Innovation Ohio

What you need to know about Ohio Statehouse Policy

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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Lame Duck – Gun Hearings Wednesday, Marathon Sessions Thursday

Since our Monday coverage, the schedule has changed a bit and we have more clarity about what the rest of the week will look like.

The House and Senate will each hold their final session of the year on Thursday at 11 am. Expect these to go well into the afternoon or evening with all the measures likely to come up for a vote. It’s safe to assume that the bills scheduled for committee hearings and votes this week will be on the agenda.

In committee action, more gun bills are set to be heard in committees today (HB425, Duty to Notify and HB796 Duty to Retreat).

A conference committee debating a bill to combat theft in office by public officials (Senate Bill 10) may add language to the bill to strip power from the Franklin County Prosecutor to investigate wrongdoing by Statehouse officials, now that a Democrat is set to occupy that office.

A proposal (House Bill 798) to partially repeal HB6 — but keep portions bailing out coal & nuclear plants and eliminate Ohio’s renewable energy standards — will be heard today, but it seems unlikely that will make it to the floor of both chambers this week.

A Senate bill prohibiting medication abortion via telemedicine (SB260) will be on the House floor tomorrow while a House bill to make it harder to sue your employer for civil rights violations (HB352) is likely up for a Senate vote.

Bills likely up for a vote in Senate session Thursday:

Bills likely up for a vote in House session Thursday:

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.

Lame Duck Continues Despite Statehouse COVID-19 Outbreak

Still operating without a mask mandate as at least two lawmakers have tested positive for COVID-19 after attending committee hearings and session, it appears that things are still business as usual at the General Assembly this week. Two days of hearings are scheduled on dozens of bills as the House and Senate work to wrap up the 2019-2020 legislative session.

Ironically — as COVID keeps some lawmakers away from the building — the agenda once again are more bills to strip power from the Governor to control the pandemic. Republicans also seem intent on moving multiple bills that would loosen Ohio gun laws, including proposals to eliminate the Duty to Retreat in armed conflicts (also know as “Stand Your Ground”).

A detailed list of committee hearings we’re watching is provided below, but bills we are watching this week include:

  • Rollbacks of COVID-19 public health orders (SB374 and HB621), elimination of statewide mask mandate (SB387) and changes to testing data requirements (HB624)
  • HB6 repeal (HB798)
  • Stand Your Ground (HB796, SB383) and Concealed Carry (HB425) gun bills. … see “Statehouse Meetings and Events” below for a full rundown of the committee hearings and events we’ll be watching this week

The following bills were introduced since our last update. You can keep an eye on all the bills we’re tracking here.

New Legislation This Week

  • House Bill 798 (Hoops) – Nuclear Subsidies – to delay for one year the charges and payments for nuclear resource and renewable energy credits, and revise certain other laws, enacted by H.B. 6 of the 133rd General Assembly, to amend Power Siting Board law and other electric utility law, to prohibit certain restrictions on solar energy systems, and to declare an emergency.
  • House Bill 799 (Reineke, Lang) – Face Masks – to terminate certain provisions of the “Director’s Order for Retail and Business Compliance for Facial Coverings throughout the State of Ohio,” issued on November 13, 2020, and to declare an emergency.

Take Action to Keep Democracy Open

  1. Tell Senate Leader Obhof and House Speaker Cupp to make virtual testimony available as an option for policy experts and everyday Ohioans to safely participate in committee hearings at allontheline.org/OHTestimony
  2. Copy & share this tweet from your personal account calling for virtual testimony. Or write your own tweet sharing the link to take action at allontheline.org/OHTestimony:

    We want options for virtual testimony at the Statehouse to #KeepDemocracyOpen by making the process
    ✅ Healthy & Safe
    ✅ Transparent & Fair
    ✅ Accessible to all of us!
    ➡️ allontheline.org/OHTestimony

On the Agenda: COVID-19, Education Funding and More

Back from the Thanksgiving holiday (and without a mask mandate in the Statehouse), Ohio lawmakers have another packed week of committee hearings and floor votes as they attempt to wrap up the 2019-2020 legislative session.

On the agenda include more bills to strip power from the Governor to control the pandemic, Stand Your Ground, abortion restriction, school funding reforms, and the repeal of HB6.

A detailed list of committee hearings we’re watching is provided below, but bills we are watching this week include:

Full House Committee Schedule

Full Senate Committee Schedule

Ohio Channel Broadcast Schedule

New Legislation This Week

The following bills were introduced since our last update. You can keep an eye on all the bills we’re tracking here.

House Bill 796 (Koehler) – Stand Your Ground – to expand the locations at which a person has no duty to retreat before using force under both civil and criminal law.

Senate Bill 383 (Johnson) – Stand Your Ground – to enact the Ohio Duty to Retreat Act providing an expansion of the locations at which a person has no duty to retreat before using force under both civil and criminal law.

Senate Bill 387 (Burke) – Face Masks – to terminate certain provisions of the “Director’s Order for Retail and Business Compliance for Facial Coverings throughout the State of Ohio,” issued on November 13, 2020, and to declare an emergency.

Lame Duck Season Starts

Lame Duck: The perfect time to sign up for our Statehouse Update Newsletter

Today, the Statehouse will see a number of hearings as the 133rd General Assembly kicks off the first week of its always-interesting Lame Duck session. Lame Duck is a colloquial name for the period of time between the general election and the end of the year when a new legislative term starts.

For this two month stretch, term-limited lawmakers and those who lost their bids for reelection are effectively “lame ducks,” on the way out the door. It’s often a time when lawmakers rush to pass priority bills before time runs out at the end of a term, but also is when we tend to see some of the most extreme proposals enacted. Recent examples include restrictions on local minimum wage increases and the 6-week abortion ban.

Lame Duck requires close watch by statehouse activists.

Most of what is on the agenda this week is uncontroversial, as committees work to clear the deck of bills that have been introduced but not yet heard in committee.

Two proposals up for hearings, however, are priorities for legislative leadership and merit careful monitoring: a school funding overhaul in the House Finance Committee and a Senate bill to repeal House Bill 6, the bailout of failing nuclear plants, the 2019 passage of which is the subject of an FBI bribery investigation.

After this week, many anticipate more controversial bills will begin moving. One concern we hear from allies is that conservative lawmakers will enact a full abortion ban in the form of a “trigger law” — one that only takes effect or becomes “triggered” by a ruling of the United States Supreme Court overturning Roe v Wade. In that case, the Ohio law would then take effect.

We will continue to send weekly updates about what’s on the Lame Duck agenda.

New Legislation This Week

The following bills were introduced since our last update. You can keep an eye on all the bills we’re tracking here.

House Bill 777 (Lang, Perales) – Alcohol Sales – to reinstate the authorized hours of operation for liquor permit premises that existed prior to the state of emergency declared in response to COVID-19 and to declare an emergency.

House Bill 783 (A. Miller) – Election Intimidation – to prohibit any person from intimidating, threatening, or coercing a person for the purpose of interfering with that person’s right to vote in an election.

House Bill 784 (Adams, Carruthers) – Law Enforcement – to increase penalties for certain assault, vandalism, and riot offenses, to allow peace officers to bring civil suits against persons participating in a riot, and to prohibit bias-motivated intimidation of first responders.

Senate Bill 374 (Obhof, Peterson) – Alcohol Sales – to reinstate the authorized hours of operation for liquor permit premises that existed prior to the state of emergency declared in response to COVID-19 and to declare an emergency.

Senate Bill 375 (Hoagland, Schafer) – County Fairs – to void the Director of Health’s July 30th order regarding county fairs and to declare an emergency.

Statehouse Meetings & Events

Tuesday, November 10

10:00 am – Senate Energy and Public Utilities – Informal hearing on HB772 (HB6 Repeal) and 2nd hearing (proponent) on SB346 (HB6 Repeal). Senate Finance Hearing Room or watch online. 

10:00 am – House Finance – 7th hearing (invited testimony, possible substitute) on HB305 (School Funding). Statehouse Room 313 or watch online.  

11:00 am – House State & Local Government – 4th hearing (all testimony, possible amendments & vote) on HB621 (Pandemic Business Closures). Statehouse Room 116 or watch online.  

12:30 pm – House Health – 1st hearing (sponsor) on HB316 (firearm “red flag” orders). Statehouse Room 313 or watch online.  

12:30 pm – House Criminal Justice – 1st hearing (sponsor) on SB3 (Drug Sentencing). Statehouse Room 121 or watch online. 

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2020 Legislative Scorecard: Ohio House of Representatives

Beginning in January of every odd-numbered year, lawmakers come to Columbus to convene the Ohio General Assembly. In the two year session that follows, hundreds of bills are introduced, many of which are signed into law. During the 133rd General Assembly, which began in January of 2019, legislators have grappled with issues ranging from responding to the COVID-19 pandemic to abortion rights, local control of public schools, gun safety to the confederate flag.

With Statehouse activity mostly wrapped up for the term, we’ve compiled the voting record of all 99 State representatives on the most significant proposals they faced for consideration by voters before they head to the polls on November 3.

Check out our Ohio House Scorecard, which lists how all 99 members of the Ohio House of Representatives voted on important proposals in the 133rd General Assembly.

View the Innovation Ohio 2020 House of Representatives Scorecard

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.

Bills Introduced in Response to Ohio House GOP Scandal

Ohio House Has a New Speaker But No Plans To Legislate

Last week, Ohio Republicans selected the man who would become the next House Speaker. Lima Republican Bob Cupp was selected as Ohio’s newest House Speaker following a 90-0 vote to remove Larry Householder, who was indicted by a federal grand jury earlier in the day on charges of orchestrating a $61 million pay-to-play scheme, the largest bribery scandal in Ohio history.

In remarks to the press after the vote, Cupp indicated he had no immediate plans to call the Chamber back into action, suggesting that the scheduled session date in mid-September might be the next time they would be back in Columbus. The Senate, likewise, has no scheduled meetings before mid-August, so, as a result, there are no committee hearings to share this week.

Today we’re sharing the new bills introduced since our last dispatch, many of them a response to the Householder/House GOP scandal and the controversial FirstEnergy bailout legislation at the center of it.

New Legislation This Week –

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

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