Joseph A. Miller, III News

State Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) today announced the House passage of House Bill (HB) 154, a bipartisan bill introduced with state Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport) that seeks to end state takeovers of Ohio schools and restore local control to education officials over the school improvement process.

“It’s heartening to see HB 154 pass in bipartisan fashion, but our work is far from done,” said Miller, a joint-sponsor of the bill. “For too long, top-down, unaccountable school takeovers have failed to provide struggling schools with the support they need. Today’s vote is an important step in restoring Ohio’s promise of living the America Dream right here at home, which starts with ensuring our kids receive a quality education so they can learn important skills to live a better life.”

House Democrats today announced the House passage of House Bill (HB) 154, a bipartisan effort to end state takeovers of local schools and restore control to local education officials. The bill comes amid questions of accountability, transparency and lackluster results from district takeovers in Youngstown, Lorain and East Cleveland.

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.”

House Democrats today supported the final passage of House Bill (HB) 62, the state’s bipartisan two-year transportation budget. The bill makes historic investments in public transit and local communities for road and bridge repairs.

State Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) today announced $34,000 in Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) grant funding to support marine patrol units for the Lorain Port Authority. 

“This assistance is essential to the Lorain Port Authority carrying out their mission of maintaining waterway safety,” said Rep. Miller. “It is heartening to see the state demonstrate their commitment to making sure our community has the tools necessary to keep our lakes safe and open for everyone.”

State Reps. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) and Don Jones (R-Freeport) today introduced bipartisan legislation to end state takeovers of local schools. Three districts, including Rep. Miller’s own Lorain City Schools, are currently under state control, while ten districts across the state could potentially join them over the next two years.

House Democratic lawmakers today voted in favor of House Bill (HB) 62, the state’s bipartisan, two-year budget that largely funds road and bridge improvements and public transportation throughout the state. 

State Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) today announced upcoming district office hours in Lorain and Amherst. All residents of House District 56 are encouraged to attend and share questions and concerns related to state government.

“There’s no better way to understand the needs of our citizens than to hear directly from them,” said Miller. “I’m looking forward to holding these regular community meetings to learn more about my neighbors and how I can best serve you and your family at the Statehouse.”

State Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) today announced he will soon introduce bipartisan legislation with Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport) to repeal portions of House bill 70, the 2015 bill that brought on state takeovers of local schools in Lorain and throughout the state.

“Placing these districts under state control has been a disaster,” said Miller. “In each case, the Academic Distress Commission has been unable to work effectively alongside the district’s teachers, school leaders and community at large. After three years, we haven’t seen any evidence that state takeovers improve academic achievement. It’s time for us to restore local control and give struggling schools the support they need to succeed.”

State Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) today extended his congratulations to the Oberlin Heritage Center on their procurement of over $2,000 in grant funding from the Ohio History Connection. The funds will be used for a data-gathering project focused on identifying best practices for self-guided tours of historic house museums across the state. The award was announced Wednesday as part of Ohio History Connection’s annual Statehood Day event in Columbus.