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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ABORTION
A pair of bills heard in the House Public Health Policy Committee hearing on Wednesday seek to statutorily strengthen the reproductive rights amendment passed by Ohio voters in 2023. HB343 (Somani-Liston) proposes to amend or repeal nearly 90 sections of the Ohio Revised Code that restrict reproductive rights. Reps. Beth Liston (D-Dublin) and Anita Somani (D-Dublin) -- both doctors -- introduced the bill in November 2023 following passage of Issue 1 in the 2023 general election. In the same hearing on Wednesday, Somani and Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D-Gahanna) delivered sponsor testimony for HB502 to protect assisted reproduction care such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF). The bill was originally introduced in April 2024 following an Alabama Supreme Court case that declared that embryos created through IVF should be considered children, causing several of the state's IVF clinics to pause services.
ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE ABUSE
The OneOhio Recovery Foundation over the last two weeks first released $7.7 million in support for substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery to 36 public and private projects in six of the state's 19 OneOhio regions, then another $4.9 million Wednesday for services in 16 of its 19 funding regions.
The Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) is now accepting grant applications to the Ohio Drug Law Enforcement Fund to cover regional task force expenses with state tax dollars. Law enforcement agencies can use grants to investigate drug trafficking organizations and disrupt drug supplies through intelligence gathering, information sharing and multi-agency coordination. Funding also supports local efforts to assist overdose victims and their families with education, support and treatment. Projects may apply for up to 12 months of operating funds between July 1, 2025 to June 30, 2026. Applications are due Tuesday, Jan. 7 at 5 p.m.
BALLOT ISSUES
The Ohio Ballot Board unanimously certified a proposed constitutional amendment to end qualified immunity for certain government employees as one issue during its meeting Wednesday. The petition moved to the board after its approval by Attorney General Dave Yost in November. Supporters can now begin collecting signatures to put the measure on the ballot.
Ohio Ballot Board members opened the meeting by paying tribute to William Morgan, the longest-serving member of the board until his death Saturday, Nov. 30 at the age of 89. Secretary of State Frank LaRose detailed Morgan's life as a U.S. Army veteran, deputy sheriff in Perry County, mayor of Shawnee, a leader in the Ohio Bankers Association and a key figure in the formation of the Association of Ohio Commodores. His funeral was Friday, Dec. 6. Steven Cuckler was sworn in to fill the vacancy on the appointment of Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill).
BUSINESS/CORPORATE
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted announced that 597 employers received funding in the September round of TechCred, which will enable Ohioans to earn 7,421 tech-focused credentials. Artificial intelligence (AI) remained a leading industry in the round and was the most requested type of credential at 1,300. The next application period will run from Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 to Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at 3 p.m.
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
The DeWine administration announced a multi-count indictment against a complex web of illegal nightclubs in Cuyahoga County involving under-the-table operators with "significant criminal histories." The Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) says "straw" investors began purchasing bars in Euclid, Cleveland Heights, Garfield Heights and South Euclid before COVID-19 and using illegal proceeds to acquire more taverns that were then transferred to other owners. Nine individuals now face 45 charges for engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, grand theft, money laundering and other felonies generating at least $4 million in illegal proceeds. He identified illegal lounges at the following locations: Boozerz and The Bench Lounge in Euclid, Aura-Iconic and Aries Restaurant & Lounge in Garfield Heights, Night Capz and The Score in Cleveland Heights, and Bar Mayfield in South Euclid.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/URBAN REVITALIZATION
The JobsOhio Board of Directors met Thursday at which time Chair Josh Rubin said that while JobsOhio has been a "tremendous success" on many fronts, Ohio has changed since 2011 and so the organization needs to continue to evolve. They have received input from stakeholders, who he believed will be "very pleased" in the direction JobsOhio will go. He expressed enthusiasm about 2025 in general as well, while noting the year is not over and "exciting opportunities" still remain. In his report, President and CEO J.P. Nauseef told the board that work on the new five-year strategic plan, "JobsOhio 2030" plan, includes full realization of the "Silicon Heartland," achieving opportunities through artificial intelligence (AI), having a skilled technical workforce, leveraging innovation districts and hubs, producing energy to support the state's diverse industries and making a competitive brand to reflect Ohio's business climate and diversity.
EDUCATION
Both the House Civil Justice and the House Finance committees Tuesday debated legislation aimed at improving school bus safety. Tuesday morning saw the House Rules and Reference Committee re-refer HB518 (Cross) to civil justice after it had originally been heard in the House Transportation Committee, while HB279 (Willis) was heard by the House Finance Committee. HB279 also includes Rep. Richard Brown’s (D-Canal Winchester) bus safety bill, HB140. House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) told reporters that having both bills heard is "going to give our members the chance to think about this issue."
The Senate Education Committee proposed Tuesday to scale back some of the parental notifications required to be sent under new student privacy laws. The committee adopted a series of amendments to career-technical education measure HB432 (Jones), including one from Sen. Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City), original sponsor of the privacy law, SB29. Schools have recently complained that SB29 requires a high volume of parental notifications. Huffman noted that SB29 was under development for 18 months, during which these notification concerns weren't raised, saying he was disappointed by that fact. The committee reported the bill out after adopting the amendments.
Leaders of the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) briefed members of both the House and Senate education committees Tuesday on how they will implement ratings for a new readiness measure on state report cards. DEW Director Steve Dackin and Chief Integration Officer Chris Woolard presented an overview of the college, career, workforce and military readiness (CCWMR) component of the 5-star report card rating system. The measure has previously been included only for data-reporting purposes, but under the draft rules explained Tuesday, it would be rated in the report cards released next fall, and used in the calculation of schools' overall star ratings. Woolard's remarks largely followed an explanation of the rules provided at the November public hearing convened by DEW.
A program that shares profits from state forest management activities recently released over $1.9 million to school districts and communities throughout Ohio. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Forestry's Trees to Textbooks program splits proceeds of any stumpage sale with the local school district in which the sale took place. Of the proceeds, 16.5 percent goes to the county, another 16.5 percent goes to the township and 32 percent goes to the local school district. Revenue distributed through Trees to Textbooks for FY24 went to county governments, school districts and townships in the following counties:
Adams - $517,603
Ashland - $129,918
Hocking - $151,022
Jackson - $74,251
Pike - $84,153
Ross - $184,379
Scioto - $275,784
Vinton - $572,420
ELECTIONS
Secretary of State Frank LaRose Thursday stopped at the Franklin County Board of Elections to promote post-election audits that boards around the state are currently undertaking, saying the process shows that Ohioans can be confident in their election. LaRose noted that the audits are conducted after every election, not just presidential or other big statewide elections.
LaRose said there aren't any election changes he wants to push through during the rushed pace of lame duck session, but he said there are areas that he wants to see addressed in the next year, commenting on more early voting locations, dropboxes and his wanting to get the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to share more citizenship data. However, he added, "I've got a hunch that the new administration may be more willing to share that citizenship data with us."
ELECTIONS 2024
Secretary of State Frank LaRose Monday certified the official results of the 2024 General Election, giving Donald Trump the official win of Ohio's 17 electoral votes. The final results show Trump earning 55.14 percent of Ohio's total vote for president, compared to 43.93 percent for Vice President Kamala Harris. Libertarian Chase Oliver earned nearly half of a percent. Other statewide races tracked close to the presidential ticket. In the Supreme Court races, the Republican candidates won in the range of 55 to 56 percent over their Democratic opponents. U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) officially lost to Sen.-elect Bernie Moreno 46.47 percent to 50.09 percent. Redistricting amendment Issue 1 failed 46.29 percent "Yes" to 53.71 percent "No." Official turnout was 71.71 percent, with 5.85 million of Ohio's nearly 8.16 million voters casting a ballot. That was down from 2020's 73.99 percent turnout but up from 2016's 71.33 percent. The secretary of state's office said the turnout was the second highest on record. Ohioans also broke the previous record for in-person, early voting.
LaRose broke a tie vote over whether U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) is a resident of her district, ruling that the evidence against her "falls short of the 'clear and convincing' burden of proof" required to cancel her registration. The Summit County Board of Elections had tied on a vote whether to cancel Sykes' Summit County voter registration after activist Tom Zawistowski filed a challenge against her. The evidence included a financial disclosure statement from Sykes' husband, Franklin County Commissioner and former Ohio lawmaker Kevin Boyce, where he listed Sykes as residing at his household in Franklin County. In a letter sent to the board of elections Friday, LaRose said that the primary basis for the challenge was Boyce's financial disclosure statement, but noted that since that time, Boyce has indicated that Sykes does not reside at his address, and that he had filed an affidavit containing this additional information that was accepted by the Ohio Ethics Commission.
ENERGY/UTILITIES
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) has directed Ohio Attorney General (AG) Dave Yost to pursue a series of court orders compelling former executives and lobbyists of FirstEnergy to testify on facts connected to bribery-plagued 133-HB6 (Callender-Wilkin) that could blow open the state's four investigations into the alleged diversion of ratepayer funds to former public officials and co-conspirators.
As bribery, money laundering and theft charges proceed in federal court against FirstEnergy's former CEO Chuck Jones and former Senior V.P of External Affairs Michael Dowling, commissioners directed the AG's office Wednesday to seek contempt findings in Franklin County Common Pleas Court against a raft of fired company executives and lobbyists if they do not abandon their Fifth Amendment plea against self-incrimination and testify under oath in PUCO's investigations into FirstEnergy's political and charitable spending, corporate separation of distribution and administrative costs, distribution modernization rider (DMR) and delivery capital recovery (DCR) rider.
135th GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE
Current and former state government leaders gathered at the Ohio Statehouse on Tuesday to eulogize Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton), who served for more than three decades in the General Assembly. Schuring, who died at the age of 72 last month, is the 11th person in history to lie in state at the Ohio Statehouse. Schuring was remembered as a wise, kind, caring person who worked tirelessly to improve the lives of all Ohioans. "If I were going to give advice to any incoming freshman legislator, I would simply say, 'Be like Kirk Schuring,'" Gov. Mike DeWine said during a memorial service in the Statehouse Atrium. "Kirk Schuring was a model legislator," DeWine said. "He was pragmatic, effective, compassionate and very optimistic. He cared about people. He cared about his constituents. He cared about his fellow legislators. He cared about his staff."
The House will have a lot of goodbyes to say as it seeks to wrap up its business this month for the 135th General Assembly. The chamber will see at least a quarter of its members not returning for the next General Assembly due to a combination of term limits, lost primaries, and the beckoning of the Ohio Senate. Meanwhile, the Senate will lose six of its members, but all of those seats will be filled by current or former members of the Ohio House. In the House, term-limits is the reason for the departures of Reps. Bill Dean (R-Xenia), Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville), Darrell Kick (R-Loudonville), Scott Lipps (R-Franklin), Derek Merrin (R-Maumee), Adam Miller (D-Columbus), Tom Patton (R-Strongsville), Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati), Dick Stein (R-Norwalk) and Scott Wiggam (R-Wooster). Patton is moving on to the Senate, while Miller and Merrin lost bids for Congress. Wiggam won a race for Wayne County Clerk of Courts.
The House Wednesday passed legislation that will require local governments to kick in more in contributions for the pensions of Ohio's first responders. The chamber passed HB296 (Abrams-Hall) by a vote of 66-25, while tabling proposed floor amendments that would have used state funding to help offset the increases that would be implemented over the next six years. Rep. Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison), a former Cincinnati police officer, said changes must be made to assure long-term viability for the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F), and she said there are very few options for the fund to address the issue.
In other action, the House adopted by a vote of 87-4 HJR8 (Oelslager-Troy) which would put a bond issue on the May 2025 ballot to reauthorize the Ohio Public Works Commission State Capital Improvement Program, which is set to sunset on July 1, 2025. The resolution was introduced by Reps. Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton) and Dan Troy (D-Willowick), who introduced the original resolution for the program approved in 1987. Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) told reporters he will work out with the Senate which bill will be the vehicle -- HJR8 or companion legislation SJR4 (Chavez-Craig), which has already passed the Senate.
The House adopted HB683 (Jones) by a vote of 86-4; it would direct $10 million for drought relief in Southeast Ohio. Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport) told his colleagues that Southeast Ohio has experienced a "historic drought" over the summer, one that the state has not seen since 1988, and that one was "nothing compared to what we are dealing with right now."
Also passing the House were the following bills:
HB89 (Hillyer-Abdullahi), regarding intimate examinations and anesthetized or unconscious patients, by a unanimous vote.
HB206 (Click-Robb Blasdel), addressing expulsions of students from a public school for actions that endanger the health and safety of other students or employees, by a vote of 65-15.
HB382 (Brown), regarding prescription drug readers for visually impaired patients, by a vote of 78-6.
HB340 (Klopfenstein-Rogers), regarding county engineers, by a unanimous vote.
HB688 (King-John), designating Sept. 28 as "Speaker Jo Ann Davidson Day," by a unanimous vote. The chamber held a moment of silence for Davidson before the debate on the bill.
SB154 (Roegner), to include Space Force in the definition of the armed forces, armed services, and uniformed services of the U.S., by a unanimous vote.
The House also unanimously approved Senate amendments and sent on to the governor the following bills:
HB5 (Ray-Baker), an adoption bill.
HB78 (Seitz-J. Miller), regarding State Teachers Retirement Board (STRS) member eligibility and system membership for student teachers who are employed as substitute teachers.
HB81 (Robb Blasdel-Jones), an omnibus memorial designation bill.
HB338 (White-Sweeney), regarding child support orders for children over 18 with a disability, which was amended by the Senate to make the judge of the Lebanon Municipal Court a full-time position and to clarify disbursement of funds related to computerization fees.
HB432 (Jones), regarding the teaching of career-technical education, which included an emergency clause.
The chamber also gave going-away speeches for Reps. Jodi Whitted (D-Cincinnati), Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester), Susan Manchester (R-Lakeview), Tom Patton (R-Strongsville) and Elliot Forhan (D-South Euclid). Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) cut off Forhan's remarks during his going-away speech after Forhan began criticizing House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington), whom Forhan has sued over claims of defamation.
Legislation increasing prison sentences for certain domestic violence offenses is on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine's desk. The Senate voted 29-0 on Wednesday to pass HB111 (LaRe-K. Miller), which creates a presumption for a prison term for third-degree felony domestic violence if the offender pleaded guilty to or was convicted of two or more domestic violence offenses. The bill also increases the sentencing range for third-degree felony domestic violence. "It's a very good bill they sent over to us. We didn't adopt any amendments," Sen. Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville) said on the Senate floor.
In other action, the Senate voted 28-0 to pass SB178 (Wilson), which requires drivers to slow down or "move over" when approaching a stationary vehicle in distress. Currently, bill sponsor Sen. Steve Wilson (R-Maineville) said, vehicles are required to slow down or move over a lane when approaching stationary public safety vehicles, emergency, road service vehicles, waste collection vehicles, highway maintenance vehicles, and public utilities vehicles. "Ohio's protocol does not apply to distressed vehicles. A distressed vehicle is defined under this bill as a vehicle that is pulled over on the shoulder that is displaying hazard lights, blinking lights, flares or some form of emergency signage," Wilson said.
The Senate also passed career tech education bill HB432 (Jones), which now includes student privacy cleanup language. The bill passed 28-0, and an emergency clause was added with a 26-2 vote.
The Senate also passed the following bills:
HB78 (Seitz-J. Miller), which makes retired teachers who are re-employed in positions covered by the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) of Ohio eligible to seek election to the STRS Board. The vote was 29-0.
HB162 (Klopfenstein-Kick), which creates certain day and week designations related to agriculture. The bill passed 29-0.
HB184 (Bird-Brennan), which regulates charitable collection receptacles and those who operate them for compensation. The bill passed 28-0.
HB234 (Williams-Rogers), which revises the law regarding Alford pleas. The bill passed 27-1.
HB256 (K. Miller-Creech), which requires the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to inquire about organ donation under certain circumstances. The bill passed 27-1.
SB125 (Sykes), which creates the "St. Vincent-St. Mary High School" license plate. The bill passed 28-0.
SB210 (Sykes-Reynolds), which designates the week that includes March 16 as "Ohio Black Media Week." The bill passed 27-1.
SB270 (Johnson), which designates March 20 as "Ameloblastoma Awareness Day." The bill passed 28-0.
SB290 (Antonio), which creates the "Dolly Parton's Imagination Library" license plate. The bill passed 28-0.
The House Families and Aging Committee adopted several revisions Tuesday to a bill on foster care group homes and could move the legislation next week. Chair Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland) said after approval of two amendments from HB583 joint sponsor Rep. Andrea White (R-Kettering) that she would hope to bring the bill up for a vote at the next hearing. White joined Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) to introduce the bill after hearing complaints about problems at group homes and the concentration of homes in their home county of Montgomery. The legislation has undergone two prior rounds of changes in the committee via substitute bills.
Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) gave sponsor testimony to the House Economic and Workforce Development Committee Tuesday on his HR562, which opposes a Biden administration policy that proposes broader use of "march in" rights to seize patents from research institutions and businesses which have received any level of federal funding. Mathews said that proposal is currently the subject of draft guidance at the federal level suggesting the government can "arbitrarily reinterpret and mangle a decades-old statute to claim rights over inventions created right here in Ohio, simply because somewhere along the chain of creation, federal money was used for a test, a trial, or a salary, in whole or in part." That could affect inventions which are already commercialized, he added, and the undermined trust in the established system could have "disastrous" effects for the state.
The first and likely the last meeting of the House Infrastructure Committee was held Wednesday, Dec. 4 with Chair Reggie Stoltzfus (R-Minerva) convening a quorum of the group. The committee then selected Rep. Willis Blackshear (D-Dayton) as secretary. Stoltzfus called the committee's attention to written sponsor testimony on HR108 submitted by Reps. Sean Brennan (D-Parma) and Michele Grim (D-Toledo) before adjourning the committee. According to Grim's testimony, the resolution supports the creation of a National Infrastructure Bank (NIB), which she described as "a separate entity from the federal operating budget, set up as a federally established, mixed ownership incorporated bank, and capitalized with existing treasuries. Since state and local governments own 90 percent of the nation's public infrastructure, these governments will be the main borrowers and beneficiaries of NIB's services. The NIB will have immense direct benefit on local communities across Ohio."
In other action, the House Civil Justice Committee reported out HB660 (Mathews-Edwards) which deals with NIL changes; HB281 (Seitz-Young) which deals with collection of damages in civil actions; the House Economic and Workforce Development Committee reported out HB375 (Demetriou-Patton) which deals with tax foreclosures and county land reutilization corporations; and HB547 (Wiggam-Gross) which requires low-income housing projects receiving tax credits to verify tenant immigration status; the House Finance Committee reported out SB42 (T. Johnson-S. Huffman) which adopts the Wright Flyer III as the state airplane; the House Financial Institutions Committee reported out SB6 (Schuring) which addresses state entities’ ESG policies; and HB182 (Hillyer-Barhorst) which deals with consumer installment loans; the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee reported out HB407 (G. Manning-Seitz) which deals with regulations of nonpublic/charter schools; the House Transportation Committee reported out highway designation bills HB674 (Carruthers), HB679 (King), HB689 (Ghanbari), HB691 (Edwards-Holmes), HB680 (Grim), HB692 (Holmes-Edwards) and HB693 (McClain); the House Homeland Security Committee reported out license plate bills HB423 (J. Miller), HB483 (K. Miller), HB515 (Roemer), HB533 (Jarrells), HB542 (Dean-Lipps), HB586 (Robinson-Grim), HB209 (Creech) and HB213 (Patton) as well as HB473 (McNally) which would require security cameras at ODOT rest areas; House Public Health Policy Committee reported out month designation bill HB538 (R. Brown-Upchurch); House Technology and Innovation Committee reported out HB507 (Hillyer) which addresses a legal safe harbor for political subdivisions implementing a cybersecurity program; and the Senate Ways and Means Committee reported out SB224 (Schaffer) which modifies the sales tax of delivery network services.
136th GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Mike Dittoe will return to his role as House chief of staff next year, Senate President and incoming House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said Thursday. Dittoe worked in varying capacities in the House from 2002 to 2018, including his time as chief of staff to former speaker Cliff Rosenberger (R-Clarksville). Dittoe left that role to work on campaigns early in 2018. Dittoe was House GOP communications director under Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina), for whom Huffman served as speaker pro tempore. Dittoe is currently a partner at High Bridge Consulting. Huffman said he will announce additional staff appointments in January. The new General Assembly convenes Monday, Jan. 6.
GOVERNOR
Gov. Mike DeWine late Tuesday, Nov. 26 signed SB104 (Cirino-Brenner), legislation that requires single-sex bathrooms at K-12 schools and institutions of higher education, among other provisions. The bill originally focused on the College Credit Plus Program, but was amended on the House floor to include restrictions on bathroom use by transgender and gender non-conforming students. The Senate concurred with the amendments earlier in November. "We do not have a statement beyond the signing announcement," DeWine spokesperson Dan Tierney told Hannah News. The bill becomes effective 90 days after its signing by the governor.
HANNAH NEWS
The operating budget requests for the FY26-27 biennium for 96 state executive agencies are now available on the Hannah News homepage. These were received from the Office of Budget and Management (OBM) per a public records request.
HIGHER EDUCATION
The Choose Ohio First program will provide scholarship opportunities at 46 colleges and universities across the state, several of them new to the program, after the Controlling Board voted Monday to approve more than $32 million for the program, the DeWine administration announced. The latest funding approval, which will be awarded over the next five years, marks the sixth round of grants during the administration. The scholarship supports students pursuing STEM degrees and certificates, as well as students' pursuing education degrees and certificates that have a STEM focus. Public and private universities and colleges are receiving the money.
The University of Toledo (UT) Board of Trustees announced that it has formed a Presidential Search Committee to include all trustees, members of the Presidential Profile Committee and other external stakeholders to review candidates and select UT's next leader. Board of Trustees Chair Patrick J. Kenney and Trustee Stephen P. Ciucci will co-chair the committee.
HOUSING/HOMELESSNESS
October home sales for Ohio reached 11,717, a 4.8 percent increase from the same month in 2023, when sales were 11,176. The average price was $290,223, a 6.1 percent increase from the October 2023 average of $273,554. For the year to-date, home sales activity is up 0.9 percent compared to the same period in the prior year, reaching 110,785 versus 109,828 a year earlier. The average price for January through October was $291,616, up 7.2 percent from the average of $271,981 seen in the comparable period of 2023.
INTEL
Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger retired effective Sunday, Dec. 1, with the company announcing Monday that two of its senior leaders will serve as interim co-CEOs during a permanent search process. Intel and the Biden administration had recently announced they had finalized a $7.86 billion funding award under the CHIPS and Science Act, with $1.5 billion for the company's project in Ohio. The interim co-CEOs are David Zinsner, executive vice president and CFO, and Michelle "MJ" Johnston Holthaus, who had also been appointed to the new position of CEO of Intel Products. The leadership structure at Intel Foundry will remain unchanged, according to the announcement. In September, Intel announced plans to shift foundry operations – including its Ohio plant -- to an independent subsidiary inside of Intel. Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted issued a joint statement in response to the retirement, saying Gelsinger had been "the driving force" in Intel's selection of Ohio. DeWine and Husted also expect to talk with the interim co-CEOs soon to offer any continued support the project will need.
JUDICIAL
Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Kimberly Cocroft filed a lawsuit against many of her benchmates and court administrative staff, claiming harassment and discrimination and alleging conduct that included efforts to stymie her transition into the administrative judgeship for the court and a fellow judge reciting to her a list of other Black women in public office she should try to emulate. Cocroft's complaint, running more than 100 pages, was filed in U.S. District Court. It follows a case she filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) earlier this year. The complaint presses seven claims, covering allegations of racial and gender discrimination, civil rights violations, RICO violations, retaliation, defamation and destruction of public records.
Former Ohio senator and sitting Geauga County Probate Court Judge Tim Grendell says known political enemies are abusing the state disciplinary office to advance a personal vendetta against the Ohio Association of Probate Judges' (OAPJ) president-elect and Ohio Judicial College (OJC) faculty member. Grendell says they are violating his First Amendment rights and ignoring the sworn testimony of former Ohio Supreme Court justice and current OJC Director Paul Pfeifer and the consulting psychologist in a custody dispute, who says the judge "properly applied the law and acted in the best interests of the children based on the recommendation and opinion of the pediatric mental health expert appointed in the case."
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Communities in 45 counties will share $10.9 million to support community development projects funded by the federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Allocation Program, according to the DeWine administration and the Ohio Department of Development (DOD). The funding will go to 49 communities and will assist in completing a variety of infrastructure improvements and public services aimed at spurring economic growth and improving the quality of life for residents.
MARIJUANA/HEMP
The Senate General Government Committee Tuesday heard testimony from a number of opponents as well as interested party witnesses on SB326 (S. Huffman), legislation that would prohibit the sale of intoxicating hemp products. Many of the opponents were business owners who voiced concerns the bill would ban a wide range of hemp products, not just intoxicating hemp, and put their livelihood at risk.
MEDICAID/MEDICAID REFORM
The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) said Thursday it will begin requiring electronic verification as a condition of payment for home health services for the first phase of providers on Saturday, March 1. Federal law required all states to implement electronic visit verification (EVV) for home health services, which Ohio did, but the state and many others have not been requiring EVV as a condition of payment. ODM has spent this year planning for an early 2025 launch of EVV. Auditor Keith Faber's office recently released a report showing fairly low participation by providers in EVV.
MENTAL HEALTH
Recently, the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) broke ground on an expansion of Ravenswood Health's Transitional Learning Center (TLC) in Chardon. The expansion will increase TLC's capacity from nine to 16 beds and more than double the facility's square footage. OhioMHAS contributed more than $1.1 million in capital funding to the $2.8 million renovation project, and additional funding was provided by the Geauga County Board of Mental Health and Recovery Services. The project is one of 37 projects funded by an award of $90 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds in August 2023 aimed at strengthening mental health and addiction crisis services throughout Ohio. The same funding also helped break ground on a new behavioral health urgent care center in St. Clairsville in October.
NATURAL DISASTERS
After the heavy accumulations of lake effect snow over the past few days and with further forecasts of additional severe weather this week, Gov. Mike DeWine late Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga and Lake counties. Forecast weather conditions in coming days anticipated hazardous road conditions and multiple other hazards, including snow squalls and wind gusts of over 40 miles per hour with potential gales across Lake Erie.
NATURAL RESOURCES
Whether you would like to spend your holidays cozy in the lodge of an Ohio state park enjoying the state's natural scenery, or you have the bounty of a successful hunting season to share with your community, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) offers several holiday ideas for Ohioans. Ohio's State Parks Lodges and Conference centers will transform into winter wonderlands for the season, with opportunities throughout the state for enjoying meals and light displays, holiday crafting and even breakfast with Santa himself.
Several bridle and all-purpose vehicle (APV) trails within Ohio's state forests will close soon for the winter season. The closures apply to the trails within forests in Perry, Pike and Richland Furnace state forests. Bridle trails, typically used for horseback riding, closed on Monday, Dec. 2 and will reopen on Monday, March 31, 2025. APV areas will close for the winter on Monday, Dec. 9 and reopen on Friday, April 4, 2025.
Ohio bow hunters checked a total of 65,783 deer from the beginning of hunting season at the end of September through early November, according to statistics from ODNR.
Applications for the next class of ODNR Natural Resource Officer cadets are now open until Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024. Natural resource officers play an important role in law enforcement, public service and education across Ohio's state parks. Protecting people and the environment throughout the state can involve duties from patrolling scenic trails to ensuring safety on the water, the department notes.
Whether experienced in law enforcement or starting a new career, applicants who advance through the hiring process will complete a training program based on ODNR operations and also the Ohio Peace Officer Basic Training Academy. Certified peace officers will be allowed to bypass the academy and proceed directly to field training.
On Monday, Dec. 2, the first day of Ohio's seven-day gun season, hunters throughout the state checked 26,667 white-tailed deer, according to ODNR. That represents the highest opening day harvest in the state since hunters checked 29,297 in 2012. The opening day harvest included 9,602 antlered deer and 17,065 antlerless deer, either does or button bucks. The average opening day harvest from 2021-2023 was 19,439 deer on the gun season's opening day.
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
For Ohioans in a giving mood during the holidays, ODNR has partnered again this year with Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry (FHFH) to support local foodbanks throughout the state. Hunters who have harvested white-tailed deer and would like to donate the venison can bring it to one of 34 deer processing shops in Ohio, which then provide the donated deer to a verified charitable organization that offers food assistance. The same program last year coordinated the processing of 1,157 deer donated by Ohio hunters. One harvested deer yields approximately 50 pounds of venison, which equates to about 200 meals.
PENSIONS
Municipal leaders from across the state warned Monday of fewer police officers and firefighters on the streets should lawmakers agree to proposals from union leaders and the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F) to make local governments pay more toward first responders' retirement benefits. Representatives of the Ohio Mayors Alliance (OMA) and Ohio Municipal League (OML) said at a Statehouse press conference they're not necessarily opposed to putting more money into OP&F but argue HB296 (Abrams-Hall) hasn't received sufficient study and shouldn't pass in the frenzy of the lame duck session. They argued the bill would cost local governments an additional $80 million per year once fully implemented. The House Pensions Committee approved the bill recently after a final round of amendments that lengthened the phase-in period and asked police officers to contribute slightly more toward their pensions as well. The bill would gradually increase employer contributions toward police officer retirement until they reach 24 percent of pay, the same contribution now in law for firefighters. The bill did pass the House on Wednesday.
PEOPLE
McKinley Strategies CEO Tim Timken announced that Braden Watkins has been named manager of government affairs and grassroots. Watkins comes to the firm following his work on Senator-elect Bernie Moreno's campaign. Prior to joining McKinley Strategies, Watkins also worked as legislative aide to state Rep. Brett Hillyer (R-Dennison) where he staffed the House Civil Justice Committee and the House Constitutional Resolutions Committee.
The Columbus Partnership announced Monday that Jason Hall, former CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc., will be the organization's next CEO beginning in early January. He succeeds Kenny McDonald, who stepped down in September to return to the affiliated economic development organization One Columbus as its president and CEO. The selection of Hall followed a national search by One Columbus. Hall has worked in both private and public sectors, including as co-founder and CEO of Arch to Park; vice president and general counsel of the St. Louis Regional Chamber; and head of the Missouri Department of Economic Development in former Gov. Jay Nixon's cabinet. His work there included a civic merger of five legacy St. Louis-focused business organizations into a unified effort.
PUBLIC SAFETY
The Ohio Department of Commerce (DOC) Division of Financial Institutions (DFI) cautioned Ohioans about scams during the holiday season, particularly those representing themselves as charitable organizations. Americans donated $374 billion to charities in 2023, however an AARP survey on holiday donations found six in 10 people surveyed didn't always research organizations before donating. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported that consumers lost an all-time high of over $10 billion to all forms of fraud in 2023 as well. "It is unfortunate that during a season meant for goodwill and generosity, there are those who seek to take advantage of unsuspecting individuals," said DFI Superintendent Kevin Allard. "We want to remind everyone to make sure they conduct due diligence before making a financial gift to ensure their contributions support legitimate causes and they don't line the pockets of criminals."
Holiday scams can include unsolicited calls, texts, fake advertisements, and emails. The scammers often imitate legitimate charity organizations, phone numbers and contact information, so Ohioans should be especially careful about unsolicited calls and texts. There have also been previous FTC warnings about fake shipping notifications via email and text messages that seek to install malware after a link is clicked. The U.S. Postal Service does not send unsolicited messages or emails containing links.”
The state capital area had the highest number of Thanksgiving traffic deaths with three fatalities. Overall, eight people died in seven crashes from Nov. 27 to Dec. 1, with three not wearing seat belts and one involving impaired driving. ?This is an improvement from previous years, which saw 13 deaths in 2023, 19 in 2022, and 17 in 2021. ?The state capital area led Thanksgiving traffic deaths with three fatalities in a year that otherwise improved on deadly holiday accidents over the three previous Thanksgivings. The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) says early numbers show eight people died in seven crashes from midnight, Wednesday, Nov. 27 to 11:59 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 1. None was a pedestrian. "Of the eight people killed, three were not wearing a safety belt, and one crash involved impaired driving," the DeWine administration says, noting seat belt use is still being confirmed in three deaths. The eight fatalities compared to 13 last year, 19 in 2022 and 17 in 2021.
Nine out of 10 Ohio peace officers now patrol law enforcement jurisdictions certified under policing standards promulgated by the Ohio Community-Police Collaborative Advisory Board and administered by the Ohio Department of Public Safety's (DPS) Office of Criminal Justice Services. Wednesday's addition of the East Liverpool Police Department to jurisdictions recognized by OCJS brings total certified agencies to 636 out of 900-plus in the state. With the remainder comprising mostly smaller departments, the current count represents 29,934 officers or 91.03 percent of Ohio's law enforcement workforce, including state agencies, sheriffs and police employed by municipalities, townships, park districts, transit systems, colleges and universities, and hospital districts.
STATE GOVERNMENT
The Controlling Board on Monday approved the release of more than $540,000 that will go toward a new tower and outdoor space at Great Council State Park, despite an objection from Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland). Specifically, the item approved Monday will allow the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) to contract with Schooley Caldwell Associates to provide professional design and construction administration services for the "new visitor experience" at Great Council State Park, which is located in Greene County. Cirino said he didn't necessarily have anything against the specific project, but believes ODNR should prioritize addressing deferred maintenance on current state park facilities.
The House Economic and Workforce Committee heard proponent testimony Tuesday from officials in Adams and Monroe counties on HB469 (Robb Blasdel-Jones), a bill to create the Ohio River Commission of Ohio as a way to increase economic development, cargo operations and tourism around the Ohio River. Paul Worley, director of economic development in Adams County, and Monroe County Treasurer Taylor Abbott both spoke in person. The committee reported the bill out.
TECHNOLOGY/AEROSPACE
The House Technology and Innovation Committee heard a presentation Wednesday from OhioX President Chris Berry, who discussed how the state would benefit from more education related to computer science (CS) and greater efforts to attract venture capital funding. Berry said the "Silicon Heartland" is a truly statewide opportunity that can reach all sectors and industries but won't be fulfilled without more tech and CS education. He also praised the development and funding of innovation districts and hubs around the state, saying that is putting Ohio "on the map."
From utility lines to corporate data to health care and medical information, the daily, often unseen critical infrastructure that undergirds society requires a much higher level of vigilance in the name of security than much of the economy, according to a CyberOhio panel Thursday. Comparing her current role as chief security officer at AEP to her previous experience in financial security, Kristin Lowery explained that the difference in her current sector is that it directly affects human life, requiring 24/7 operations and partnerships with federal government partners. That ultimate urgency was an ever-present theme in a discussion of critical infrastructure led by Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose at the CyberOhio Summit in Columbus on Thursday. LaRose tied the theme of critical infrastructure to his role in overseeing Ohio's elections infrastructure as secretary of state. He noted nearly every entity within Ohio's county governments has fallen victim to ransomware or other cyberattacks, except for county boards of elections, as election infrastructure is now considered critical infrastructure. A major theme among the security experts joining LaRose on the panel was the need for organizations to have a cybersecurity plan ready before an incident happens, as opposed to figuring out a solution when a crisis happens.
TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE
The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission Monday announced a new toll schedule that will see toll rates increasing starting Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. According to the commission, the toll rate for E-ZPass customers with passenger vehicles (Class 1) will increase to $0.071 (or 7.1 cents) per mile in 2025 from $0.065 (or 6.5 cents) per mile in 2024; and the cash/credit card toll rate will increase to $0.104 (or 10.4 cents) per mile in 2025 from $0.096 (or 9.6 cents) per mile in 2024. The toll rate for E-ZPass customers with commercial vehicles (Class 5) will increase to $0.220 (or 22 cents) per mile in 2025 from $0.204 (or 20.4 cents) per mile in 2024; and the cash/credit card toll rate will increase to $0.276 (or 27.6 cents) per mile in 2025 from $0.256 (or 25.6 cents) per mile in 2024. In 2025, the full trip toll fare traveling westbound across the 241-mile Ohio Turnpike (from Pennsylvania to Indiana) is as follows:
E-ZPass customers with passenger vehicles (Class 1) will pay $18.50, a $1.50 increase from 2024; and cash/credit card customers will pay $27, up $1.75; and
E-ZPass customers with commercial vehicles (Class 5) will pay $57.50, up $4.25; and cash/credit card customers will pay $72.25, up $5.25.
Gov. Mike DeWine Thursday announced a new traffic safety initiative in Clark County during a visit to Springfield that will train members of the local migrant community on safe driving skills. According to the governor's office, 10 new driving simulators were donated by the Maria Tiberi Foundation and Virtual Driver Interactive to the Ohio Department of Public Safety's Ohio Traffic Safety Office for use in Springfield and Clark County. The new simulators have been placed in locations that serve members of the Haitian community who have recently migrated to the area in large numbers and have had little or no driver training.
[Story originally published in The Hannah Report. Copyright 2024 Hannah News Service, Inc.]
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