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.
Please feel free to share it with anyone else you believe may find it of interest, as well. Also, please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions, concerns or if we can be of any assistance.
ABORTION
Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio (PPGOH) is now providing same-day abortion services for patients, according to PPGOH Chief Medical Officer Bhavik Kumar. With the Friday, Aug. 23 temporary injunction blocking the mandatory 24-hour forced delay for patients seeking abortion care, PPGOH started to provide same-day care for patients on Monday, Aug. 26, Kumar said. Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge David Young enjoined Ohio's 24-hour mandatory waiting period for abortion services, finding the restriction likely violates the reproductive rights constitutional amendment approved by voters in November 2023.
Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Alison Hatheway issued a preliminary injunction against laws restricting medication abortion, including a measure banning advanced practice clinicians (APCs) from providing medication abortion. The injunction also applies to Ohio's prohibition on prescribing mifepristone for abortion care in any way that differs from the formulation set forth in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) label for the drug. After the passage of the reproductive/abortion rights constitutional amendment, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) added those challenges to pending litigation against the state law prohibiting doctors from providing abortion medication via telehealth. The telehealth ban was enjoined in 2021.
The law requiring that tissue from surgical abortions be cremated or interred should be declared unconstitutional and be permanently enjoined, abortion providers said in the latest filing in their case against 133-SB27 (Uecker). The law has been blocked since April 2021, when Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Alison Hatheway issued a preliminary injunction against SB27. "The law at issue in this case, SB27, discriminates against abortion patients, providers and facilities by singling out tissue from procedural abortion for restrictive disposal requirements that do not apply to any other tissue, including identical tissue from other medical procedures, such as miscarriage management, where the provider often utilizes a procedure identical to procedural abortion, and in vitro fertilization (IVF)," the court filing says.
ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE ABUSE
A new initiative announced by Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday seeks to create job opportunities for people in recovery from a substance use disorder or a mental health condition by recognizing qualifying employers as an Ohio Recovery Friendly Workplace. The recognition continues the administration's efforts to combat the stigma surrounding addiction and mental illness in the workplace and provide a boost to Ohio businesses. DeWine called on all Ohio businesses to implement recovery-friendly practices and to earn this designation.
ARTS, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
The Cleveland Browns will play at "Huntington Bank Field" for at least the next 20 years, the NFL team and Huntington National Bank announced. As part of the new partnership, Huntington Bank will also become the team's official and exclusive banking partner, the company said. "The Cleveland Browns are iconic in American sports and a globally recognized brand," Huntington Bank Chair, President and CEO Steve Steinour said. The deal was announced as the Browns are working with Cleveland, Cuyahoga County and the state of Ohio on funding for a new stadium.
ATTORNEY GENERAL
Attorney General Dave Yost filed a response Friday in support of a filing that opposes the closure of hospitals in Trumbull County by Texas-based Steward Health Care. Steward announced on Aug. 21 its intent to close Trumbull Regional Medical Center, Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital and other satellite facilities in Trumbull County following Steward's declaration of bankruptcy earlier this year. A group including Warren City Hospital Inc., Western Reserve Health Education Inc., the city of Warren and Trumbull County filed their joint objection to the Notices of Closure by Steward in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas. Their objection seeks to extend the time of the proposed Sept. 20 closure deadline to Nov. 20 to facilitate a bid for the health care facilities.
BALLOT ISSUES
Attorney General Dave Yost Tuesday filed a motion with the Ohio Supreme Court seeking to throw out a filing by the two Democratic members of the Ohio Ballot Board in a lawsuit challenging the ballot language adopted by the board for Issue 1. Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) and Rep. Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) filed their own response to the lawsuit last week, saying that they have concerns about the process by which the ballot language for the redistricting amendment was adopted and the "truthfulness behind the secretary of state's honest and fair consideration of the language proposed by the ballot issue committee." They also called Yost's refusal to provide them outside counsel to represent their interests a "deliberate political maneuver" that is "in contravention to prior precedent." In his filing, Yost argues that the "non-prevailing members of a multimember public body" may not appear in court to challenge the actions of that body.
The Black Equity and Redistricting Fund, which was co-founded by former Ohio Rep. John Barnes (D-Cleveland) and Sherry Gay-Danogo, a former Democratic member of the Michigan House of Representatives, filed an amicus brief in a case before the Ohio Supreme Court, supporting the ballot language adopted by the Ohio Ballot Board for redistricting amendment Issue 1. The brief argues that Citizens Not Politicians, the group behind Issue 1, "desperately try to disguise their proposed constitutional amendment as something other than what it truly is; namely, a proposed constitutional amendment that will enshrine gerrymandering into Ohio's constitution. Although relators attempt to explain away that obvious conclusion, the truth is that their proposal will indeed require gerrymandering, and the ballot board has correctly made that fact clear in the certified ballot language it adopted for Ohio's voters to see at the Nov. 5, 2024, general election.”
CHILDREN/FAMILIES
More than a full year after its creation in HB33 (Edwards), the Department of Children and Youth (DCY) hosted Ohio's inaugural Kids Summit Thursday to encourage children's services agencies from counties and regions throughout the state to streamline the systems that support Ohio youth and their families. "We are thankful for the work that is being done every day in communities across Ohio to protect our kids and make Ohio the best place in the nation to raise a family," said Gov. Mike DeWine. "We hope today's planning sessions provide opportunities to learn from one another, to push each other to innovate, and to share new ideas that will keep Ohio on the cutting-edge of the best strategies to help children and families." In the summit's opening address, DeWine told more than 800 local officials representing children services, the judicial system, law enforcement, parent and family advocates and social workers, "you're the ones who make it happen," when it comes to the state of Ohio's renewed focus on better serving the state's children.
DEATH PENALTY
Ohio Death Row has one fewer inmate after a retired judge released once-convicted "railroad spike killer" David Lee Myers of Greene County from three decades of incarceration based on new DNA evidence. Myers, 59, was convicted in 1996 for the 1988 murder of 18-year-old Amanda Maher in Xenia. She was found strangled with a railroad spike through her temple. He was seen with her near the abandoned rail bed shortly before her discovery around 3 a.m., but partner Elizabeth Smith of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease in Columbus says genetic tests from 2020 show DNA on the rail spike and rock used in the attack do not match Myers'. With Myers' release, Ohio Death Row currently sits at 115 inmates.
EDUCATION
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost followed up his cease-and-desist letter sent to the Columbus City Schools early in the week to resume transporting hundreds of charter-school and private-school students with a petition for a writ of mandamus in the Ohio Supreme Court on Thursday. Yost said that the mandamus petition "seeks to compel Columbus City Schools to immediately provide transportation to and from charter and private schools for each student whose family has requested mediation regarding bus service until the mediation is resolved. It also demands that the district provide lists of students for whom they deem transportation to be 'impractical' to the charter and private schools, as the district failed to provide legally required notice to many affected families of their right to request mediation." Yost maintains the district is legally obligated to provide transportation for nonpublic school students who live within district boundaries and are no more than 30 minutes from the public school to which they would be assigned if they attended. However, he said the district stopped complying with the law just before the 2024-25 academic year started and provided little notice to the parents of the affected schoolchildren. He also noted that, contrary to Ohio law, the district is refusing to transport the children while their parents are challenging the district's decision.
As Yost squares off with Columbus City Schools on its decision to declare busing "impractical" for charter and private school students, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) is evaluating 13 transportation complaints filed against the district. DEW enforces state laws and regulations on student transportation, which generally obligate students' districts of residence to transport them to their charter or private school but also provide avenues for schools to pay parents in lieu of transportation when they determine transportation is impractical. Districts are to consider several factors in making such a determination under ORC 3327.02, including time, distance, cost, availability of other transportation options and whether transporting choice students "unavoidably disrupts" existing transportation schedules. Columbus' recent board of education meetings have included consideration of resolutions declaring transportation impractical.
Lakota Local Schools wrongly withheld a letter about a potential legal dispute with its then-superintendent requested under public records law by a district parent, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled Tuesday. In an unsigned opinion, justices ordered Lakota to turn over what was described as a "demand letter" threatening to sue the district sent by Elizabeth Tuck, an attorney for former Superintendent Matt Miller, to lawyers for Lakota. They also found that Lakota had initially redacted too much information from legal invoices requested by resident Vanessa Wells, though the district later turned over additional copies with less extensive redactions. Justices also awarded Wells $2,000 in statutory damages and granted her attorney fees related to her request for the letter but denied an award of fees for the invoices.
DEW is seeking feedback on gifted education through a survey that is open until Friday, Oct. 4. DEW said it is seeking stakeholder input on successes, challenges and needed improvement. The survey was developed with the help of the Gifted Advisory Council. It has about 40 questions. The survey can be found at https://tinyurl.com/4ub48hvk.
DEW is taking nominations until Monday, Sept. 30 for the Recognizing Inspirational School Employees (RISE) awards, which are overseen by the U.S. Department of Education. The awards are to honor classified school employees who provide exemplary service. More information about the award and nomination forms are at https://tinyurl.com/ekmpr3w3.
The Division of State Fire Marshal within the Ohio Department of Commerce (DOC) is overseeing its annual Fire Safety Poster Contest, in which students submit poster artwork on fire prevention to their local fire department. Posters are to be turned over to participating local fire departments by Monday, Sept. 30. Those departments will then submit two winning posters to the State Fire Marshal's Office by Friday, Nov. 15. The office will establish a committee to judge finalists, and winners will receive awards in the spring. More information and contest rules are at https://tinyurl.com/883wzhpa.
The Ohio Supreme Court sided with state appellate districts Wednesday in a ruling affecting hundreds of property owners and setting precedent in a dozen cases held for decision in Marysville Exempted Village Schools Board of Education v. Union County Board of Revision, et al. Justices said the school district was right to argue 134-HB126's (Merrin) limits on property valuation challenges do not apply to tax complaints filed before its effective date and therefore do not restrict appeals from those complaints filed after July 21, 2022.
ELECTIONS 2024
A drop box can only be used by an individual returning their personal ballot, according to a new directive from Secretary of State Frank LaRose. Individuals delivering the ballot of a relative or a disabled voter are now required to enter the county board of elections office and complete an attestation form that they are complying with applicable laws, LaRose said in the directive to county boards of elections. County boards of elections are required to provide voter assistants with an attestation form that declares they have been lawfully designated to assist a family member with the return of an absentee ballot or they are assisting a voter with disabilities, under penalty of election falsification, which is a fifth-degree felony.
U.S. District Court Judge Michael Watson has enjoined the state from enforcing special session law HB1 (Seitz) against foreign nationals' contributing to ballot issue campaigns. In his decision issued on Saturday, Aug. 31 -- one day before the law was scheduled to take effect -- Watson wrote that the law likely violates the First Amendment rights of lawful permanent residents (LPRs), also known as green card holders, who are included in the law's definition of "foreign national." Watson pointed to several noncitizens who have served in the U.S. military, including an LPR who earned the Congressional Medal of Honor for his service as a medic during the Vietnam War. Watson said this injunction is the "narrowest remedy available" to the court. Attorney General Dave Yost had filed a motion on Monday, Sept. 2 asking Watson to issue a stay of his injunction while the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals considers the state's appeal.
Two incumbent justices – Justices Melody Stewart and Michael Donnelly -- outraised their opponents during the month of August in their hotly contested re-election campaigns, according to new campaign finance reports. Wednesday was the deadline for statewide candidates to report contributions received during the month of August. For the 2024 election, only the candidates for three Ohio Supreme Court seats on the Nov. 5 ballot were required to file a report. Despite raising more than their opponents over the month, two of the three Democratic Court candidates trailed in cash on hand.
Four of Ohio's largest business organizations Wednesday announced their endorsement of the three Republicans running for Ohio Supreme Court. The Ohio Chamber of Commerce, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) Ohio, Ohio Business Roundtable and Ohio Farm Bureau are supporting Justice Joe Deters, Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Megan Shanahan and Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Dan Hawkins. Deters is running against Justice Melody Stewart; Shanahan is challenging Justice Michael Donnelly; and Hawkins' opponent is Eighth District Court of Appeals Judge Lisa Forbes. Deters, Hawkins and Shanahan were all present for the event, and provided brief remarks.
An independent candidate's challenge of his failure to make the ballot for the 99th Ohio House District was rejected by the Ohio Supreme Court Wednesday. Justin Tjaden asked the Court for a writ of mandamus ordering his name to be placed on the Tuesday, Nov. 5 ballot as an independent candidate after the Geauga and Ashtabula county boards of elections rejected his petition after determining he was 124 valid signatures short of the number required to qualify for the ballot. Tjaden argued to the Court that the county boards exceeded their statutory authority by striking signatures on his petitions as "not genuine." He also contested the premise that 495 was the correct number of signatures he needed to obtain to qualify for the ballot. However, the Court struck his evidence that purported to show how many signatures were required, saying it was filed untimely under the Court's deadline for the submission of evidence and that it did not follow Supreme Court rules of practice. In its per curiam opinion, the Court found that even if it were to hold all 66 signatures ruled by the boards as "not genuine," he would still not have enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The following endorsements were made over the week:
Abortion Forward endorsed Melody Stewart, Michael Donnelly and Lisa Forbes for Ohio Supreme Court; Sherrod Brown for U.S. Senate; Greg Landsman, Samantha Meadows, Joyce Beatty, Vanessa Enoch, Amy Cox, Shontel Brown, Jerrad Christian, Emilia Sykes and Adam Miller for U.S. House; Willis Blackshear Jr., Beth Liston, Casey Weinstein and Ari Faber for Ohio Senate; and Dontavius Jarrells, Latyna Humphrey, Ismail Mohamed, Beryl Brown Piccolantonio, Meredith Lawson-Rowe, Christine Cockley, Allison Russo, Anita Somani, Crystal Lett, Tristan Rader, Bride Rose Sweeney, Juanita Brent, Phil Robinson, Eric Synenberg, Darnell Brewer, Dani Isaacsohn, Cecil Thomas, Rachel Baker, Karen Brownlee, A.J. Harris, Jim Colopy, Mark Curtis, Rose Lounsbury, Desiree Tims, Dion Green, Erika White, Michele Grim, Landon Meador, Genevieve Flieger, Laura Davis, Cleveland Canova, Laura Schaeffer, Rachael Morocco, David Hogan, Lauren Mathews, Jamie Hough, Sheila Coressel, Arienne Childrey, and Victoria Maddox for Ohio House.
The Ohio Right to Life Society announced its opposition to redistricting amendment Issue 1.
ENERGY/UTILITIES
A Statehouse delegation from FirstEnergy territory pressed company executives and state regulators Wednesday on the adequacy of utility investments in Ohio's distribution infrastructure and vegetation management to mitigate the kind of high winds and tornadoes hitting northeast areas of the state in early August. Senate Minority Whip Kent Smith (D-Euclid) and Reps. Sean Brennan (D-Parma) and Dan Troy (D-Willowick), both members of the House Public Utilities Committee, addressed FirstEnergy Ohio President Torrence Hinton and other company officials at a special hearing of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) dedicated to the "microburst" slamming greater Cleveland and surrounding areas on Aug. 6.
The legislators followed an hour-long presentation by Hinton, Vice President Patricia Mullin of FirstEnergy's Ohio Operations, Director John Huber of its Emergency Preparedness Office, and General Manager Tyler Woody of the company's Distribution Vegetation Management Program. Hinton, who arrived at FirstEnergy in June, two months before the catastrophic event, said "historic" tornadoes and straight-line wind gusts exceeding 100 mph were the worst to hit Northeast Ohio in more than three decades, outstripping Hurricane Ike in 2008 and Hurricane Sandy in 2011. He noted that National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) modeling on which national weather forecasters and FirstEnergy relied had underestimated the storm's intensity by 33-66 percent.
The PUCO awarded nearly $800,000 in hazardous material training grants to 27 applicants, with over half of that going to Cleveland State University (CSU). Awards support training for public safety and emergency services personnel in the management of hazmat spills and releases during transportation. Coursework may cover first response awareness, operations and technicians, highway response specialists, incident command and tank car specialists, intermodal hazardous materials, incident response, railway response, and planning and survey studies.
GAMING/GAMBLING
Ohioans would be able to play casino games like blackjack and roulette on their phones under legislation introduced by Sen. Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg) on Wednesday. The legislation, SB312, would require the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) to offer permits to casino license holders to provide Internet casino gambling, also known as "iGaming."
GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE
The Ohio House plans to meet in session four times before year's end, all in the post-election lame duck period, though three tentative sessions are also on the calendar. The schedule gives the chamber fewer planned sessions than the Senate, aside from the fallback dates. The House clerk Tuesday released a second-half schedule listing sessions for the following Wednesdays: Nov. 20, Dec. 4, Dec. 11 and Dec. 18. If-needed sessions are set for Tuesday, Dec. 3; Tuesday, Dec. 10; and Thursday, Dec. 19. Like the Senate, the House will not have sessions the week of Thanksgiving.
A unanimous three-judge panel of the 10th Ohio District Court of Appeals Thursday ruled that the dispute over who controls the Ohio House Republican Alliance (OHRA) caucus fund is not a question for the courts to answer. Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) and other rivals of House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) had turned to state courts after Plummer was elected chair of OHRA during a meeting of a majority of the House Republican Caucus in April, but Stephens refused to relent control, saying he is in charge of the fund because of his position as speaker. A Franklin County Common Pleas Court, citing the vote of the meeting, ruled in favor of Plummer and enjoined Stephens from controlling the campaign fund. On Thursday, however, the 10th District Court of Appeals reversed that decision and dismissed the case, ruling that the case "presents a nonjusticiable political question."
Plummer released a statement saying the ruling "makes clear that Jason Stephens has no legal ability to interfere" with the efforts of OHRA and that he remains in control of the fund. "Under Chairman Plummer's leadership, OHRA is working aggressively to elect Republicans to the House, and remains in control of OHRA's finances, offices, and all other assets. Chairman Plummer has retained four full-time staffers and numerous campaign managers in every targeted race, and that important work will continue," the statement says. "While we disagree with the court that this issue is nonjusticiable, it has no practical effect on the ongoing operations of OHRA under Chairman Plummer."
A search committee met Wednesday to approve a job description and discuss the timeline for hiring a successor to Capital Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) Executive Director Laura Battocletti, who will retire in about three months. House Speaker Pro Tem Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton), chair of CSRAB, also chairs the search committee. Other members include Senate Clerk Vincent Keeran, House Clerk Brad Young and Stephanie McCloud, chief of staff to Gov. Mike DeWine. The position description calls for candidates with "a clear dedication to the Ohio Statehouse as well as a strong desire to manage the preservation of the complex," among other desired characteristics. The description was amended by search committee members before approval to add "other duties as assigned." While the committee did not formally take action on the timeline, they did decide to remove a proposed start date of Monday, Nov. 4. Oelslager said the board is hoping to have some overlap between the new person and Battocletti, who will leave Friday, Dec. 13.
HANNAH NEWS RACES TO WATCH
State Rep. Sean Brennan (D-Parma) faces off this November against Republican challenger David Morgan in Ohio House District 14. In 2022, Brennan, a former American government and social studies teacher and Parma City Council president, easily won out over Republican Jolene Austin, but the Northeast Ohio district has since been redrawn and is slightly less favorable to Democrats. According to the 2024 Ohio Election Guide, published by the Ohio Manufacturers' Association (OMA) and compiled with assistance from Hannah News, the district has a political Republican index of 48.38 percent. The redrawn Ohio House District 14 includes Parma and Parma Heights, parts of Old Brooklyn and Brooklyn Center as well as Clark Fulton. In an interview with Hannah News, Brennan touted his record. Two of his bills have been signed into law -- HB195 (Demetriou-Brennan), to create an adaptive mobility dealer license, and HB466 (Schmidt-Brennan), regarding written agency agreements for licensed brokers. Meanwhile, Morgan told Hannah News he was inspired to run after the U.S. exit from Afghanistan in 2021, saying better leadership was needed at all levels of government. Morgan previously ran for the Statehouse in 2022 but was defeated in the primary. This time around, he did not face a challenger and said his relationship with the Ohio Republican Party has been "a little bit better" than it was in his last race.
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
To treat cancer well, health care professionals should take care of a patient's whole health including not only a patient's presenting symptoms, but also factors like their and their family's medical history, their diet and activity level and their environment. Such data is key to treating cancer patients effectively, said Dr. Megan Kruse of the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Institute at a panel Wednesday hosted by the American Cancer Society Action Network. Kruse said in the field of cancer treatment, she's most hopeful about being able to give confidence to a patient that health care professionals understand their disease in a tailored way. As recently as a few decades ago, chemotherapy was used to treat every patient with cancer. But Kruse said in the past 10-15 years, professionals have realized many patients, particularly women, don't need chemotherapy, especially as overtreatment with chemotherapy is a "problem."
INTEL
The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) highlighted Intel's projected 20-year, $20 billion contribution to state economic goals and Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC) backing Wednesday in approving discounted electric rates for the company's future semiconductor facilities in Central Ohio. State regulators said Intel expects to generate 7,000 temporary construction jobs, 3,000 permanent plant jobs and 10,000 indirect and support jobs in the state's "Silicon Heartland." That translates to $2.57 billion in economic activity during the building phase and $6.45 billion annually when its fabrication facilities or "fabs" are in operation -- the latter figures confirmed by JobsOhio. American Electric Power (AEP) of Ohio in turn will invest $95.1 million in distribution infrastructure, including a new electric substation, to handle up to 500 megawatts (MW) for semiconductor manufacturing and other operations at the 1,000-acre site.
JUVENILE JUSTICE
Gov. Mike DeWine's Juvenile Justice Working Group presented the Legislature with a long list of asks Tuesday to improve services in the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS), county juvenile detention centers (JDC) and community correction facilities (CCF). DeWine said he'll use $287 million in capital funds to begin decommissioning the three DYS lockups in favor of "numerous, smaller" facilities and seek legislation to keep all first-time, non-violent fourth- and fifth-degree felony juvenile offenders at home, in addition to replacing mandatory confinement of gun-involved youth with judicial discretion. The governor joined DYS Director Amy Ast and former DYS/Ohio Department of Public Safety director and working group Chair Tom Stickrath at DPS to present 26 formal workgroup recommendations ranging from youth funding, facility management and staff training/recruitment. The first recommendation calls for an "appropriate size, number and design" of regional DYS facilities along with "siting, timelines and costs" -- both capital and operational. The administration will launch youth "System Transformation," as it's dubbed, by closing the 180-bed Cuyahoga Hills Juvenile Correctional Facility and replacing it with four 36-bed locations.
LOBBYISTS
Reese Gallagher, former senior legislative aide to Sen. Bob Hackett (R-London), has joined Sean P. Dunn & Associates. While with Hackett, Gallagher worked on his priorities in both the capital and operating budgets and served as clerk of the Senate Insurance Committee, which Hackett chairs. Gallagher also served as an LSC Fellow prior to joining Hackett and previously interned with both Gov. Mike DeWine's office and the Governmental Policy Group.
MARIJUANA/HEMP
The Ohio Department of Commerce (DOC) Division of Cannabis Control (DCC) has started to notify eligible 10(B) dispensaries that they have qualified for a provisional license, DOC spokesperson Tom Brockman told Hannah News on Thursday. "It should be noted that the awarding of provisional licenses for 10(B) facilities will not occur within the same time frame as those issued to dual-use dispensaries by the division in the initial wave," Brockman said. "Those dual-use facilities previously existed and were already operating under the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program. The first wave of 10(B) provisional licenses will go to those who have already proved site control, compliance with any local zoning or other ordinances and have provided a survey showing that they are at least 500 feet from any prohibited facility (church/school, etc.)."
MENTAL HEALTH
Ohio and the nation will observe Sunday, Sept. 8 as the first annual 988 Day to increase awareness of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. With a theme of "No Judgement. Just Help," communities across the country are helping to raise awareness about the availability of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by using the social media hashtag #988Day. To learn more about Ohio's suicide prevention efforts visit www.988.ohio.gov.
NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES (NCSL)
The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) relaunched its guide designed to educate state policymakers about scope of practice issues related to a range of non-physician health care practitioners who provide important services and can improve access to care. The Scope of Practice Policy Resource Center, which can be found at https://tinyurl.com/ahvhj28k, features information regarding the scope of practice for providers such as behavioral health providers, advanced practice registered nurses, optometrists, oral health providers, pharmacists and physician assistants.
NATURAL RESOURCES
Orange safety vests will soon be seen in hunting areas around Ohio. September marks the beginning of hunting season for several species in the state. Sept. 1 marked the opening of the season for some species, while more hunting seasons will open later in the month.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Ohio Wildlife Council is taking comment on rule changes including dates for Ohio's spring 2025 turkey hunting season and minimum length requirements for fishing certain species before the council's next meeting in October. In addition, the council finalized the rule changes it will consider at its next meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 30. All rule changes up for consideration can be found at https://tinyurl.com/2tvxcrr2.
OCCUPATIONS AND PROFESSIONS
More Ohioans in more professions will have greater freedom to practice their craft elsewhere, and out-of-staters to practice here, as lawmakers added more interstate licensure compacts to the Revised Code this session after starting the project in earnest in 2021. Most have passed with relative ease, but a handful of the licensure proposals are in limbo. The following are among licensure compact laws enacted this session: SB28 (Roegner), the Physician Assistant Compact; SB40 (Roegner), the Dentists and Dental Hygienist Compact; SB56 (Roegner), the Interstate Massage Compact; SB90 (Roegner), the Social Work Licensure Compact; and HB158 (Roemer-Miller), the Cosmetology Licensure Compact [originally introduced as SB89 (Roegner)].
POLITICS
The Ohio Democratic Party (ODP) Executive Committee met recently, approving endorsements in five State Board of Education (SBOE) races and remaining neutral in the District 6 race. The committee also rescinded its endorsement of House District 50 candidate Doremus Redvine, a move that ODP Chair Liz Walters said was rarely done. House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Columbus) told the committee this recommendation was not being made lightly. She explained that the original Democratic candidate for that seat, Vanessa Joy, had been removed due to Ohio's name change law. Redvine qualified as a write-in candidate but has been involved in "some very serious legal proceedings for which he has pleaded guilty," Russo continued.
In the SBOE races, the ODP endorsed four candidates who were the sole Democrat for their race. Those were Kristie Reighard, District 1; Mary Binegar, District 5; Rhonda Johnson, District 7; and Karen Lloyd, District 8. David Farrell, chair of the screening committee, said two candidates for the District 11 race were interviewed and the screening committee's unanimous recommendation was to endorse Delores Ford. The ODP Executive Committee approved that motion. The final recommendation was to be "neutral" in the District 6 race, Farrell said, allowing the local county parties in that district to make their own decision. He said that the screening committee had interviewed one candidate, David Donofrio.
Three former Ohio attorneys general discussed the current political climate and how civility can return to the forefront in the Columbus Metropolitan Club's forum Wednesday. They included Lee Fisher, a Democrat; Betty Montgomery, a Republican; and Nancy Rogers, who was appointed to the position in an interim role after the resignation of Marc Dann in 2008. The discussion was moderated by Judge Laurel Beatty Blunt of the 10th District Court of Appeals. Fisher and Montgomery opened by sharing how they knew each other from the Legislature before the 1994 election in which Montgomery unseated Fisher, with both speaking highly of the other's campaign. Fisher said he was committed to providing the "most professional" transition effort possible and that the two had a deeper friendship afterward, with Montgomery saying Fisher had faced a strong Republican wave in 1994. Rogers added she received advice from Fisher and Montgomery after taking office.
PUBLIC SAFETY
The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) reported that 15 people lost their lives in 15 traffic crashes over the Labor Day weekend, Friday, Aug. 30 at midnight to Monday, Sept. 2 at 11:59 p.m. Seven who died were unbelted in crashes where safety harnesses were present. Throughout the weekend, troopers issued more than 2,000 safety belt and child safety seat citations.
STATE GOVERNMENT
The Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS) recently released its FY24 annual report, detailing work in the areas of information technology (IT), human capital and planning, the General Services Division, and other agency operations. A breakdown of DAS spending during FY24 was also provided in the report. In the introduction, DAS Director Kathleen Madden said the department has worked to promote "responsible stewardship" of state resources through centralizing and streamlining common government business functions.
TECHNOLOGY/AEROSPACE
The DeWine administration announced Thursday that Akron will serve as the state's third innovation hub, receiving $31.25 million in state funds and over $10 million in local investment with a focus on research and development of polymer technology. This follows a July announcement by the Biden administration that around $51 million in CHIPS Act funds would be provided for a Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub there. The Greater Akron Polymer Innovation Hub will be led by over 70 partner agencies making up the "Polymer Industry Cluster." Those include the city of Akron, Summit County, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, Bridgestone Americas, Synthomer, the University of Akron (UA) and the Greater Akron Chamber which will lead the Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub effort as well. A "significant portion" of state funds will go to construction of a Polymer Pilot Plant, according to the DeWine administration. That will provide a centralized location where partners will focus on polymer innovations related to health care, mobility, electronics, semiconductors, industrial materials and energy.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Meketa Investment Group is the new general investment consultant for the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC). The BWC Board of Directors unanimously voted on Friday to enter into a five-year contract with the firm, with options for two one-year renewals. Meketa's contractor retainer fees are $480,000 for the first year, $495,000 for year two, $510,000 for year three, $525,000 for year four, $540,000 for year five, $555,000 for the first one-year renewal and $570,000 for the second one-year renewal, according to a document provided by BWC. The fee for asset liability studies for all trust funds is $90,000. The contract with Meketa began on Sunday, Sept. 1 and runs through Friday, Aug. 31, 2029, BWC Investment Committee Chair Mark Palmer said. In other action, the BWC Board approved a zero percent rate change for public employers for the policy year beginning Jan. 1, 2025.
[Story originally published in The Hannah Report. Copyright 2023 Hannah News Service, Inc.]