Democratic News

Ohio House Democratic lawmakers today applauded the passage of House Bill (HB) 80, the two-year state Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) budget, which contained a number of Democratic priorities, including benefits for first responders with PTSD and reforms to the state’s employee misclassification laws.

Ohio House Assistant Minority Leader Rep. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) andHouse Democratic Women’s Caucus Chair Rep. Tavia Galonski (D-Akron) today issued a statement following Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s announced support for ending the state’s statute of limitations on rape. Boggs and Galonski are sponsoring a proposal this legislative session to modernize Ohio’s rape code, including lifting the statute of limitations on rape. 

Central Ohio House Democratic lawmakers, including Assistant Minority Leader Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) and Reps. Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester), Erica Crawley (D-Columbus), David Leland (D-Columbus), Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville), Beth Liston (D-Dublin), Adam Miller (D-Columbus), and Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington), today issued a statement in support of the nearly 500,000 LGBTQ taxpaying Ohioans who call the Buckeye State home. The statement follows controversial remarks from House Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford), regarding the permissive use of libraries for LGBTQ events.

State Rep. Jack Cera (D-Bellaire) today announced the House Democratic screening panel tasked with finding a replacement for the 63^rd House district seat, previously held by Glenn Holmes (D-Girard), has recommended Gil Blair (D-Weathersfield) to fill the remainder of Holmes’s term.

House Democratic lawmakers today largely voted against House Bill (HB) 6, legislation to bail out several energy corporations and all but eliminate energy efficiency and renewable energy standards in Ohio.

State Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) today released the following statement following the passage of House Bill (HB 137), which she joint-sponsored alongside Rep. Nino Vitale (R-Urbana). HB 137 would require employers to provide written, printed or electronic pay statements to their employees:

“Ohio is one of only nine states that do not require businesses to provide their employees with regular pay statements even though employers are still required to keep track of how much they pay their employees.

Today, Gov. Kasich, Speaker Batchelder and President Faber spoke to members of the business community during a year-in-review speech at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce. State Rep. Matt Lundy (D-Elyria) released the following statement in response to today’s speech:

State Rep. Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood) announced on Wednesday the passage of Senate Bill 23, a bill to provide persons adopted between 1964-1996 access to their original birth certificate. The bill passed by a nearly unanimous vote of  88 to 2.

Ohio House Democratic Leader Tracy Maxwell Heard released the following statement today paying tribute to longtime Ohio House Majority Leader and personal mentor, State Rep. William Mallory Sr.:

“It is with heavy hearts and deep sorrow that we mourn the loss of Leader William L. Mallory, Sr. Ohio has lost a distinguished statesman and trailblazing soldier.

“As a legislator, Rep. Mallory broke barriers, serving as the first African American Ohio House Majority Floor Leader under late-Speaker Verne Riffe. Rep. Mallory’s personal leadership helped guide me as the first African American female House Majority Leader, and I had the distinct honor of calling him a mentor and a friend. It is a privilege to follow in his wake.

Let us keep his beloved widow, sons, daughter and extended family in our thoughts and prayers.

“May we remember the legacy of Leader Mallory in word and deed as we strive to give honor to service and integrity to leadership and work for the advancement of Ohio and her citizens.”

Ohio Legislative Black Caucus President Alicia Reece (D-Cincinnati) released the following statement this afternoon in response to the passing of former Majority Leader and OLBC founding member William L. Mallory, Sr.:

State Rep. Ron Gerberry (D-Austintown) on Thursday called on Secretary of State Jon Husted to testify on pending elections bills in the Ohio legislature. Rep. Gerberry sent a letter to House Policy & Legislative Chairman Mike Dovilla requesting that the Secretary of State attend committee to address these complex changes and the capacity of Boards of Elections and poll workers to prepare for them before statewide officeholder elections in less than a year.

Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) President Alicia Reece (D-Cincinnati) issued the following statement, paying tribute to the late Nelson Mandela:

“Today we lost a world champion of change and peace. Because of his sacrifice and determination to fight against apartheid and for voting rights in South Africa, the world is a better place. In his spirit, we must continue to fight for voting rights, justice and equality for all—even in the face of great odds.”

On Wednesday, State Reps. John Patterson (D-Jefferson) and John Rogers (D-Mentor-on-the-Lake) introduced legislation to grow the state’s “Straight A” fund with some $400 million in expected budget savings from Medicaid expansion. 

The long-awaited JobsOhio report was issued by State Auditor Dave Yost in late November, but it created more questions than answers.

Discern—to separate (a thing) mentally from another; recognize as separate or different (Webster’s New World Dictionary)