Republican News

With the state operating budget slated for a vote in the House, Speaker of the Ohio House William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) today commended the efforts of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee to craft a responsible budget while at the same time instituting many substantial improvements to the committee process.

The Ohio House of Representatives today passed House Bill 83, which modernizes Ohio’s psychology and school psychology licensing law.

State Representative Mike Dovilla (R-Berea) today applauded the passage of Senate Concurrent Resolution 7 by the Ohio House of Representatives. The resolution urges the United States Department of State to approve the permit application necessary to allow construction and operation of the TransCanada Keystone XL Pipeline that runs between the U.S. and Canada.

The Ohio House of Representatives unanimously passed Sub. House Bill 37,, legislation sponsored by State Representatives Mike Duffey (R-Worthington) and Gary Scherer (R-Circleville) to help prevent layoffs across the state. The bill is now headed to the Ohio Senate where a companion bill has already passed, indicating a likelihood of bill passage in the near future.

At a press conference at the Ohio Statehouse today, State Rep. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson) and Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel announced legislation that will increase transparency for taxpayers as local and state issues are placed on the ballot.

I recently introduced House Bill 8 in the Ohio House of Representatives in order to start the conversation on school safety at the state level and ensure that schools like those in my district have the ability to keep students as safe as possible. What’s important to note is that there is not one clear-cut solution on this issue that we can apply across the board. Not only do our schools differ, but the communities, law enforcement, and available resources they have vary widely across the state.

House Bill 5 is currently being considered in the Ohio House of Representatives that would simplify the state’s tax system and lower compliance costs on local businesses.

Ohio House Speaker William G. Batchelder (R-Medina) today spoke at the Ohio Vietnam Veterans Commemoration closing ceremony located at the Ohio Statehouse. Various speakers, along with Batchelder, helped to conclude a week of events that recognize March 30th as Vietnam Veterans Day in Ohio.

When I think back to where Ohio was when I became the Speaker of the House in January 2011, it is hard for me to believe all the legislation we have enacted and how much progress Ohio has made. Even though our state seems to be headed in the right direction, step-by-step we are continuing to take the path we need to be on, and we will continue to do so in the future.

The Ohio House of Representatives today passed Substitute House Bill 51, the state transportation budget that allocates vital funding to improve Ohio’s infrastructure and economy. The transportation budget provides more than $2.5 billion annually for upgrading Ohio’s road infrastructure and issues bonds that will generate an additional $1.5 billion in funding for road projects over the next six years.