Innovation Ohio

What you need to know about Ohio Statehouse Policy

Republicans introduce, fast track, bill making voting harder

Last week, despite bipartisan consensus around improving access to safe options for voting, Ohio House Republicans pushed a measure that attempts to make sweeping changes to reduce participation in elections, regardless of the status of the pandemic, and attempts to tie the hands of Ohio officials to make changes in the event of a COVID-19 resurgence before the November election.

House Bill 680 was introduced by freshman Republican State Representative, Cindy Abrams. The bill would do three main things:

1. Tie the hands of the Governor & Health Director to alter Ohio’s election plans – If requested by the Governor more than 60 days prior to the election (in other words, if we knew by September 3 that COVID would be widespread enough to make in-person voting in November unsafe), a failsafe mail-only election would be triggered only if the legislature approved the plan within 3 days. If that failsafe was triggered, the mail-only election would allow for the dropping of ballots at only one dropbox location per county, prohibit the Secretary of State from mailing absentee ballot request forms to registered voters, also prohibit prepaying return postage on ballot request forms and ballots, and offers no way to vote provisionally in person if a voter’s ballot fails to arrive in time.

Regardless of whether the failsafe mail-only election were ever triggered (which seems unlikely the way the bill is written), HB680 would also:

2. Make Changes Limiting In-Person and Mail-in Voting in November 2020 – House Bill 680 shortens the amount of time in which you can request an absentee ballot, cutting off the distribution of ballots to anyone whose request is received less than 10 days before the November election.

House Bill 680 eliminates the three days of early voting on the final weekend before the election that have been offered, thanks to a court order, every year since 2012 ending early in-person voting on the Friday prior to the election, even for overseas and military voters.

HB680 prohibits the Secretary of State from sending out absentee ballot requests to all registered voters in November, 2020, something the legislature already approved and funded!

One thing not found in HB680 is a change supported by Republican Secretary of State, Frankl LaRose, and included in bipartisan Senate legislation (SB191) to allow voters to request an absentee ballot online. Rep. Abrams explained in her testimony that there’s just “too much risk of fraud”. It’s important to note that there is no evidence of widespread fraud via mail-in voting regardless of what medium is used to request a ballot.

3. Limit Spending of Federal Pandemic Funds and Prohibit Ballot Postage – HB680 also directs how the state expends federal pandemic funds to prepare for a safer November election. It outlines spending for things like sanitation, PPE, distancing and equipment to process mail in ballots. Most importantly, it prohibits the use of federal pandemic funds to provide prepaid return postage on ballots or request forms.

Taken together, these changes would mean that to vote by mail, a voter would have to:

  • Print out an absentee ballot request form (because no online option would be permitted), purchase a stamp and envelope, and return it to the board of election at least 10 days before the election.
  • Complete their ballot and apply postage (more stamps) and postmark it in time to be received by the board of elections by the day before Election Day

Several groups — including Ohio’s Republican Secretary of State — have offered ideas for improving vote-by-mail while still making it safe to vote in-person early or on election day. At this moment of uncertainty about COVID-19 pandemic, we join with many other voting rights advocates seeking to expand access for safely voting in this November’s general election.  This detructive bill undermines those efforts and puts Ohio on the wrong path.

What Next?

Opponents will have their chance to testify in committee on Wednesday (details below). The bill will be heard in the State and Local Government committee on Wednesday at 3pm in Statehouse Room 116. To testify, send a copy of your prepared remarks to rep01@ohiohouse.gov 24 hours in advance of Wednesday’s hearing and let the staffer know if you wish to testify in person or only in writing.

It is urgent to share your concerns about how this election will be conducted with your elected representatives. You can do so by:

  1. Testifying (see above)
  2. Call your Representatives
  3. Write to your Representative

At The Statehouse: Lawmakers Look To Grant Business Immunity

Both chambers are working on legislation to limit the ability for businesses to be sued for liability during the COVID pandemic emergency. A Senate committee will hold a third hearing and vote on that chamber’s version of the bill (SB308) while the House plans two hearings this week to consider the House Bill (HB606). 

Lawmakers last week introduced new legislation (SB311) to rescind current health emergency orders and limit the power of the Director to enact new orders. 
The House and Senate have session scheduled for Wednesday with an additional meeting of the House penciled in for Thursday if necessary.

New Legislation This Week

Several new bills were introduced last week that we will be monitoring. You can also view the complete list of bills we’re tracking.

  • House Bill 633 (Boggs) – Workers Compensation – To make COVID-19 contracted by specified types of employees an occupational disease under the Workers’ Compensation Law under certain circumstances and to declare an emergency.
  • House Bill 634 (Denson, Upchurch) – Marijuana – To allow for the cultivation and possession of marijuana, to modify possession and cultivation penalties, and to allow for the expungement of certain marijuana convictions.
  • House Concurring Resolution 27 (Russo) – Health Insurance – To urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to immediately issue a special enrollment period through HealthCare.gov for uninsured Ohioans who may be unable to access COVID-19 testing and treatment.
  • Senate Bill 311 (McColley, Roegner) – Health Orders – To rescind certain orders of the Director of Health regarding COVID-19, to require the approval of the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review for Department of Health orders to be effective for more than fourteen days, to require statewide Department of Health orders to include the Governor’s signature, to modify the Department’s rulemaking authority, to allow in-person high school graduation ceremonies, and to declare an emergency.

Statehouse Meetings and Events

Tuesday, May 12

Wednesday, May 13

  • 9 am – House Civil Justice – 4th hearing (all testimony, possible amendments, and substitute) on HB606 (Civil Immunity). Statehouse Room 116 (overflow in 114). Watch online at ohiochannel.org.
  • 9:15 am – Senate Judiciary – 3rd hearing (all testimony, possible amendments, and vote) on SB308 (Civil Immunity). Senate South Hearing Room. Watch online at ohiochannel.org.
  • 11 am – Senate Rules and Reference – meeting to set agenda for May 20 Senate session. Senate Majority Conference Room. No broadcast.
  • 11:45 am – House Rules and Reference – meeting to set agenda for May 21 House session. Statehouse Room 017 (overflow in Room 018). No broadcast.
  • 1 pm – House Session – agenda TBD. Watch online at ohiochannel.org.
  • 1:30 pm – Ohio Senate – agenda TBD. Watch online at ohiochannel.org.
  • 2 pm – Gov. DeWine Briefing on COVID-19 – Watch online at ohiochannel.org.
  • 3 pm – Senate Local Government – 2nd hearing (all testimony, possible amendments & vote) on HB242 (Plastic Bag Ordinances). Senate South Hearing Room. Watch online at ohiochannel.org

Thursday, May 14

  • 1 pm – House Session – agenda TBD. Watch online at ohiochannel.org.
  • 2 pm – Gov. DeWine Briefing on COVID-19 – Watch online at ohiochannel.org.

Friday, May 15

  • 2 pm – Gov. DeWine Briefing on COVID-19 – Watch online at ohiochannel.org.

DeWine to Announce Reopening Plan

Statehouse Preview

Week of April 27, 2020

Statehouse work continues online this week (see below), but House Speaker Larry Householder has informed House staff to return for in-person work beginning next week.

The House has scheduled sessions on May 5 (if needed), 6, 7, 13, 14, 19 and 21st, and plans tor resume committee meetings in some of the larger hearing rooms with accommodations made for social distancing.

The Senate, for its part, has a session scheduled for Wednesday but is widely expected to cancel it in favor of a meeting date later in May. The chamber and its leader, Senate President Larry Obhof, have not indicated when or if they plan to resume business as usual. 

Today, Governor DeWine will continue his series of daily COVID-19 briefings with a much-anticipated update about the state’s plans to allow the limited resumption of certain businesses and activities. Briefings are expected to continue daily.

The House of Representatives’ Economic Recovery Task Force will continue to hear from (mostly) business owners about their economic hardships. Only one representative of workers has appeared before the panel in its three weeks of almost daily hearings.

Also today, the state Controlling Board, a panel of legislators empowered to approve spending outside the normal legislative process will consider proposals from the DeWine administration’s Office of Budget and Management and Department of Job and Family Services related to the state’s COVID-19 response. The hearing will also be streamed online.

Statehouse Meetings and Events

Monday

  • 10 am – Economic Recovery Task Force – Speakers include representatives from Stark County Minority Business Association, Mechanical Contractors Association of Ohio, Chillicothe Fireworks, Brumbaugh of Garner Trucking, cityBRANDS Holdings, LLC, Lake Erie Shores & Islands, Allen Company, Lakota Sports Organization, BASEC Management, Inc., DBA Wendy’s and Body Alive Fitness. Virtual meeting streamed live online at ohiochannel.org. 
  • 12 pm – Controlling Board – Senate North Hearing Room and streamed live online at ohiochannel.org.
  • 2 pm – Gov. DeWine Briefing on COVID-19 – streamed live on ohiochannel.org.

Tuesday

  • 2 pm – Gov. DeWine Briefing on COVID-19 – streamed live on ohiochannel.org.

Wednesday

  • 1:30 pm – Ohio Senate (if needed) – stream lived on ohiochannel.org.
  • 2 pm – Gov. DeWine Briefing on COVID-19 – streamed live on ohiochannel.org.

Thursday

  • 2 pm – Gov. DeWine Briefing on COVID-19 – streamed live on ohiochannel.org.

Friday

  • 2 pm – Gov. DeWine Briefing on COVID-19 – streamed live on ohiochannel.org.

Ohio Lawmakers Focus on Coronavirus Emergency

This week, the legislature is back in session for the first time in nearly a month, taking up a number of emergency measures necessary to respond to the Coronavirus pandemic.

Items we know will be on the agenda:

  • Rescheduling the March 17 primary election
  • Waiving standardized testing and other requirements for schools
  • Extending the time to renew a drivers’ license
  • Changes to laws requiring in-person meetings of various governing bodies, boards and commissions

Other legislation that could be in the mix include:

  • Addressing expanded eligibility for private school vouchers to prevent a continued negative fiscal impact on local districts

The process at the Statehouse this week will look very different.

No regular committees are scheduled to meet, other than the powerful Rules committees in each chamber, which determine which measures will be going to the floor for debate and vote.

The House is scheduled to meet three times: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at 1pm, while the Senate is in session on Wednesday (and possibly Thursday, if needed) at 1:30. At this hour, we are even hearing that the Senate may be called into session later today. 

No regular committees are scheduled to meet, other than the powerful Rules committees in each chamber, which determine which measures will be going to the floor for debate and vote.

What those sessions will look like is up in the air – while members’ desks are normally well-spaced, it is possible that debate and vote may be extended to limit the number of people in the chamber at any one time. 

The mechanism for enacting the above changes to state law is likely to look very different. Instead of three committee hearings before a bill goes to the full House or Senate for a vote, It is likely that policy changes enacted this week will be made by members offering, debating and voting on amendments on the floor of their respective chambers, potentially incorporating them into unrelated legislation that has already gone through the committee process. This faster, less hands-on process is arguably necessitated by the public health emergency but offers far less transparency, predictability and almost no opportunity for public input.

If you have an issue that requires legislative attention, contact your state lawmakers as soon as possible. 

We’ve provided more guidance below on how to get help from state leaders during this crisis.

Who to Contact for Help

Remember, part of a lawmaker’s job is to provide constituent services. If you are experiencing challenges accessing benefits that you or your business may be eligible for, or in dealing with a state agency, your state lawmakers should be able to help you navigate those programs and get resolution. 

In some cases, issues you are experiencing may highlight previously-unknown gaps in state programs and benefits. Letting your lawmaker know is one of the best ways to get those systemic gaps onto the radar of policymakters and into the legislative agenda at the Statehouse.

 The Governor’s office also operates a constituent helpline. If you are having trouble with a state government program or agency, they are there to help. 

If you observe someone engaging in fraudulent behavior, such as price-gouging or scamming consumers, contact the office of the Attorney General of Ohio.

New Legislation

Below are bills that have been recently introduced to deal with the current public health emergency:

  • House Bill 557 (Sobecki) – Video Meetings – to authorize public bodies to meet via teleconference and video conference during a public health state of emergency as declared by the Governor, and to declare an emergency.

Committee Hearings to Watch

  • Tuesday, 11 am – House Rules and Reference. Statehouse Room 116.
  • Wednesday, 10:30 am – House Rules and Reference. Statehouse Room 116.

Find details about all upcoming committee hearings:

In-Session

  • House: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 1:00 pm – watch online 
  • Senate: Wednesday (and Thursday, if needed) at 1:30 pm – watch online

As always, we will be sharing updates on Twitter using the #OHLeg hashtag for legislation, #OHBudget for budget updates and #OHGov for executive actions. Follow us to stay up-to-date on what’s happening at the Statehouse.

>> Sign up for legislative alerts and other updates at innovationohio.org/signup

Paid Sick Leave Needed To Protect Public Health

A briefing on paid sick days legislation to address public health emergencies and short-term health issues

Prepared by the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network

Issue Overview

The United States is one of the few developed nations in the world without a guaranteed paid sick days law, which leaves behind 1 in 4 U.S. workers, or more than 32 million people, without access to any paid sick days. Low-wage and hourly workers, the majority of whom are women and people of color, are less likely to have access to paid sick days: 7 in 10 low-wage workers do not receive any paid sick days.

Without access to paid sick days, many working people are forced to make the impossible choice between staying home to recover when they are ill and continuing to work, risking transmitting the illness to others, for fear of losing their paycheck or their job.

This is amplified during a public health crisis, such as the coronavirus outbreak. The disparities in access to paid sick days can cause working people, particularly low-wage working people in the service industry, like those in restaurants, retail, childcare, and home healthcare, to feel compelled to show up for work even when they are showing symptoms. Many of these working people are in high contact jobs and are unable to work remotely, which could make it more difficult to contain the outbreak and could mean that low-wage working people are hit harder.

Access to paid sick days has been shown to reduce the spread of illness, and it can make a difference in the ability to contain the spread of the coronavirus. There is a cost to doing nothing: Without access to paid sick days, more working people will go to work sick because they are forced to choose between earning the paycheck they need and staying home to prevent spreading the virus further, which can make it difficult to contain the outbreak and lead to widespread and prolonged economic disruptions.

Policy Recommendation

It is crucial that our state takes swift and substantive action to provide access to paid sick days for public health emergencies, such as the Coronavirus crisis, as well the ability for working people to earn paid sick days for other short-term health issues they face year-round.

Ohio leaders should enact an Emergency Paid Sick Days measure that:

  • Requires all employers in the state of Ohio to allow for employees to accrue up to 7 paid sick days annually for regular use to address and recover from short-term illnesses, access preventive care, care for a sick family member or seek assistance related to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
  • Requires all employers in the state of Ohio to provide an additional 14 days of paid sick leave, available immediately at the beginning of a public health emergency, including the current Coronavirus outbreak.
  • Ensures paid sick days measures include coverage for the following circumstances:
    • an employee’s child’s school is closed due to a public health emergency
    • an employer is closed due to public health emergency, or
    • an employee or an employee’s family member is quarantined or isolated due to a public health emergency
  • Covers all employees within the state of Ohio, including hourly workers, part-time workers, small business employees regardless of employee size, and contract workers (also known as workers in the gig economy).
  • Guarantees job-protection and anti-retaliation protections for employees who take paid sick days.

National landscape

In response to the coronavirus crisis, federal lawmakers have introduced Emergency Paid Sick Days legislation, which would require employers to provide 14 paid sick days for a public health emergency and allow employees to accrue up to 7 paid sick days for regular use.

Additionally, state leaders across the country are stepping up to call for action on paid sick days amid the coronavirus outbreak, including Colorado, which will soon require employers to provide emergency paid sick days to service and hospitality workers who are exhibiting flu-like symptoms and being tested for coronavirus.

Private sector companies are also recognizing the need to enact emergency paid sick days policies for their workforce, particularly service industry companies that directly interact with people and are unable to work remotely. Walmart, McDonald’s, and Olive Garden have all announced paid sick leave policies related to the coronavirus outbreak.

The need for paid sick days extends beyond public health emergencies, like the Coronavirus outbreak, and lawmakers at the state and local level have recognized the importance of addressing short-term health issues workers face every day:

Since 2011, 13 states and the District of Columbia have passed paid sick days laws:

  • Arizona,
  • California
  • Connecticut
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Maine
  • Michigan
  • Nevada
  • New Jersey
  • Oregon
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
  • Washington

At the local level, 20 Cities and 3 Counties have enacted paid sick days

  • San Francisco, Oakland, Emeryville, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, San Diego and Berkeley, Calif.
  • Seattle and Tacoma, Wash.
  • New York City and Westchester County, N.Y.
  • Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, Pa.
  • Montgomery County, Md.
  • Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth, Minn.
  • Chicago and Cook County, Ill.
  • Austin, San Antonio and Dallas, Texas

Media Coverage

Can You Lose Your Job If You Are Quarantined During The Coronavirus Outbreak? What You Need To Know, Forbes, February 26, 2020

Avoiding Coronavirus May Be a Luxury Some Workers Can’t Avoid, The New York Times, March 01, 2020

Analysis | Our lack of paid sick leave will make the coronavirus worse, The Washington Post, March 03, 2020

As coronavirus spreads, the people who prepare your food probably don’t have paid sick leave, The Washington Post, March 04, 2020

‘If We Don’t Work, We Don’t Get Paid.’ How the Coronavirus Is Exposing Inequality Among America’s Workers, TIME, March 04, 2020

America needs paid sick leave laws to stop coronavirus from spreading, The Hill, March 04, 2020

Ohio House Dems urge governor to create paid sick leave amid virus fears, The Columbus Dispatch, March 9, 2020

Walmart, Apple and Olive Garden are among major employers updating sick leave policies as coronavirus cases spread, The Washington Post, March 10, 2020

Ohio House Dems ask Gov. DeWine for paid sick leave program, NBC4, March 10, 2020

Statehouse Preview: Senate Set To Pass Another Abortion Ban

This week, House committees will not meet while most of the state’s 99 State Representatives hit the campaign trail in advance of the March 17 primary election. The Senate is still in action, with committee hearings and a Wednesday session scheduled. 

Senators are expected to vote on Senate Bill 260, a proposal approved in the Health Committee last week that would prohibit doctors from conducting consultations online (telemedicine) with patients seeking medication-assisted abortions.

The move would target patients in rural areas, for whom healthcare requires extensive travel to urbanized areas, further reducing healthcare options when they are most needed.

Call your Senator this week and tell them to vote against Senate Bill 260 when it comes to the floor on Wednesday.

New Legislation

There was one bill introduced last week that we’ll be keeping an eye on in the coming months:

Senate Bill 288 (Gavarone) – Religious Expression – regarding student religious expression in interscholastic athletics and extracurricular activities

In Session this week

  • House: no sessions scheduled
  • Senate: Wednesday at 1:30 pm – watch online

>> You can monitor the status of all the bills we are watching here.

Statehouse Preview: Fairness Act Supporters Get Key Hearing

This week, lawmakers will hear from supporters of the House version of the Ohio Fairness Act (HB369). The bill would prohibit discrimination in housing and employment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Hundreds of Ohioans are expected to submit in-person or written testimony on Tuesday in which they will lawmakers to end Ohio’s system of legal discrimination once and for all. 

Take one minute to use our advocacy tools to send a letter to your lawmakers in support of the Ohio Fairness Act.


House committees will also hear from sponsors of two new pro-gun proposals this week. House Bill 425, which eliminates the duty to inform law enforcement officials of the presence of a concealed weapon and House Bill 178, which would effectively allow concealed weapons anywhere without a permit will receive sponsor testimony. 

New Legislation
Below is one bill that was introduced last week that we’ll be keeping an eye on in the coming months:


SB 262 (Williams) – Charter/Voucher Funding – to require the direct payment of state funding to community schools and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics schools; to require the direct payment of K-12 state scholarships; and to make an appropriation.

>> You can monitor the status of all the bills we are watching here.

Statehouse Preview: Make Or Break Time for Voucher Fix

This week, lawmakers are scrambling to pass legislation to slow down the problem of runaway private school vouchers that are draining millions of dollars from our public schools as a result of misguided policy changes expanding the school choice program. The problem — and a potential legislative fix that is under discussion — are explained well in this article in the Marion Star.

On the Innovation Ohio blog, Education Policy Fellow, Stephen Dyer explains in four charts how Ohio’s voucher problem got to where it is today and why, even with a short-term fix, it remains out of control.

The most likely scenario for a legislative patch is a bill already passed by the House will be amended in a Senate committee as early as today, and quickly move to the Senate floor. If it passes, the House must then vote to concur with Senate changes. The bill also requires a legislative supermajority in order to take effect immediately rather than in the normal 90 days. 

This all needs to happen before Friday in order to prevent another round of funding losses to hit public school districts. 


Elsewhere in the Statehouse, House leaders scheduled–and later postponed–a committee hearing featuring testimony on the House version of the Ohio Fairness Act (HB369), prohibiting discrimination in housing and employment on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Ohio still has no anti-discrimination law on the books. The new hearing date is now planned for February 4.

Also this week, two House proposals to weaken Ohio’s gun safety laws (HB425 and HB381) are getting sponsor testimony in committee. See below for schedules.

New legislation

Below are the bills that were introduced last week that we’ll be keeping an eye on in the coming months:

>> You can monitor the status of all the bills we are watching here.

>> Sign up for our weekly Statehouse Preview newsletter for even more insight on what’s happening on Capitol Square this week.

Innovation Ohio’s New Report Finds Exploding Voucher Payments, Return to Lax Oversight of Charters in Ohio Budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2019
Contact: Michael McGovern, mcgovern@innovationohio.org
 
Columbus, OH – A report from Innovation Ohio focused on the state’s new budget finds a huge increase in spending on voucher payments to private schools and a return to lax, pre-ECOT scandal charter school oversight. This is the latest budgetary explosion for a voucher program that has increased more than 600% since 2011.
 
“Given the ECOT scandal, it is astounding that statehouse leaders would loosen rules around failing charter schools that suck money out of Ohio public school classrooms,” said Innovation Ohio Education Fellow and report author Stephen Dyer. “What we need is closer scrutiny and reigning in these payments to private schools.” 
 
The report highlights four key giveaway to poor-performing, privately run schools: 
1. Weakening rules to automatically close failing charter schools
2. Lowering standards for dropout recovery schools
3. Weakening oversight of charter school sponsors, many of whom are for-profit companies
4. A huge increase in public dollars flowing to private schools via vouchers
The voucher expansion alone could cost Ohio public school districts another $73 million over two years, on top of an already ballooning $389 million per year private school voucher program.

Over the last several years, Innovation Ohio has been leading the fight to expose Ohio’s failing charter school system and sounding the alarm bells around expanding voucher programs. 

 
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