Cecil Thomas News

COLUMBUS, OHIO – State Representative Beth Lear (R-Galena) this week announced her support for the passage of three significant pieces of legislation aimed at expanding Ohioans’ personal freedoms, protecting vulnerable children, and modernizing state law to reflect advances in technology and air mobility.

COLUMBUS – State Representative Beth Lear (R-Galena) today voted in support of two initiatives that continue the Ohio House Majority Caucus’s leadership on delivering property tax relief to Ohioans with more than $2.4 billion in savings. 

COLUMBUS –State Representatives Beth Lear (R-Galena) and Meredith Craig (R-Smithville) this week introduced House Bill 513, legislation designed to give local governments the freedom to decide for themselves whether to apply prevailing wage standards on public projects.

State Representative Beth Lear (R-Galena) today voted in support of House Bill 162 – the My Child-My Chart Act – legislation that works to allow parents to access their child’s medical charts. 

COLUMBUS – State Representatives Beth Lear (R-Galena) and Monica Robb Blasdel (R-New Waterford) this week introduced House Bill 498, the Ohio Self Defense Act, to ensure Ohioans are fully protected when exercising their right to self-defense. 

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) today announced that the Ohio Controlling Board has approved more than $1M in funding to support critical infrastructure improvements and behavioral health housing projects in Hamilton County.

State Representative Beth Lear (R-Galena) is pleased to share that the month of September officially marks the beginning of Ohio’s fall hunting season.

COLUMBUS — State Reps. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) today announced that House Bill (HB) 359, the Joshua Alert, received a unanimous vote in the Ohio Senate Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee. The legislation now advances to the Senate Chamber for a floor vote.

State Representative Beth Lear (R-Galena) attended the White House State Leadership Conference last week alongside more than 50 Ohio lawmakers and other officials. The conference was organized by the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs to foster collaboration and communication between federal, state and local governments, while providing a forum to discuss shared priorities, policies, and more.

I, State Representative Cecil Thomas, unequivocally condemn all forms of sexual  violence against women and minors. I also strongly denounce the actions alleged  involving the late Cesar Chavez. No individual, regardless of their stature,  influence, or legacy, is above accountability when it comes to protecting the  dignity, safety, and well-being of others.

State Representatives Beth Lear (R-Galena) and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) recently introduced House Bill 262 – legislation that designates the weeks between Mother's Day and Father's Day as "Natural Family Month."

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) today celebrated the Ohio Controlling Board’s approval of $277K for improvements to the Vontz Center for Molecular Studies at the University of Cincinnati. 

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) today heard proponent testimony on bipartisan House Bill (HB) 359, the Joshua Alert. The legislation is designed to create an alert system to help locate missing children with autism. Rep. Thomas stood alongside Jonisa Cook, the mother of Joshua Al-Lateef Jr., as she shared the heartbreaking story of the night her son went missing on November 20, 2024. Her testimony underscored how this legislation is not only critical, but potentially lifesaving.

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) today celebrated the Ohio Controlling Board’s approval of a $200K tech start-up grant for Meteora3D. The grant will help the company commercialize its innovative 3D printing technology that creates anatomical models from X-ray and MRI scans.

COLUMBUS — State Reps. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) and Jennifer Gross (R-West Chester) Wednesday provided sponsor testimony on House Bill (HB) 359, The Joshua Alert, which passed unanimously out of the Ohio House. The two were joined by Joshua’s mother, Jonisa Cook.

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) yesterday joined fellow colleagues, Reps. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp)  and Ashley Bryant Bailey (D-Cincinnati) at a press conference to address concerns surrounding ICE activity and its potential expansion into Ohio communities.

COLUMBUS – The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus today released the following statement on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) today celebrated the approval of a $340k grant awarded to Healthcare Access Now by the Ohio Commission on Minority Health.