Cecil Thomas News

Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) President State Rep. Thomas West (D-Canton) today issued the following statement condemning the House Criminal Justice Committee’s passage of House Bill (HB) 22, legislation that would restrict the right to protest:

State Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) today issued a statement after House Republicans amended the collegiate name, image and likeness bill, Senate Bill 187, to effectively ban transgender athletes from participating in high school and collegiate sports. 

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) issued a statement Wednesday concerning the ongoing budget deliberations, urging the governor to be ready to step in to veto a number of anticipated provisions when the budget reaches his desk in the coming days.

Toledo-area Democratic lawmakers Minority Whip Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo), Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) and Rep. Michael Sheehy (D-Oregon) today issued a statement after GOP lawmakers Tuesday inserted an amendment to undercut funding for the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) into Senate Bill 19, a totally unrelated bill dealing with wetland mitigation projects. 

Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today issued a statement after the Majority Floor Leader exploded in a furious tirade, screaming, pointing at and lunging toward Leader Sykes and Democratic committee members as she asked the Government Oversight Committee Chair to maintain decorum during Thursday’s hearing on Ohio’s Anti-Voter Bill, House Bill 294. The Majority Floor Leader was verbally harassing Democratic members of the committee when the Leader tried to intervene with her point of order. Leader Sykes and Democrats later moved to adjourn the meeting citing safety concerns. Republicans rejected the motion. 

Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today issued a statement on the expulsion from the Ohio House of former Republican Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) for his alleged role in a $60 million public bribery and corruption scheme to pass and prevent a referendum on a billion-dollar corporate bailout in 2019.

COLUMBUS—Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) members today held a press conference at the Ohio Statehouse to commemorate Juneteenth and provide updates on legislation that builds up Black families in Ohio.