Lawmakers say bill protects victims, supports recovery and transition
State Reps. Jack Cera (D-Bellaire) and Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) announced today the introduction of House Bill (HB) 508, legislation to allow victims of domestic violence to access unemployment benefits when that individual leaves work as the result of past or ongoing abuse.
Says state should conduct robust and transparent review
State Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) today urged the House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee to consider House Bill 73, which establishes the State Facilities Closure Review Commission to review proposed closures of state developmental centers, including those in Youngstown and Montgomery County already set for closure.
The governor vetoed Lepore-Hagan’s bipartisan provision in the recently passed state budget that would have stayed the closures upon the review of a 13-member commission.
In a letter addressed to the chair of the House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee, Rep. Lepore-Hagan wrote, “At minimum, there should be a robust and transparent review of all facts before the state decides to take action. House Bill 73 would ensure that such a review takes place, and it would provide the opportunity for residents, families, employees and the surrounding communities to have their voices heard.”
Text of the letter can be seen below:
Introduce framework to strengthen public education, expand opportunity for everyday Ohioans
House Democratic Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) today joined House Dem lawmakers to discuss their legislative framework to give Ohioans greater access to the tools they need to live the American Dream, including plans to strengthen public education, grow wages and expand opportunity for working people and families across Ohio.
State Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) announced her support today for bipartisan legislation aimed at repealing and replacing House Bill (HB) 70, known as the “Youngstown Plan.” Lepore-Hagan added her support as a cosponsor to Rep. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) and Rep. Don Jones’ (R-Nottingham Township) legislation that would terminate Academic Distress Commissions, restore local control over public schools and move to a building-based, bottom-up reform model.
“This legislation offers a much-needed opportunity to end the failing system of Academic Distress Commissions and restore our district’s control to a democratically elected school board,” said Lepore-Hagan. “We also need an evidence-based turnaround model that allows children and teachers to truly have the opportunity they need to succeed. My colleagues on both sides of the aisle have recognized the ineffectiveness of HB 70 in Youngstown, Lorain and East Cleveland and the need to refocus on public education in the wake of charter school scandals. The Youngstown City School District has suffered under our former governor’s disastrous plan for too long, and I look forward to finally passing a real solution.”
State Rep. Kathleen Clyde (D-Kent) released the following statement in response to the passage of House Bill 238, which will allow the state to sell the North Central Correctional Institution and Turtle Creek Center.
“I oppose the sale of the North Central Correctional Institution and the Turtle Creek Center because privatizing state prisons is the wrong direction for Ohio.
“The state recently sold the Lake Erie Correctional Institution, and the results have been disastrous. Since this sale 18 months ago, there have been 248 security complaints, compared to 157 such complaints in the eleven years prior. Also, after the sale, the facility immediately added 300 more beds, and has suffered serious overcrowding problems and hazardous conditions for inmates and workers.
“Private prison management companies have bad track records in Ohio. For example, Corrections Corporation of America was fined $500,000 by the state because of a 300 percent increase in prisoner-on-staff assaults and a 187.5 percent increase in prisoner-on-prisoner assaults. The financial records for these private companies are not transparent, and we still aren’t sure if money is being saved or how these many problems are being addressed.
“These last-minute additions to House Bill 238 have not been vetted. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections did not provide testimony to the legislative committees hearing this proposal. A lot of questions and concerns remain, and the governor should veto this rush authorization of sale.”
Final bill includes wins for local communities, public transit
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.”
