County) reappointed for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Feb. 27, 2026; and Kimberly J. Hammersmith of Columbus (Franklin County) reappointed for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Feb. 27, 2025.
Matthew A. Szollosi of Columbus (Franklin County), Martin J. Sweeney of Cleveland (Cuyahoga County) and Matthew J. Blair, Jr. of Niles (Trumbull County) reappointed to the State Lottery Commission for terms beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Aug. 1, 2027.
Jason C. Marvin of Bedford (Cuyahoga County) the Governor's Council on Juvenile Justice for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Oct. 31, 2026.
Essence Unique Easley of Columbus (Franklin County) and Cassandra M. Wilson of Toledo (Lucas County) appointed and Amanda L. Via of Pleasant Hill (Miami County) reappointed to the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Dec. 31, 2026.
Mary L. Vail of Pataskala (Licking County) appointed to the Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities Council for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 1, 2027; Richard M. Schostek of Dublin (Franklin County); Richard M. Schostek of Dublin (Franklin County) for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 1, 2026; and Shannon Monyak of Olmsted Township (Cuyahoga County) for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 1, 2025.
George R. Horne of Cleveland (Cuyahoga County) and Thomas Taneff of New Albany (Franklin County) reappointed to the Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending June 30, 2029.
Alicia Walls of Waverly (Pike County), Lei Raymond Cao of Upper Arlington (Franklin County), Michael J. Snee of Dublin (Delaware County), Mark A. Miller of Bay Village (Cuyahoga County), Steven A. Moore of Otway (Scioto County) and William H. Thesling of Hudson (Summit County) to the Ohio Nuclear Development Authority for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Aug. 1, 2029.
Steven W. Sigler of Big Prairie (Holmes County) to the Technical Advisory Council on Oil and Gas for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Jan. 31, 2026; Scott H. Mergler of Casstown (Miami County) for a term beginning Aug. 2, 2024, and ending Dec. 31, 2026.
Michael L. Hillman of Cortland (Trumbull County) to the Financial Planning and Supervision Commission for Vienna Township for a term beginning July 27, 2024, and continuing at the pleasure of the governor.
HANNAH NEWS RACES TO WATCH
Residents of the 28th House District in Hamilton County will be picking between a social worker and a small business owner and nurse to represent them in the 136th General Assembly. The district has changed since the last election with new boundaries, and the former incumbent, Rep. Jessica Miranda, having been appointed as Hamilton County auditor to replace the late Brigid Kelly, also a former state representative. House Democrats appointed Jodi Whitted to replace Miranda for the rest of the session, but as she does not live in the newly drawn 28th District, she cannot run to retain the seat. Meanwhile, the Democratic ballot replacement, Karen Brownlee, could not be appointed to the seat because she does not live in the current district as it stands for the 135th General Assembly. Brownlee faces Republican Jenn Giroux, who co-owns a Catholic-focused book and gift shop and who also works as a nurse. Giroux ran for the 27th District in 2022, losing to now Rep. Rachel Baker (D-Cincinnati), but is running for the 28th District this cycle because her home now lies within its boundaries for the upcoming session.
After flipping his Trumbull County seat for Republicans in 2022, Rep. Nick Santucci (R-Warren) this year faces a slightly more favorable playing field but one that still leans toward Democrats on paper. He faces Democratic challenger Lauren Mathews, who is heavily involved in community groups and until recently worked with people overcoming substance use issues in specialty courts. Both candidates say they have relationships across the district that will help propel them to victory. The 64th District remained wholly within Trumbull County in last year's redraw of General Assembly districts but shifted from the southeast portion of the county to the southwest. Ohio Redistricting Commission statistics show it with a 52-48 Democratic lean, slightly closer than the 54-point Democratic index it had for the 2022 election.
A nurse and city councilwoman is running against a sitting General Assembly member looking to switch chambers in the 2024 general election to fill the seat being vacated by term-limited Sen. Matt Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls). The redrawn 24th Senate District now encompasses much of the southwest corner of Cuyahoga County, after previously running along much of the county's southern border. Voters in November will choose between Rep. Tom Patton (R-Strongsville) and would-be Statehouse newcomer Sue Durichko to take Dolan's seat. While Dave's Redistricting gives the district a very slight Republican advantage, giving both parties just over 49 percent of voters, the Ohio Redistricting Commission's index from September 2023 gave the district a 51-48 percent Democratic lean. Patton claims a lot of existing familiarity with the district's voters, noting this is his 10th campaign to represent the area since 2002. Patton was first elected to the Ohio House in 2002, before serving as state senator from the area from 2008-2016, including two years as Senate Majority Leader in the 131st General Assembly from 2015-2017. He has represented the area once again in the House since 2017. Durichko, a geriatric nurse, says she too often sees what happens to people in the last third of their lives concerning affordable and accessible health care, and, in some cases, spending down their life's savings before they can get a Medicaid waiver for assisted living or memory care.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) advises Ohioans who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits how to avoid becoming victims of benefit theft, following warnings from national authorities about SNAP fraud. "Skimming," or the placing of fraud devices over point-of-sale terminals to capture card information, is increasingly being used, ODJFS said, offering the following avoidance tips:
Do not use the card reader if you notice anything unusual.
Pull at the edges of the keypad before swiping the EBT card to ensure there is nothing over the reader.
Notify store staff if you notice anything suspicious with the card reader.
HIGHER EDUCATION
The U.S. Department of Education placed 8 million federal student loan borrowers who were enrolled in the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan in interest-free forbearance after a federal appeals court temporarily blocked the repayment plan. Two separate Republican-led lawsuits are challenging the SAVE Plan, a cornerstone of President Joe Biden's efforts to cancel or reduce student loan debt. The program has been the center of a flurry of legal action. However, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 8th Circuit sided with Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey and five other Republican-led states that asked the court to stop the Biden administration from implementing the SAVE Plan due to ongoing lawsuits, according to the Washington Post. As a result, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona announced that borrowers under the SAVE plan would be placed in interest-free forbearance, meaning payments will not be required but the borrower is also not paying down their loan.
The Ohio Department of Development (DOD) is encouraging Ohio technology companies that are looking for skilled interns to apply to the College Technology Internship Program. The program reimburses companies for two-thirds of intern wages, up to $7,500. Technology companies or those with a technological need are eligible to apply. Internships for this round can occur between Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, and Wednesday, April 30, 2025. Company applications are open now through Friday, Aug. 30. The student application period will open Tuesday, Sept. 3 and run through Friday, Sept. 27. To apply, go to https://tinyurl.com/53y6bt4c.
HOUSING/URBAN REVITALIZATION
The DeWine administration announced it is awarding $67.3 million in funds under the Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program, with a total of 1,277 blighted structures to be torn down in nine counties. The program was launched in 2021 and helps local governments to remove dilapidated commercial and residential buildings, enabling revitalization to attract investments, businesses and jobs. All of Ohio's 88 counties could receive at least $500,000 and remaining funds are awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Wednesday's funding announcement includes projects in Butler, Clinton, Cuyahoga, Hamilton, Logan, Lucas, Muskingum, Preble and Richland counties. Since the program began, the Ohio Department of Development (DOD) has awarded over $200 million to support nearly 5,000 demolition projects.
JUDICIAL
More than three years after the Ohio Attorney General's Office became the nation's first to sue Google as a monopolistic "common carrier," a federal judge has ruled that the massive search engine indeed exercises "monopoly power" yielding "monopoly profits" in violation of the federal Sherman Act. Judge Amit Mehta of the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia says Google has devised "anti-competitive" distribution agreements, lacks "pro-competitive" reasons for such agreements, and has charged "supra-competitive" prices for search engine ads. "The court concludes that Google has violated Section 2 of the Sherman Act by maintaining its monopoly in two product markets in the United States -- general search services and general text advertising -- through its exclusive distribution agreements. The court thus holds that Google is liable as to Counts I and III of the U.S. plaintiffs' amended complaint" along with "co-extensive" portions Counts I and III in state attorneys' general complaint, he says in a 286-page ruling.
A final decision awaits in the 21-month-long disciplinary case against former Ohio attorney general candidate, two-term senator and sitting Geauga County Probate/Juvenile Court Judge Tim Grendell after a late-breaking imbroglio involving the respondent and panel Chairwoman Peggy Schmitz of Critchfield, Critchfield & Johnston. The three-member panel of the Board of Professional Conduct had not imposed a page limit on post-hearing briefs at the close of proceedings in April, according to Grendell, but followed with a 70-page limit at the request of Ohio Disciplinary Counsel Joseph Caligiuri three hours before the extended filing deadline of 5 p.m. on July 8.
The Ohio Supreme Court seized on the lingering dispute over executive branch powers and COVID-19 Tuesday to reinforce its landmark decision in 2022 rejecting judicial deference to administrative acts. Taking its state-level precedent in Twism Enterprises v. Ohio Board of Registration for Professional Engineers and Surveyors to the municipal level, the 5-2 Court found neither the Cincinnati Civil Service Commission (CCSC) nor the city could idle workers during a health emergency without honoring the appeals process for an administrative "order, adjudication or decision" under R.C. 2506.01.
The Ohio Supreme Court hopes attorney registration changes will help the judiciary identify multi-lingual lawyers for non-English speakers and boost the number of court interpreters. The Supreme Court opened a 45-day public comment period Wednesday on proposed amendments to the Rules for Government of the Bar of Ohio allowing attorneys to cite proficiency in other languages when registering with the state.
LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted told Hannah News Tuesday he does not anticipate the news Intel is cutting its overall workforce by 15 percent to affect the company's plans for Ohio, saying this is part of a change in Intel's "entire strategy as it relates to chip making." Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger announced the workforce reduction plans in a letter on Aug. 1, saying it is part of an effort to deliver $10 billion in cost savings in 2025. The reduction amounts to around 15,000 positions, with the goal to "align our cost structure with our new operating model and fundamentally change the way we operate."
Husted additionally told reporters he was concerned about marijuana "getting into the hands of children" as adult-use sales began Tuesday. He said state officials will continue making it difficult for that to be marketed to children and he hopes "people will be safe and thoughtful in how they use it." The comments were made following the ribbon-cutting at Rumpke's new recycling center in Columbus.
MARIJUANA/HEMP
After industry representatives said last week they'd been informed they would receive certificates of operation to begin selling adult-use marijuana, the Ohio Department of Commerce (DOC) officially announced Monday that sales could begin Tuesday at 98 dispensaries being awarded those certificates. This marked the culmination of a months-long process to get adult-use regulations in place following passage of last year's initiated statute ballot issue to legalize marijuana in Ohio. Sales started about a month ahead of when the initiated statute required them to begin. The DOC Division of Cannabis Control (DCC) said the certificates allow sales to start, but each dispensary has decided on its own when to begin sales based on factors like staffing and supply. Certificates were issued "roughly" in the order in which applications were submitted and compliance requests fulfilled, DOC said.
While national survey results over the last decade have found that current marijuana use among high school students has decreased as a growing number of states have legalized adult-use marijuana -- even in high-use legal states like Colorado and California -- Ohio school principals remain concerned about youth use of the drug as the Buckeye State implements its adult-use program, according to a report from the Ohio State University (OSU) Drug Policy and Enforcement Center (DEPC). The goal of the study, "Ohio Principals' Perspectives on How Adult-Use Marijuana May Impact Schools and Students," was to explore the current issues with student marijuana use in Ohio's K-12 schools and expected future issues given the legalization of adult-use marijuana.
MENTAL HEALTH
The DeWine administration started soliciting applications Friday for providers who can help establish a statewide system of mobile crisis response for young people in significant behavioral or emotional distress and their families. The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) is looking for applicants to contract as regional providers for mobile response and stabilization services (MRSS). The MRSS services will respond to the needs of people under age 21, and the agency is looking to build out a statewide system serving all 88 counties through this bid solicitation. MRSS is now available in 47 counties, according to the administration. Responses to the request for applications will be due by 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 30. Application details are at https://tinyurl.com/yd56pbpr.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES (NCSL)
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) convened its annual Legislative Summit this week in Louisville, KY. The event was the largest bipartisan gathering of legislators and legislative staff in the country, according to NCSL's website. Attendees could access many sessions focusing on the states' hottest topics of 2024, including artificial intelligence, economic forecast, transportation, workforce development, child care, housing availability and more. Reporters from Hannah News were among those in attendance and provided coverage of key sessions each day. The following are summaries of those sessions covered over the course of the week.
"How do you deal with cryptomining facilities near you?" That was a question addressed by a panel at the annual summit Monday morning as more communities face environmental and energy concerns over the data centers, but potential economic benefits as well. Sheila Warren, the CEO of the Crypto Council for Innovation, an advocacy group for the industry, said there has been a sharp increase in discussion over the issue among legislators, with 40 bills in 22 statehouses addressing issues ranging from energy sources, zoning, environmental impacts, and foreign ownership of the facilities, among other topics. She said the amount of legislation shows the issue is not expected to go away any time soon. She was joined on the panel by Tom Mapes of the Digital Energy Council and Jo Anne Simon, a Democratic state legislator from New York who has worked on the issue including on legislation that implemented a two-year moratorium on new cryptomining operations in the state.
The forum on "AI 101: Understanding the Opportunities and Challenges" was meant to help attendees prepare for other events about the artificial intelligence (AI) technology that has emerged in recent years and its likely effects in the future. It featured Evi Fuelle, global policy director at Credo.AI Corp, which helps companies develop policies on responsible use of AI while complying with new laws and regulations. It was moderated by Robert Rodriguez, Senate majority leader in the Colorado General Assembly. Rodriguez opened by saying there has been a "rapid growth" in AI, which has the potential to affect "various facets" of daily life including employment, transportation, education, health care and housing. The forum focused on definitions of AI and its role in the public and private sectors.
Technological disruptions -- from steam engines to word processors to the Internet and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) -- are nothing new. The 2023 Future of Jobs report from the World Economic Forum expects a significant churn of millions of jobs globally in industries like supply chain and transportation; media, entertainment and sports; manufacturing; and retail and wholesale of consumer goods. At the panel "Building an AI-Ready Workforce," Connecticut State Sen. James Maroney said that new technology has always enabled new kinds of jobs. And while he says some jobs will disappear because of AI, that presents the state with the opportunity to be thoughtful with the training opportunities they enable for AI. Maroney said that AI especially jeopardizes jobs like customer service representative or administrative assistant, which are jobs in which less-skilled employees can typically use as gateway jobs to enter an organization and then work their way up. But Maroney also cited a recent Microsoft/LinkedIn report that said 66 percent of companies in the knowledge economy now say they wouldn't hire someone without generative AI skills and a McKinsey report that said generative AI could increase the wealth gap by $43 billion annually if the technology isn't rolled out thoughtfully. He called on organizations from governments to nonprofits to academia to work together to permit AI to allow for more equitable opportunities.
States across the U.S. are facing a "crisis" as more Americans drive fuel-efficient vehicles, making the motor fuel tax less reliable every year, according to transportation experts at the NCSL Legislative Summit. "I liken the fuel tax to a rock star on his farewell tour," said Baruch Feigenbaum, senior managing director of transportation policy at the Reason Foundation. "The fuel tax has been the largest funding mechanism for U.S. highways for the past 100 years," Feigenbaum continued. "But it's no longer a reliable funding mechanism because of the increase in electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and the improving fuel efficiency of conventional vehicles. And those conventional vehicles are by far, right now, the biggest problem." Feigenbaum was one of several individuals speaking during the session entitled "Running on Empty: Declining Gas Taxes and Options for States."
The multi-pronged approach necessary to shore up electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure includes ensuring a sufficient number of EV chargers, something that can be a regulatory challenge for multi-family housing. Several NCSL panelists urged legislators to further incentivize workplace charging as an alternative charging option for potential EV users. Alexa Voytek, deputy director of programs, innovation and transportation for the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation Office, said a vast majority of EV charging occurs at the home -- between 80 and 90 percent. "But, as was mentioned, many folks don't have access to residential charging, or they face ... restrictive situations in a multi-family property," Voytek said.
Voters across the country will weigh in on 5,836 state legislative seats, 11 governorships and 141 ballot issues in November, according to NCSL’s session "2024 State Election Crystal Ball." NCSL's Ben Williams and Helen Brewer previewed the state races with Williams saying that of the legislative seats on the ballot, very few chambers are likely to flip parties. Brewer outlined the ballot measures, saying 97 of the 141 ballot measures were legislative referrals. She said the number of measures is not on the low or high ends, but the number has come down from the peaks of 2016 and 2018.
While there weren't any groundbreaking redistricting cases over the past year, former Ohio Senate chief legal counsel Frank Strigari said there still has been a pattern of federal courts' and the U.S. Supreme Court's trying to wind down the number of redistricting cases coming to the federal court. Strigari, now the president of government affairs at Zaino Hall & Farrin LLC, gave an update on redistricting litigation. He was joined by the NCSL's Ben Williams on the panel, who said not to expect an end to redistricting cases, despite the moves by the federal courts. "Just because the avenue is curtailed doesn't mean it will stop," he said. "I don't expect any of this to stop, it's going to continue to morph and change form."
Amid rapid technological changes with the potential to reshape the economy and workforce, panelists at the NCSL summit said America's education systems need to become more "human-centered" and suggested dramatic shifts are needed to meet upcoming challenges, such as artificial intelligence (AI). The panel, "The Future of Education: Creating a Vision for Excellence," featured Vicki Phillips, CEO of the National Center on Education and the Economy (NCEE). She was joined by Ulcca Joshi Hansen, author of the book The Future of Smart: How Our Education System Needs to Change to Help All Young People Thrive. Joshi Hansen has a Ph.D. in neuroscience and human development as well as a law degree in which she studied systems that support education.
As he was working on legislation addressing issues in the juvenile justice system, Kentucky Sen. Whitney Westerfield said he never once talked with someone who had actually been through the state system. It was only after he met people with first-hand experiences that he realized the importance of their input. Westerfield told an NCSL forum that as a legislator from a rural part of Kentucky, he didn't know what it was like to grow up in parts of Louisville or what it is like to go through the juvenile justice system until he met with Dequantay Smith and Leondrea Johnson, both ambassadors with REFORM Louisville, a group focused on creating more positive opportunities for youth in their community and helping youth return to the community after incarceration. Smith and Johnson joined Westerfield on the panel, "A Candid Conversation about Juvenile Justice" to share their experiences.
When it comes to state legislatures’ using artificial intelligence (AI), there is a sweet spot that lawmakers and their staff need to find to help do their work, an NCSL panel was told. Kae Warnock, a senior policy specialist at NCSL who moderated the panel, said as time goes on, it is not a question of whether it will be used, but how it is used wisely. The panel included Will Clark, a program principal for NCSL, Cody Malloy, information technology manager for the North Dakota Legislative Assembly, and Jeff Ford, the chief technology security officer for the Indiana General Assembly, who discussed their implementation of AI usage policies for their legislatures. Clark gave an overview of the uses of AI by lawmakers and their staff based on surveys by NCSL. The key takeaway from the surveys, which additionally surveyed information technology (IT) staff for state legislatures, is that legislative staff have already begun using AI tools for legislative work, primarily programs such as ChatGPT, as well as transcription tools. They are also beginning to explore new AI functionality in existing applications such as Microsoft Copilot.
While some states are limiting "geofencing technology," or the use of global positioning system (GPS) and radio frequency identification (RFID) to create virtual geographic boundaries, others have begun implementing the tech to further protect and secure their capitol buildings. John Maulin, the principal architect for design firm CSHQA, told NCSL attendees that multiple states have implemented geofencing technology to protect their capitol buildings from unauthorized drones flying overhead, though he declined to say which. Maulin explained that geofencing can be used to create a "virtual boundary" for state capitol buildings that alerts capitol security if someone is trying to fly a drone over the perimeter. These drones could be used to deliver explosive devices, he said.
Policymakers should follow a simple rule when listening to a pitch on the economic impact of a large sporting event, according to Victor Matheson, professor of economics and accounting at the College of Holy Cross. “Take whatever number the boosters are telling you, move that decimal place one place to the left, and that’s probably going to be a pretty good guess on what you’re actually going to get,” Matheson said during the “Big Money for Big Events: Big Impact or Big Bust?” panel. Matheson said the economic benefits of mega events are “generally positive, but small. A quarter-century of academic research, where people like myself have gone back and actually looked at cities who have hosted these events, we don’t find any of those big numbers show up when we actually look at the data,” he said.
While declining revenues, a slowing economy, demographic changes and structural deficits may be among top fiscal issues in the states, Michael D’Arcy of Fitch Ratings offered an NCSL session some validation and substantiation for those concerns, as well as a reality check. The panel was based on a survey of state fiscal offices across the country to determine the top fiscal issues in the states. It was moderated by Jonathan Ball, a legislative fiscal analyst for the Utah Legislature, and included D'Arcy; Michelle Exstrom, Eric Syverson and Heather Wilson, all from NCSL; and Fatima Yousofi of the Pew Charitable Trusts. In addition to the overall fiscal health of states, the panel also addressed education, housing and pension concerns for state budgets. D’Arcy said a majority of fiscal directors of states find all of these issues to be concerning, but he addressed ways that some may not be as bad as envisioned.
Generative artificial intelligence (AI) is making cyberattacks faster and less expensive, according to Cait Conley, senior adviser to the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Foreign nation state actors and cybercriminals are already using generative AI to spread disinformation and carry out scams, and elections officials need to be ready to defend against malicious attacks targeting U.S. elections, Conley said during an NCSL session on AI abuses and uses in elections. According to CISA, elections officials should plan for the following examples of AI-enabled attacks on elections: chatbots, voice cloning and AI-generated content such as deepfake videos, among others.
For former NBA and University of Kentucky (UK) player Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, improving health care access for those who stutter and changing the stigma of the speech disorder are more important than any basketball game. “I understand that my path is not everybody’s path, as a person who stutters. Probably in a two-and-a-half-month span, I had won a national championship and also I was drafted by Michael Jordan. That doesn’t happen on a day-to-day basis for everybody who stutters,” Kidd-Gilchrist said during the NCSL session entitled, “Reshaping State Policies on Stuttering Coverage.”
Transportation projects within the U.S. don’t necessarily stop at state borders, said Susan Howard, director of policy and government relations with the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO). That means a lot of transportation projects, especially interstate projects, are best addressed at the federal level. That sentiment set the stage for much of the discussion of the NCSL panel entitled, “Surface Transportation: What’s Ahead on the Hill?” which examined the results of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed by Congress in November 2021 ahead of the negotiations around its next iteration scheduled for 2025.
The phrase “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” may have new applications in politics, according to molecular biologist John Medina, who said sharing personal information between groups in disagreement, like opposing political parties, can serve to limit political polarization. Medina, also a research consultant, bestselling author and professor of bioengineering at the University of Washington School of Medicine, spoke about “interpersonal distance,” or the idea that people are more likely to launch attacks at others when they feel less close to them -- either physically or psychologically. He was referring to attacks aimed specifically at another person’s “thymotic motivations,” or their desire for personal recognition and acknowledgment of their worth and significance, which Medina said is what drives the difference between a policy disagreement and an ideological attack.
With less than 90 days to go before voters choose a new president in November, Democratic political strategist Donna Brazile called the race "unchartered territory," while Republican strategist Kellyanne Conway said she still believes it is former President Donald Trump's race to lose, but agreed it is a different race with Vice President Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket. The two former presidential campaign managers -- Brazile for Al Gore in 2000, Conway for Trump in 2016 -- sat down to discuss the race during the final general session of the NCSL annual summit.
Does the rise of so-called third-party litigation funders make some lawsuits "too big to fail" and potentially go against the wishes of a plaintiff? Or does it give people who may not be able to afford to bring a claim a chance to have their case heard? The subject of third-party funding was the subject of a panel at the NCSL legislative summit and featured Phil Goldberg, of the firm Shook, Hardy and Bacon who was described as a leading voice in liability policy issues, and Keith Sharfman, a professor of law at St. John's University. Third-party funding is described as a financial arrangement where a third-party entity provides funding so a plaintiff can pursue a legal remedy in courts. Often, the plaintiff agrees to provide a percentage of the settlement to the third party if they win the claim.
Cybersecurity is an ongoing challenge for state and local governments which cannot be ignored, panelists said at an NCSL forum. They added that federal grants are available to help with initial funding but cannot be relied upon continually. The panel included Texas Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, chair of the Texas House of Representatives’ Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies; Brady Vaughn, director of budget and public affairs at the Texas Department of Information Resources; and Meredith Ward, deputy executive director of the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). It was moderated by Sean McSpaden, principal legislative IT analyst for the Oregon Legislative Assembly. McSpaden opened the discussion by saying ransomware and other cyberattacks threaten the nation’s cybersecurity, infrastructure, economy, public health and safety. The threats and impacts from these attacks seemingly continue to worsen each day for public, private and nonprofit sector organizations across the U.S.
Writing effective laws on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) is extremely difficult because those creating the software don’t even really understand how it works, according to Christian Moriarty, professor of ethics and law at St. Petersburg College. “How do we use, regulate or restrict it if the builders don’t even know how it works?” Moriarty asked during the NCSL session, “Ethical AI Use in the Public Sector.” “A reporter asked AI companies, ‘How does your AI algorithm work?’ And the answer was, “We built it. We trained it. We don’t know what it’s doing,’” Moriarty said.
NCSL held a discussion on the challenges military members and families face amid the transition to civilian life. Specific topics were when veterans become involved in the criminal justice system and the recent increase in scams targeting them. Panelists included Jim Seward, director of the Council on Criminal Justice’s Veterans Justice Commission; and Troy Broussard, state director for AARP Kentucky. Both are also veterans. It was moderated by Mari Leavitt, House deputy majority whip in the Washington Legislature.
In a speech made to about 100 Democratic legislators at the NCSL legislative summit, Senior Advisor to the President Tom Perez said the country’s trusted elected officials must help to address misinformation that’s running rampant. Perez, who spoke about the Biden administration thus far and the potential of Vice President Kamala Harris’ moving forward, closed out his 20-minute-long speech by reiterating remarks made by both Harris and President Joe Biden, that the 2024 election is a “battle for the soul of our nation.” “It’s not the first time we’ve had this battle,” said Perez, who also serves as director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. “But what we have now that we didn’t have before is misinformation at [this] scale.”
NATURAL DISASTERS
Numerous Democratic members of the Legislature and Rep. Tom Patton (R-Strongsville) have urged Gov. Mike DeWine to declare a state of emergency after severe weather damage Tuesday in Cuyahoga, Lake and Lorain counties. They are also requesting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) send Damage Assessment Teams to those areas. "The extensive damage caused by this storm has impacted multiple counties and nearly 500,000 Ohioans, including many elderly and disabled populations," said Rep. Mike Skindell (D-Lakewood). "Without immediate assistance from the governor's office and state agencies, countless residents will continue to be without power or have access to essential services and resources for days to come." The National Weather Service confirmed two EF-1 tornadoes touched down in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties, with significant damage to homes, businesses, motor vehicles and utility infrastructure. Nearly 470,000 FirstEnergy customers lost power and as of Wednesday, over 300,000 still did not have power. Restoration for many was not expected until Wednesday, Aug. 14. Businesses such as grocery stores and restaurants are likely to face "significant losses," the group added in its letter sent to DeWine.
NATURAL RESOURCES
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) made two nods to Ohio history in July by celebrating the renovation of a bridge within Little Miami State Park and the opening of a new hiking and biking trail connecting parks in a different corner of the state. A ribbon-cutting on Tuesday, July 16 marked the completion of the Todd Fork Bridge renovation at Little Miami State Park in Morrow. The bridge is part of the multi-use scenic trail that spans 50 miles through the park. The bridge was originally constructed in the 1800s, and the trail is currently used by approximately 100,000 visitors each month. On Monday, July 22, the ribbon was cut to open a new hiking and biking trail connecting Findley State Park with the Wellington Reservation, a property of Lorain County Metro Parks.
ODNR was recently recognized by the Association of Conservation Information (ACI), a national, nonprofit organization of natural resources communicators, for the agency's efforts in information, social media, print publications, videos, graphics and marketing. ACI honors wildlife resource agencies throughout the U.S. and Canada.
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, announced that $14.5 million in federal grants will support 45 organizations through the Volunteer Generation Fund and Days of Service awards. The funding will create service opportunities, recruit and support volunteers and is meant to encourage Americans to participate in the country's two national days of service. The grantees include one Ohio organization: College Now Greater Cleveland works to increase postsecondary educational attainment through college and career advising, financial aid counseling, and scholarship and retention services. It will receive more than $270,000.
PENSIONS
State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Trustee Wade Steen has other means of obtaining the information he desires to defend against a lawsuit seeking his removal, so he cannot depose Attorney General Dave Yost or counsel serving that office for now, a Franklin County judge ruled. Yost filed suit earlier this year against Steen and STRS Board Chair Rudy Fichtenbaum, alleging they breached their fiduciary duty to the system and should be removed. The two trustees have strongly denied the assertion in the lawsuit that they sought to steer a huge chunk of STRS' assets to a specific firm. The two trustees argue they need to be able to depose Yost to determine the basis for the lawsuit, arguing that outside the litigation realm, the allegations against them would be considered defamatory. Presiding Judge Karen Phipps issued a protective order to block the deposition.
PEOPLE
The Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO) announced it has promoted Jen McClellan from Ohio START regional manager to evaluation and performance manager for the association, following her completion of a Ph.D. in social work earlier this year. PCSAO said McClellan will remain primarily focused on Ohio START, an intervention model meant to assist families with both child maltreatment and substance use issues. In addition, she will expand and improve PCSAO's research efforts, including oversight and coordination of research briefs, publication of the annual Factbook, longitudinal analysis of data trends and support for evaluation of the Practice in Action Together (PACT) shared practice model, the association said.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Ohio Task Force 1 (OH-TF1) announced Sunday it was deploying to Florida ahead of Hurricane Debby's making landfall, as the National Hurricane Center projects that could lead to over a foot of rain and a three to five foot storm surge in some areas. OH-TF1 has mobilized as a Type III team with 47 members trained in search and rescue, HazMat, medical, logistics, safety, communications and planning. Two K-9 handlers and their dogs are part of the team as well.
SECRETARY OF STATE
Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced that Dan Lusheck will serve as interim press secretary and spokesman for his office while the usual press secretary, Ben Kindel, is on military leave with the Ohio National Guard through Jan. 27. Lusheck previously worked for the Ohio Republican Party and the Ohio Senate.
STUDIES/POLLS
A new study from Ohio State University (OSU) aims to shed light on the prevalence of head injuries and related mental health symptoms in a commonly overlooked population when it comes to concussion surveillance: law enforcement officers. The survey of Ohio law enforcement officers found that 74 percent reported a lifetime history of one or more head injuries, and 30 percent had a head injury that happened on the job. Many more of these injuries went unreported than were treated by a health care professional. Further analysis showed post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depressive symptoms were higher in those who had experienced one or more head injuries.
TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE
Using six case studies from around Ohio, the Greater Ohio Policy Center (GOPC) released a report for local officials to use when trying to figure out how to make their neighborhoods calmer, safer and more welcoming. The report, "How to Build Safe, Vibrant Streets in Ohio: A Guide for Non-Engineers," focuses on a variety of "active transportation" projects throughout Ohio. Also known as "Complete Streets," active transportation projects are safe for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers, and "yield a range of benefits to both individuals and their communities" according to Greater Ohio. "Active transportation projects do not prevent people from driving cars, instead, they increase the number of safe and practical options available," the report states.
A recent report from national transportation research nonprofit TRIP found that while the number of traffic fatalities in Ohio have decreased since 2021, they are up overall over the last decade and remain significantly higher. Using data up until 2023, TRIP found that Ohio traffic fatalities decreased 8 percent from 2021 to 2023 and the fatality rate per 100 million vehicle miles traveled decreased 10 percent. However, from 2013 to 2023, the number of traffic fatalities in the state have increased by 26 percent, and the rate of fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled increased 23 percent. According to TRIP, the number and rate of U.S. traffic fatalities increased dramatically in 2020 and 2021, as driver behavior and travel patterns changed at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. However, following the sharp increase during the pandemic, U.S. fatalities have fallen in 2022 and 2023.
[Story originally published in The Hannah Report. Copyright 2023 Hannah News Service, Inc.]
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