Joseph A. Miller, III News

Ohio House Democratic lawmakers today announced a number of proposals, including safe storage, red-flag and background check laws, commonsense measures they say will better keep kids and communities safe. The package comes amid debate on House Bill (HB) 178, controversial legislation Democrats say is a solution in search of a problem.

House Democratic lawmakers today voted in favor of the state budget, House Bill 166, which includes a number of key Democratic priorities, including a significant tax cut for working people and families.

State Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) today applauded the committee passage of Senate Bill (SB) 4, legislation to increase the state’s capacity to assist local school districts with facility renovations and construction. Rep. Miller, a former teacher and member of the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee, joined in unanimous approval of the measure.

State Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) today announced the House passage of House Bill (HB) 154, a bipartisan bill introduced with state Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport) that seeks to end state takeovers of Ohio schools and restore local control to education officials over the school improvement process.

“It’s heartening to see HB 154 pass in bipartisan fashion, but our work is far from done,” said Miller, a joint-sponsor of the bill. “For too long, top-down, unaccountable school takeovers have failed to provide struggling schools with the support they need. Today’s vote is an important step in restoring Ohio’s promise of living the America Dream right here at home, which starts with ensuring our kids receive a quality education so they can learn important skills to live a better life.”

House Democrats today announced the House passage of House Bill (HB) 154, a bipartisan effort to end state takeovers of local schools and restore control to local education officials. The bill comes amid questions of accountability, transparency and lackluster results from district takeovers in Youngstown, Lorain and East Cleveland.

State Reps. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) and Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) today announced the introduction of House Bill (HB) 208, bipartisan legislation to secure protections for sports officials. The bill would bring the penalty for assaulting a referee on the job or in retaliation for a prior incident in line with current legislation protecting teachers, school administrators and bus drivers.

“As a referee for 20 years and as a coach, participant and parent, I understand the power of athletic competition to bring people together and teach important life skills,” said Rep. Miller. “However, sometimes emotions run high and tempers flare during competition. It’s important that we support our officials and send a message that physical confrontations are never an acceptable recourse.”

House Democrats today supported the final passage of House Bill (HB) 62, the state’s bipartisan two-year transportation budget. The bill makes historic investments in public transit and local communities for road and bridge repairs.

State Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) today announced $34,000 in Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) grant funding to support marine patrol units for the Lorain Port Authority. 

“This assistance is essential to the Lorain Port Authority carrying out their mission of maintaining waterway safety,” said Rep. Miller. “It is heartening to see the state demonstrate their commitment to making sure our community has the tools necessary to keep our lakes safe and open for everyone.”

State Reps. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) and Don Jones (R-Freeport) today introduced bipartisan legislation to end state takeovers of local schools. Three districts, including Rep. Miller’s own Lorain City Schools, are currently under state control, while ten districts across the state could potentially join them over the next two years.

House Democratic lawmakers today voted in favor of House Bill (HB) 62, the state’s bipartisan, two-year budget that largely funds road and bridge improvements and public transportation throughout the state.