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This weekend—and every day—we honor the brave women and men who have sacrificed their lives to serve, protect and defend our nation, freedoms and way of life. We honor them when we speak out against injustice and give back to our communities. We remember them when we stand up for veterans, immigrants, teachers and all those who for generations have made America great. We respect them when we strive to live up to the ideals of fairness and opportunity for all.

 
 
House Republicans cancel fourth House session day, preventing new laws from passing
May 23, 2018

Ohio House Democratic Assistant Leader Nicholas J. Celebrezze (D-Parma) issued the following statement in response to today’s session cancellation notice from House Republicans hours before the House was scheduled to vote on a new Republican speaker:

 
 
House Republicans cancel fourth House session day preventing new laws from passing
May 23, 2018

State Rep. Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton) issued the following statement in response to today’s session cancellation notice from House Republicans hours before the House was scheduled to vote on a new Republican speaker:

 
 
Tax credit would revolutionize how students and families pay for higher education
May 17, 2018

As Ohio college students don their caps and gowns this month, many will leave school with mountains of debt for four-year degrees. In fact, Ohio families and students face the highest burden of student loan debt in the nation, with the Buckeye State ranking 45th nationally for college affordability. With college out of reach for too many families and students, state Rep. Dan Ramos (D-Lorain) today introduced legislation to cover 90 percent of the cost for students to attend public college in Ohio. The Ohio Lets Everyone Achieve Right Now (LEARN) tax credit would make Ohio the first state to make college truly affordable for all students.

 
 
Lawmakers say bill gives money to communities hit hard by budget cuts
May 14, 2018

State Reps. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) and Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) today announced legislation to support struggling communities hit hardest by Governor Kasich’s budget cuts and tax shifting policies over the past several years. Since taking office, Gov. Kasich cut the local government fund by forty-five percent. Over 70 cities have lost at least $1 million each year due to Kasich’s budgeting and tax decisions. These cuts have forced to communities to raise taxes, cut essential services, and delay needed repairs, just to keep their heads above water.

If passed, this legislation will allocate money from the Budget Stabilization Fund, also known as the Rainy Day Fund, to 26 communities on the Auditor of State Fiscal Distress List that received lower Local Government Fund (LGF) allocations than what they received in Fiscal Year (FY) 2008.

 
 
Plan would maximize transparency in state and congressional redistricting
May 11, 2018
Clyde introduces Keep it Open, Keep it Honest Act

State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) today introduced the Keep it Open, Keep It Honest Act, which would ensure transparency in Ohio’s state and congressional redistricting processes. Ohio voters overwhelmingly approved the new process for congressional redistricting in a statewide vote Tuesday. In 2015, the Buckeye State saw the same overwhelming voter approval for a new process for drawing state legislative districts.

“It’s exciting that Ohio will have a new redistricting process when we redraw the state and congressional lines in 2021. The commonsense provisions in the Keep It Open, Keep it Honest plan will help ensure that all steps of the map-drawing processes are transparent and open to the public,” said Rep. Clyde. “No part of our map drawing should happen behind closed doors – that is what led to Ohio having some of the most undemocratic, gerrymandered districts in the country. Ohio voters wanted to take special interests out of redistricting and that requires a strong commitment to transparency.”

Clyde’s bill would:

-Require regular public reports and the release of draft maps under negotiation in real time.

-Mandate regular public briefings and allowing for ongoing public input.

-Require public redistricting meetings with sufficient notice, and prohibit any secretive meeting process.

-Require that those involved, including private consultants, preserve all redistricting records and related communications.

-Allow the Ohio Attorney General's Office to quickly bring suspected violations before a court of law for judicial review.

According to a recent Brennan Center for Justice report, Ohio ranks among the worst states for gerrymandered congressional districts, a direct result of the Republican-led, closed-door redistricting process after the

 
 
Say state should bring charges against criminal wrongdoing and determine state's role in prolonged fraud
May 10, 2018

State Reps. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) and Tavia Galonski (D-Akron) today sent a letter asking Attorney General Mike DeWine to appoint special state prosecutor to  determine the extent of criminal activities of the Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) publicized by Auditor Dave Yost in a stalled audit released today. The lawmakers are also asking that a special prosecutor determine whether state negligence contributed to additional taxpayer fraud, and whether or not state officials are liable for any additional fraud that developed as a result of their negligence or malfeasance.

 
 
PEP Connections to lose funding from new Medicaid restrictions
May 4, 2018

State Rep. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and state Senator Dave Burke (R-Marysville) today wrote a letter* to Gov. John Kasich asking him to reconsider his administration’s move to shutter Cuyahoga County’s local Positive Education Program (PEP) Connections, a behavioral health program that serves some 500 high-risk youth each day.

 
 
Plan would close registration gap for young voting-age Ohioans
May 4, 2018

State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) today introduced House Bill 637, the Ohio Future Voter Act, which would allow 16- and 17-year-olds to pre-register to vote. Under the bill, pre-registered Ohioans would automatically be added to the state voter rolls before the next primary or general election in which they are eligible to vote.

 
 
Leland, Boggs say the people of Ohio "deserve to know the truth"
May 4, 2018

Ahead of an anticipated May 16 vote to elect a new speaker of the Ohio House, two lawmakers are seeking answers as to why former Republican House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger resigned abruptly, amid reports of potential corruption. State Reps. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) and David Leland (D-Columbus) today asked the special agent in charge of the Cincinnati Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Ohio to provide any or as much information as possible on any current or potential investigation of Rosenberger’s unprecedented resignation.

 
 
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