Guest Column: Year in Review by State Rep. Scott Lipps

As we begin the 134th General Assembly, we want to highlight several legislative accomplishments of 2020. Although it was a difficult year, we’ve truly enjoyed working with our colleagues in the legislature to find solutions to the challenges we face today. During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we acted swiftly to deliver a comprehensive relief package to support Ohio’s families, schools, businesses, and communities. While there is still more work to be done, I am tremendously honored to represent our resilient, hardworking community.  

We are excited to announce that our legislation, House Bill 203, was signed into law. This bill supports mobile dental facilities (MDFs), which provide access to oral healthcare services to uninsured or underinsured families. H.B. 203 also allows the medical records of an MDF patient to transfer to a dental office in order for those patients to efficiently receive follow-up services. This will help prevent a repeat in dental services, such as an X-ray, which can often result in out-of-pocket expenses for the patient. I was honored to be recognized Legislator of the Year by Oral Health Ohio as a result of our work on this legislation.

In my role as Chairman of the House Health Committee, it’s been one of my priorities to fight back against the greed of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in Ohio. I’m pleased to announced that Governor DeWine has recently signed into law Senate Bill 263, legislation that prevents PBMs from discriminating against healthcare providers that participate in the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program. This new law will protect the intent of the 340B program by ensuring these savings are directed to patients and not PBMs.

Back in the district, we enjoyed meeting with small businesses; G.A.C. Fitness in Springboro, J.D. Legends in Franklin, The Feed Store in Lebanon, and Cartridge Brewing Company in Maineville. We were very impressed with all of their health and safety standards and commitment to their clients. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and I remain committed to keeping them open.

Finally, we were able to champion the 62nd District by securing state funding to a number of community projects and infrastructure needs. The capital bill included over $3.2 million in funding for important projects in Warren County, including the Makino Park Inclusive Fields, the Lebanon Sports Complex, and three separate summer camps for children. These will all help grow our economy, improve infrastructure, and bring employment opportunities to our region.

I look forward to another productive General Assembly and serving the great people of Warren County!