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Lt. Gov. Jon Husted

Husted defends Ohio private school voucher program facing legal challenge

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Lt. Gov. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) said the EdChoice voucher program began as a way to help students in struggling school districts and he said it’s still effective today. Husted, who was Ohio House speaker when EdChoice passed in 2005, said families continue to support the vouchers today. “When we… Read More

News

College Classroom

Ohio schools group says bill to require all curriculum to be posted online could be a problem

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Ohio’s schools would be required to post curriculum, lesson plans, reading lists and other material on their websites for anyone to access under a bill that’s been proposed by Rep. Brent Hillyer (R-Ulrichsville). An organization representing the state’s school boards says the idea is good in principle, but making… Read More

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A leaf from a cannabis plant

Ohio pot legalization group falls short on signatures

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A group seeking to legalize possessing and growing marijuana in Ohio has failed to gather enough signatures to put the issue in front of state lawmakers. Cleveland.com reports Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose sent Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol a letter Monday saying the group submitted 119,825 valid signatures…. Read More

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TVs show sports at a casino

DeWine signs sports betting bill into law

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COLUMUBS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Gov. Mike DeWine (R-Ohio) has signed a bill into law that legalizes sports betting in Ohio but it will take some time for the many provisions of the legislation to go into effect. DeWine’s signature caps years of debate over how to create a regulated sports betting industry in… Read More

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Gov. Mike DeWine at a press conference

GOP Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signs ‘born alive’ abortion bill

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has signed a bill imposing criminal penalties on doctors who fail to give medical care in the rare circumstance when a baby is born alive following an abortion attempt. The Republican governor signed the measure Wednesday, the same day it it arrived from the Republican-controlled Legislature. The… Read More

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A leaf from a cannabis plant

A group submits petitions asking lawmakers to legalize pot

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A group has submitted petitions asking Ohio lawmakers to pass a bill allowing adults to legally use and grow marijuana plants. The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol on Tuesday submitted more than 200,000 signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State. That office and county boards of election will verify if… Read More

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The chairs of the Ohio Supreme Court

Ohio Supreme Court sets the stage for battle over the new Congressional district map

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — The sides have been preparing for the court battle ever since Republican lawmakers approved a map that gives the GOP a large advantage in Ohio’s 15 Congressional districts. National and local relators, which are plaintiffs in supreme court cases, say the Congressional district map goes against the anti-gerrymandering reforms… Read More

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Ohio House Rep. Derek Merrin

Ohio Senate passes a bill to change the process for challenging local property tax assessments

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — The Ohio Senate has passed a bill that would limit the way local governments contest property values when assessing taxes. Republican Sen. Lou Blessing III (R-Colerain Township) describes it as “a bill that brings balance to the property valuation complaint and challenge process.” He said the current system hurts businesses and… Read More

News

Zach Schiller, Policy Matters Ohio

Advocates for low-income Ohioans say they need more COVID relief money

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Congress recently allocated more than $5 billion in COVID recovery funds to Ohio and more than $2.7 billion of it has been set aside for shoring up the state’s unemployment fund and for safety forces statewide. But advocates for Ohio’s lowest-income citizens say the state should be giving them… Read More

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A leaf from a cannabis plant

Legislators are on break with legal cannabis issue looming in 2022

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — The Ohio House is on break until after the new year, but there are several issues that lawmakers are expected to tackle when they return. That includes potentially addressing two bills to legalize marijuana for personal use, with an issue that could go before voters next year. A group… Read More

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This Aug. 1 2018 photo shows a board at Harrah's casino in Atlantic City, N.J., listing the odds on pro football games in the first week of the NFL season. Resorts casino will begin taking sports bets in person on Wednesday, Aug. 15, becoming the fifth Atlantic City casino to do so.

Sports gambling passes Ohio legislature after years of debate and now heads to the governor

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — A bill that’s on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine would legalize sports gambling in Ohio starting before January 1, 2023. State lawmakers have been working on the issue since the US Supreme Court allowed states to set up sports betting in 2018. The bill, which adds gambling language… Read More

News

Rep. Jon Cross (R-Kenton) introduces the G.R.O.W. Act geared towards growing and retaining Ohio’s college student population.

Lawmaker wants Ohio’s workforce to grow with scholarships and tax breaks

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Rep. Jon Cross (R-Kenton) said the G.R.O.W. Act — Graduating and Retaining Ohio’s Workforce — is a multi-pronged approach to ramp up the state’s population. Cross said the state needs to work on policies that bring more people to Ohio and keeps them in the state. The concern is partially… Read More

News

The top of Ohio's statehouse

Ohio lawmakers are considering another restriction on abortion

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — An Ohio House committee is considering yet another abortion bill – one that would require doctors to provide life-saving care if a fetus is possibly viable after an abortion. But opponents of the bill say it isn’t needed. Abortion rights advocates like Dr. Erika Boothman of Columbus said the… Read More

News

An HIV graphic

Advocates push for changes to Ohio’s HIV-related laws, noting coronavirus has changed state policies

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — There are around 25,000 Ohioans living with HIV, and about a thousand people are newly diagnosed each year in Ohio. But advocates say Ohio’s HIV laws need to be changed, as lawmakers have considered measures related to the coronavirus pandemic. Around 30 states require people with HIV to inform partners before… Read More

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Voter rights advocates scrutinize the Congressional district map proposed by Republican lawmakers.

DeWine approves new Ohio Congressional map that gives GOP advantage in most districts

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — In a statement released Saturday, DeWine said “When compared to the other proposals offered from House and Senate caucuses, both Republican and Democrat, the map in S.B. 258 makes the most progress to produce a fair, compact, and competitive map.” DeWine goes on to tout the map’s city and county… Read More

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A handgun is laid on a notebook

Ohio House okays lowering training requirements for armed teachers and school staff

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — The Ohio House has passed a Republican-backed bill changing the law requiring more 700 hours of peace officer training or 20 years law enforcement experience for teachers and staff who want to be armed in schools. The bill passed on a mostly party line vote and now heads to… Read More

News

Voter rights advocates scrutinize the Congressional district map proposed by Republican lawmakers.

Ohio Senate approves new Congressional district map

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — A Republican-drawn Congressional district map is moving forward after the Senate approved the plan by a party-line vote. Senate Republican leaders say their new Congressional map creates six districts that heavily favor Republicans, two that favor Democrats, and seven “competitive” seats. Sen. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) said that political breakdown… Read More

News

A row of desks in a classroom with a backpack hanging up on the back wall

Ohio state board of education picks new president after former leader resigns

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — There’s new leadership at the state Board of Education of Ohio, after the board president and another member resigned last month in a controversy over an anti-racism resolution. The board elevated vice president Charlotte McGuire to president and selected Steve Dackin as VP. McGuire is among the 11 elected members…. Read More

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Ohio's redistricting committee

Ohio’s governor said the proposed Congressional maps are not “going to fly”

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Gov. Mike DeWine has made it clear he’s not a fan of the legislative redistricting maps he voted for as part of the Ohio Redistricting Commission. Now, DeWine is indicating he’s not happy with the proposed Congressional maps from state lawmakers either. “I’ve looked at the two from the… Read More

News

Sen. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) presents a new Congressional district map, drawn by the Senate Republican Caucus.

Ohio GOP lawmakers unveil Congressional map proposals

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — State Republican lawmakers are introducing two proposals, one from the House and one from the Senate, for new Congressional district maps. The roll-out comes with confusion over how exactly the maps break down, with voter rights groups arguing a lack of transparency in the process. The maps were presented… Read More

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The state board of education building

Two Ohio Board of Education appointees who supported anti-racism resolution resign

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Two appointed members of the Ohio Board of Education will lose their seats. State Board of Education president Laura Kohler of New Albany, whose term was supposed to end in 2024, and member Eric Poklar of Worthington both resigned. Kohler submitted her resignation to Gov. Mike DeWine Thursday afternoon,… Read More

News

Auditor Keith Faber (R) and Ohio News Media Assn President Dennis Hetzel

Audit finds more details in unemployment overpayment and fraud

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — A state audit says changes to the federal requirements for unemployment compensation and a lack of controls led to the state doling out $3.8 billion in overpayments and fraud for jobless claims. State Auditor Keith Faber (R-Ohio) says there were nearly 86,000 potential instances where the payments went to someone… Read More

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Advocates for foster children on Zoom, talking about the bill

Ohio bill would give foster children a “bill of rights”

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COLUMBUS, Ohio (Statehouse News Bureau) — Two Democratic Ohio lawmakers are sponsoring what’s being called the “Foster Youth Bill of Rights” that they say will give at least 15,000 children in the state’s custody more knowledge about their options and give them more of a voice in their care. Statehouse correspondent Jo Ingles reports the… Read More