Democratic News

State Reps. Michael Sheehy (D-Oregon) and Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) today responded to the 9th Circuit ruling in favor of labor unions representing rail workers and personnel, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET) and the International Association of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers (SMART), in TRANSP. DIV. OF INT’L ASS’N-SMART V. FRA, litigation initiated in response to an order by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) purporting to adopt a nationwide maximum one-person crew rule and to preempt any state laws concerning that subject matter, a known unsafe practice.

COLUMBUS— Today, Ohio House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) applauded the House passage of House Bill (HB) 93, legislation to modify the state’s address confidentiality program (Safe at Home), a long-held Democratic priority that allows victims of domestic violence, stalking, rape, human trafficking, or sexual battery who fear for their safety to keep their address confidential and out of the public record. 

State Rep. Janine Boyd (D-Cleveland Heights) today gave sponsor testimony before the Ohio House Criminal Justice Committee on House Bill (HB) 3, also known as Aisha’s Law, to address high-risk and lethal domestic violence. HB 3 was initially unveiled as bipartisan priority legislation in the 133rd General Assembly, and was passed by the Ohio House on May 20, 2020. 

Rep. Erica C. Crawley (D-Columbus), the ranking Democrat on the House Finance Committee, today reacted to the latest version of House Bill (HB) 74, the state’s two-year transportation budget. Democrats had expressed concern over the governor’s proposal, which significantly cut public transit funds. Democrats on the Finance Committee had pushed for more transit funding in the bill in recent weeks.  The amended transportation budget includes $193.7 million in public transit funding over the next two years, a doubling the total investment from the governor’s initial proposal. 

State Reps. Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) and Tavia Galonski (D-Akron) issued a statement on House Bill (HB) 732, the Protect Child Victims Act.

State Rep. Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood) released a statement today about Gov. DeWine’s Department of Health attempt to push through an administrative rule banning abortions at the fifth or sixth week of pregnancy, despite the recent Hamilton County Court order halting the ban.

COLUMBUS- Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) sees Ohio Republicans’ deflection of the unconstitutional congressional map fight to the U.S. Supreme Court as nothing but an overreach. 

State Reps. Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) and Tavia Galonski (D-Akron) today announced they will file the Protect Child Victims Act, legislation giving the Ohio Attorney General’s office the ability to make emergency awards from the Crime Victim Compensation Fund for any healthcare treatment, including abortion care, for child victims of sexual assault and abuse. 

Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) celebrates the announcement that Honda Motors plans to invest $3.5 billion in a brand new electrical vehicle battery plant in Southern Ohio.

Rep. Erica C. Crawley (D-Columbus) today issued a statement as the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB), the panel tasked with overseeing the Ohio Statehouse grounds, voted to implement a new rule requiring any removal of a statue on the grounds first be subject to a five-year waiting period before a final vote can be taken. The measure comes as a number of groups pushed for the removal of a statue of Christopher Columbus on the West lawn of the Statehouse. A CSRAB member, Rep. Crawley voted against the measure.

State Reps. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) and Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) today sent a letter to Gov. DeWine urging him to immediately issue pardons for all existing State offenses of simple possession of marijuana.

State Reps. Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) and Jessica E. Miranda (D-Forest Park) called for action on the Reproductive Freedom Act (HJR 5), while Rep. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati), co-chair of the Ohio Black Maternal Health Caucus, also urged the General Assembly to address the state’s dismal infant and maternal mortality rates.

COLUMBUS –Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) issued the following statement after the Ohio Redistricting Commission failed to produce a new congressional map by the latest Ohio Supreme Court deadline. 

COLUMBUS— State Reps. Jeff Crossman (D- Parma) and Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville) testified today in the House Insurance Committee on House Bill (HB) 125, known as the Pre-Existing Condition Protection Act, which would enshrine protections for people with pre-existing conditions into Ohio law.  This effort became necessary due to persistent efforts by Republicans to negate Affordable Care Act (ACA) protections through federal legislation and ongoing litigation. Reps. Crossman and Lightbody filed the legislation on Feb. 16, 2021.

COLUMBUS- State Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) issued a statement after a Hamilton County judge temporarily blocked Ohio’s six-week abortion ban for 14 days. During the temporary block, Ohioans can access abortion services if they are up to 22-weeks pregnant. 

COLUMBUS — Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) issued a statement today after a Hamilton County judge temporarily blocked Ohio’s six-week abortion ban for 14 days. 

COLUMBUS- Today, House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) issued a statement as House Bill (HB) 99, Republican legislation that allow teachers and staff to be armed in schools takes effect. 

COLUMBUS—House Democrats, led by Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron), today unveiled “Ohio House Democrats - Working for You,” a roll-call style video highlighting the fight to restore Ohio’s promise of better lives, better jobs and brighter futures during the 134th General Assembly (GA) and beyond. In the video, Democratic lawmakers outline initiatives to expand opportunity for working people and middle class families and to deliver a plan to combat the virus and get Ohioans back to work safely.

State Rep. Jessica E. Miranda (D-Forest Park) reacted Monday to state lawmakers approving over $1 million to reimburse security-related costs incurred by the Ohio National Guard in response to threats of violence and civil unrest at the state capitol following the Jan. 6 attacks in Washington, D.C.