Democratic News

Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) President and State Rep. Thomas West (D-Canton) today announced that the OLBC will host a free webinar on implicit bias in healthcare on Monday, April 26 from 9-11 a.m. All healthcare professionals are invited to attend. Dr. Quinn Capers IV, M.D. will be the presenter.

Rep. Erica C. Crawley (D-Columbus), the ranking Democrat on the House Finance Committee, today issued a statement on the latest omnibus version of House Bill (HB) 110, the state’s two-year budget, which cleared the Finance Committee Tuesday.

House Democratic lawmakers today unveiled a package of commonsense gun safety measures they say will work to curb gun violence and save lives in Ohio. The call comes amid a spike in gun violence and Ohio’s new no duty to retreat bill taking effect earlier this month.

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) and House Finance Committee Ranking Member Rep. Erica C. Crawley (D-Columbus) today applauded the House passage of a $2 billion package of coronavirus relief bills to deliver direct aid for rent and utility assistance, childcare providers, bars, restaurants, lodging and schools, among other industries facing economic impact from the coronavirus pandemic. Democratic lawmakers also expressed concern over the months-long delay in the release of the funding, which they say slowed the state’s recovery.

State Rep. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) today gave sponsor testimony before the Ohio House Criminal Justice Committee on House Bill (HB) 166, the Reagan Tokes Act, which addresses criminal sentencing and corrections. 

Today, State Rep. Juanita O. Brent (D-Cleveland) provided sponsor testimony on House Bill (HB) 78, Esther’s Law, which would allow residents of long-term care facilities to electronically monitor their room.

Today, Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo), Ranking Member of the Ohio House Ways and Means Committee, released the following statement in opposition to House Bill (HB) 126, legislation that opponents say would place undue burdens on school districts and local governments by adding redundancies, increasing costs, and creating new state mandates in the property tax valuation process.

State Rep. Thomas West (D-Canton) today announced that House Bill (HB) 8, his bipartisan bill with State Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) to require the recording of interrogations for most major felonies, passed the Ohio House. 

State Reps. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Monique Smith (D-Fairview Park) today announced the introduction of House Bill (HB) 257, or the “Extreme Risk Protection Orders Act.”  Introduced as HB 316 in the 133rd General Assembly, the bill would allow family members, household members or law enforcement officers to petition the court for an order temporarily preventing individuals considered to be an imminent danger to themselves or others from possessing firearms.

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) issued the below statement as the Food and Drug Administration (FD) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) today recommended a pause in the use of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine following extremely rare reactions of six vaccine recipients among the nearly 7 million Americans who have already received the vaccine.