Kent Smith News

Ohio House Public Utilities Committee Ranking Member Rep. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) issued a statement as five bills aimed at repealing or undoing the damage caused by tainted House Bill 6 from the 133rd General Assembly were brought before the House Public Utilities Committee Wednesday. HB 6, corporate bailout legislation at the center of an alleged multi-million dollar corruption scheme involving then-House Speaker Larry Householder and several associates remains part of Ohio law.

COLUMBUS—Rep. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) issued a statement as two bills that would allow for more House business to be conducted virtually and to require face masks during House committee meetings and floor sessions received their first hearings in the House Thursday.

COLUMBUS—State Rep. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) today requested that Governor DeWine include early childhood educators and child care workers in prioritization for COVID-19 vaccine distribution alongside K-12 educators. Since the beginning of the pandemic, many of Ohio’s child care programs have struggled to remain open— operating at substantially lower capacity and at a financial loss— so that essential workers have the vital child care services needed to continue working.

State Rep. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) issued a statement on Wednesday’s inauguration of Joe Biden as President and Kamala Harris as Vice President of the United States, cementing Democratic control of the White House and both chambers of Congress.

State Representative Kent Smith (D-Euclid) today sent a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine asking his office to remove Susan Block from the board of the Ohio Arts Council. This move follows a controversial post made by Block on social media claiming the presidential election was stolen from President Trump and calling the Vice President-Elect a derogatory term.

State Rep. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) today highlighted several key priorities Democrats were able to deliver for Ohio taxpayers in 2020, including securing $4.53 billion in funding to assist local communities, front line workers, first responders, schools, small businesses, and Ohio’s working people and families affected by coronavirus and ongoing economic uncertainty.

Today, Reps. David Leland (D-Columbus), Michael O’Brien (D-Warren) and Kent Smith (D-Euclid) issued statements as House Republicans on the Select Committee on Energy Policy and Oversight voted to block separate Democratic proposals to repeal House Bill (HB) 6 and implement anti-corruption measures to protect taxpayer money as amendments to HB 798. HB 6 remains at the center of an alleged $60M public corruption and bribery scheme involving former Republican Speaker and state Rep. Larry Householder (R-Glenford) and several close associates.

COLUMBUS— State Representative Kent Smith (D-Euclid) issued a statement following reports that multiple Ohio House members have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days. So far, two Democratic members have tested positive, and many other Democrats await test results. To date, House Dems have learned of multiple Republican lawmakers testing positive through news reports, including one member that skirted COVID-19 guidelines before the outbreak,  but no direct information has been shared with the House Democrat Caucus from the Speaker’s office.

COLUMBUS—Rep. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) today voted in favor of the Fair School Funding Plan, House Bill (HB) 305, bipartisan legislation sponsored by Rep. John Patterson (D-Jefferson) that would transform the way Ohio’s schools are funded. Democratic lawmakers have long fought to reform the state’s school funding formula, which the Ohio Supreme Court has found unconstitutional four times, beginning with the DeRolph decision in 1997.