Democratic News

COLUMBUS- House Bill 661, legislation that regulates imitation meat and egg products, has been introduced by State Representative Roy Klopfenstein (R- Haviland) and State Representative Jack Daniels (R- New Franklin). 

COLUMBUS— On Friday, June 12, State Rep. Melanie Miller (R-City of Ashland) joined the Ohio Association of Meat Processors, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, and other legislators on a tour of Heffelfinger’s Meats, Inc., the largest harvesting facility in Ohio.

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Tom Young (R-Washington Twp.) today announced the Ohio House has approved six bills addressing a variety of issues, including measures to provide testing relief to Ohio’s schools, improve health outcomes, and support Ohio’s business climate. 

COLUMBUS– After the Ohio Supreme Court today ruled the latest congressional map unconstitutional, State Rep. Jeff Crossman (D-Parma) renewed his call for a Criminal Complaint against the Ohio Redistricting Commission for dereliction of duty and violating their oath of office.

COLUMBUS, OH — State Representative Latyna M. Humphrey (D–Columbus) today issued the following statement in response to yesterday’s verdict in the case involving Casey Goodson Jr.

State Sen. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) and State Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) are pressuring Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) and House Speaker Bob Cupp (R-Lima) to convene the Unemployment Compensation Improvement and Modernization Council in the near future. The council was formed following the enactment of House Bill (HB) 614 last year but has not had a single meeting.

State Representative Tom Young (R-Washington Township) is pleased to announce that the Ohio House of Representatives today passed House Bill 582, legislation that modernizes laws for embalmers, funeral directors and crematories in Ohio.  

State Reps. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) and Jamie Callender (R-Concord) today introduced House Bill 1 – key, bipartisan legislation to modernize K-12 school funding across Ohio. The bill is virtually identical to last General Assembly’s House Bill 305, which was a school funding reform proposal that passed the House with overwhelming support late last year.

State Representative Tom Young (R-Washington Township) announced that the Ohio House of Representatives today passed House Bill 582, legislation that modernizes laws for embalmers, funeral directors and crematories in Ohio.  

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) issued a statement as House Republican leaders pushed a House floor vote on House rules that would stifle the voices of Ohioans in committee hearings and on the House floor. Democrats say the changes silence legitimate concerns of millions of Ohioans.

COLUMBUS – State Representative Monica Robb Blasdel (R-New Waterford) this week presented a resolution from the Ohio House of Representatives to Mark Lamoncha, president and CEO of Humtown Products and a board member of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, in recognition of being named the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2026 Ohio Small Business Person of the Year.

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) issued a statement on House Democratic budget priorities for the 134th General Assembly, which include coronavirus relief, healthcare modernization and education funding. The governor released his initial plan Monday.

State Reps. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Monique Smith (D-Fairview Park) have requested that Governor DeWine and the Ohio Department of Health’s Director Stephanie McCloud 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.

COLUMBUS — State Reps. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) and Beth Liston (D-Dublin) today highlighted their intent to introduce a resolution condemning the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Jan. 6. In a cosponsor request to House members last week, the Democratic lawmakers called the resolution “an opportunity to offer a clear and bipartisan rebuke of this assault on American democracy and the rule of law.” The deadline to cosponsor has now been extended twice in order to give Republican lawmakers every opportunity to sign on in support.

Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) and state Sens. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) and Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) today urged fellow lawmakers to sign onto their legislation that would increase Ohio’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2027. In their co-sponsor request memos, the Democratic lawmakers said that raising wages for working Ohioans will bring more economic security and stability to millions of Ohioans living paycheck to paycheck and boost the long-term health of the state’s economy.

Today, State Reps. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) and Jeff Crossman (D-Parma) reintroduced House Bill (HB) 686 from the 133rd General Assembly to cancel end-of-year state testing for the 2020-2021 school year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

State Reps. Adam C. Miller (D-Columbus) and Thomas West (D-Canton) today announced the introduction of legislation that would repeal the recently passed Shoot First law that permits the use of deadly force by individuals who believe their lives are endangered anywhere in the state. The law was tucked in as a last minute amendment to Senate Bill (SB) 175 during the lame duck period of the 133rd General Assembly despite passionate opposition from House Democrats. The governor then chose to sign this bill into law, even after professing concerns about gun violence in Ohio.  

The Ohio Legislative Children’s Caucus today announced the selection of the following Co-Chairs and Co-Vice Chairs for the 134th General Assembly: