Democratic News

COLUMBUS—The Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) today announced plans to introduce legislation that would declare racism a public health crisis, echoing similar calls in Cleveland and Franklin County recently. The resolution, if passed, would be the first of its kind passed at the state level.

COLUMBUS – Ohio House Assistant Minority Leader Rep. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus), House Minority Whip Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) and Assistant Minority Whip Rep. Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester) today issued a statement condemning an incident that occurred on Saturday which involved a threat of violence against Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) and her father, Senator Vernon Sykes (D-Akron).

COLUMBUS- State Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) today issued the following statement in response to House Bill (HB) 680, the Ohio House Republican Caucus general election plan:

COLUMBUS—Ohio House Democratic lawmakers, led by Reps. David Leland (D-Columbus) and Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo), today introduced legislation to protect at-risk workers from being forced to choose between returning to unsafe working conditions or losing unemployment benefits.

COLUMBUS—State Reps. Erica C. Crawley (D-Columbus) and Jeff Crossman (D-Parma) today sent a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine calling for further action to limit the spread of COVID-19 in Ohio’s overcrowded jails and prisons.

Reps. David Leland (D-Columbus) and Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) today announced plans to introduce legislation to protect at-risk workers from being forced to choose between returning to unsafe working conditions or losing unemployment benefits. The proposal is the latest effort from House Dems to improve the safety and security of Ohio workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

COLUMBUS—House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today voiced her frustration following Governor Mike DeWine’s announcement related to the Minority Health Strike Force. Today’s statement follows multiple written and verbal conversations where Sykes urgently pressed DeWine to take action to slow the spread of COVID-19 in Ohio’s minority communities, which have been hit the hardest by the worst global pandemic in more than a century. Though black Ohioans are just 13 percent of the population, they account for 26 percent of confirmed cases and 17 percent of deaths from coronavirus in Ohio. 

COLUMBUS— Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President State Rep. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) today issued a statement following Governor Mike DeWine’s announcement today regarding next steps with the Minority Health Strike Force.

House Democrats today applauded the unanimous passage of Aisha’s Law, Democratic priority legislation sponsored by Rep. Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights) that would change how law enforcement agencies respond to domestic violence cases and provide added protections for those in high-risk situations. Democrats say the bill’s passage comes at a critical time as prolonged isolation during the state’s stay-at-home order has led to a spike in domestic violence cases. 

COLUMBUS- State Representative Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights) today announced that House Bill (HB) 3, ‘Aisha’s Law’, her bipartisan priority legislation with Rep. Sara Carruthers (R-Hamilton) to change how law enforcement agencies respond to domestic violence cases and create a continuum of protections for victims of domestic violence that are in extreme risk and lethal situations, passed out of the House Criminal Justice (12-0) and House Finance Committees (31-1).  The bill is named for Aisha Fraser, a former Shaker Heights sixth-grade teacher who was brutally murdered by her ex-husband, former state Rep. Lance Mason, in Nov. 2018 following years of domestic abuse. The bill now awaits an expected House floor vote tomorrow, Wednesday, May 20.