Brigid Kelly News

State Reps. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) and Kent Smith (D-Euclid) will join Center for American Progress and Policy Matters Ohio for a news conference on Tuesday, April 3 at 1:00 p.m. in the Harding Senate Press Room to discuss public employee overtime wage protection legislation.

Ohio House Democratic lawmakers this evening responded to Gov. Kasich’s annual State of the State address in Westerville, Ohio. Though the governor touted a comeback for the Buckeye State, House Democrats noted that Ohioans disproportionately face lower quality-of-life standards than the rest of the nation. 

State Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) and Democratic House members from across the state today issued statements in support of the Working People’s Day of Action planned for Saturday, February 24 at the Ohio Statehouse. The Ohio march comes on the heels of the introduction of six Republican-sponsored constitutional amendments to implement so-called “right to work” legislation and other workplace restrictions in the Buckeye State. 

“Instead of revisiting divisive anti-worker policies of the past—policies Ohio voters overwhelmingly rejected—we should focus on commonsense ideas to grow our economy and create good-paying jobs that give working families the opportunity to get ahead and plan for the future,” said state Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati). “By standing up with hardworking men and women, we can build an economy that works for everyone, not just those at the top.”

State Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) today commended the Ohio Tax Credit Authority’s approval of a 1.551 percent, eight-year Job Creation Tax Credit for St. Bernard Soap Company in Hamilton County.

“St. Bernard Soap Company’s long standing professional excellence deem them more than worthy of this opportunity to grow,” said Kelly. “Successful and unique businesses are an essential asset in the Cincinnati region, and it is critical to recognize those that are making a considerable mark in shaping the community’s economic future. I’m excited to see what’s next for St. Bernard Soap Company and look forward to more high quality jobs coming to my district.”

Ohio House Democratic Leader Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton) and Democratic Assistant Whip Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) issued the following joint statement today in response to six proposed anti-worker state constitutional amendments:

“Taxpayers expect us to work together to increase opportunity and create jobs with wages and benefits that can sustain a family. These anti-worker, anti-family restrictions will do the exact opposite. Dangerous, divisive bills like these will only push our economy further out of balance and make people more poor and less safe on the job.”

The restrictions, introduced by state Rep. John Becker (R- Union Township), range from Right-to-Work-is-Wrong for public and private sector workers to outlawing project labor agreements, or terms and conditions of construction projects that encourage careers in the skilled trades and ensure projects are completed on time and under budget.

Over 2 million Ohio taxpayers overwhelmingly rejected similar attacks on working people in 2011, handing the Republican legislature a 62 to 38-percent defeat at the ballot box with a citizen-led repeal of Senate Bill 5.

We know that emergency service personnel - and military service members - make important contributions to our communities every day. Whether a crime in progress, a house on fire, an injury to a loved one, or the ongoing protection of our state and nation, these individuals and their families make great sacrifice to serve.

State Reps. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) and Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) today announced the introduction of Gender Pay Disparity Task Force legislation, a bill that seeks to analyze the extent of gender pay discrimination and report to the General Assembly legislative recommendations on how to close the gap. 

State Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) and supporters of House Bill 61, a bipartisan bill to exempt feminine hygiene products from the state sales tax, were available to press for questions and comments immediately following testimony on the bill in the House Ways and Means Committee. The bill’s second hearing comes less than a month after the Ohio House passed similar legislation exempting optical aids from the sales tax.