Innovation Ohio

What you need to know about Ohio Politics and Policy

Survey Results: Trump’s Attacks on Diversity Programs Are Unpopular with Ohio Voters

A recent audience understanding survey powered by GrowProgress and conducted by Innovation Ohio reveals that President Trump’s efforts to eliminate diversity programs in government, schools, and nonprofits aren’t gaining support with Ohio voters. The survey of 398 registered voters conducted from February 25-27 found that despite strong backing from his core supporters, Trump’s actions are not resonating with much of the broader public.

While Trump’s base continues to support his stance on diversity programs, the general public is not on his side. When asked, “Do you support President Trump’s efforts to end diversity programs at the federal level and require nonprofit organizations and schools in your state that receive federal funds to stop any programs they offer that promote diversity and equity?” 41% of Ohioans said they support the move, while 44% oppose it, with just 15% unsure. This split shows that Trump’s position is far from popular across the state, with even some of his typical supporters questioning his approach.

Opposition to Trump’s attacks on diversity programs is particularly strong among key voter groups that are crucial to his success in Ohio. Independents, a key swing group, show a 12-point net negative response, while younger voters (18-34) also overwhelmingly reject his position, with a 37-point net negative response. This broad opposition across these important groups signals that Trump’s attacks on diversity programs are not only unappealing to Democrats but also alienating independent and young voters who were once vital to his winning coalition. 

Even some Trump supporters express reservations, with one saying, “He might take the power he has too far,” and another stating, “He is inexperienced and only doing things to benefit the wealthy.” We saw similar concerns expressed by Trump supporters in a survey conducted in late January. One Trump voter, a white woman, responded to our inquiry about early Trump administration actions telling us “I don’t think he should have fired the people in the diversity departments”. These concerns show that even within his own base, there is growing discomfort with his unilateral approach to cutting government programs.

In addition to opposition to Trump’s move to cut programs that promote diversity and equity, our survey also revealed strong sentiment against his approach to funding cuts more broadly. When asked, “Thinking about funding for federal government programs that were approved by Congress and past presidents, do you think Trump should have the power to cut funding and effectively cancel these programs via executive order or should Trump have to get Congress’s approval before cutting funding for these programs?” 60% of Ohioans believe Congress should have the final say, including large majorities of Democrats and independents. Notably, even over a third of Trump’s own voters oppose him on this issue, with 35% saying Trump should not have the power to cut funding unilaterally.

Even some of Trump’s supporters have reservations about his approach. One respondent stated, “He is doing things that are not good for America,” while another worried that, “Cuts will be made in areas that are important to running the country.” Others voiced concerns that Trump, like his advisor Elon Musk, “might not know what to really do” or that “he’s too impulsive” in his decision-making. These concerns reflect broader unease about the long-term impact of cuts to essential services and the concentration of power in the hands of one person, rather than through a more democratic process in Congress.

Trump’s attacks on diversity programs and his disregard for Congressional input on funding decisions may prove politically risky. While his base may continue to back him, the broader electorate—including independents and younger voters critical to his past success—appears to be pushing back. The less popular his policies become, the more his overall popularity wanes, which in turn weakens his ability to secure full support from Congress. This makes it more difficult for him to push through his divisive agenda, creating an opportunity for progressives to advocate for policies that prioritize the public good and ensure that decisions about critical programs remain in the hands of the people, not one unchecked individual.

  1. IO utilized the GrowProgress Audience Understanding Survey in which 398 registered voters in Ohio were surveyed from February 25 to February 27, 2025. The sample was weighted to accurately reflect Ohio’s demographics, including age, education, gender, party affiliation, and race. Of the total sample, 219 respondents were matched to a voter file to ensure accurate representation of likely voters. The survey included both quantitative and qualitative questions, with a margin of error of ±5%.
  2.  Audience Understanding Survey of 598 registered Ohio voters conducted January 27-29.

Ohio politicians are trying to ban honesty in education. Help stop them.

Our kids deserve an honest, accurate, diverse education. 

Right now, Republican politicians are using lies about Critical Race Theory to ban schools from teaching an honest history. 

Two Ohio bills (HB 327 and HB 322) would essentially ban teachers from discussing racism, sexism, prejudice, gender studies, and other so-called “divisive concepts.” Even in college.

HB 322 and HB 327 are likely both receiving hearings at the Ohio Statehouse next week. Exact details TBA.

Want to testify against these bills? Or submit written-only testimony? Follow this simple process:

HOW TO SUBMIT TESTIMONY (in-person OR written-only):

  • 1. Email Dillon.Barto@Ohiohouse.gov. Ask to be placed on the “House State and Local Government Committee notice list.”
    • You’ll receive emails from the committee. You’ll know first when bill hearings are announced.
  • 3. Fill out a witness slip.
    • Make sure to note on your witness slip whether you are testifying in-person or written-only.
  • 4. When the committee announces the next hearings for these bills, email your testimony and your witness slip to Chair Scott Wiggam’s aide: Dillon.Barto@Ohiohouse.gov
    • Testimony is due 24 hours before the hearing begins.

If you’re submitting written-only testimony, that’s it! You’re done! You officially testified!
(We recommend sharing your testimony on social media so everyone can see it)

If you’re testifying in-person (recommended), see below.

  • 5. Arrive at the Statehouse before the committee is scheduled to begin.
    • Park either in the garage underneath the Statehouse or the Columbus Commons Parking Garage.
    • Note: you’ll need to go through a metal detector when you arrive.
    • You can ask the security guards to direct you to the committee room where your hearing is being held.
  • 6. Bring a printed copy of your testimony with you to read in front of the committee (you do not have to read your testimony word for word).
  • 7. You may also want to bring copies to hand to reporters – You can contact reporters ahead of time to let them know you (and your group) will be testifying!

—TESTIMONY TEMPLATE—

Chairman Wiggam, Vice Chair John, Ranking Member Kelly, and members of the House State and Local Government Committee,

Thank you for allowing me to testify today. My name is ________. I am [basic bio about yourself]. I am strongly opposed to House bills HB 322 and HB 327, which would prevent Ohio students from receiving an honest, accurate education.

Today I'm going to speak speaking specifically about [Choose either HB 322 or HB 327].

[Then tell them why the bill is so bad! Make it short and sweet - a few paragraphs is perfect. Tell a personal story. Or explain why your job experience gives you perspective on the bill. Maybe cite statistics or articles from other states to back up your claims]

I ask you to consider my testimony and vote NO on this [harmful / dangerous / devastating / etc.] bill. Thank you again for the opportunity to testify.

[IF TESTIFYING IN PERSON] I will now take any questions you may have.

AFTER YOU ARE FINISHED SPEAKING, legislators may ask you questions.

  • They are more likely to ask questions if you provide data/statistics or present yourself as having professional experience related to the bill.
  • This part of the process can be incredibly persuasive! But be prepared to back up your testimony!

Questions? Email Rachel Coyle: Coyle@InnovationOhio.org

The Work Continues — Statement from Desiree Tims

Today kicks off the start of Women’s History Month. This month is dedicated to commemorating and celebrating the role women have played in shaping American history.

From activists calling for bold action, to artists and athletes influencing culture, to elected officials advancing pro-women policy, women have long been at the forefront of movements for social change. But this recognition of the women who have paved the way in history must extend beyond the month of March.

At Innovation Ohio, we recognize the unprecedented moment we are in right now to advance real, systemic change for the lives of women. Here’s a look at some of the work Innovation Ohio and our program, the Women’s Public Policy Network, have been leading in the fight for gender equity:

The women throughout our country’s history have brought us to where we are today, but it will be on all of us to continue to move the needle forward for change. We hope you will join us in this fight!

Chip in to support our work

In Solidarity,

Desiree Tims
Innovation Ohio CEO

Wrapping Up Lame Duck

Our hopes of seeing the last of the 133rd General Assembly last week were unrealized. A few pieces of unfinished business remain.

Last week, the Ohio House added a “Stand Your Ground” gun amendment to another bill (SB175), and with the agreement of the Ohio Senate on a party-line basis, the bill now goes to Governor DeWine for his signature. The House also sent DeWine a bill (SB27) to require burial or cremation of aborted fetal remains.

DeWine has 10 days, not including Sundays and holidays from the day he receives a bill to veto or sign, or it becomes law.

In unfinished business, a Senate committee last week added a measure (SB317) to allow school districts to arm staff to a bill (HB425) that eliminates the requirement that a concealed carry license-holder notify a law enforcement officer that they are carrying a weapon. The bill, opposed by law enforcement and education groups, has not been reported out of the committee, so its backers may be out of time, but with sessions scheduled for tomorrow, anything can happen.

Another piece of unfinished business is what to do about HB6 — energy legislation passed as part of a $61 million bribery scandal, that eliminated Ohio’s renewable energy standards and subsidizes failing coal and nuclear power plants at ratepayer expense. One option (HB798) would delay the implementation of the law for a year, while another (HB772) would only eliminate portions of the law. House and Senate leaders had planned to spend the weekend negotiating and, if they reach a deal, the language could make its way into either HB264, a water infrastructure bill currently pending in a conference committee (meeting time at the call of the chair, Rep. Wilkin) or HB104, a nuclear power bill pending in the Senate Energy Committee, which is scheduled to meet tomorrow morning at 10 am.

Either bill could be on the House or Senate floor Tuesday. To stay up to date, watch session live streams on ohiochannel.org.

We were wrong last week, but really really hope this is the last update we send in 2020. See everyone in 2021!

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As Always, Guns and Abortion Rule Lame Duck

Still operating without a mask requirement with COVID-19 spreading through the committee rooms and offices, the Ohio House and Senate will meet again this week to finish up the Lame Duck session.

Among the bills on the agenda this week is Senate Bill 260, prohibiting doctors from dispensing of any “abortion-inducing medication” via telemedicine, putting legal abortion further out of reach for Ohioans in many rural and underserved communities. The vote on SB260 comes after lawmakers last week sent Senate Bill 27 to the Governor for his signature. SB27 would mandate the burial or cremation of fetal remains resulting from abortion services–but not miscarriage.

Given all the movement in the past several weeks of proposals to loosen Ohio gun laws, including proposals to eliminate the Duty to Retreat in armed conflicts (also know as “Stand Your Ground”), we’re watching to see what happens with Senate Bill 360, the only gun-related measure on the agenda this week. SB360 would exempt gun stores from mandatory closure in a health emergency, but the bill could get loaded up with amendments as lawmakers run out of time to move legislation separately.

Legislation to reduce penalties for drug possession (Senate Bill 3) is likely to pass, and a bill (Senate Bill 310) originally allocating federal COVID-19 relief is being repurposed as a vehicle to pass a state capital budget quickly. SB310 may also see amendments related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

We hope this is the last statehouse update we send this year!  Look for us in early 2021 when focus turns to the state budgeting process and a brand new legislative term.

Unfinished Business: Important Bipartisan Reforms Await Legislature’s Return

Several bipartisan proposals — among them gun safety reforms, a fix to Ohio’s out of control private school voucher program and modernization of our voting systems, just to name a few — still await action in the legislature 20 months into the General Assembly’s current two-year term.

The Ohio Senate this week announced that it is canceling its scheduled Session next week, joining the Ohio House in having no plans to return to Columbus in August. Both chambers have tentative plans to conduct business in mid-September, which may represent the last best opportunity for important legislation to be enacted before the election and the end of the legislative term.

Several bipartisan proposals — among them gun safety reforms, a fix to Ohio’s out of control private school voucher program and modernization of our voting systems, just to name a few — still await action in the legislature 20 months into the General Assembly’s current two-year term.

Without action by the end of this year, all progress on these and many other important proposals will be lost, and bills must be reintroduced in January 2021 with the process starting over at the beginning. 

Bipartisan proposals still awaiting action in the legislature:

  • The Ohio Fairness Act, to prohibit discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations on the basis of gender identity and sexual orientation
  • Ending Ohio’s out-of-control and unsustainable private school voucher program
  • Reform of Ohio’s property wealth-based formula for funding schools
  • Bipartisan gun safety reforms like a red flag law and safe storage requirements
  • Nuclear bailout repeal and restoration of renewable energy and efficiency standards
  • Ending the failed experiment with Academic Distress commissions 
  • Modernizing Ohio’s election system including online ballot requests and automatic voter registration
  • Drug sentencing reform
  • Aisha’s Law

Other pending proposals that haven’t had the attention they deserve:

  • Increasing the minimum wage
  • Creating a paid family and medical leave system
  • Ending the spousal rape loophole
  • Policing reforms

As voters head to the polls, it’s important to press lawmakers for a commitment to return to Columbus to do the people’s work on these and other important proposals.

With an eye toward the November elections, beginning next week we’ll be back with a scorecard evaluating how lawmakers have performed on important votes taken so far in the 133rd General Assembly.

New Legislation This Week 

Below are some of the new bills introduced in the last several weeks since we last sent an update. You can also view the complete list of bills we’re tracking.

  • House Bill 742 (Crossman, Brent) – John Lewis Voter Registration Day – to designate February 21 as “John Lewis Voter Registration Day” and to require the boards of elections to promote that day to encourage voter registration.
  • House Bill 744 (Leland, Brent) – Rental Assistance – to enact the Eviction Crisis Response Act to create the COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Program, to make an appropriation, and to declare an emergency. 
  • House Bill 746 (Lanese, Greenspan) – HB6 Energy Repeal – to repeal the changes made by H.B. 6 of the 133rd General Assembly to the laws governing electric service, renewable energy, and energy efficiency and the changes made to other related laws.
  • Senate Bill 348 (Schaffer, Roegner) – Health Orders – to prohibit local boards of health from using certain threatening words in notifications to the public, to allow local boards of health to reject Department of Health orders during an emergency, to allow health care professionals who serve on a board of health to receive continuing education credit, and to change the makeup of local boards of health.
  • Senate Bill 349 (Fedor) – Campaign Finance – to modify the campaign finance law, to name this act the Ohio Anti-Corruption Act, and to amend the versions of sections 3517.10, 3517.105, and 3517.106 of the Revised Code that are scheduled to take effect January 1, 2021, to continue the provisions of this act on and after that effective date.
  • Senate Concurrent Resolution 17 (Fedor) – Campaign Finance – to urge Congress to pass legislation requiring corporations and labor organizations that make political expenditures to disclose the identities of their donors.

Women Have Outsized Stake in Census and Play Key Role in Ensuring a Complete Count

This blog post from the Ohio Women’s Public Policy Network originally appeared on the Ohio Census Advocacy Coalition‘s website.

Every ten years, the United States Census Bureau conducts a count of the entire U.S. population, known as the census.

The census determines a lot of important information, including government representation and the allocation of critical federal funding for programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and housing assistance. Getting a complete and accurate count is important, especially for women and their families who have a lot at stake in the census – and women will play a key role in ensuring this happens.

Not only are women one of the biggest groups impacted by the census, but they play a crucial role in ensuring that an accurate count happens at all.

One of the most fundamental outcomes of the census is the determination it plays in the allocation of federal funding to the states. In Ohio, there are more than $33 billion dollars in funding for public programs on the line, and many of those programs provide crucial support women and their families need to live healthy and economically secure lives.

For many women, the funding that could be forfeited due to an incomplete census count would jeopardize their family’s health, safety, and financial stability: The mother who relies on federal aid to receive quality child care, allowing her to continue to work and provide for her family. The young woman who receives STI testing and prevention through access to Medicaid. The woman who has turned to Ohio’s network of domestic violence shelters for protection and the help she needs to get her family on their feet.

Because women often serve as family caregivers, the stakes are even higher.

$675 billion for social programs and services like SNAP and Medicaid, relies on your participation in the 2020 Census
Find more resources for census outreach

There is probably no greater example of the weight of the census for women than Medicaid dollars. Women comprise the majority of the adult Medicaid population – before the passage of the Affordable Care Act and today. Medicaid is a crucial resource for women to access the healthcare they need, and it impacts women’s ability to remain healthy and join or stay in the workforce. Whether it’s pregnancy care, postpartum care, Pap tests, timely blood pressure checks, or other preventative services, women have a lot on the line when it comes to Medicaid funding.

Because women often serve as family caregivers, the stakes are even higher. Two in five female-headed families with children are living in poverty – that’s nearly 90 percent higher than that of male-headed families with children. These mothers and their children rely on full funding for programs like SNAP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, Head Start, and even housing vouchers.

Not only are women one of the biggest groups impacted by the census, but they play a crucial role in ensuring that an accurate count happens at all. Census research indicates that one person often takes the lead in filling out the Census for the whole family. Women, who are increasingly the main caregiver or head of household, are more likely to take the lead in their families. As the 2020 Census approaches, it’s important to recognize the key role Ohio women play and the outsized impact an incomplete count will have on their livelihood and their families.

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.

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