Karen Brownlee News

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp) today issued the following statement on House Bill (HB) 730 and proposed changes to SNAP administrative funding that fails to meet the need and would leave thousands of Ohioan veterans, children, and community members hungry.

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp) today introduced legislation to move the Department of Medicaid away from the current Managed Care Organization (MCO) model to an Administrative Services Organization (ASO) model. 

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp) today announced House Bill (HB) 432, legislation designating the portion of east Kemper Road in Hamilton County between Tri-County Parkway and Lebanon Road as the “Patrolman Earl W. Casterline Memorial Highway,” has passed the Ohio House of Representatives.

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Jewish Caucus today announced their recent town hall event hosted nearly 100 members of the community including local elected officials, Jewish community leaders, and members of the media. 

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp) today announced that she invited Blue Ash Councilman Jim Friend and Springdale Councilwoman Amy Thompson to attend Governor DeWine’s 2026 State of the State Address. 

COLUMBUS – State Reps. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp) and Jodi Salvo (R-Bolivar) last week introduced bipartisan House Bill (HB) 718 that expands certification pathways for Qualified Mental Health Specialists (QMHS), who provide support services for better mental health outcomes, including care coordination, case management, and client skill building for improved daily functioning. formalizes certification of this currently unlicensed position, which will increase consumer protections, reduce credentialing red tape, and create consistency for QMH training and development standards.

COLUMBUS –  State Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp) last week announced that the Ohio Controlling Board approved $200k in capital funds for Qualz.ai, a Loveland-based company, to commercialize their AI voice interview platform for commercial settings. 

COLUMBUS – State Reps. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp) and Meredith Craig (R-Smithville) today introduced a bill that requires private insurance companies in Ohio to cover telehealth for outpatient mental health services. House Bill (HB) 709 fills an important gap at a time when Ohio is facing an unprecedented shortage of mental health providers.

COLUMBUS – State Reps. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Twp) and Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) today introduced the Community and Police Protection Act to ensure safety and transparency for all parties involved in arrest proceedings. The Community and Police Protection Act (House Bill 691) mandates that local, state, and Federal law enforcement may not conceal their faces during arrests for the sole purpose of concealing their identities. Not only is this measure a safety necessity for individuals facing arrest, but it also reinforces trust in local and Federal law enforcement agencies.

COLUMBUS — The Ohio House Democratic Caucus today held a press conference discussing a legislative package of eight bills and resolutions aimed at protecting Ohio families, safeguarding due process, and ensuring accountability related to recent federal immigration enforcement activity impacting communities across the state.