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State Reps. John Rogers (D-Mentor-on-the-Lake) and Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville) today announced the concurrent passage of House Bill 497, which prohibits the nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images, often referred to as “revenge porn,” by setting penalties to punish those who distribute sexually explicit images with the intent to harass the victim.

 
 
Black Caucus Members Call for Study on African-American Ohioans

State Senators Charleta B. Tavares (D-Columbus), Sandra Williams (D-Cleveland) and Vernon Sykes (D-Akron), together with state Representatives Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) and Emilia Sykes (D-Akron), today urged the legislature to study the progress and challenges of African Americans in Ohio.

“2019 marks 400 years of African Americans in America,” said Senator Tavares. “We faced a brutal beginning and have had challenges along the way. We have built America and her companies, historic buildings and economies, but we have not yet seen justice and equality for all. Our story in America, and more specifically in Ohio, needs to be researched to determine where we have made progress and the challenges we have to overcome in order to advance.” 

The lawmakers’ bill would create a committee to review the contributions and achievements of the Black community in Ohio. The group will also look at issues such as housing, transportation, health, education, employment, environment and businesses development and offer recommendations for addressing persistent challenges.

“Without an honest conversation about the issues and challenges African Americans disproportionately face in our state, all Ohioans risk falling further behind,” said Rep. Howse, who also serves as the president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC). “We won’t grow our economy or create more opportunity if a significant population of Ohioans are left to fend for themselves. Ohio succeeds when African Americans succee

 
 
Galonski applauds alternative pathways, sets sights on permanent solution
December 6, 2018

State Rep. Tavia Galonski (D-Akron) today announced the Ohio House will tonight pass Senate changes to House Bill 491, which extend alternative pathways to graduation for 2019 and 2020 Ohio high school seniors.

“Though I share the frustration of students and families who have been looking for a graduation solution from the Statehouse for almost a year, I am happy we will ultimately extend alternative graduation pathways through 2020,” said Galonski. “We have a lot of work left to do to ensure stability and consistency in Ohio’s ever-changing graduation requirements, so students can plan for their future and have an equal opportunity to succeed.”

The Akron lawmaker, who serves on the House Education Committee, introduced her own legislation, House Bill 630, to extend alternative pathways. The bill gained the attention of concerned students and parents, but was only given one hearing by majority Republicans. Galonski’s bill would have given career and college-ready Ohio high school seniors the opportunity to graduate in 2019 and 2020, similar to the language ultimately included in HB 491.

“I am committed to working toward fair requirements that recognize individual student success and performance instead of putting too much weight on standardized testing alone to determine graduation,” added Galonski. “We can’t afford to hold career and college-ready students back just because education standards in Columbus are broken.”

According to the Ohio Department of Education, some 50,000 students were at risk of not graduating in 2019 due to an overreliance on standardized testing – an approach that has been roundly criticized by lawmakers of both political parties.

 
 
Study shows toxic chemical levels in commercial brine far exceed EPA safety limits
December 6, 2018

House Democrats raised concerns today as Republican-sponsored House Bill (HB) 393 passed the House. The bill would allow one Ohio company to sell brine from certain oil and gas production to Ohio consumers for personal use. Democrats questioned the impact the sale and use of radioactive brine would have on health and the environment.

 
 
Legislation addresses school district treasure liability for loss of public funds
December 5, 2018

State Rep. Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati) today announced the passage of House Bill (HB) 705, which provides relief to school district treasures from strict personal financial liability.

“It is important to recognize and continue to be transparent on how our school districts function in the State of Ohio,” said Ingram. “HB 705 brings to light the issue of the treasure’s personal assets being linked to the expenditure of public funds on behalf of the school district.”

 
 

State Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) today applauded the House for including language that exempts feminine hygiene products from state sales tax under House Bill (HB) 545, a larger tax-related bill which passed the Ohio House this afternoon. The provision came out of HB 61, introduced by Kelly and former state Rep. Greta Johnson (D-Akron) in February 2017.

“Eliminating the tampon tax will put more money into the pockets of women, in-turn strengthening the families they support and nurture,” said Kelly. “I am thankful we were able to come together to even the playing field for women, girls and families on medically necessary products. No one should face extra economic challenges simply because of their gender.”

 
 

The Ohio Controlling Board on Monday approved the release of 9.9 million dollars from the Healthy Lake Erie Fund to Lucas, Lorain, and Ashtabula Counties for projects related to the management of dredge material. The funding comes in support of state officials’ goal to end all open-lake dumping of dredge materials by 2020 to mitigate the devastating environmental impact of the practice.

“The prohibition of open lake dumping of dredged material weighs heavily upon our local communities,” said Rep. John Patterson (D-Jefferson). “These funds will allow us to replace the lower coal docks with a new Conneaut Creek Dredge Facility. The ability to process and strategically use dredged materials is a critical step toward the future; not only for the harbor, but for the health of our great lake and the culture we have built around it.”

 
 

Ohio House Democratic Leader Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton) today appointed state Rep. Adam Miller (D-Columbus) Caucus Chair for the Ohio House Democrats, a position charged with building and strengthening legislative relationships both in Columbus and throughout the state.

“Rep. Miller knows how to work hard and bring people together. That’s what he’s done throughout his time in the military and in public service,” said Strahorn. “He exemplifies the kind of leadership we need to chair our caucus over the next two years as we fight for the issues that matter most to working families—issues like healthcare access, good schools and better-paying jobs.”

 
 

State Rep. David Leland (D-Columbus) released the following statement today in response to new, fast-tracked legislation, House Joint Resolution 19, that would limit citizens’ access to Democracy in Ohio by placing new, arbitrary restrictions on the constitutional ballot initiative process in Ohio: 

“Ohio Republican leadership want to rig our Ohio democracy against voters. The citizen initiative has been the only backstop to rigged, gerrymandered districts and the extreme political agenda at the Ohio Statehouse. In the last several years, the General Assembly has only acted on major issues like redistricting reform and medical marijuana when faced with the threat of a citizen-led ballot initiative.

“It’s strange, but the whole concept of popular democracy seems foreign to them. Leadership only holds their positions of power because gerrymandering subverts the will of the people. Now they want to severely restrict one of the only avenues left for the majority of people to be heard.”

 
 

State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) released the following statement today in response to new, fast-tracked legislation, House Joint Resolution 19, that would limit citizens’ access to Democracy in Ohio by placing new, arbitrary restrictions on the constitutional ballot initiative process in Ohio: 

“This dangerous new restriction on democracy would silence citizens’ voices and further tilt the balance of power to corporate, out of state special interests who have the power and money to change our constitution under this misguided plan."

“When politicians in Columbus fail to act or do their jobs, citizens should have the right to hold them accountable through reasonable access to the ballot. Instead, these new restrictions would take that power out of the hands of concerned citizens and sell it to the highest out-of-state bidders.”

 
 
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