Democratic News

Amid widespread criticism of House Bill 6, legislation that ends renewable energy standards and increases consumer and business taxes by some $300 million per year, House Democrats this week will hold their own caucus-wide review of the fast-tracked proposal.

State Reps. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) and Rick Carfagna (R-Genoa Township)  today announced the introduction of the Reagan Tokes Act, which will implement new standards to improve the monitoring of violent offenders.  This bill follows the passage of House Bill 365, also known as the Reagan Tokes Act, last year which created indefinite prison sentencing standards for violent 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. 

State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) today issued a statement following a press conference announcing the creation of a bipartisan working group to study the potential for automated voter registration in Ohio. 

State Reps. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) and Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) today announced the introduction of House Bill (HB) 208, bipartisan legislation to secure protections for sports officials. The bill would bring the penalty for assaulting a referee on the job or in retaliation for a prior incident in line with current legislation protecting teachers, school administrators and bus drivers.

“As a referee for 20 years and as a coach, participant and parent, I understand the power of athletic competition to bring people together and teach important life skills,” said Rep. Miller. “However, sometimes emotions run high and tempers flare during competition. It’s important that we support our officials and send a message that physical confrontations are never an acceptable recourse.”

State Reps. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) and Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) today announced the introduction of House Bill 202, legislation to create an Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Study tasked with setting statewide EV infrastructure standards to encourage investment and economic growth. The lawmakers’ announcement follows the state’s approval of EV registration fee increases and a new report lauding Ohio’s potential as a national leader in clean jobs growth.

“If we don’t plan for our future now, we risk being left out of the economic growth and opportunity that comes with clean energy investment,” said Smith. “We need a blueprint that recognizes our potential as a clean jobs leader and builds on that foundation to keep us economically competitive nationally and globally.”

As Black Maternal Health Week 2019 comes to a close, House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) and state Rep. Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights) today announced the initial meeting of the Ohio Black Maternal Health Caucus, the state’s first-ever group of state lawmakers dedicated to improving black maternal health across the state. Members will meet in Columbus early next month to discuss the group’s mission and shared vision to strengthen Ohio women, children, families and communities.

House Democrats today announced a series of proposals to modernize Ohio’s tax system to benefit working people, families and small businesses. The comprehensive plan would put more than $400 million back in the pockets of working people, seniors and families in each of the next two years, a move that Democrats say will bring growth and investment to Ohio.

State Reps. Janine R. Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights) and Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) today announced the creation of Ohio’s first ever Black Maternal Health Caucus, a group of state lawmakers dedicated to improve black maternal health outcomes across the state.

COLUMBUS—House Democrats today voted against Senate Bill (SB) 23, a GOP-backed near-total abortion ban that would prohibit abortions in Ohio long before most women know they are pregnant. SB 23 would become the most extreme abortion ban in the country if signed into law.

State Rep. and Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) President Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) today released the following statement looking to the future and reflecting on the 2019 OLBC Legislative Day of Action held today at the Statehouse:

“For too many in our communities, Ohio’s promise of opportunity is fading. The annual OLBC Day of Action empowers our community to use their voices to hold their elected officials accountable and demand change on the issues that keep working people and families from getting ahead.