Democratic News

COLUMBUS - State Rep. Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood) was presented this past weekend with a “2019 Legislator of the Year Award” in appreciation for his outstanding service, support  and leadership in government on behalf of Ohio’s veterans.

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.

COLUMBUS – Today, Ohio Redistricting Commission Co-Chair Sen. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) and House Minority Leader and Commission member Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) issued a statement after the majority of Commissioners subverted the bipartisan, transparent map-drawing process ordered by the Ohio Supreme Court, instead introducing and adopting a set of state legislative maps that were drawn in secret by majority commissioners. 

COLUMBUS— Today, State Reps. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) and Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson), demanded House Bill (HB) 327, the ‘Both Sides’ bill, be barred from any further consideration by the Ohio House after the Republican bill sponsor said in a recent interview that educators should teach “German soldiers’” perspective of the Holocaust. 

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. 

COLUMBUS – Today, Senate Minority Leader Kenny Yuko (D-Richmond Heights) and House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) issued a joint Democratic response to Gov. DeWine’s State of the State speech. During the press conference, Democrats highlighted their plan to expand opportunity, invest in working people and families, and build an economy that works for everyone. 

COLUMBUS –House Minority Leader and Ohio Redistricting Commission member Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) today issued a statement after the Ohio Supreme Court struck down the state legislative maps adopted by the Redistricting Commission on Feb. 24. 

COLUMBUS —Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) issued a statement today after Gov. DeWine signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 215, extreme permitless concealed carry legislation that puts Ohioans and law enforcement in danger. SB 215 will allow any Ohioan, aged 21 years or older, to carry a concealed handgun without a permit and without any training, provided they are not otherwise prohibited under state or federal law. Additionally, this bill modifies “duty to notify” requirements and reduces the penalty for failure to notify to a misdemeanor with no accompanying license suspension. Democrats had called on the governor to veto this legislation last week. 

COLUMBUS —House Democrat leaders, led by Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington), sent a letter Tuesday to Gov. DeWine urging his veto of  Senate Bill (SB) 215, extreme permitless concealed carry legislation that puts Ohioans and law enforcement in danger. 

COLUMBUS—Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) issued statements today after the Ohio House passed a bill that would let Secretary LaRose shorten the federally required 45-day military and overseas voting period before Election Day by 16 days. 

COLUMBUS — Today, Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) issued a statement regarding the court filing deadline in voter advocates’ challenge to the congressional districts.

COLUMBUS— Today, Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Rep. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) issued statements today after the federal Department of Defense denied Ohio’s request to shorten the time for delivering absentee ballots to military and overseas voters. 

COLUMBUS— Today, Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Ranking Member Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) spoke out against the latest version of House Bill (HB) 327, the most recent attempt by Republicans to silence and censor Ohioans.

COLUMBUS – Today, Ohio Redistricting Commission Co-Chair Sen. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) and House Minority Leader and Commission member Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) issued statements after Republican Commission members adopted a congressional map that unduly favors GOP candidates, and failed to pass by the bipartisan vote required by the state Constitution.

State Reps. H. Gilson Blair (D-Weathersfield) and Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) celebrated the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of the PRO Act, H.R. 2474 today, which would protect workers’ right to organize. The bill would give millions of workers additional protections to organize and negotiate for better pay, better benefits and safer working conditions. 

A group of Columbus-area House Democratic lawmakers today sent a letter to Secretary of State Frank LaRose calling on him to break the tie vote at the Franklin County Board of Elections over whether to continue a longstanding public information campaign to provide accurate voting information to Franklin County residents. Republican Board of Elections members oppose providing this information to voters. The Secretary refused to break the tie despite state law requiring it. See the letter below.

State Reps. Allison Russo (D- Upper Arlington) and Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville) today announced the introduction of The Safe Drinking Water Act to guarantee safe drinking water in Ohio.  The bill provides for state-level standards for drinking water to limit known toxics and protect residents from harm. 

House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D- Akron) and Rep. Phil Robinson (D-Solon), who serves as the Ranking Member on the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee, issued statements today following the House floor vote of sub-bill Senate Bill (SB) 89. 

State Reps. H. Gilson Blair (D-Weathersfield) and Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) joined House Democratic lawmakers today to urge Ohio’s congressional delegation to support the PRO Act, H.R. 2474, which would protect workers’ right to organize. The vote is pending before the U.S. House.

COLUMBUS—Ohio Legislative Black Caucus (OLBC) members today held a press conference to provide updates on their Build Up Black Families legislative package in honor of Black History Month. This initiative was first introduced in June 2019. 

House Democratic lawmakers today reacted to the House passage of Senate Bill 120, which moves the beginning of the EdChoice Voucher program application period from Feb. 1, 2020 to April 1, 2020 after GOP lawmakers could not come to an agreement on a deal to fix the state’s controversial voucher system.

Rep. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati) today urged Ohio’s top higher education official for ways to improve college access for students from working-class families following a new study that singles out seven Ohio colleges for alarmingly low rates of Pell grant recipients.