The Ohio House of Representatives on Tuesday passed legislation that would allow concealed handguns to be taken into day-care centers, public buildings, airports outside security checkpoints, and publicly accessible areas of police stations. House Bill 48, which now faces an uncertain fate in the Ohio Senate, would also give public and private universities and colleges […]
Ohio House votes to block funds to Planned Parenthood
November 18, 2015 by
The Ohio House on Tuesday advanced a bill to block state and federal dollars from reaching Planned Parenthood in response to controversial undercover videos released this summer by anti-abortion advocates. House Bill 294 would redirect state-administered grants — about $1.3 million last year — to federally qualified health centers, health departments, and other facilities that […]
Petition language certified for ballot issue that would raise Ohio’s minimum wage to $12 per hour
October 26, 2015 by
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine on Friday certified petition language for a proposed constitutional amendment that would increase the minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2021. DeWine does not judge the merit of proposed amendments — only whether the summary that will appear on petitions accurately describes the proposed ballot issue. The measure now […]
Ohio Senate votes to defund Planned Parenthood
October 22, 2015 by
The Ohio Senate on Wednesday quickly passed legislation to block state funding for Planned Parenthood’s health education and prevention programs. Senate Bill 214 passed the Republican-controlled Senate along party lines in a 23-10 vote and now heads to the House for consideration. The bill would redirect about $1.3 million annually from Planned Parenthood to federally […]
Ohio bills would increase penalties for strangulation, require coverage for autism
October 21, 2015 by
New Ohio House legislation would require insurance companies to continue providing coverage – and guarantee minimum benefits – for clients diagnosed with autism. Other recently introduced bills in the Ohio General Assembly would toughen penalties for strangulation and prevent radio and TV stations in the state from imposing non-compete provisions in their contracts with reporters […]
Rep. Pelanda says her Bill strengthens Ohio’s record sealing law
October 12, 2015 by
State Representative Dorothy Pelanda (R-Marysville) has announced that the Ohio House has passed House Bill 164, legislation that strengthens Ohio’s Conviction Record Sealing Law. Rep. Pelanda was a joint sponsor of the bill. House Bill 164 alters the Conviction Record Sealing Law to allow a person who is convicted of an offense to apply to […]
Ohio AG urges passage of Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015
October 5, 2015 by
Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced today that he is urging the leadership of the Committee on the Judiciary for the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to pass the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2015. Attorney General DeWine and attorneys general from 36 other states plus the District of Columbia today sent a […]
Marijuana group collects signatures for Fresh Start Act
September 23, 2015 by
The group behind November’s marijuana legalization initiative said Tuesday it had collected more than enough signatures to advance a separate measure that would allow marijuana convictions to be purged. ResponsibleOhio, the group backing Issue 3, said it collected 236,759 signatures of registered Ohio voters to put the Fresh Start Act before state lawmakers next year […]
Marion’s State Rep working on state’s Criminal Justice Recodification Committee
September 11, 2015 by
State Representative Dorothy Pelanda (R-Marysville) Thursday joined Ohio Senate President Keith Faber (R-Celina) and other state leaders at a press conference to officially announce the implementation of the Criminal Justice Recodification Committee, which is tasked with modernizing and improving the Ohio Revised Code. Rep. Pelanda, who is a member of the committee, spoke to the […]
Ohio lawmakers propose drug testing some welfare recipients, Crawford County volunteers for pilot
August 5, 2015 by
Two Republican state lawmakers are reviving a plan to drug test welfare recipients to ensure taxpayer money is going to families who need help and not drug dealers. Reps. Ron Maag of Salem Township and Tim Schaffer of Lancaster said Tuesday they will introduce a bill establishing a pilot program in three counties and appropriating […]
