Democratic News

COLUMBUS — State Reps. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights) today announced the introduction of House Bill (HB) 79, or the Caregiver Expenses Tax Credit.  Previously introduced as HB 454 in the 133rd General Assembly, this legislation would provide a tax credit of up to $1,000 for certain expenses incurred by a family caregiver for the care and support of a qualifying family member.  To qualify, the family member must be age 18 or over and require assistance with at least one activity of daily living. 

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. 

COLUMBUS— State Reps. Jeff Crossman (D- Parma) and Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville) today re-filed the Pre-Existing Condition Protection Act, which seeks to enshrine popular patient protections found in the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including coverage for those with pre-existing conditions, into Ohio law.  This effort became necessary due to persistent efforts by Republicans to repeal the ACA through federal legislation and ongoing litigation. 

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) 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.

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) issued a statement following reports that the Census Bureau will not be able to deliver census data by the usual April 1 deadline, concluding that the first data states will receive will not be until September. 

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) and Sen. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) issued the following joint statement on the current state of the vaccine rollout in Ohio schools.

Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) testified before the House Government Oversight Committee Thursday on 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. 

State Reps. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) and Jamie Callender (R-Concord) testified before the House Finance Committee Thursday on House Bill (HB) 1, their bipartisan legislation to modernize Ohio’s primary and secondary school funding formula. HB 1 is identical to HB 305, the Cupp-Patterson Fair School Funding Plan, which overwhelmingly passed the House in December, 87-9 with 72 co-sponsors. 

Ohio and Mississippi lawmakers are partnering to fight voter purging in Mississippi. The Mississippi legislature is advancing a copycat of an Ohio “use it or lose it” purge process and Ohioans are offering a strong cautionary tale and shining a light on key details that Mississippi must consider.

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.