Committed to working together to invest in working people and families
Ohio House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) and state Rep. Jack Cera (D-Bellaire) today issued a joint statement as members of the state budget conference committee were announced. Cera, the lead Democrat on the House Finance Committee, will represent the caucus on the panel.
Says Dems focused on restoring Ohio's promise as an opportunity state
Ohio House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today applauded this week’s passage of a series of bipartisan priority bills, including criminal justice reforms, funding to protect Ohio waterways and a proposal to keep moms and babies healthy. Sykes joined Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) to announce the bills at a Statehouse press conference last month. Their joint-announcement followed the Democrats’ unveiling of Ohio Promise, their blueprint for Ohio’s future focused on working together to restore Ohio’s promise of better lives and brighter futures for working people and families.
Offers student loan forgiveness for lawyers who become public defenders in underserved areas of Ohio
State Rep. David Leland (D-Columbus) today announced the passage of House Bill (HB) 5, his bipartisan bill with Rep. Brett Hudson Hillyer (R-Uhrichsville) to create the Ohio Public Defender State Loan Repayment Program to incentivize lawyers to work as public defenders in underserved areas of the state.
Bill would fund water quality protection and preservation across Ohio
State Rep. John Patterson (D-Jefferson) today applauded the passage of House Bill (HB) 7, his bipartisan legislation joint-sponsored with Rep. Haraz Ghanbari (R-Perrysburg) to create the H2Ohio Trust Fund to protect, preserve and improve water quality across Ohio.
Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) members today held a press conference outlining their Build Up Black Families legislative package in honor of Juneteenth, which marks the anniversary of the first announcement of the abolition of slavery in America.
“As we’ve been working to restore the Ohio promise of a better life and brighter future for everyone, we say that family comes first and we mean that,” said Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland). “Our members have been working together, drafting common sense legislation to deliver results for a real shot at the American Dream for black families in Ohio.”
Legislation would facilitate job growth and keep families together
State Rep. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) today announced the unanimous passage of House Bill (HB) 133, bipartisan legislation joint-sponsored by Rep. Rick Perales (R-Beavercreek) that will allow for the issuing of temporary occupational licenses to active duty service members and their spouses living in Ohio as a result of undergoing a permanent change of station.
Assistant Minority Leader Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) and Rep. Erica Crawley (D-Columbus) introduced legislation designed to protect victims of sexual violence in Ohio in a joint press conference with state Sens. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) and Stephanie Kunze (R-Columbus) this afternoon at the Ohio Statehouse. The proposed legislation recognizes that health care professionals who use their status of trust and power to violate people under their care and supervision must have enhanced consequences.
Bill would mandate interrogation recordings of suspected felonious homicide, sexual assault cases in Ohio
State Rep. Thomas West (D-Canton) today announced the introduction of House Bill (HB) 277, bipartisan legislation with Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) to implement mandatory recordings of suspect interrogations statewide for some of the most serious crimes, such as homicide and sexual assault cases. The two lawmakers unveiled their proposal at a press conference this morning with supporters from the Ohio Public Defenders office and the Ohio Innocence Project.
“The more transparency and accountability we can provide, the more trust Ohioans will have in our judicial and criminal justice systems,” said Rep. West. “This bill is just one piece of a bigger puzzle in ensuring all Ohioans are treated fairly, and feel safe and secure at home.”
State Rep. Thomas E. West (D-Canton) this week announced the passage of House Bill (HB) 12, his bipartisan legislation with Rep. Don Manning (R-New Middletown) to create the Ohio Children’s Behavioral Health Network. The network would bring together a diverse group of experts to develop evidence- and outcome-based solutions to improve the mental health of children and young adults across Ohio, with a special focus on prevention.
Ohio House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today issued a statement following the passing of longtime Dispatch Statehouse reporter Jim Siegel:
