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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AGING
Recognizing that older Ohioans can bring tremendous value to any workplace as workers and in celebration of National Workforce Development Month and National Employ Older Workers Week, Ohio departments remind Ohioans 55 and older that the state offers several resources for unemployed older workers looking for work. Older workers looking for a job can find information about career transitions, employment rights, updating their job search skills and workplace communication at their local OhioMeansJobs (OMJ) Center or the OMJ website. The OMJ website at https://tinyurl.com/46bjpbpn lists job openings and allows visitors to apply. Visitors can also take skill and career interest assessments and create or improve their resumes. Users of the website can navigate to the "FIND A JOB CENTER" option at the bottom of the linked web page. The Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) also offers information to older workers. The Working As You Age website can be found at https://tinyurl.com/2pcm82r5. Job seekers can find information to help them appreciate the value they bring to the workplace and brush up on skills they may need to be competitive in the job market.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost Tuesday joined with the attorneys general of 10 other states in arguing that the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) review of the merger between Kroger and Albertsons using the FTC's in-house tribunal is unconstitutional, siding with Kroger, which has taken the FTC to court on similar grounds. Kroger filed the lawsuit in Cincinnati last month, calling the tribunal review unconstitutional and saying it should be heard in a federal court. It argued that the review could take years. In their filing, Yost and the attorneys general of Alabama, Georgia, Iowa, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and West Virginia agreed, saying that businesses being subjected to proceedings before an administrative law judge of the FTC violates Article II of the Constitution, falling outside of the exceptions provided in that article.
BALLOT ISSUES
The group behind redistricting amendment Issue 1 launched a new ad. Citizens Not Politicians said it is spending $20 million on its ad buy, which shows Ohioans identifying themselves from various positions along the political spectrum. "There's one thing we agree on. We don't like politicians and lobbyists rigging the system for themselves. Ohio's voting districts were so badly rigged, they've been deemed unconstitutional seven times. Seven times! Issue 1 would stop politicians from drawing rigged districts by creating an open process to draw fair ones. It's why we all agree. Yes on Issue 1," the ad states. The group said that the ad will run in the Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Dayton media markets.
Meanwhile, Ohio Works, the opposition group to Issue 1, launched its first ad, a 30-second spot that seeks to tie Democrats and presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris to the issue. It states that, "Democrats will do anything to win. Changing the rules, mail-in ballots, cheating and opening our borders just to win elections. Now in Ohio, they're working to change our constitution with Issue 1." While details of where the ad will air were not available, it is available online.
Two business groups, the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association (OMA) and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, released statements Wednesday opposing redistricting amendment Issue 1. Both groups said they came to their positions after a "thorough review" of Issue 1. OMA said it was concerned that the amendment, which would create a 15-member citizens redistricting commission to draw legislative and congressional maps, "would erode Ohioans' ability to directly impact how legislative and congressional districts are created, create confusion and resentment among voters and make it harder for minorities and historically underrepresented communities to be elected." Oho Chamber President and CEO Steve Stivers said, "Our concern is, if passed, the consequence could result in raising the cost of doing business in Ohio, making our state less competitive for business, and impacting critical issues our members care deeply about, including minimum wage, legal reform, tort reform and forced unionization. The chamber is not endorsing the status quo; the current system is flawed and should be fixed through bipartisan efforts."
BUSINESS/CORPORATE
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) member Kalpana Kotagal addressed attendees at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce's summit on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) Tuesday, urging them to continue DEI policies in spite of pushback against them. The policies break down barriers to equal opportunity in the workplace and can help companies as well, she said. In federal FY24, she said the EEOC secured over $665 million in relief for more than 22,000 victims of employment discrimination nationally.
CHILDREN/FAMILIES
When fathers understand their purpose, they can build stronger families rooted in responsibility and purpose. Ronald Todd, chief of social impact and opportunity with the Ohio Department of Development, said enhancing the role of fathers throughout Ohio is about creating access, breaking barriers and providing the tools fathers need to be the leaders they can be, not just in their homes, but in their communities as well. Todd delivered this message to community leaders from Ohio and beyond at Wednesday's Ohio Fatherhood Summit. The summit is hosted every four years by the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood (OCF), now part of the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) after launching in 1999 within the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Gov. Mike DeWine told summit attendees via a video address that fatherhood was meant to be a part of DCY from its inception, and the summit is a chance to recognize the work being done to elevate fathers and their voices.
CORONAVIRUS
While the number of new COVID-19 cases reported by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) had plateaued at over 10,000 new cases in the weekly updates on Aug. 29, Sept. 5 and Sept. 12, they have since fallen to 8,391 on Sept. 19 and 6,103 in the number reported Thursday. Other data points in Thursday's update were more in line with the Aug. 29 update. Those include the following:
245 hospitalizations Thursday, compared to 252 on Aug. 29.
Seven ICU admissions, compared to five.
39 deaths, compared to 32.
Since the pandemic began, there have been 3.84 million total cases, 154,377 hospitalizations, 15,908 ICU admissions and 44,249 Ohio resident deaths reported by ODH.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/URBAN REVITALIZATION
Awards in the fifth rounds of the Brownfield Remediation and Building Demolition and Site Revitalization programs totaled $16.2 million to clean up and redevelop 52 brownfield sites and $33.1 million to demolish 341 vacant, dilapidated buildings. The Ohio Department of Development (DOD) has awarded a total of nearly $470 million in the Brownfield Remediation Program and over $233 million in the Building Demolition and Site Revitalization Program. The two programs help make space for new economic opportunities at sites that currently could not be developed due to contamination or the presence of vacant, dilapidated structures.
More than $18.2 million in grants will go to 34 communities to complete critical infrastructure and neighborhood improvement projects, Gov. Mike DeWine announced recently. Of the total funding from the federal Community Development Block Grant program, 10 communities will receive $7.5 million in Neighborhood Revitalization grants. Eligible projects include public facility improvements such as construction, reconstruction, or rehabilitation of infrastructure, improvements to fire protection facilities, and community centers in low- and moderate-income areas. A total of $10.7 million in Critical Infrastructure funding will go to 24 communities to assist with high-priority infrastructure improvements with community-wide impact including improvement of flood and drainage facilities, water and sanitary sewer facilities, parks and recreation facilities, street reconstruction, and sidewalks.
Gov. Mike DeWine's administration announced Monday the approval of assistance for seven projects expected to create 458 new jobs and retain 357 jobs statewide. During its monthly meeting, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority (TCA) reviewed economic development proposals brought by JobsOhio and its regional partners. The projects are expected to collectively result in more than $34 million in new payroll and spur more than $132 million in investments across Ohio.
ECONOMY
Ohio's unemployment rate remained at 4.5 percent in August as the state lost 4,400 jobs over the month, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) announced Friday. ODFJS said Ohio's nonagricultural wage and salary employment decreased from a revised 5,668,400 in July to 5,664,000 in August. The number of workers unemployed in Ohio in August was 263,000, down from 264,000 in July. That number has risen by 61,000 in the past 12 months from 202,000. The August unemployment rate for Ohio has increased 1 percentage point from 3.5 percent in August 2023. The U.S. unemployment rate for August 2024 was 4.2 percent, down from 4.3 percent in July 2024 and up from 3.8 percent in August 2023.
EDUCATION
Disability Rights Ohio (DRO) filed a federal class action lawsuit Monday against the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) as part of an ongoing dispute over special education services in Warren County. DRO, a nonprofit designated by the state to advocate for people with disabilities, indicated this summer it would seek federal court review after losing at both levels of administrative review in the dispute with DEW.
Columbus City Schools must answer Attorney General Dave Yost's emergency motion in busing litigation by Monday, Sept. 30, the Ohio Supreme Court said Thursday. Yost took the district to the Supreme Court earlier this month over complaints that the school system has deemed large numbers of students at private and charter schools "impractical" to transport and refused to provide busing, which is generally the obligation of a student's district of residence.
ELECTIONS 2024
Ohio Secretary of State (SOS) Frank LaRose announced Friday that the state's 2024 general election was officially underway, as the 88 county boards of elections started sending out ballots to military and overseas voters. According to LaRose's office, "Both federal and state laws govern absentee voting by uniformed services and overseas United States citizens. The Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act (UOCAVA) and the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act are federal laws enacted to protect the rights of United States citizens to vote in federal elections while they are serving in the uniformed services or residing overseas. As a freshman state senator, LaRose helped lead the initiative to incorporate those federal protections into the Ohio Revised Code and extend them to state and local elections."
With Republicans holding a slight edge in control of the U.S. House of Representatives, three current Democratic members of Ohio's congressional delegation could help decide who controls the chamber in the 119th Congress. Republicans currently hold 220 seats, while Democrats hold 211. There are currently four vacancies in the U.S. House, three from Democratic members who died in office earlier this year, and one from the resignation of Rep. Mike Gallagher (R-WI). Meanwhile, two of the three Ohio representatives -- U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman (D-Cincinnati) in Ohio's 1st Congressional District and U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) in the 13th Congressional District -- are freshman, and the third -- U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Toledo) -- is running for re-election in a district overwhelmingly won by former President Donald Trump in 2020.
The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals late Tuesday approved a stay to a lower court's block on Ohio's ban on foreign nationals' contributing to issue campaigns, allowing the law passed as part of special session bill HB1 (Seitz) to temporarily take effect until next month. U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson ruled last month that the law had violated the First Amendment rights of lawful permanent residents, also known as green card holders, who were included in the definition of "foreign national" in the law. Watson later refused to stay his ruling, also rejecting a request by the state to narrow the order to just green card holders. The appeals court, however, stayed Watson's order "to provide sufficient opportunity to consider the merits of the motion," and issued a brief administrative stay until Tuesday, Oct. 8.
Portage County Sheriff Bruce Zuchowski has deleted his social media posts encouraging individuals to write down the addresses of those who support the presidential campaign of Vice President Kamala Harris, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio announced Monday. The sheriff took the action after the ACLU of Ohio sent him a letter and threatened a lawsuit. "The threat of litigation by the ACLU of Ohio, amidst the outrage of Portage County residents amplified by voices across the country, apparently convinced Sheriff Zuchowski, a governmental official, that the U.S Constitution forbids his suppression of political speech," ACLU of Ohio Legal Director Freda Levenson said.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown's (D-OH) re-election campaign this week announced the launch of "Latinos and Hispanics for Sherrod," which it described as a coalition to highlight Brown's "record supporting Ohio's Latino and Hispanic communities, delivering for Ohio families, and fighting to make sure hard work pays off for all Ohioans -- no matter who you are, where you live, or what you do." Co-chairs of the "Latinos and Hispanics for Sherrod" include Cleveland City Councilwoman Jasmin Santana and Columbus City Councilwoman Lourdes Barroso de Padilla.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Bernie Moreno is facing criticism from reproductive rights groups and at least one prominent Republican politician following comments he made about abortion over the weekend. "You know, the left has a lot of single issue voters. Sadly, by the way, there's a lot of suburban women that are like, 'Listen, abortion is it. If I can't have an abortion in this country whenever I want, I will vote for anybody else.' OK, it's a little crazy by the way -- but especially for women that are like past 50. I'm thinking to myself, I don't think that's an issue for you," Moreno said during a town hall event in Warren County, according to a video obtained by NBC4. Abortion Forward Executive Director Kellie Copeland said Moreno's comments were "mean-spirited" and are "proof he is unfit for public office." Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who ran in the Republican primary for president, said on social media that Moreno's comments were "tone deaf." "Are you trying to lose the election? Asking for a friend," Haley wrote.
While national Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein will appear on Ohioans ballots in November, any votes cast for her will not count after a swap in vice presidential candidates came too late for Ohio's timeline. Stein, running as nonpartisan in Ohio because the Green Party is not currently recognized as a third party in the state, had submitted former Green Party Ohio gubernatorial candidate Anita Rios' name as her running mate when she filed to run in the state. Meanwhile, the national Green Party nominated University of California at Santa Barbara professor Butch Ware as its vice presidential nominee on Aug. 17. According to the secretary of state's office, Rios submitted a letter notifying the state of her withdrawal from the ballot on Aug. 28, a day after the state’s deadline to remove a candidate’s name.
Arts groups will distribute "get out the vote" themed yard signs in four cities as part of the ArtsVote Ohio initiative, CreativeOhio announced Thursday. Thirteen artists created 12 different signs encouraging people to vote. The signs will be distributed in Cincinnati, Columbus, Cleveland and Dayton, CreativeOhio said. The signs are being provided free to Ohio arts organizations and residents. In addition to CreativeOhio, the Greater Columbus Arts Council, Charles F. Kettering Foundation, ArtsWorks and LAND Studio are involved in the effort.
The following endorsement was made over the week:
The campaign of U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced the endorsement of the United Auto Workers of his re-election.
ENERGY/UTILITIES
Senate Minority Whip Kent Smith (D-Euclid) gathered with renewable energy advocates at American Electric Power's (AEP) corporate office in Columbus Tuesday to call out Ohio's largest utility for what they describe as an organized lobbying effort to kill "community" solar projects in HB197 (Hoops-Ray) and SB247 (Lang). Homegrown Energy Ohio and Washington, D.C.-based Solar United Neighbors (SUN) joined Sen. Smith and a group of sign-toting high-schoolers outside 1 Riverside Plaza to urge AEP to get out of the way of Ohioans' "environmental justice" and "energy rights" and allow mid-scale solar arrays to move forward on brownfields, large commercial rooftops, underused farmland and the like. "Don't be a fossil fool," read one sign.
State lawmakers are weighing the full "reregulation" of Ohio electric utilities backed by the state's top industries, a former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) chairman and free-market advocates charge. An Ohio Energy Group (OEG) proposal circulating the Statehouse counters that a return to utility-owned power plants would allow for competitive retail electric service (CRES) on which most Ohioans rely and would not revive the vertically integrated electric monopolies existing prior to 123-SB3 (Johnson). Former PUCO Chair Todd Snitchler, president and CEO of the national organization representing competitive market providers, Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA) in Washington, D.C., delivered the main address at an Ohio Manufacturers' Energy Conference sponsored by the Ohio Manufacturers' Association (OMA). OMA President Ryan Augsburger joined Snitchler and others in charging OEG and sympathetic legislators with exploiting the current and expected load growth from data centers, reshored manufacturing, electric vehicles (EV) and other forms of electrification, along with July's six-fold auction price increase in electric capacity (power available 24/7/365), to revive the argument for fully regulated utilities.
ENVIRONMENT
Despite the rain systems that traveled through much of the state starting over the weekend, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) continues to urge efficient use of water resources as much of Ohio deals with ongoing drought conditions. While any rainfall Ohio sees is certainly welcome to drought-stricken areas at this point, National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Griffin told the Mansfield News Journal this week's rainfall won't do much to alleviate overly dry conditions. "It's not going to be a drought buster," Griffin said. Brad Lodge of ODNR's Division of Water Resources is cautious about dry conditions improving. "We are hopeful that this current drought is limited to 2024 and that we receive the typical wet weather this winter," said Lodge. "If we have less rain and snowfall, there could be the potential for the continuation of drought conditions in 2025.
The portion of Ohio with drought conditions considered "extreme" is now close to 36 percent, according to the weekly update of the "U.S. Drought Monitor." The monitor, produced jointly by the National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, showed conditions slightly worsening in the state of Ohio, though some relief may come this weekend with the remnants of Hurricane Helene expected to affect the state. The monitor shows nearly 98 percent of the state in at least "abnormally dry" conditions, with only a slight increase from last week. The amount of the state in at least moderate drought conditions also saw only a slight increase, from about 87 to 88 percent. However, the portion of the state in "severe" drought conditions or worse went from 59 percent to 64 percent; the portion of the state in "extreme" drought conditions went from 30 percent to nearly 36 percent; and the portion of the state in "exceptional" drought conditions went from nearly 10 percent to nearly 13 percent.
FEDERAL
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) on Wednesday announced bipartisan legislation to block taxpayer money from subsidizing biofuels produced using imported foreign feedstocks such as Chinese used cooking oil and Brazilian ethanol. The bill would also provide a 10-year extension of the 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit, which is a tax credit that was included in the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Brown announced the bill on a news conference call, where he was joined by Ohio Corn & Wheat Growers Association Executive Director Tadd Nicholson. The 45Z Clean Fuel Production Credit was intended to make America more energy independent and spur the production of biofuels made with American-produced feedstocks -- building new markets for American farmers, Brown said. However, he said farmers are currently dealing with a surge in imports of Chinese used cooking oil being used to produce biofuels in the U.S., which is displacing the use of American feedstocks.
GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE
Former Rep. Darrell W. Opfer died Friday, Sept. 20, following a lengthy illness. He was 83. Opfer served as a Democrat in the Ohio House from 1993 until 1999, representing Ottawa County and parts of Lucas and Erie counties. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 6, at the Trinity United Church of Christ, Elliston. Family will receive friends beginning at 1 p.m. Memorial contributions may be given to the Trinity United Church of Christ.
The Ohio Ballot Board needs to be restructured to ensure ballot language is written accurately and fairly, according to Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D-Gahanna), Rep. Terence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) and House Minority Leader Allison Russo (DColumbus). "One of the fundamental freedoms that makes this country special is our ability to have fair elections, free from any interference. Unfortunately, for three straight elections now, Ohioans stood by helplessly as the Republican-controlled Ballot Board played partisan politics with the democratic values guaranteed to voters in the Ohio Constitution," said Brown Piccolantonio, who is co-sponsoring HB667 with Upchurch.
House Democrats, joined by Sen. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) and Franklin County Auditor Michael Stinziano, Wednesday called for property tax relief measures to be passed by the end of the year, saying it is a top issue for Ohioans no matter where they live. It was one of a number of press conferences on the issue the caucus has held around state. House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) argued that the higher property taxes that Ohioans are facing are not the fault of any county auditor, commissioner, or county executive, but instead blamed it on more than two decades of "Republican policies" at the Statehouse "that are forcing Ohio's working families with the lowest incomes to pay more while the wealthiest Ohioans are receiving handouts." She said not addressing property tax issues is a choice by lawmakers, and said there are a number of bipartisan solutions that could be acted upon quickly.
HANNAH NEWS RACES TO WATCH
Former Rep. Mike Dovilla, who served from 2011 to 2016, is seeking a return to the Legislature in this year's election for the seat currently held by term-limited Rep. Tom Patton (R-Strongsville). His challenger is Democratic candidate Jessica Sutherland. Dovilla told Hannah News he decided to run for office again given "the state of the country" and some conditions in Ohio. If elected, he would like to resume efforts on tax reform and improving the education system, such as through providing EdChoice at all levels. Dovilla also wants to address "government transparency and accountability issues" from recent years, including the HB6 scandal, which he said was "the largest public corruption scandal in state history." Sutherland’s campaign website says she has worked in "poverty alleviation, higher education access, and basic needs advocacy" and experienced "poverty, hunger, and homelessness" as a child herself. It added that those experiences give her an understanding of policies that help people escape poverty.
Rep. Jim Thomas (R-Canton) flipped his district for the majority last cycle and now must try to hold the 49th District against education professional Krista Allison in a closely divided district with a slight Republican lean. The 49th includes Jackson Township in Stark County, where Thomas previously served as trustee, and the city of Canton. Ohio Redistricting Commission data give the district a 51.5 percent index for Republicans, while the Ohio Manufacturers' Association's 2024 Election Guide puts it at 50.5 percent. However, President Joe Biden carried the district with about 50.7 percent of the vote in his 2024 victory over former President Donald Trump. Thomas is an attorney and real estate investor who used to be a professional tennis player. Allison, the challenger, has a career in education focused on student and family supports, including state-level work.
The sudden withdrawal of incumbent Rep. Dave Dobos (R-Columbus) from this year's Republican primary threw House District 10 in south-central Franklin County wide open to a fresh look in and around Grove City. Attorney Brian Garvine dominated the GOP run-up, while city Councilman Mark Sigrist edged his Democratic rival by 20 votes to challenge the incumbent party in November. Garvine is a relative newcomer to Grove City, if not the capital area, while Sigrist is homegrown. Sigrist, the Ohio University-trained accountant, won election to city council two and half years ago after previous volunteer work with Keep Grove City Beautiful and other programs for the developmentally disabled and local food pantries. Garvine lives in Ashville just over the Pickaway County line, where he served as council pro tem for two of three terms and still makes the short drive from Grove City as part-time magistrate to Ashville mayor's court. He was born in Ohio; grew up in Baltimore, MD; returned home to attend Ohio State University; secured his law degree from the University of Toledo; and settled in Central Ohio, where he now lives in Grove City with his two sons and runs a law office in German Village.
INTEL
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted told members of the InnovateOhio Executive Committee Tuesday that Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger had given him reassurances about the status of Intel's Ohio project amid recent developments, including that it and other Intel foundry operations will be shifted to an independent subsidiary. Husted said the conversation with Gelsinger and his executive team occurred Friday and they were "very positive about all the things going on at the Ohio site. They reassured us that they have 2,400 people currently working there [and] 28 cranes in operation," Husted said. He added that while Intel has pulled back from some of their global investments, "Ohio is very well positioned" due to support provided by state and local governments, and so Intel is proceeding as planned. Husted also noted Intel has not received funds directly through the CHIPS Act yet, which is creating "a little bit of capital allocation strain" and that the U.S. still doesn't have a domestic supply of semiconductor chips.
JUDICIAL
The Ohio Supreme Court Task Force on Reentry's final report says judges in most of the state's top five counties approved 5 percent or fewer inmates from Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (DRC) for judicial release in a recent test year. Meanwhile, several other counties hit 30 percent-plus in shortened sentences. The 38-member group is now urging judicial "consistency" in the increased use of early release. The task force released the 140-page report Friday after 17-months of deliberation, including five full and eight subcommittee meetings. It is chaired by Judge Chryssa Hartnett, co-chaired by Christopher Nicastro, chief of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services' (OhioMHAS) Bureau of Criminal Justice Services, and includes representatives of state government agencies, defense attorneys, prosecutors, law enforcement, community corrections, legal aid and more.
The Ohio Supreme Court Tuesday immediately removed Stow Municipal Court Judge Kim Hoover from office and suspended him from the practice of law over tactics he used to collect fines and fees, finding that he had wrongfully jailed two men for failure to pay fines and court costs, and 14 other defendants were "coerced into paying fines and costs under unlawful threats of incarceration." Hoover was suspended for 18 months, with six months stayed, as the Court found that he had committed 48 violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct and 16 violations of the Rules of Professional Conduct.
The Board of Commissioners approved $104,249 in payments from the Lawyers' Fund for Client Protection (LFCP) to 14 victims of attorney theft at its latest meeting.
The Ohio Supreme Court refused late Wednesday to restore former Butler County Auditor Roger Reynolds back to his office, nor will it stop the general election for Butler County auditor, after an appeals court overturned his felony conviction. In a 6-1 decision, the Court ruled that county officials followed state law when appointing Nancy Nix to the county auditor's position after Reynolds had been convicted of having an unlawful interest in a public contract, a fourth-degree felony. Though Reynolds, who had been the auditor since 2008, had won re-election to a four-year term in November 2022, he was unable to take office in March 2023 because of state law barring those convicted of felonies from holding public office. Nix was appointed to fill the vacancy, which also requires a special election this year to fill the remaining years on the auditor's term.
MENTAL HEALTH
The Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation (OSPF) and Nationwide Children's Hospital's Center for Suicide Prevention and Research (CSPR) announced that they are reintroducing "Be Present Ohio: The Online Experience" (BPO:XP) for the new school year. The online suicide prevention program is tailored for 7th-12th graders. BPO:XP was developed by mental health experts and is evidence-informed, using research-proven strategies for reducing youth suicides, OSPF said.
NATURAL DISASTERS
Ohio Task Force 1 (OH-TF1) headed to Orlando, FL to be in position before Tropical Storm Helene makes landfall Thursday, as it has the potential to become a major hurricane by that point. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) warned that there could be life-threatening storm surge and hurricane-force winds along the Florida Panhandle and West Gulf Coast. OH-TF1's early activation will place them in a better position to assist if needed, the task force said on social media. They are deploying as a Type I team with 82 members trained in search and rescue, including water rescue and K-9 operations. OH-TF1 took over 50 tons of equipment to act as a "self-contained, all-hazard response team" so they do not strain local resources.
NATURAL RESOURCES
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) recently broke ground on a new visitor center at the beach area of Portage Lakes State Park, south of Akron. The park itself is popular for its boating, birding and fishing opportunities, and the new facility will offer interactive and informative displays that highlight the history and significance of the park's eight canal lakes. Another visitor center is being built at the Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area in Southeast Ohio. It sits on former mine land that was purchased from American Electric Power from 2018-2021. The 54,525-acre wildlife area is located in portions of Morgan, Muskingum and Noble counties, approximately six miles east of McConnelsville, surrounding Jesse Owens State Park.
The final weekend of September marks the beginning of one of Ohio's most popular hunting seasons as deer archery season opens on Saturday, Sept. 28 and continues until Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025. Of the 213,928 total deer checked by Ohio hunters in 2023-24, bowhunting accounted for 100,951 of those deer. Hunters may use crossbows, compound bows, recurve bows and longbows to pursue deer during archery hunting season. Other notable hunting dates during deer season include the following:
Monday, Dec. 2-Sunday, Dec. 8 - Statewide seven-day gun season
Saturday, Dec. 21 and Sunday, Dec. 22 - An additional two-day gun season for all hunters
Saturday, Jan. 4-Tuesday, Jan. 7 - Late season muzzleloader hunting
Ohio is one of 24 states receiving grant funding through the U.S. Department of the Interior's (USDOI) Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership (ORLP) program. Four local parks in the Buckeye State are receiving grants, including the following: Reverend H.V. Savage Park in Toledo: $1.15 million; Irishtown Bend in Cleveland: $10.81 million; Cuyahoga Riverfront Property in Cleveland: $2.95 million; and Cain Park in Cleveland Heights: $390,000 The four Ohio projects are part of the largest single grant investment ever from ORLP, according to USDOI. Through the program, the National Park Service (NPS) will invest $254.68 million into 54 projects in 24 states for the redevelopment or creation of new local parks.
As autumn sets in across Ohio, spectators may find themselves looking to enjoy the state's fall color season within coming weeks. However, a lack of summer rainfall may change the timing of this year's fall season, and ODNR has resources available for Ohioans seeking a guide to fall foliage. ODNR's full guide to fall color throughout the state can be found at https://tinyurl.com/272z72zc. The website also lists fall events happening around the state and guides to Ohio's state parks. Enthusiasts can also take part in the Ohio Fall Color Challenge on the OuterSpatial app at https://tinyurl.com/423dpdkc.
PENSIONS
Lynn Hoover, acting director of the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS), is leaving the pension fund, as is the chief investment officer, Matt Worley. The move comes one week after a board no-confidence vote on senior staff including Hoover and Worley failed narrowly. News of the departures began to circulate as Hoover was out of town, preparing for the system's latest town hall meeting with members and beneficiaries in Toledo. Rudy Fichtenbaum, chair of the STRS Board of Trustees, would not confirm the news or make any comment when asked by Hannah News before a board Audit Committee meeting Thursday afternoon, but another person with direct knowledge of the developments did provide confirmation. Sen. Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario) also said he had direct knowledge of Hoover's plan to retire and had heard about Worley as well. "It's a bit concerning, if the longtime employees of STRS that have all the institutional knowledge start to leave the pension system. I don't see that as a positive," he said in a phone interview.
The separation agreement signed by STRS and its soon-to-be-former executive director, William Neville, calls for him to receive more than $1.6 million worth of payments and pension service credit. The board of STRS voted overwhelmingly Friday to remove Neville as executive director, about 10 months after placing him on administrative leave over allegations that largely did not hold up under investigation. No members dissented in the vote, but trustee Wade Steen abstained.
POVERTY
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Thursday issued a special reconnect order, helping Ohioans served by PUCO-regulated utilities through reconnection or maintaining of electric and natural gas service during the winter heating season between Oct. 14, 2024 and April 18, 2025. The provisions in the order can be utilized by residential customers once per winter heating season, and more than 214,000 Ohioans used the special reconnect order in the last cycle. Under the order, customers must pay no more than $175, plus any applicable reconnection charge that cannot exceed $36. If that is more than $36, the balance may be charged to the customer on the customer's next monthly bill. To learn how to apply the order to a bill, customers can contact their utility company during the period. They can also contact PUCO at 800-686-PUCO (7826) or visit PUCO's website at www.PUCO.ohio.gov for questions.
PUBLIC SAFETY
The Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of State Fire Marshal launched a new online interactive dashboard that allows users to easily, quickly and accurately search for grants, with information on the dashboard covering the past five years. The dashboard is available to fire departments, media outlets and the general public, allowing access to up-to-date information regarding grant funding that has been awarded in support of MARCS (Multi-Agency Radio Communications), equipment and training initiatives. Additional features of the dashboard include the ability to sort and filter grants by county and grant type, and also search for grants by individual department. The dashboard is available at www.com.ohio.gov/SFMDashboard.
SPRINGFIELD
In a guest essay published by the New York Times (NYT) Friday, Gov. Mike DeWine said Springfield is not the city "you hear about in social media rumors" and defended its Haitian immigrant community as hard workers present in the U.S. legally amid violence in their home country. Noting he was born in Springfield and that he and Fran DeWine have lived within 10 miles of it all their lives, DeWine said the city has "a rich history of providing refuge for the oppressed and being a place of opportunity" including being a stop on the Underground Railroad and a home to 19th century immigrants from Ireland, Greece, Germany, Italy and other countries. He detailed the city's "serious economic decline" during the 1980s and 1990s but attributed a "resurgence in manufacturing and job creation" in part to the Haitian migrants.
Gov. Mike DeWine is "wrong" to say that Haitian immigrants are living in Springfield legally, vice presidential candidate U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) said in response to the governor's New York Times guest essay. "The 20,000 Haitian migrants who came to Springfield are part of hundreds of thousands of Haitian migrants, part of 25 million illegal aliens in this country," Vance said during a rally in a video posted to YouTube by Forbes. "When the media says that people are here legally, here is what they mean -- that [Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate] Kamala Harris has granted mass amnesty to millions of illegal aliens. I happen to think that what Kamala Harris has done is not just wrong, it is illegal. So when Kamala Harris uses an illegal action to give amnesty to aliens, that does not make them legal immigrants, that makes them illegal immigrants unless you've lost all common sense," Vance said.
Former President Donald Trump and U.S. Sen. JD Vance (R-OH) should be arrested for their "harmful lies" about Haitian immigrants in Springfield and their effect on the community, the Haitian Bridge Alliance said in a filing in the Clark County Municipal Court. The national nonprofit community organization, represented by the Chandra Law Firm, is asking the court to affirm there is probable cause that the Republican presidential and vice presidential candidates committed crimes and to issue arrest warrants for both men. "The criminal charges come after [Trump and Vance] repeatedly made wild accusations that have been repeatedly debunked by both city and state officials and many responsible news outlets," the Chandra Law Firm said. According to the law firm, Haitian Bridge Alliance Executive Director Guerline Jozef filed the criminal charges under the authority granted to private citizens by Ohio Revised Code (ORC) Sections 2935.09 and 2935.10(A).
Citing "immense strain" on local resources due to the influx of Haitian immigrants, U.S. Reps. Mike Carey (R-Columbus), Warren Davidson (R-Troy), Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green), Michael Rulli (R-Salem), Mike Turner (R-Centerville) and Brad Wenstrup (R-Cincinnati) called on the Biden administration to provide emergency federal funds to the city of Springfield. The group sent letters Thursday regarding that request to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra and U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) Secretary Miguel Cardona. In their letters, they said the last four years have seen around 15,000 to 20,000 Haitian migrants move to Springfield, which had a population of 58,000, and now represent at least 30 percent of city residents.
Meanwhile, the governor and First Lady Fran DeWine Thursday introduced a new mobile health clinic in Springfield that will make health care services more accessible for all residents throughout the community. The new mobile health clinic arrived in Springfield Thursday morning and began serving community members in the afternoon -- one week after DeWine announced he was directing the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) to work alongside the Clark County Combined Health District (CCCHD) to acquire and operationalize a mobile health clinic to better manage the demand for health care services in the area. The mobile health clinic will begin by targeting the pressure points currently causing the greatest backlogs, initially offering seasonal vaccinations, vaccines for COVID, flu, and RSV, as well as blood pressure screenings
TAXATION
The City Club of Cleveland held a spirited discussion on state and local tax policy Friday with panelists Greg Lawson, a research fellow at the Buckeye Institute, and Amy Hanauer, executive director of the Institute on Taxation & Economic Policy. Also on the panel were Ohio Association of Foodbanks Executive Director Joree Novotny and Policy Matters Ohio Tax Policy Researcher Bailey Williams. It was moderated by Ohio Public Radio and Television Statehouse News Bureau Chief Karen Kasler.
The Ohio Supreme Court Thursday unanimously ruled that the Ohio Department of Taxation's (ODT) calculations for the tax rate for the clearing of wooded areas of agricultural lands was not based on any data or evidence and ordered the recalculation of those rates based on reliable data and evidence. In an opinion authored by Justice Melody Stewart and joined by all of her colleagues, the Court said that the current agricultural use values (CAUV) for woodlands for tax years 2015-2020 were not "accurate, reliable, and practical" as required by the Ohio Administrative Code. Prior to 2015, the tax commissioner applied a clearing-cost rate of $500 per acre for woodlands. In 2015, the tax commissioner adjusted the rate, doubling it to $1,000. The tax commissioner then carried that rate through to 2020. A number of landowners appealed the $1,000 CAUV to the Ohio Board of Tax Appeals (BTA), claiming that the clearing cost-rate for woodlands was "unreasonable and arbitrary."
[Story originally published in The Hannah Report. Copyright 2024 Hannah News Service, Inc.]