David Leland News

COLUMBUS—After a federal judge in Texas ruled the CDC eviction moratorium unconstitutional yesterday, the sponsors of House Bill 20, which would institute a statewide eviction and foreclosure moratorium for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis, issued statements in response to the ruling:

State Reps. David Leland (D-Columbus) and Jeffrey Crossman (D-Parma) introduced a bill Monday to postpone evictions and foreclosures in Ohio amid the ongoing pandemic. The bill adds additional protections and plugs many of the well-documented gaps in the existing Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) moratorium, which expires on January 31, 2021. The bill also extends the moratorium for the duration of the COVID-19 state of emergency at the state level since the extension of the CDC's moratorium beyond January is dependent on additional federal action. 

Following the 133rd General Assembly’s frustrating inability to take meaningful action to repeal House Bill 6, Select Committee on Energy Policy & Oversight Ranking Member David Leland (D-Columbus) is proposing legislation on day one of the 134th General Assembly aimed at breaking the logjam. This legislation combines House Bill 772 from the 133rd General Assembly with a groundbreaking, market-based, consumer-driven Energy Waste Reduction (EWR) program.

COLUMBUS— Today, Franklin County representatives Assistant Minority Leader Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus), Assistant Minority Whip Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester) and State Reps. Adam Miller (D-Columbus), Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville), David Leland (D-Columbus), Dr. Beth Liston (D-Dublin), Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington), and Erica Crawley (D-Columbus) reacted to House passage of a bill (Senate Bill 311) to undermine the director of health’s authority at a time when the state has reached a dangerous peak, with Franklin County being the first county designated purple status. Announced by Gov. Mike DeWine Thursday, Franklin County is the first in the state to be elevated to purple status since the state began using this alert system.

COLUMBUS—Ahead of Thursday’s initial meeting of the Select Committee on Energy Policy & Oversight, Ranking Member David Leland (D-Columbus) issued the following statement:

COLUMBUS –State Rep. David Leland (D-Columbus) and State Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) filed the Eviction Crisis Response Act on Monday, which allocates $270 million from Ohio’s rainy-day fund to create a program for immediate rental assistance. 

Democratic lawmakers, including Assistant Minority Leader Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus), Assistant Minority Whip Rep. Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester), Reps. Erica C. Crawley (D-Columbus), David Leland (D-Columbus), Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville), Beth Liston (D-Dublin), and Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington), today urged support for international students attending Columbus-area colleges and universities. The move follows the Trump administration’s announcement last week that it would ban international students attending U.S. colleges in the fall if they take only online courses.

Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today joined Dem lawmakers to urge House Republican leaders to call the chamber back into session to address several critical issues facing the state, including health and the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic, systemic racism and police brutality, questions surrounding the November election, and looming state budget shortfalls.

COLUMBUS— Yesterday, Governor DeWine announced the signing of executive order 2020-24D, which provided protections for unemployed Ohioans who are over 65 or considered “high risk” and asked to return to work by their prior employer. Where previously they would have been disqualified from receiving benefits for refusing an offer of suitable work, now these Ohioans will remain eligible for unemployment.

At 11:44am yesterday, the House Criminal Justice Committee announced a last-minute addition to today’s hearing agenda: House Bill 381, Stand Your Ground, was added to the schedule. Since then, activists and grassroots organizations have responded with an avalanche of opposition to the bill.