Juanita O. Brent News

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) today introduced a concurrent resolution urging Congress to designate June 19^th a paid federal holiday. This date is to be known as Juneteenth Independence day in recognition of June 19, 1865 when news of the end of slavery reached the southwestern states two months after the end of the American Civil War.  

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) today announced that Governor Mike DeWine signed into law House Bill (HB) 285, a bill she introduced that establishes permanence of the Driver’s License Reinstatement Fee Debt Reduction and Amnesty Program. This legislation not only expands the number of people who qualify for a waiver of reinstatement fees, but automatically enrolls eligible individuals in the program.

While Ohioans were sleeping, House Democratic lawmakers were offering two amendments on the House floor late Thursday and early Friday that would have prohibited the sale, display, possession or distribution of Confederate memorabilia at county and independent fairs, following a similar rule instituted by the Ohio State Fair in 2015. The motions came during floor debate on House Bill 665, which made several other changes to laws on local and county fairs. The U.S. Marines, U.S. Navy and NASCAR recently announced similar bans on Confederate memorabilia. Republicans rejected the amendments largely along party lines, voting instead to protect the sale of the Confederate flag. 

While Ohioans were sleeping, House Democratic lawmakers were offering two amendments on the House floor late Thursday and early Friday that would have prohibited the sale, display, possession or distribution of Confederate memorabilia at county and independent fairs, following a similar rule instituted by the Ohio State Fair in 2015. The motions came during floor debate on House Bill 665, which made several other changes to laws on local and county fairs. The U.S. Marines, U.S. Navy and NASCAR recently announced similar bans on Confederate memorabilia. Republicans rejected the amendments largely along party lines, voting instead to protect the sale of the Confederate flag. 

COLUMBUS—Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) offered an amendment to prohibit the sale, display, possession or distribution of Confederate memorabilia at local and county fairs. Brent offered the amendment to House Bill 665 during today’s House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee meeting. Republicans rejected the measure.

COLUMBUS—Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland ) issued a statement today as Republican lawmakers voted to fast-track legislationthat 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— Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) signed onto a resolution that would designate racism as a public health crisis, echoing similar calls in Cleveland and Franklin County. The resolution, if passed, would be the first of its kind passed at the state level.

COLUMBUS- State Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) today applauded the House concurrence of House Bill (HB) 285, her legislation to establish the permanent Driver’s License Reinstatement Fee Debt Reduction and Amnesty Program. The program will determine if a person qualifies for a reduction in pending reinstatement fees or if a person is eligible for a complete fees waiver. HB 285 now heads to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.

COLUMBUS- Yesterday, State Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) provided sponsor testimony on House Bill (HB) 461, also known as “Esther’s Law,” that would permit a long-term care facility resident or the resident’s sponsor to authorize the installation and use of an electronic monitoring device in the resident’s room under certain conditions. HB 461 would also prohibit discrimination or retaliation against a resident who authorizes electronic monitoring.

COLUMBUS— In honor of May being National Foster Care Awareness Month, State Representative Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) today announced that she will be introducing legislation to create the Kinship Care Bill of Rights. Kinship care refers to the care of children by relatives, or in some cases, close family friends.