Democratic News

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today issued a statement as the Ohio House passed House Bill (HB) 481, which would distribute $350 million in federal CARES Act funds to aid coronavirus response in Ohio communities.

COLUMBUS—Today, House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) released the following statement about the unexpected resignation of Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton:

COLUMBUS— Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) President State Rep. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) today issued a statement in response to state Senator Steven Huffman’s (R-Tipp City) being fired from his job as an emergency room physician at Upper Valley Medical Center.

COLUMBUS— Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) President State Rep. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) today issued a statement in response to state Senator Steven Huffman’s (R-Tipp City) question Tuesday about whether “colored” people get COVID-19 from not washing their hands as much.

COLUMBUS- House Bill 661, legislation that regulates imitation meat and egg products, has been introduced by State Representative Roy Klopfenstein (R- Haviland) and State Representative Jack Daniels (R- New Franklin). 

COLUMBUS— On Friday, June 12, State Rep. Melanie Miller (R-City of Ashland) joined the Ohio Association of Meat Processors, the Ohio Department of Agriculture, and other legislators on a tour of Heffelfinger’s Meats, Inc., the largest harvesting facility in Ohio.

State Rep. Beth Liston (D-Dublin) issued a statement today following the passage of House Bill 624,Republican legislation that would require the release of certain COVID-19 related data, which Liston says will make it more difficult for health departments to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Tom Young (R-Washington Twp.) today announced the Ohio House has approved six bills addressing a variety of issues, including measures to provide testing relief to Ohio’s schools, improve health outcomes, and support Ohio’s business climate. 

COLUMBUS— Ohio House Democrats, led by Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron), are acting swiftly to respond to the thousands of concerned voices being raised in cities and towns throughout Ohio by announcing today their preliminary legislative plans to combat police brutality. The proposed bills would prohibit profiling, tear gas, and the use of quotas by all law enforcement agencies, as well as call for the independent investigation of officer-involved shootings and the creation of databases to better track problematic behavior and employment history of law enforcement officers.

COLUMBUS– After the Ohio Supreme Court today ruled the latest congressional map unconstitutional, State Rep. Jeff Crossman (D-Parma) renewed his call for a Criminal Complaint against the Ohio Redistricting Commission for dereliction of duty and violating their oath of office.

COLUMBUS—Today, Rep. Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights) and fellow House Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine urging him to ban the use of tear gas by all county, municipal and township police departments indefinitely. 

COLUMBUS—Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today blasted House Republican lawmakers who passed an elections bill that does little to prepare the state’s Boards of Elections to safely conduct a presidential election amid the worst global pandemic in more than a century.

COLUMBUS – Yesterday, Ohio Democratic state legislators called on members of the Ohio Congressional Delegation to support and approve an increase in funding for local school systems in the next Covid-19 supplemental appropriations bill.

State Representatives David Thomas (R-Jefferson) and Ty Mathews (R-Findlay) today announced that they introduced a new piece of legislation, the Military Service Elected Office Protection Act, which aims to protect the seat of an elected official in Ohio should that elected member be ordered to active military service for our country.

COLUMBUS—State Reps. Thomas West (D-Canton) and Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) today announced that they have sent a joint letter to Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) Director Maureen Corcoran requesting that she establish a pathway for Ohio’s pharmacists to be reimbursed for the administration of COVID-19 tests.