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Mar 23 2020

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.

  • Contact your State Senator
  • Contact your State Representative

 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. 

  • Contact the Governor’s office

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

  • File a consumer complaint

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:

  • House Committee Schedule
  • Senate Committee Schedule
  • Ohio Channel Broadcast Schedule

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

Written by Terra Goodnight · Categorized: Statehouse Update · Tagged: committees, coronavirus, COVID19, education, election day, Governor, lawmakers, legislation, private school vouchers, Public Education, Statehouse, statehouse preview, Vouchers

Mar 11 2020

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

Written by Terra Goodnight · Categorized: Healthcare and Human Services, Statehouse Update · Tagged: coronavirus, COVID19, paid sick leave

Mar 03 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.

Written by Terra Goodnight · Categorized: Gender Equity, Statehouse Update · Tagged: abortion ban, sb260, senate bill 260, statehouse preview

Feb 03 2020

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.

Written by Terra Goodnight · Categorized: Statehouse Update · Tagged: education funding, gun, gun safety, guns, Ohio Fairness Act, School Funding, school vouchers, Vouchers

Jan 28 2020

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:

  • House Bill 475 (K. Smith, Galonski) – Presidential Candidates – to require a candidate for President or Vice-President of the United States to submit copies of the candidate’s five most recent federal income tax returns for publication on the Secretary of State’s official web site.
  • House Bill 478 (A. Miller, Miranda) – School Vouchers – to make changes regarding the eligibility criteria for the Educational Choice scholarship program.
  • Senate Bill 260 (S. Huffman) – Abortion Drugs – regarding abortion-inducing drugs.

>> 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.

Written by Terra Goodnight · Categorized: K-12 Education, Statehouse Update · Tagged: Charter Schools, private schools, Public Education, school vouchers, voucher explosion, Vouchers

Sep 25 2019

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.
 
The report is available at http://innovationohio.org/2019/09/23/exploding-vouchers-charter-school-oversight/
“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. 

 
###

Written by Michael McGovern · Categorized: ECOT, K-12 Education, Legislative Updates, Ohio State Budget, Press Releases, Statehouse Update · Tagged: ECOT, ECOT Scandal, education, Ohio, Ohio Budget, School Funding, State Budget

Aug 08 2019

Here’s What Gun Safety Advocates In Ohio Are Up Against

Earlier this week, Mike DeWine announced a package of gun safety reforms he would like to see the Ohio General Assembly enact into law. If history is a guide, he’s running into some stiff headwinds.

Just ask Dayton.

In late 2018, Ohio lawmakers enacted a bill (House Bill 228), overriding a veto by Gov. John Kasich, that blocked Ohio cities from enacting local gun ordinances and subjected local communities to civil liability for passing gun laws stricter than the state’s. The bill states that “any local firearm regulation that interferes with an individual’s right to bear arms, inhibits individuals from protecting themselves, their families, or others from intruders and attackers, or otherwise inhibits the legitimate use of firearms is preempted by the state of Ohio.” Ohio cities and their leaders have their hands tied.

Here’s what Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley had to say at the time:

As DeWine, Whaley and gun safety advocates attempt to reform our gun laws, it’s worth revisiting the recent past to see what they are up against. HB228 was just one of several recent measures to expand the rights of gun owners in Ohio, demonstrating just how powerful the momentum is within the GOP-controlled General Assembly to move in the opposite direction.

In recent years, Ohio lawmakers have passed bills to:

Allow guns in bars and restaurants that serve alcohol (SB17 in 2011)

Sitting lawmakers who voted yes:

Representatives Butler, Jordan, G. Manning, Oelslager, Patton and Seitz.

Senators Brenner, Hottinger, M. Huffman, Lehner, O’Brien, Obhof, Peterson, Roegner, Schaffer and Uecker.

Eliminate requirement to store guns unloaded in motor vehicles and allow guns to be stored in the Statehouse parking garage (HB495 in 2012)

Sitting lawmakers who voted yes:

Representatives Butler, Cera, DeVitis, Jordan, G. Manning, Oelslager, Patton, Schaffer, Scherer, Seitz and R. Smith.

Senators Brenner, Burke, Coley, Eklund, Hackett, Hottinger, M. Huffman, Lehner, O’Brien, Obhof, Peterson, Roegner, Schuring, Terhar and Uecker

Allow concealed carry by residents of other states without licensing or training, and lifted the ban on high capacity magazines (HB234 in 2014) 

Sitting lawmakers who voted yes:

Representatives Becker, Blessing, Butler, Cera, DeVitis, Fedor, Hood, Jordan, Oelslager, Patterson, Perales, Rogers, Seitz, Sheehy, R. Smith and Strahorn.

Senators Brenner, Burke, Coley, Eklund, Hackett, Hottinger, M. Huffman, Kunze, Lehner, O’Brien, Obhof, Patton, Peterson, Roegner, Schaffer, Schuring, Terhar, Uecker and Williams

Allow guns in daycares and on college campuses and prohibit employers from banning firearms from employee vehicles parked on their property  (SB199 in 2016)

Sitting lawmakers who voted yes:

Representatives Becker, Blessing, Brinkman, Butler, Cera, Cupp, Dean, Fedor, Green, Hambley, Hood, Jordan, Keller, Koehler, G. Manning, Merrin, O’Brien, Oelslager, Patterson, Patton, Perales, Reineke, Rogers, Scherer, Seitz, R. Smith, Vitale and Zeltwanger.

Senators Brenner, Burke, Coley, Gavarone, Hackett, Hottinger, S. Huffman, Kunze, N. Manning, McColley, O’Brien, Peterson, Roegner, Schaffer, Schuring, Terhar and Uecker.

Prohibit cities from enacting local gun ordinances (HB228 in 2018)

Sitting lawmakers who voted yes:

Representatives Antani, Becker, Blessing, Brinkman, Butler, Carfagna, Cera, Cupp, DeVitis, Dean, Edwards, Ginter, Green, Greenspan, Hambley, Hood, Hoops, Householder, Jordan, Keller, Kick, Koehler, Lanese, Lang, Lipps, G. Manning, McClain, Merrin, Oelslager, Patterson, Patton, Perales, Reineke, Riedel, Rogers, Romanchuk, S. Ryan, Seitz, R. Smith, T. Smith, Stein, Vitale, Wiggam, WIlkin, Zeltwanger

Brenner, Burke, Coley, Dolan, Gavarone, Hackett, Hoagland, Hottinger, M. Huffman, S. Huffman, McColley, Obhof, Peterson, Roegner, Schaffer, Terhar, Uecker, Wilson.

With this crew still controlling the statehouse, it will take a lot of work and convincing for DeWine’s proposals to get passed.

Written by Terra Goodnight · Categorized: Featured Items, Gun Safety, Legislative Updates, Statehouse Update

Jul 24 2019

Ohio Passes Nuclear Bailout and Rolls Back Renewable Energy Standards

This week, the Ohio House finished its work on Ohio Bill 6, controversial legislation to bail out two failing nuclear power plants, by holding a vote to concur with Senate changes to the proposal. The vote of 51-38 included 42 Republicans and 9 Democrats voting in support of the proposal, which angers environmental advocates because of how it undermines Ohio’s renewable energy and efficiency standards. The bill was later signed by Governor DeWine.

The legislation bails out the Perry and Davis-Besse nuclear power plants by creating a new 85 cent per month fee paid by residential ratepayers on their utility bills. The fund would generate $150 million per year to support the plants, as well as an additional $20 million to fund several large solar installation projects around the state. 

Amendments adopted in the Senate would reduce the state’s renewable energy targets down to 8.5% of total energy generation by 2026, well below the 12.5% required in current law, and the standards would disappear beginning in 2027. The measure would also sunset Ohio’s energy efficiency standards after 2026, phasing them out at 17.5 percent of the state’s total generation. Advocates point to provisions that would allow utilities to count cumulative savings toward energy efficiency requirements as rendering the standard useless to incentivizing additional efficiency measures. 

State Representative Casey Weinstein noted the questionable strategy of job creation, remarking “we are bailing out a failing corporation on the back of a growing industry. It really blows my mind.”

A provision was included to allow utilities to charge ratepayers $1.50 a month to fund subsidies for two coal plants, including one in Indiana, owned by Ohio Valley Electric Corporation. The Senate also authorized the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio to conduct a public audit of First Energy’s finances, and to limit ratepayer fees if it is found that the company does not need all $150 million.

Immediately after Governor DeWine signed the bill, opponents announced they would seek to place the proposal on the ballot, putting it up to voters whether to allow it to become law.

Written by admin · Categorized: Energy, Statehouse Update · Tagged: HB6

Jul 17 2019

Innovation Ohio Statement on Charter School Provisions in Operating Budget

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 17, 2019
Contact: Michael McGovern
mcgovern@innovationohio.org
Columbus, OH – Today, Innovation Ohio President Janetta King issued the following statement regarding the charter school provisions in the state operating budget:
“It is disappointing that Republicans in the legislature have once again placed the interests of failing charter schools ahead of Ohio students and communities. The budget passed today weakens state oversight of charter schools like ECOT, which ripped off Ohio schools and taxpayers to the tune of $200 million. After the ECOT debacle, we should be strengthening, not loosening, the rules regulating charter schools. Ohio taxpayers – and more importantly, Ohio students – deserve better.”
Founded in 2011, Innovation Ohio is a nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank that blends policy research and advocacy to fight for working families in Ohio.

Written by Michael McGovern · Categorized: K-12 Education, Ohio State Budget, Press Releases, Statehouse Update · Tagged: Charter Schools, children, ECOT, ECOT Scandal, education, kids, Larry Householder, Larry Obhof, Mike DeWine, Ohio, Ohio Budget, Ohio Politics, Republicans, schools, State Budget, Taxes, taxpayers

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