Democratic News

House Democratic Leader and Legislative Taskforce on Redistricting Co-Chair Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today detailed next steps that the Task Force, co-chaired by Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Medina), must take to “consider the recent Court decision and, more importantly, to take necessary steps to ensure Ohio is taking the lead on our own fair districts, regardless of the Court’s decision on matters pending before it and outcomes in other states or courts,” she wrote in a letter* to Obhof.

House Minority Leader Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) and Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko (D-Richmond Heights) today urged Ohio GOP officials to accept the will of Ohio voters and reject congressional redistricting court appeals motivated by maintaining partisan, political control over the next election cycle.

“Whether or not our current congressional map is unfair and unconstitutional is not in dispute. Virtually no one believes it to be a fair map. The egregiously gerrymandered districts are what drove the voters to approve a reform measure that would eliminate the current mapmaking process and ensure fairer district lines. The Court has just given us the opportunity to start a little sooner than we expected,” the leaders wrote in a letter to GOP officials.

Ohio House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today issued the following statement in response to Ohio’s existing congressional district map being struck down as unconstitutional by the federal courts:

“Today’s ruling is a victory for voters that upholds our fundamental American values of free and fair elections. This decision means voters will have their voices heard and have elected officials who work for their districts – not just special interests or political parties.

House Democratic lawmakers today announced their Ohio Clean Energy Jobs Plan to protect and grow good jobs across the state, improve the health of Ohioans and avoid rate hikes on consumer utility bills.

“For generations, Ohio led the nation in manufacturing, building the strongest middle class the world had ever seen,” said Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron). “The Ohio Clean Energy Jobs plan restores that promise of better jobs and brighter futures, and gives the next generation of Ohio workers the opportunity to lead again—in advanced, clean energy jobs that will power our state into the future.”

The Clean Energy Jobs plan strengthens Ohio’s renewable and energy efficiency benchmarks and re-envisions the state’s Advanced Energy Standards (AES) to save consumers money and grow emerging sectors of Ohio’s clean energy economy. According to the latest report, Ohioans could realize some $3.5 billion in additional economic value under updated efficiency standards.

State Rep. and Ohio House Democratic Women’s Caucus (OHDWC) Chair Tavia Galonski (D-Akron) today joined the Ohio House Democratic Women’s Caucus (OHDWC) in hosting the eight annual Women’s Lobby Day, a legislative advocacy day at the Statehouse pushing for women’s social and economic equality featuring a panel of women lawmakers.

House Democrats today expressed optimism that the latest state budget draft is moving in the right direction, after updates included key Democratic tax priorities that they say make the bill a “more realistic blueprint” for the state’s fiscal future.

State Reps. Adam C. Miller (D-Columbus) and Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) this week announced House Bill (HB) 229, legislation that would prohibit landlords from discriminating against tenants who utilize the federal government’s Housing Choice Voucher program.

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.

Amid widespread criticism of House Bill 6, legislation that ends renewable energy standards and increases consumer and business taxes by some $300 million per year, House Democrats this week will hold their own caucus-wide review of the fast-tracked proposal.

State Reps. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) and Rick Carfagna (R-Genoa Township)  today announced the introduction of the Reagan Tokes Act, which will implement new standards to improve the monitoring of violent offenders.  This bill follows the passage of House Bill 365, also known as the Reagan Tokes Act, last year which created indefinite prison sentencing standards for violent offenders. The bill is named for Reagan Tokes, a student at The Ohio State University who was brutally kidnapped, raped and killed after leaving work at a Columbus restaurant in 2017. 

State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) today issued a statement following a press conference announcing the creation of a bipartisan working group to study the potential for automated voter registration in Ohio.