Democratic News

State Rep. Janine R. Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights), the highest ranking Democrat on the House Health Committee, issued the following statement after GOP lawmakers rejected Democratic efforts to include protections for Ohio women in Senate Bill (SB) 23, a bill that would implement a near-total ban on abortion in Ohio.

“I submit to citizens that this bill is not about ‘life.’ It proposes that the state will force nearly all pregnant women to carry their pregnancies to term, regardless of how that might threaten her health and her economic security, and it erodes the fundamental freedom we all have as Americans to make important medical and health decisions.” 

State Rep. Janine R. Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights), Ranking Member of the House Health Committee, sent a letter Wednesday to the committee chairman demanding more hearings on Senate Bill (SB) 23, the six-week abortion ban, which was rushed through committee this week during the busiest part of the state budget season. Boyd also seeks explanations of last-minute changes in the latest version of the bill. She issued the following statement: 

State Reps. John Rogers (D-Mentor-on-the-Lake) and Shane Wilkin (R-Piketon) announced the House passage of House Bill 85 today, which creates a methodology for Ohio counties to petition the State for additional funding in capital cases which exceed a threshold that might otherwise place the county in financial distress, if not fiscal ruin. 

Described by Rep. Rogers and Rep. Wilkin as one of Ohio’s largest homicide investigations, the costs associated with prosecuting the recent capital crimes in Pike County could exceed $5 million. Pike County, with a annual budget of less than $10 million, is nevertheless mandated to enforce Ohio law, pursue justice on behalf of the State, and hold those responsible to account.   

“Ohio is charged with a great responsibility – to seek justice, to protect the rights of its citizens, and protect our communities, all the while ensuring that those who commit horrendous acts of violence, including murder, are held accountable,” Rogers said.

House Assistant Minority Whip and state Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) today sent a letter to Republican Governor Mike DeWine urging him to veto provisions in House Bill (HB) 62, the state’s two-year transportation budget, that would penalize cities using traffic safety cameras.

State Reps. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) and Randi Clites (D-Ravenna) today during a Statehouse news conference introduced the Ohio Equal Pay Act, legislation to recognize the full value and potential of Ohio’s working women. The announcement comes as advocates mark ‘Equal Pay Day’ across America, the date to which women must work to make up for the lost wages relative to their male counterparts.

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.

“Democrats were able to come together to make historic investments to improve public transit and allow local communities to rebuild crumbling roads and bridges,” said House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron). “I am encouraged that moving forward we can continue to work together to put people and communities first to restore the promise of our state.”

State Rep. Beth Liston (D-Dublin) today announced the unanimous House passage of House Bill (HB) 61, her bipartisan bill alongside joint sponsor Laura Lanese (R-Grove City) to make sensitive personal information of certain mental health workers and their families exempt from disclosure under Ohio’s public records law.

State Rep. Erica C. Crawley (D-Columbus) today announced the unanimous passage of House Bill (HB) 18, the Ohio Veterans’ Exemption Payment Act, her bipartisan bill alongside Rep. A. Nino Vitale (R-Urbana) to exemptveterans’ disability severance payments from the state income tax.

Working collaboratively with Ohio educators and finance officers for the past 15 months, Ohio Reps. Bob Cupp (R, Lima) and John Patterson (D, Jefferson) are co-sponsoring a comprehensive and transparent school funding proposal.

“As Ohio legislators, we are committed and determined to find an education funding system for our state’s pre-kindergarten through grade 12 students; one that is fair, rational and justifiable in contrast to our current system that is often unfair and nearly always incomprehensible,” the two lawmakers wrote of the plan.

Ohio House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today issued the following statement in support of state Reps. John Patterson (D-Jefferson) and Bob Cupp’s (R-Lima) comprehensive school funding reform efforts, which were outlined today and will be detailed throughout the week in House committee:

“Today’s announcement is the result of over a year’s worth of bipartisan work to fix the broken, unconstitutional school formula that has held back too many Ohio children for over a generation.

“Through this ongoing bipartisan effort, I believe we have a real opportunity to ensure every child in every school across the state can live up to their individual, God-given promise and the promise of our state.