Activists and Lawmakers Slam Ohio Governor Mike DeWine’s Veto of House Bill 68

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine vetoed a bill that would have protected women in sports and banned gender-affirming procedures from being performed on minors on Friday.

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Ohio General Assembly Passes Bill to Protect Women in Sports, Ban Gender-Affirming Procedures on Minors

The Ohio General Assembly has passed and sent a bill that would protect women in sports and ban gender-affirming procedures from being performed on minors to Governor Mike DeWine’s desk.

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Ohio General Assembly Passes Bill to Protect Women in Sports, Ban Gender-Affirming Procedures on Minors

The Ohio General Assembly passed and sent a bill that would protect women in sports and ban gender-affirming procedures from being performed on minors to Governor Mike DeWine’s desk.

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March for Life and Center for Christian Virtue Announce Speakers for Ohio March Next Month

The March for Life, in partnership with the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV), announced on Thursday the speakers for the second official Ohio March for Life next month.

As previously reported by The Ohio Star these organizations decided to team up once again to organize another march in Columbus following the tremendous success of the first Ohio March for Life last year.

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Conservative Political Commentator Tucker Carlson to Headline Ohio Christian Fundraiser

Conservative political commentator, writer, and television personality Tucker Carlson will deliver the keynote address at a gala fundraiser thrown by the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) in Cleveland, Ohio, next month.

The Cleveland Celebration Gala for the Center for Christian Virtue, Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization, will take place at the Cleveland Marriott Downtown at Key Tower, on September 21st. According to the Center for Christian Virtue, it will be an evening of music, inspiration, and fellowship. 

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Ohio Adult-Use Marijuana Activists Submit Additional Signatures for November Ballot

A group of marijuana legalization activists delivered thousands of 6,545 additional signatures on Wednesday to the Ohio Secretary of State‘s Office in an attempt to put an initiative to legalize the purchase and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older on the ballot in November. This follows…

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Center for Christian Virtue Purchases Former Columbus Dispatch Facility

Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization has purchased the former Columbus Dispatch newspaper facility directly across from the Ohio Statehouse to expand its efforts to advocate for and protect children and families across the state.

The press release details that the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) purchased the 30,000-square-foot, five-story building on Broad Street through an affiliated organization Gannett News the owners of The Columbus Dispatch for $1.1 million.

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Ohio Adult-Use Marijuana Activists Fail to Collect Enough Signatures for November Ballot

On Tuesday, the Ohio Secretary of State’s office ruled that the petitions submitted by a coalition to legalize the purchase and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older did not collect enough valid signatures to be put on the November ballot.

The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol has proposed an initiative to impose a 10 percent tax on the sale of all cannabis products, permit adults to grow up to six plants per person or 12 per household, and legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

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Ohio Adult-Use Marijuana Activists Submit Signatures for November Ballot Initiative

A group of marijuana legalization activists delivered thousands of signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State’s office on Wednesday in an attempt to put an initiative to legalize the purchase and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older on the ballot in November.

The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol submitted 222,198 signatures to the Secretary of State’s office before the deadline to go before voters in November.

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Ohio House Advances Legislation to Protect Women’s Sports and Children from Exploitation

The Ohio House of Representatives advanced two Republican-backed pieces of legislation on Wednesday that aim to protect women’s sports and children from exploitation in the state.

House Bill (HB) 68, known as the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, sponsored by State Representative Gary Click (R-Vickery), passed out of the Ohio House Public Health Policy Committee by a 7-6 vote advancing it to the house floor for further consideration.

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Ohio Lawmakers Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Legalize Adult-Use Cannabis

A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers introduced a bill that would legalize adult-use cannabis in Ohio.

House Bill (HB) 168 known as the “Ohio Adult Use Act” sponsored by State Representatives Jamie Callender (R-Concord) and Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) would permit Ohio residents over the age of 21 to grow, buy, and possess cannabis, as well as allow the expungement of conviction records for prior crimes involving cultivation and possession.

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Governor DeWine Launches Statewide Online Portal Improving Ohio’s Foster and Adoption Process

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt.Governor Jon Husted have launched a new statewide online portal for Ohioans to inquire and apply to become foster or adoptive parents.

According to DeWine, this online portal will help make the foster care and adoption certification process easier and more accessible to prospective families.

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Ohio House Committee Passes Legislation Preserving the Integrity of Women’s Sports

The Ohio House Higher Education Committee has passed the “Save Women’s Sports Act” that ensures that biological males cannot compete in female-only sports statewide propelling the legislation forward towards a full House vote.

The Ohio House Higher Education Committee passed the legislation by an 8-6 vote with all five Democrats on the committee and State Representative Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville) voting against the bill.

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Ohio Marijuana Legalization Advocates Begin Collecting Signatures to Place Issue on November Ballot

An activist-led petition for marijuana legalization in Ohio could be on the November ballot now that state lawmakers have declined to evaluate the change.

The 34-page bill proposed by The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol aimed to impose a 10 percent tax on the sale of all cannabis products and legalize the possession, purchase, and sale of marijuana by Ohio residents aged 21 and older.

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Ohio Senate Unanimously Passes Legislation to Preserve Student’s Religious Expression

The Ohio Senate has unanimously passed legislation that aims to require local boards of education to draft “non-exhaustive” lists of religious holidays and excuse students for up to three days each academic year.

Senate Bill (SB) 49 known as the “Religious Expression Days” (R.E.D.) Act sponsored by State Senator Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) would require schools to accommodate “any missed assignments including tests” and teachers would have to accept these absences “without question” while maintaining “alternative accommodation requests confidential.”

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Ohio State Republican Senators Amend Resolution to Protect State Constitution

On Tuesday, Ohio State Senators amended a piece of legislation 4-1 that aims to alter the process of how initiative petitions can propose constitutional amendments.

There are currently two pieces of legislation Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate are working to put on the ballot in August that would require 60 percent of voters to approve constitutional amendments.

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Former Vice President Mike Pence to Headline Ohio Christian Fundraiser

Republican former Vice President Mike Pence, who is reportedly considering a 2024 presidential bid, will deliver the keynote address at a gala fundraiser thrown by the Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) in Cincinnati, Ohio next month.

The Cincinnati Celebration Gala for the Center for Christian Virtue, Ohio’s largest Christian public policy organization, will take place at the Duke Energy Convention Center on Tuesday, May 9th, 2023. According to the Center for Christian Virtue, it will be an evening of music, inspiration, and fellowship. They highlight that Pence will be speaking on the pro-life battle facing both Ohio and the nation.

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Ohio GOP Chairman Triantafilou Endorses Legislation to Protect Ohio’s Constitution

Alex Triantafilou, the newly elected head of the Ohio Republican Party, endorsed legislation on Thursday that aims to alter the process of how initiative petitions can propose constitutional amendments.

There are currently two pieces of legislation that Republican lawmakers have introduced this session to protect the state Constitution from out-of-state special interest groups.

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Ohio Republican State Senators Move Closer to Putting Constitution Protections on the August Ballot

Republican state lawmakers are getting closer to putting a measure on the ballot in August that would need 60 percent of voters to approve constitutional amendments.

State Senators Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) and Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) introduced two pieces of legislation on Wednesday one which aims to alter the process of how constitutional amendments can be proposed by initiative petitions and one to allow for special elections to be held in August for certain purposes.

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Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment May Get August Vote

Although the “Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment” did not pass in the Ohio House and Senate prior to the February 1st deadline to be on May’s primary election ballot, state lawmakers may reinstate an August special election to consider the amendment. 

House Joint Resolution (HJR) 1 sponsored by state Representative Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) aims to alter the process of how constitutional amendments can be proposed by initiative petitions. Currently, issues proposed by initiative petitions need to meet a 50 percent voting threshold to amend the Constitution. Under this proposal, these issues would need to meet a 60 percent threshold.

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Ohio Ballot Board Certifies Amendment to Enshrine Abortion in State Constitution

On Monday, the Ohio Ballot Board unanimously certified that the proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize abortion throughout the state called “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety,” incorporates only one constitutional amendment and therefore advances.

The Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, a coalition of radical pro-abortion activists that includes Planned Parenthood, Pro-Choice Ohio, the Abortion Fund of Ohio, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio, along with the Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, must now gather over 413,000 signatures from registered voters in at least 44 counties, which equals 10 percent of the votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election before July 5th. The amount of signatures must equal at least 5 percent of the votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial race in each county.

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Ohio Republicans Reintroduce Bill Prohibiting Cross-Sex Hormones for Minors

Ohio Republican lawmakers have reintroduced legislation that would ban providing minors puberty-blocking drugs and cross-sex hormones for “gender transitioning” which it’s sponsors postponed last November rather than rushing it through lame duck.

House Bill (HB) 68 known as the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act sponsored by State Representative Gary Click (R-Vickery) aims to prohibit certain procedures from altering a minor child’s sex.

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Pro-Life Activists Warn Ohio Ballot Initiative Would Eliminate Health and Safety Regulations and Parental Consent for Minor Abortions

A ballot measure that would amend the Ohio state Constitution to remove current health and safety protections for women and girls seeking abortion and parental consent requirements for minors seeking the procedure has advanced following certification by the state attorney general’s office.

Pro-life organizations are rallying to oppose the “The Right to Reproductive Freedom With Protections for Health and Safety” initiative that they say will endanger the lives of women and girls seeking abortions.

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Ohio Amendment to Enshrine Abortion in State Constitution Moves Forward

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office certified the petition summary on Thursday for “The Right to Reproductive Freedom with Protections for Health and Safety,” a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize abortion throughout the state. The amendment would add Section 22 to Article 1 of the state Constitution.

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Full Video Provides Context to Ohio Educators’ Critical Race Theory Strategy

In January, a multi-part undercover investigation throughout the state of Ohio revealed that educators were preparing to skirt a potential law against Critical Race Theory (CRT) and are covertly introducing these divisive concepts to their students unbeknownst to their parents.

Following the release of Accuracy in Media’s (AIM) investigation that outraged parents and residents throughout the state some of the exposed school districts attempted to dismiss the investigation as “lacking context.”

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Ohio Pro-Abortion Activists Announce Language for November Ballot Initiative

The Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom, a coalition of radical pro-abortion activists that includes Planned Parenthood, Pro-Choice Ohio, the Abortion Fund of Ohio, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio, along with the Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights, unveiled the language of their ballot initiative to enshrine abortion in the Ohio Constitution in the November general election on Tuesday.

The proposal would remove Ohio’s parental notification legislation when a minor wants an abortion, as well as the requirement that abortionists adhere to fundamental hospital health and safety standards. The proposal also aims to permit abortions far after babies have heartbeats and can feel pain.

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Liberal Organizations Join Forces to Put Abortion on the Ballot in Ohio

Two pro-abortion organizations announced Thursday plans to join forces in their ongoing fight against the constitutional rights of the unborn.

Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom and Ohio Physicians for Reproductive Rights plan to collaboratively file a ballot initiative to insert legalized abortion in the Ohio Constitution.

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Abortion Fund of Ohio Launches Program to Help Minors Get Abortions Without Parental Consent

The Abortion Fund of Ohio (AFO) launched the “Legal Access Program” on February 3rd that will undermine parental rights in Ohio. This program aims to help minors get abortions without parental consent in addition to provide free legal guidance, case management, and link patients with pro bono attorneys.

An unemancipated minor in Ohio under 18 years old may not obtain an abortion unless one of her parents or her guardian has given written consent or she obtains a court order known as a judicial bypass, in which case the judge authorizes the procedure. The Legal Access Program is Ohio’s first judicial bypass program.

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Toledo and Cleveland School Administrators Admit to Deceiving Parents and Promoting Critical Race Theory in Ohio Classrooms

Despite Republican State Senator Sandra O’Brien (R-Ashtabula) re-introducing the Parental Education Freedom Act to empower parents to be the primary decision-makers regarding where and what type of education their children receive, an undercover investigation revealed that school administrators in both Toledo and Cleveland, Ohio are deceiving parents and teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT) in the classroom.

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Center for Christian Virtue Announces Second Statewide Ohio March for Life

Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) and the March for Life Education and Defense Fund are teaming up once more to organize another march in Columbus following the tremendous success of the first Ohio March for Life.

Ohio residents on October 6th can participate in the second statewide Ohio March for Life at the State Capitol in Columbus.

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Man Charged with Public Indecency After Using Women’s Changing Facilities in Xenia YMCA

A male stating he is a female has been charged with three counts of public indecency for using the women’s changing facilities at the Xenia YMCA. This comes just weeks after Green County prosecutor David Hayes requested an opinion from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost clarifying if Ohio civil rights law requires local governments to permit individuals to use public restrooms according to their stated gender identity rather than their biological sex.

Darren Glines was accused of three charges of public indecency at Xenia Municipal Court for instances that occurred in September, November, and a third time between November 2021 and 2022 and involved three young girls. The accusations are all misdemeanors in the fourth degree.

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Ohio Senate Bill Allows Drivers with Marijuana in Their System to Prove They’re Not Impaired

A bill filed by Republicans in the state Senate would allow Ohioans stopped by law enforcement for driving with marijuana in their system to attempt to demonstrate that marijuana usage did not impair their driving.

Senate Bill (SB) 26 sponsored by state Senator Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville) would allow people the possibility to avoid an OVI even if they tested positive for marijuana by claiming they were sober. Manning told The Star that the legislation looks to address the challenging science of marijuana use and how long it lingers in the body after any benefits have worn off.

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Dayton School Administrators Admit to Misleading Parents and Teaching Critical Race Theory in Ohio Classrooms

Despite Republican State Senator Sandra O’Brien (R-Ashtabula) re-introducing the Parental Education Freedom Act to empower parents to be the primary decision-makers regarding where and what type of education their children receive, an undercover investigation revealed that school administrators in Dayton, Ohio are misleading parents and teaching Critical Race Theory (CRT) into classroom.

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Former Congressman Renacci Launches PAC to Fight ‘Woke’ Ohio School Boards

Jim Renacci, a former Ohio Republican congressman, on Thursday unveiled a new political action committee in an effort to elect conservative candidates to Ohio’s school boards.

The new Save Our Schools (SOS) Ohio PAC, according to a news release from Renacci, would aid candidates in raising funds and targeting voters to win these important seats and use data capturing and analysis on all races to identify crucial races to flip control of local school boards.

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Ohio Lawmakers File Bill to Overhaul the State’s Medical Marijuana Program

Two Republican state lawmakers in Ohio have introduced a bill to change the state’s medical marijuana regulations, which would allow more people to use cannabis for medicinal purposes and establish a new state agency to manage the program.

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Ohio School Administrators Admit to Sneaking Critical Race Theory into Schools

Mere days after Republican State Senator Sandra O’Brien (R-Ashtabula) reintroduced the Parental Education Freedom Act to empower parents to be the primary decision-makers regarding where and what type of education their children receive. An undercover investigation has revealed that school administrators in Columbus Ohio are sneaking Critical Race Theory (CRT) into the classroom.

As part of Accuracy in Media’s investigation, numerous school administrators admitted that teachers are sneakily and covertly introducing critical race theory to their students unbeknownst to their parents and that they don’t plan to stop even if lawmakers pass legislation prohibiting this.

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Parent Educational Freedom Act Reintroduced in Ohio Senate

Republican State Senator Sandra O’Brien (R-Ashtabula) has reintroduced the Parental Education Freedom Act. The measure would make each student in the state eligible for an Educational Choice (EdChoice) Scholarship to be used at a private school of their choice, or an increased tax credit for expenses related to homeschooling.

O’Brien introduced this legislation during the lame-duck session last month as SB 368 however, the legislation did not progress before the start of the 135th General Assembly so she had to reintroduce it. 

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Ohio School Administrators Admit to Sneaking Critical Race Theory into Schools

Mere days after Republican State Senator Sandra O’Brien (R-Ashtabula) reintroduced the Parental Education Freedom Act to empower parents to be the primary decision-makers regarding where and what type of education their children receive. An undercover investigation has revealed that school administrators in Columbus Ohio are sneaking Critical Race Theory (CRT) into the classroom.

As part of Accuracy in Media’s investigation, numerous school administrators admitted that teachers are sneakily and covertly introducing critical race theory to their students unbeknownst to their parents and that they don’t plan to stop even if lawmakers pass legislation prohibiting this.

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Pro-Choice Group Announces Intent to File Ohio Ballot Initiative to Legalize Abortion

A coalition of abortionists and pro-choice activists have announced their intent to file a ballot initiative to insert legalized abortion in the Ohio Constitution.

The group called Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom is a group formed by the left-leaning organizations the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio, Abortion Fund of Ohio, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, and others.

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Marijuana Legalization Petition for Ohio Legislature Resubmitted by Secretary of State for Four-Month Review

An activist-led petition for marijuana legalization in Ohio has been formally resubmitted to the legislature by the Ohio Secretary of State, giving legislators four months to evaluate the change. Advocates may then gather more signatures to get the issue on the November ballot if legislators do not take action.

In a letter to legislative leaders, Secretary of State Frank LaRose stated that he had fulfilled his duty to introduce the reform proposal to the legislature on the first day of the new session and to begin the four-month timeframe for lawmakers to consider it.

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Toledo Catholic Diocese Speaks Out Against City Council Proposal to Use Federal Relief Money to Transport Women Out of State to Have Abortions

The Toledo Diocese took a stand against a proposed Toledo city ordinance that would provide funds to transport women seeking abortions out of state.

The resolution, sponsored by Councilmembers Nick Komives, Theresa Gadus, and Michele Grim, calls for the appropriation of $100,000 from the COVID relief money provided to the city through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) taxpayer dollars intended to address the public health and negative economic impacts of COVID-19.

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Ohio Legislature Passes Law Requiring Sexual Abuse Prevention Education in Schools with the Restriction That Materials Cannot Promote Abortion

Ohio lawmakers passed a Bipartisan bill that requires schools to provide age-appropriate sexual abuse prevention education with the caveat that provided materials must not promote abortion.

House Bill (HB) 105 sponsored by state Representatives P.Scott Lipps (R-Franklin) and Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) known as Erin’s Law, was inserted into Senate Bill (SB) 288, a criminal justice bill sponsored by state Senator Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville) on December 15th.

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Toledo City Council Proposes Use of Federal Relief Money to Transport Women Out of State to Have Abortions

The Toledo City Council plans to consider a resolution to co-opt COVID relief funds to transport women out of the state to have abortions.

The resolution, sponsored by Councilmembers Nick Komives, Theresa Gadus, and Michele Grim, calls for the appropriation of $100,000 from the COVID relief money provided to the city through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) taxpayer dollars intended to address the public health and negative economic impacts of COVID-19.

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Lawmakers Amend the ‘Save Women’s Sports Act’ to Accept Birth Certificates

Ohio lawmakers amended a bill Tuesday that stops biological men and boys from high school and middle school from participating in women and girls’ sports. The amendment removed a provision that could have required students to undergo “internal and external” exams to verify their sex.

Instead, House Bill (HB) 151, The Save Women’s Sports Act, sponsored by State Representative Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) (pictured above), now would require an athlete whose biological gender is disputed to present a birth certificate under the amendment adopted by the Senate Primary and Secondary Education Committee.

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Republican State Senator Introduces Bill Granting Educational Freedom to Ohio Students

An Ohio lawmaker introduced legislation on Tuesday to the General Assembly to expand schooling options for Ohio children.

Senate Bill (SB) 368, sponsored by State Senator Sandra O’Brien (R-Ashtabula), known as the Parental Education Freedom Act, would make each student in the state eligible for an Educational Choice (EdChoice) Scholarship to be used at a private school of their choice, or an increased tax credit for expenses related to homeschooling.

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Ohio Republicans Postpone Bill Prohibiting Cross-Sex Hormones for Minors

Ohio legislation that would ban providing minors puberty-blocking drugs and cross-sex hormones for “gender transitioning” is being postponed until next year, according to the bill’s Republican sponsors.

House Bill (HB) 454, known as the Save Adolescents from Experimentation (SAFE) Act, introduced by State Representatives Gary Click (R-Vickery) and Diane Grendell (R-Chesterland) aims to prohibit certain procedures from altering a minor child’s sex.

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Marijuana Decriminalization Ballot Measures Approved in Five Ohio Cities

Activists in the state have been working to enact local cannabis reform over recent election cycles. While decriminalization did not qualify for every municipal ballot that advocates targeted for 2022, six Ohio cities voted on policy changes.

Five of the six Ohio cities approved local marijuana decriminalization ballot initiatives during the midterm election.

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Voter Guides by CCV, BallotReady, iVoterGuide Vie to Inform Ohioans on Candidates and Ballot Issues

Several organizations have created nonpartisan voter guides to help Ohioans discover where candidates stand on key issues for the upcoming midterm election.

The Center for Christian Virtue (CCV), iVoterGuide, and BallotReady say that the reason behind the resource is to voters determine the true positions of the candidates on some of the most important issues.

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Billboards Advertise Choice as Teacher Strike Keeps Columbus Kids Out of School

As a teacher strike keeps Columbus students out of the classroom in the first week of the school year, advocates for Christian education are advertising private school choice on five billboards around the city. 

The signs read, “COLUMBUS CITY SCHOOLS LOCKS KIDS OUT… AGAIN,” referencing long periods during which schools were closed in response to COVID-19. The ads, placed by the Columbus-based Center for Christian Virtue (CCV), let passers by know that various Ohio school-choice programs are available to families, particularly low-income ones. CCV is encouraging interested parents to visit BackpackBill.com/Columbus to learn about these opportunities. 

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Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to Deliver Keynote Address at Center for Christian Virtue Galas in Ohio

Mike Pompeo

Mike Pompeo, a former Secretary of State and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency under former President Donald Trump, will be the keynote speaker at events for the Center for Christian Virtue.

According to a release from the group, Pompeo will address the crowd at two separate gatherings: the Spring Celebration Galas in Columbus and Cincinnati.

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