Michael J. Skindell News

COLUMBUS— In a virtual press conference today, State. Rep. Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood) announced he will be reintroducing the Ohio Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation that would protect LGBTQ+ Ohioans from discrimination in employment, housing and accommodations. Rep. Skindell has sponsored or co-sponsored versions of the Ohio Fairness Act every legislative session since 2003.

State Reps. Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood) and Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) today filed legislation for introduction to fund public transit in Ohio at $150 million annually, using a mix of State and Federal revenues.  The legislation seeks $100 million from Ohio’s General Revenue Fund and $50 million in revenue from Federal Highway dollars, known as Federal Flex dollars, annually over the two-year budget to go to transit.

House Democratic lawmakers Reps. Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) and Michael O’Brien (D-Warren) testified before the House Public Utilities Committee today on House Bill (HB) 57, their legislation to repeal HB 6. The Democrats urged lawmakers on the panel to act swiftly to repeal the controversial corporate bailout legislation at the center of an FBI investigation into an alleged $60 million public corruption scheme led by then-Republican Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford), the largest corruption and money-laundering scheme ever in Ohio.

COLUMBUS – State Reps. Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) and Sedrick Denson (D-Cincinnati) testified today on House Bill (HB) 58, previously introduced as HB 740 in the 133rd General Assembly, which would repeal a provision in state law allowing First Energy to keep excessive profits rather than returning the money to electric customers through a rate adjustment. The pricing provision was added to the state two-year budget, HB 166, which was signed into law in July 2019. 

Sponsors of the House Democratic legislation to repeal the House Bill 6 energy bailout issued statements after Generation Now Friday signed a guilty plea admitting involvement in a multi-million dollar bribery and racketeering scheme to pass and protect a $1 billion corporate bailout. 

COLUMBUS – State Representative Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood) is pleased to announce the inclusion of funding for several local projects in the two-year state capital budget.  The $2.1 billion capital budget is designed to meet the capital needs of state property from parks to state universities and also includes $186.6 million for local projects across the state which have strong community support. Cuyahoga County has been allotted nearly $24 million in the budget. 

COLUMBUS—Rep. Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) today voted in favor of the Fair School Funding Plan, House Bill (HB) 305, bipartisan legislation 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.

COLUMBUS –Today, during the initial meeting of the newly-created Select Committee on Energy Policy and Oversight, House Democrats once again attempted to repeal House Bill (HB) 6, the multi-billion corporate bailout bill at the center of an ongoing FBI criminal investigation into an alleged $60 million racketeering and bribery scheme led by former Republican Speaker Larry Householder. During the meeting, Reps. Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) and Michael O’Brien (D-Warren) offered sponsor testimony on HB 738, their bill to repeal HB 6.

COLUMBUS— House Democratic lawmakers Reps. Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) and Michael J. O’Brien (D-Warren) today blasted Speaker Robert Cupp (R-Lima) for his refusal to repeal House Bill 6 – the $2 billion corporate bailout bill is at the center of an ongoing FBI criminal investigation into an alleged $60 million racketeering and bribery scheme led by former Republican Speaker Larry Householder. Householder and four associates were arrested and indicted in the alleged scheme.

COLUMBUS—House Democratic lawmakers Reps. Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) and Michael J. O’Brien (D-Warren) today announced they will file a discharge petition to bring bipartisan legislation to repeal House Bill (HB) 6 to the floor for a vote next week. The passage of HB 6 in 2019 has come under scrutiny in recent weeks following the arrest and indictment of former Republican Speaker Larry Householder and several close associates in an alleged $60 million bribery and corruption scheme to pass the bill.