The voter approved amendment that recognizes marriage only as a “union between one man and one woman” could remain in the Ohio Constitution, despite Friday’s landmark ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that requires states to recognize same-sex marriages. The amendment is no longer law, but it cannot be removed from the Ohio Constitution without […]
Ohio Senate approves allowing online voter registrations
June 26, 2015 by
By a nearly unanimous vote, 31-1, the Ohio Senate approved making voter registration in the state available online. The bill, introduced by Republican Sen. Frank LaRose of Summit County, would require the secretary of state to develop an online voter registration system using the Bureau of Motor Vehicles’ database and other state records to verify […]
Final state budget plan calls for higher cigarette tax, large small-business tax cut
June 25, 2015 by
Ohio lawmakers’ final compromise budget plan includes a small-business income-tax cut and a increase on cigarettes, a legislative conference committee revealed late Wednesday night. The committee’s budget plan would also impose new restrictions on abortion clinics, allow later bar hours during the Republican National Convention, provide pay raises for local officials, block journalists’ access to […]
Ohio Senate approves bill banning abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy
June 25, 2015 by
Republicans in the Ohio Senate pushed through legislation that would ban abortions in Ohio after 20 weeks of pregnancy. The legislation, known as the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, would make it a crime — a fourth degree felony — for a physician to perform an abortion if the unborn child is more than 20 […]
With increasing smoking rates, Ohio lawmakers urged to raise cigarette tax higher
June 22, 2015 by
State lawmakers are considering raising Ohio’s cigarette tax by 40 cents per pack, but anti-smoking advocates say such a small increase wouldn’t have much of an impact on public health. Shelly Kiser, director of advocacy for the American Lung Association in Ohio and Michigan, said a 40-cent increase would be a win for tobacco companies. […]
Lawmakers set to start work on merging House, Senate budget proposals
June 19, 2015 by
After months of debate, state lawmakers are in the home stretch of passing a new two-year state budget plan. But there are still major differences between the House and Senate budgets that need to be resolved, including tax reform, education funding, and abortion clinic restrictions. The Ohio Senate is scheduled to pass its $130 billion […]
Local officials would get raise under Senate budget plan
June 18, 2015 by
County officials, township trustees, and municipal court clerks in Ohio would see a 5-percent pay raise each year for the next two years under the Ohio Senate’s budget plan. The proposal, added Wednesday by the Senate Finance Committee to the state’s two-year budget bill, comes on top of an existing budget provision that would give […]
Lawmakers proposing blocking monopolies in Ohio constitution
June 17, 2015 by
Two House lawmakers want to put a constitutional amendment before Ohio voters this fall that would preclude monopolies from being written into the state constitution and could block efforts to legalize marijuana in the state. The effort, endorsed by leadership of the House and the Senate, is not directed specifically at a measure supported by […]
Marion’s State Rep sponsors bill to encourage women entrepreneurs
June 15, 2015 by
The Ohio House of Representatives has passed House Bill 103, legislation that works to connect policymakers and entrepreneurs with the goal of highlighting and assisting Ohio women and their business endeavors. Ohio ranks in the top 10 states for number of women-owned businesses, according to Womenable, an organization that works to support women’s enterprise creation […]
Ohio Senate budget calls for increased police training paid for by local government funds
June 12, 2015 by
The Ohio Senate’s budget plan calls for a five-fold increase in the number of continuing training hours each law enforcement officer in the state must take, as well as a state database to track officer-involved shootings. But local governments will be the ones on the hook for the $17 million price tag during the next […]
