The Ohio Liberty Coalition, a grassroots conservative organization, said it will start a petition to have any red flag law that passes the Ohio Legislature placed on the 2020 ballot for voters to decide on.
Read MoreTag: ohio general assembly
Ohio House Speaker ‘Less and Less Supportive’ of Death Penalty
Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) told reporters Tuesday that he’s “become less and less supportive” of the death penalty.
Read MoreExplaining Survey on DeWine’s Proposed Red-Flag Law
As The Ohio Star reported Tuesday, just one Republican lawmaker explicitly said in a survey conducted by six Ohio news organizations that he opposes Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposed red-flag law.
Read MoreJust One Republican in Ohio General Assembly Says He Opposes Red Flag Law, According to Survey
A new survey released Sunday found that at least 10 Republicans in the Ohio General Assembly support red-flag laws, while only one publicly opposes the legislation – as of now.
Read MoreOhio Budget Raises Smoking Age from 18 to 21 With No Exceptions
Under Ohio’s newly-passed budget, the legal age to purchase cigarettes and vaping products in the state will jump from 18 to 21. The 3,200-page budget document contains several pages of new tobacco-related provisions, all of which make it “illegal for any person under the age of 21 to purchase…
Read MoreThe ‘Other’ Work of the Ohio General Assembly
Should Dunkleosteus terrelli be Ohio’s official fossil fish? Should the sugar cookie be the official cookie of the state? What about the Monarch Butterfly? Should it become the official butterfly for Ohio? The Ohio Senate believes the answer to the first question is yes. Senate Bill 123 was unanimously passed…
Read MoreBuckeye Institute Annual Report Identifies $2.5 Billion in Savings for Ohio Taxpayers
The Buckeye Institute released its annual Piglet Booklet Wednesday, which identifies wasteful government spending across state agencies that could save Ohio taxpayers $2.5 billion. “In this year’s Piglet Booklet, The Buckeye Institute identified at least $2.5 billion that policymakers can save Ohioans. And with the increase in the gas tax,…
Read MoreHeartbeat Bill Set to Become Law in Ohio After Emotional Day at the Statehouse
One of the most divisive and talked-about bills in Ohio’s history is officially on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk and is expected to be signed into law at any moment. After months of debate and numerous committee hearings, the heartbeat bill passed the Ohio House Wednesday afternoon in…
Read MoreOhio House Democrats Introduce ‘Equal Pay Act’ to End ‘Pay Discrimination’
Ohio House Democrats unveiled their plans to close the gender wage gap with an “Ohio Equal Pay Act” Tuesday, which marked the annual “Equal Pay Day” in America. Reps. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) and Randi Clites (D-Ravenna) discussed their bill at a press conference alongside several of their Democratic colleagues. “Ohio’s…
Read MoreOhio Republicans Look to Crack Down on Sanctuary Ordinances After Dayton Public Schools Declares Itself a ‘Sanctuary District’
Two Republican state representatives in Ohio introduced a bill Tuesday to ban sanctuary ordinances after the Dayton Public Schools Board of Education voted to become a “sanctuary school district” last week. House Bill 169 was introduced by Reps. Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg) and Candice Keller (R-Middletown), who said in a joint…
Read MoreOhio Legislators Applauded for Addressing ‘Seriously Flawed’ School Funding Formula, But Questions Still Remain
After 15 months, a bipartisan workgroup unveiled its Fair School Funding Plan to overhaul Ohio’s school-funding formula, but some still had questions about how it will accomplish what Ohioans need. Reps. Bob Cupp (R-Lima) and John Patterson (D-Jefferson) spearheaded the workgroup along with superintendents and educators from across the state,…
Read MoreOhio House Democrats Question ‘Fiscal Stability’ of Republican Governor’s $69 Billion Budget Proposal
Ohio House Democrats are raising concerns over the “fiscal stability” of Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s $69 billion budget proposal released Friday. House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) said that while her caucus was “encouraged by the governor’s commitment to supporting Democratic policies of investing in families, maintaining access to…
Read MoreBipartisan Bill Would End Ohio’s ‘Disastrous’ Academic Distress Commissions
A bipartisan bill that would overturn state takeovers of low performing local schools is set to be introduced in the Ohio General Assembly next week. Under House Bill (HB) 70, a 2015 legislation, the state superintendent of public schools is required to intervene via “Academic Distress Commissions” for “each school…
Read MoreGun Rights Bill Kasich Vetoed is Law in Every Other State
Gov. John Kasich (R-OH) vetoed the Ohio General Assembly’s gun-rights legislation Wednesday, even though the bill was removed of most of its substantial provisions before passage. As The Ohio Star reported last week, House Bill 228 was stripped of its “stand your ground” measure, which would free gun owners from…
Read MoreSenate Bill Would Ban One of Most Gruesome Forms of Abortion in Ohio
The Ohio House of Representatives passed a landmark bill Thursday that if signed into law would ban all abortions after the unborn baby’s heartbeat is detected. But if the legislature is unable to override an expected veto of the heartbeat bill by Gov. John Kasich, then there’s another bill waiting…
Read MoreOhio Senate Asked to Support Israel as BDS Movement Gains Steam on Campus
The Ohio State Senate is being asked to pass a resolution that would put Ohio on record in support of the nation of Israel and against those seeking to weaken it through the boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement. The so-called BDS movement is strong on college campuses across the United…
Read MoreExpert: Ohio’s Professional Licensing Laws Out of Whack, Need Reform
Ohio is in “critical need” of reforming its outdated occupational licensing system, says a research fellow at The Buckeye Institute. Greg R. Lawson, an expert on the matter of professional licensing, issued a statement Thursday thanking State Sen. Rob McColley’s (R-Napoleon) for his work pushing a bill that Lawson says…
Read MoreOhio State House Passes Pro-Life Heartbeat Bill as Measure Heads to Senate
The Ohio House of Representatives voted Thursday to pass a bill that would ban almost all abortions upon detection of a heartbeat in the unborn baby. But the bill did not pass by a big enough margin to make it veto-proof, and Gov. John Kasich has staunchly opposed it, arguing…
Read MoreAFP-Ohio Announces Top Six Priorities for 2018 Lame-Duck Session
The free-market oriented Americans for Prosperity has released its legislative priority list for Ohio’s 132nd General Assembly lame-duck session. AFP’s Ohio chapter is advocating the passage of House Bills 189 and 342, while opposing House Bills 211, 525, 571, and Senate Bill 128. AFP-Ohio supports legislation that breaks down barriers to…
Read More‘Heartbeat Bill’ Scheduled for Floor Vote in Ohio State House
A pro-family organization has issued an action alert to pro-life Ohioans informing them that the Ohio State House of Representatives has scheduled a floor vote Thursday on a bill that would ban abortions after the point at which an unborn baby develops a detectable heartbeat. House Bill 258, also known as…
Read MoreRed-Hot Battle Over Gun-Control Laws Expected in Ohio’s Lame-Duck Session
Ohio’s lame-duck session appears primed for a battle over gun legislation with several bills vying for attention on both sides of the gun-rights issue. One bill that has the backing of lame-duck Gov. John Kasich is the so-called Red Flag Bill, or SB 278, which would allow law enforcement or…
Read MoreBan on Child Marriage Likely to Come Out of Ohio Legislature’s Lame-Duck Session
Ohio lawmakers have prioritized a list of bills they’d like to see hurried through the legislature in the lame-duck session that ends in December, and one of the most likely to pass is a ban on child marriage. With a list that includes abortion, gun laws and criminal-sentencing reform, one…
Read MoreBen Shapiro to Testify at Ohio General Assembly in Support of Free Speech on Campus
Conservative commentator Ben Shapiro will testify before the Ohio State House next week in support of a bill that would promote diversity of opinion and open debate on college campuses in the state. Shapiro, an attorney and best-selling author, is scheduled to testify at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 13, in support of…
Read MoreAmericans for Prosperity Reports Three of its Six Endorsed Candidates Won in Ohio Legislative Races
Americans for Prosperity (AFP) of Ohio issued a statement Wednesday congratulating its newly elected and re-elected members of the Ohio State Senate and Ohio House of Representatives. The organization applauded its activists for their “tireless efforts to support policy champions seeking to represent Ohioans in Columbus.” AFP State Director Micah…
Read MoreOhio Lawmakers Push Bipartisan Bill to Reform ‘Burdensome’ Cosmetology Licensing Laws
Cutting, styling and coloring hair is no small responsibility. An untrained cosmetologist operating out of her basement can wreak havoc on the public health. “We have a responsibility to the public that we’re going to be doing this in a safe manner, so that way they’re not going to contract…
Read MoreOFF THE RECORD: Far Left Phil Robinson Hopes Ohio House District 6 Campaign Will End Long Losing Streak
Far Left Phil Robinson, recently endorsed by former President Barack Obama, hopes that his fourth run for public office will be the charm. Robinson, a former staffer for left coast liberal Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), moved back to Ohio and ran for University Heights City Council in 2009. He lost. He…
Read MoreDemocrat Candidate in Ohio-19 House Race Mary Lightbody Doesn’t Think Voters There Pay Enough Taxes
According to her campaign website, Democrat Ohio House District 19 Candidate Mary Lightbody wants to “Light up Ohio with Lightbody.” However, if her far left agenda is enacted, Ohio taxpayers may be left simply too poor to afford a lightbulb. Ohio House District 19 is located in Eastern Franklin County. The…
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