Kent Smith 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.
Read Full StoryState Reps. Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) and Kent Smith (D-Euclid) today announced legislation to fund sewer and water capital improvements through general obligation bonds. Under this proposal, municipal corporations, counties, townships and other government entities would be eligible to receive state bonds for capital projects to ensure clean drinking water, promote public health and alleviate environmental concerns.
Read Full StoryState Reps. Kent Smith (D– Euclid) and John Rogers (D– Mentor-on-the-Lake) today announced legislation to urge Congress to support federal funding for the United States Army Corps of Engineers in its efforts to stop Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes.
Read Full StoryOhio 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.
Read Full StoryState Representative Kent Smith (D-Euclid) today announced state approval for Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) to purchase 12.82 acres of land located at 24881 Rockwell Drive in the City of Euclid.
Read Full StoryState Rep. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) today issued a statement 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.
Read Full StoryState Rep. Kent Smith (D- Euclid) and State Rep. Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) Tuesday provided sponsor testimony on House Resolution (HR) 74 to the House Federalism and Interstate Relations Committee. This resolution calls for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would eliminate corporate personhood, money as speech and limit money in politics.
Read Full StoryFollowing months of negotiation, the Ohio House today passed Senate Joint Resolution 5, bipartisan legislation that puts a constitutional amendment before voters in May to restrict congressional gerrymandering in the state.
“In 2015, over 71% of Ohioans voted to change the redistricting process. While I am still concerned about the splitting of Ohio’s largest population counties and the lack of provision to guarantee voting rights, SJR 5 is a marked improvement over Ohio’s current method of drawing our congressional districts,” said state Rep. Kent Smith (D-Euclid). “I voted for SJR 5 because it’s an improvement, but I did not cosponsor this legislation because it could be better.”
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Ohio House Democratic Leader Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton) today announced state Rep. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) has been named policy chair for the House Democratic Caucus in 2018.
Smith, first elected to serve the 8th House District in 2014, will help shape the policy agenda for the caucus in 2018, working with members and organizations to research and draft legislation that furthers the caucus priorities of middle-class job growth, economic stability for working families and increased opportunities for working people to get ahead in the Buckeye State.
“Kent is smart, thorough, and will work hard to maintain a deep understanding of how the policies coming out of the Statehouse impact people’s quality of life,” said Strahorn. “Whether you’re a single parent working two jobs, the head of a family of five or a business owner looking to expand, we want you to be able to meet your basic needs and have enough left over to plan for a brighter future. Kent gets that.”
Smith graduated from Miami University and earned his Master of Science in Urban Studies from Cleveland State University in 2001. His Master’s Degree thesis, written in 2001, was about the emerging threat of Predatory Lending and the SubPrime Market. He also co-authored the first Predatory Lending Report by Policy Matters Ohio in 2002. Following his Master’s Degree studies, he was a PhD student at Cleveland State University in Economic Development.
“The work that we have been doing at the Statehouse to increase wages, grow our economy and let families better plan for the future is fundamental to the progress and economic stability of our state,” said Smith. “We need to take a different approach in Ohio. The current policies have not led to income growth for Ohio's working families. I look forward to working with my Democratic colleagues to create economic opportunities for everyday Ohio
Read Full StoryState Reps. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) and Kent Smith (D-Euclid) joined more than 100 state legislators from 36 states and both major political parties to build consensus on leading environmental issues at the 2017 National Issues Forum in Boston this week organized by the National Caucus of Environmental Legislators (NCEL). The event offered opportunities for lawmakers and sustainability advocates to collaborate on policy solutions to remove toxins from consumer products, and to conserve water, public lands and endangered species.
“The dangers of ignoring environmental issues and the benefits of using clean energy are crystal clear,” said Howse. “By laying a foundation for environmental sustainability, we can help grow our economy, attract clean energy businesses and bring better jobs to our state.”
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