Democratic News

COLUMBUS—Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) issued a statement Tuesday following the passage of the state budget, House Bill 110, which included provisions that phase out Academic Distress Commissions in order to restore local control and the Fair School Funding Plan, an improved public school funding formula that better addresses the needs of Ohio students, teachers and communities. The budget also included provisions that allow for veterans’ charitable gambling, as well as $250 million for broadband development in underserved areas.

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) issued a statement Monday following the passage of the state budget, House Bill 110. Democrats expressed concerns about a number of provisions within the bill, including a more than $1.64 billion tax giveaway to largely benefit the wealthiest Ohioans and an increase in funding for the state’s EdChoice Voucher Program, which undermines public education in Ohio.

House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) issued a statement Monday as GOP lawmakers passed Senate Bill 19, which included a last minute amendment to undercut funding for the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) by limiting the its ability to generate operating revenues through the local sales tax. 

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) penned an OpEd in the Columbus Dispatch this week in which she called on Governor DeWine to combat vaccine hesitancy and increase access for vulnerable population

State Reps. Beth Liston (D-Dublin) and Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) issued statements today after House Republicans voted to add an anti-vaccine provision to an unrelated bill, Senate Bill 111, legislation to direct $844 million in federal coronavirus relief to Ohio communities. The extreme amendment would prohibit public and private entities from requiring COVID-19 vaccines. 

State Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo), Chair of the Ohio Democratic Women’s Legislative Caucus, released a statement after House Republicans amended the collegiate name, image and likeness bill, Senate Bill 187, to effectively ban transgender athletes from participating in high school and collegiate sports.

Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) President State Rep. Thomas West (D-Canton) today issued the following statement condemning the House Criminal Justice Committee’s passage of House Bill (HB) 22, legislation that would restrict the right to protest:

State Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) today issued a statement after House Republicans amended the collegiate name, image and likeness bill, Senate Bill 187, to effectively ban transgender athletes from participating in high school and collegiate sports. 

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) issued a statement Wednesday concerning the ongoing budget deliberations, urging the governor to be ready to step in to veto a number of anticipated provisions when the budget reaches his desk in the coming days.

Toledo-area Democratic lawmakers Minority Whip Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo), Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) and Rep. Michael Sheehy (D-Oregon) today issued a statement after GOP lawmakers Tuesday inserted an amendment to undercut funding for the Toledo Area Regional Transit Authority (TARTA) into Senate Bill 19, a totally unrelated bill dealing with wetland mitigation projects.