Representative Monica Robb Blasdel - District 79

COLUMBUS—The Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 289, legislation aimed at making Ohio communities safer by updating Ohio’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification (SORN) laws. 

As we reflect on the one-year anniversary of the East Palestine train derailment, I wanted to take the opportunity to share some updates as the community continues to heal and move forward. In the time since the accident, it has been encouraging to see so much progress being made in the Village and surrounding areas, knowing there is still a lot of work left to do.

Throughout this ordeal, it has been heartening to witness the outpouring of support from individuals across the state and beyond. Allies have rallied around the community, extending helping hands to ensure our local businesses continue to operate smoothly; guaranteeing that children could continue participating in sports and maintaining a semblance of normalcy; and providing assistance with essential services. The solidarity shown has been refreshing.

At the Statehouse earlier this year, we worked through the State Transportation Budget to implement new rail safety standards aimed at safeguarding the passage of cargo through Ohio. While these represent significant steps that we can take here in our great state, progress at the federal level has unfortunately been stalled. We will continue to encourage our federal partners to pass the Railway Safety Act of 2023.