Representative Bill Roemer

Ohio State Lawmakers Urge Ohio EPA to Eliminate E-Check Program in Northeast Ohio

August 2, 2023August 1, 2023 Hannah Poling

A bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers is urging the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to eliminate the federal program known as E-Check in northeast Ohio.

The group of 11 state lawmakers sent a letter to Ohio EPA director Anne Vogel urging her to eliminate the federal program within the state which requires northeast Ohioans living within Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit counties to get their vehicles tested every two years to pass regulatory emissions requirements.

Ohio House Advances Legislation Creating a Unified Barber Cosmetology License

June 24, 2023June 23, 2023 Hannah Poling

The Ohio House of Representatives advanced a piece of Republican-backed legislation that modernizes the statutes authorizing the Cosmetology and Barber Board.

House Bill (HB) 158, sponsored by State Representatives Melanie Miller (R-City of Ashland) and Bill Roemer (R-Richfield), unanimously passed out of the Ohio House Commerce and Labor Committee advancing it to the house floor for further consideration.

Ohio House Republicans Re-Introduce Bill Updating Cosmetologist and Barber Board Statutes

May 15, 2023May 14, 2023 Hannah Poling

State Republican lawmakers have re-introduced legislation to modernize the statutes authorizing the Ohio Cosmetology and Barber Board.

House Bill (HB) 158, sponsored by state Representatives Melanie Miller (R- City of Ashland) and Bill Roemer (R-Richfield), aims to update the statutes to harmonize the regulations and processes of the board and better serve licenses.

Ohio Speaker Stephens Announces Committee Chairs and House Leadership Team

January 25, 2023January 24, 2023 Hannah Poling

New Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) has released his list of committee chairs and vice chairs with about 50 percent of those positions going to 20 of the 22 Republicans who supported him for speaker including most of the major committees, such as finance.

Earlier this month, lawmakers elected moderate Republican Stephens as the new Speaker of the Ohio House to succeed state Representative Bob Cupp (R-Lima). The choice came despite the Republican Caucus‘ previous selection in November of state Representative Derek Merrin (R-Moncolva) as the new Speaker. Although the GOP caucus voted for Merrin as Speaker of the House in December, Stephen fought in collaboration with the Democrats to collect votes and garner a win.

Ohio Governor Vetoes Flavored Tobacco Ban Bill, Leaving Local Governments in Charge

January 6, 2023January 5, 2023 Hannah Poling

Governor Mike DeWine vetoed a bill on Thursday, that would prohibit local governments in Ohio from enacting any laws regarding tobacco or vaping products that are more strict than state law.

DeWine scheduled a press conference with health authorities to discuss the legislation rather than just vetoing it, calling youth smoking an “epidemic” made worse by commercially available flavored tobacco products.

Governor Mike DeWine Signs 19 Bills into Ohio Law

January 4, 2023January 3, 2023 Hannah Poling

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed 19 bills into law on Monday, the start of the new legislative session, that lawmakers approved during the lame duck session last year.

On December 22nd, DeWine’s office received a raft of 24 bills. He signed 18 of those 24 into law.

Ohio Lawmakers Approve Over 30 Bills During Culmination of Legislative Session

December 27, 2022 Hannah Poling

During the legislature’s overnight culminating session, Ohio lawmakers approved over 30 pieces of legislation that now head to Governor Mike DeWine’s desk for approval. If DeWine does nothing the legislation will take effect without his signature. However, he has ten days, with the exception of Sundays, following the acquisition of the bills to approve or veto the legislation if he so chooses.

On December 22nd, DeWine’s office received a raft of 24 bills. The deadline for DeWine to take action on those bills to either sign or veto is January 3rd.

From an Official State Cookie to a New Ohio License Plate Design for ‘Weirdos:’ The Lighter Side of Legislation in 2022

December 26, 2022December 25, 2022 Hannah Poling

Lawmakers have proposed numerous pieces of important legislation that impact individuals throughout Ohio, such as major criminal justice reform, an overhaul of the state education system, and changes in Ohio’s voting laws; however, for every major policy proposal, is an obscure one that tends to go overlooked.

House Bill (HB) 379 sponsored by state Representative Phillip Robinson Jr. (D-Solon) pitched a new “Weirdo Cat Lovers of Cleveland” license plate which supports an organization that helps cat owners and their feline companions.

Ohio Senate Passes Bill Prohibiting Cities from Banning Flavored Tobacco Sales

December 16, 2022December 15, 2022 Hannah Poling

The Columbus City Council unanimously voted on Monday to ban the sale of flavored tobacco and vaping products within city limits. Under 48 hours later, the Ohio Senate approved a bill that would make Columbus City Council’s ban illegal.

House Bill (HB) 513, sponsored by state Representatives Jon Cross (R-Kenton ) and Bill Roemer (R-Richfield), passed in the Ohio Senate on Wednesday by a vote of 23-8. The legislation includes an amendment known as a “preemption law, prohibiting local governments in Ohio from enacting any laws regarding tobacco or vaping products that are more strict than state law.”

Ohio Senate Passes Bipartisan Bill to Create a Temporary Tax Amnesty Program

December 16, 2022December 15, 2022 Hannah Poling

A bipartisan Ohio bill to establish a temporary tax amnesty program that would forgive interest and penalties on delinquent taxes and fees passed in the State Senate on Wednesday.

House Bill (HB) 45, sponsored by State Representatives Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) and Thomas West (D-Canton), aims to “create a temporary amnesty program for delinquent state taxes, forgiving taxpayers of penalties and interest accrued if they pay the full amount of their taxes owed during an established time period. Any person who pays that amount due during the amnesty period would also be immune from criminal prosecution or civil actions related to their taxes or fees paid.”

Ohio State Senate Passes Bill Reducing Training for Cosmetologist and Barber Licenses

December 3, 2022December 2, 2022 Hannah Poling

State Republican lawmakers are moving a bill forwards that aims to reduce the amount of required training it would take to get a cosmetology and barber license.

House Bill (HB) 542 sponsored by state Representatives Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) and Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) began as a piece of legislation aimed to create a unified barbering/cosmetology school license, to eliminate duplicative applications for facilities that teach both cosmetology and barbering and to lower the age of applicants for barber school to 16 years old.

Education Unions Say Ohio Legislature Should Focus on Funding, Not on Curriculum Regulation

November 28, 2022November 27, 2022 Hannah Poling

Two Ohio teacher’s unions who are keeping tabs on the Ohio legislature’s handling of education say they hope the General Assembly focuses on funding and attracting new teachers, rather than bills that regulate curriculum and “divisive” issues.

Controversy has erupted in public education decisions over the past year on how to teach about race and how schools should approach students who identify as gay or transgender. In the mid-term election, The liberal teacher’s unions, the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT) and the Ohio Education Association (OEA), contributed tens of thousands of dollars to help the campaigns of their Democratic candidates to secure support for their left-leaning agenda.