State Rep. Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today released the following statement applauding Gov. Mike DeWine’s tone and work ethic as he begins his first day of service to Ohioans as the state’s 70th governor:
“By embracing new ideas, building bridges and surrounding himself with a majority-woman cabinet and people that know the meaning of hard work, Governor DeWine has sent a message that today is a new day in the State of Ohio.
Ohio House Democratic Caucus Whip and state Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) today issued the following statement announcing she will leave her leadership post with the caucus at the end of Jan:
“I’m proud of the progress the House Democratic Caucus has made during my time in leadership, welcoming an historic number of women and minority lawmakers and adding nearly a half-dozen new seats to our ranks—efforts nearly a decade in the making.
“I look forward to working with the new leadership team and my colleagues to continue to find commonsense ways to come together and give working people the tools they need for a better life.”
House Democratic Leader Fred Strahorn (D-Dayton) today issued the following statement announcing his plans to step down as House Democratic leader at the end of January, after four years of serving as the Ohio House’s top ranking Democrat:
“I don’t take today’s announcement lightly, because I’m proud of the rebuilding and growth Ohio House Democrats have experienced under my leadership. After a decade of being denied a seat at the table with Republicans, we changed our direction in the legislature by engaging better with the majority on the official side and working overtime on the political side, which resulted in a net gain of five Democratic legislators in the House. Ultimately, 11.5 million Ohioans have a stronger voice and a more responsive government because of that approach.
Lawmaker looks to strengthen Ohio families by bringing together state experts
The National Council of State Legislatures (NCSL) today named state Rep. Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) to its inaugural Maternal and Child Health Fellowship program. Sykes joins 24 other lawmakers and health policy experts from across the country who will work together to improve public policy and practices related to better maternal and child health outcomes.
The Ohio House met today in a rare session to override a number of vetoes by Republican Gov. John Kasich. Democrats largely backed a proposal to extend benefits to spouses and children of public safety personnel killed in the line of duty, but fought back as GOP lawmakers pushed to override vetoes on measures to restrict abortion access and loosen gun safety laws.
State Reps. John Patterson (D-Jefferson) and Steven Arndt (R-Port Clinton) today announced the Gov. John Kasich’s signing of House Bill (HB) 454, their bipartisan legislation that would require townships to offer compensation to owners of certain unused cemetery lots or rights before they are reclaimed. Under previous law, townships have the right to resell unused cemetery lots that were sold after 1986, though not those sold before that date, leaving many vacant lots unavailable to families wishing to be buried close to loved ones.
“Families of lost loved ones deserve peace of mind and the opportunity to plan for their family member’s final wishes and burial arrangements,” said Patterson. “Our new law will provide more families with that peace of mind while creating a stronger process for families and local communities to better manage their respective needs. Nothing is more important than honoring the final wishes of a person or grieving family, and by working together in the legislature, we were able to do just that.”
Legislature approves House Bill 411 to increases access to justice
State Rep. Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today announced the legislature’s Dec. 13 approval of House Bill (HB) 411, her bipartisan legislation to streamline access to justice for victims of wrongful imprisonment in Ohio.
“Protecting the rights and freedom of our citizens is my top priority, and when those rights are violated we have a responsibility to take action,” said Sykes. “Thanks to this bipartisan effort, Ohioans who have been wrongfully imprisoned will soon have a better path forward to reclaim their lives and receive the justice they deserve.”
Legislation would ensure full rehabilitation, keep more Ohioans safe
State Rep. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) today announced the House passage of part of the Reagan Tokes Act, Senate Bill (SB) 201, which will provide indefinite sentencing for felony-one and two-level offenders. The bill is named for Reagan Tokes, a student at The Ohio State University who was brutally kidnapped, raped and killed after leaving work at a Columbus restaurant in 2017.
“This legislation is the first step to make Ohio safer by ensuring that the most violent offenders who have demonstrated while in prison that they continue to pose a danger to society, are not automatically released back into our neighborhoods,” said Boggs.
State Rep. Jack Cera (D-Bellaire) early this morning responded to the passage of Senate Bill 268, a bill increasing penalties for theft in public office. The Bellaire lawmaker supported the bill, but noted the lack of state laws that protect state employees who come forward to report wrongdoing and corruption to authorities.
“Corruption has no place in government. Over the last year, we’ve seen pay-to-play schemes, FBI investigations and the misuse of taxpayer money to line the pockets of political friends. Ohio taxpayers deserve better,” said Cera. “We need to hold elected officials accountable. That’s why I support this bill, but I also support protections for those who expose wrongdoing and corruption in state offices.”
In the last year, employees vocalized problems with the Department of Administrative Service’s rigged, no-bid IT contract scheme that saw tens of millions in misspent taxpayer dollars handed out with little to no oversight. DAS officials even investigated an employee who tried to blow the whistle on the alleged schemes.
Today, the state inspector general released a report on the incidents showing a much deeper pattern of taxpayer abuse.
In the late hours of lame duck session, the Ohio House of Representatives voted 82-3 to pass House Bill (HB) 461, legislation introduced by state Reps. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo) and Tavia Galonski (D-Akron) to bring Ohio law into compliance with federal law in cases involving the human trafficking of minors aged 16 and 17 years old.
“Our children deserve to be rescued, not arrested,” said Fedor. “I’m grateful for the overwhelming support from both Republicans and Democrats to pass this critical piece of legislation that seeks to protect all of Ohio’s children.”
