Democratic News

State Representatives Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo), Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown), Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati) and Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) today sent a letter to Secretary of State Frank LaRose again urging him to include return postage on absentee ballot application forms and the absentee ballots themselves. State law prohibits boards of elections, but not the secretary, from paying return postage. COVID-19 cases have risen sharply in Ohio since the foursome last urged LaRose to take this step to encourage mail voting on June 18.

State Representatives Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland) and Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) responded to statements made by Secretary of State Frank LaRose today at a Columbus bar suggesting he could not pay return postage for voters’ ballots and ballot applications without a law change. The Democratic lawmakers earlier sent him a letter along with Representatives Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown) and Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati)showing his authority to pay return postage and demanding he do so. 

COLUMBUS – State Reps. Jeffrey Crossman (D-Parma) and Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) today reiterated their call for Ohio Governor DeWine and the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) State Superintendent Paolo DeMaria to seek a federal waiver to cancel state assessments for the 2020-21 school year.

Democratic lawmakers, including Assistant Minority Leader Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus), Assistant Minority Whip Rep. Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester), Reps. Erica C. Crawley (D-Columbus), David Leland (D-Columbus), Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville), Beth Liston (D-Dublin), and Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington), today urged support for international students attending Columbus-area colleges and universities. The move follows the Trump administration’s announcement last week that it would ban international students attending U.S. colleges in the fall if they take only online courses.

COLUMBUS— State Representatives Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Jeffrey A. Crossman (D-Parma) announced plans on Tuesday to introduce a bill that would strike the provision in Ohio Revised Code that prohibits collective bargaining for currently exempted state employees, including legislative staff.  A co-sponsor request was sent to the entire House of Representatives on Monday. The deadline to sign on as a co-sponsor is Monday, July 20.

State Rep. Jessica E. Miranda (D-Forest Park) today sent a letter to Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) calling for transparency and clarity on the House’s handling of coronavirus cases. Last week, House HR staff misidentified a Miranda staffer in its attempt to respond to potential coronavirus exposure among Republican staff. Democrats said that had the mistake not occurred, they would have been kept in the dark entirely.

COLUMBUS – House Democrats announced Monday the state Controlling Board approved another round of federal funding to support Ohio’s efforts to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, including $300 million in federal funding to offset Ohio’s K-12 schools and colleges and university’s costs of keeping students and staff safe in the fall.

COLUMBUS— House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) issued a statement following a memorandum from Speaker of the House Larry Householder (R-Glenford) that the entire House of Representatives would be once again put under Work From Home status beginning tomorrow after a suspected COVID-19 outbreak among Republican staff was brought to light by Democratic representatives and staff and in response to public outrage of the Republicans' handling of this issue.

COLUMBUS – State Representatives Joe Miller (D-Amherst), Thomas West (D-Canton) and Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland) have introduced two related bills that would tackle key issues surrounding police departments in Ohio. The legislation would ultimately allow the chief of police of a municipal corporation to conduct training schools for prospective law enforcement officers. The goal is to create a new unclassified position called “cadets” within the police department, allow for exceptional appointment of candidates with ideal qualifications and resolve any issues regarding lateral transfers within statutory cities.  

House Democrats, led by Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron), today announced the kickoff to the Ohio Promise Virtual Town Hall Tour, a series of virtual town halls this summer where local lawmakers will discuss statewide issues like COVID-19, jobs and the economy, racial justice and police reforms. 

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) issued a statement following today’s U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to strike down a Louisiana law that would have restricted abortion rights in the state, a defeat for conservative lawmakers across the country who have spent years attacking women’s reproductive rights.