Week in review: April 27

A summary of Ohio's legislative news for the week ending April 25, 2025.

BALLOT ISSUES

Attorney General Dave Yost announced Tuesday afternoon that he had certified the petition for a proposed constitutional amendment that would end qualified immunity in Ohio in response to a U.S. Sixth Circuit Court ruling. The appeals court earlier this month ruled that Yost had likely violated the First Amendment rights of Ohio citizens behind the ballot initiative titled "Protecting Ohioans' Constitutional Rights," which would create a private right of action against state government actors who deprive a person of state constitutional rights, without qualified immunity for the government actors involved.

A group of Youngstown State University professors kicked off an effort to repeal higher education reform bill SB1 (Cirino), submitting summary language and petitions to the secretary of state and attorney general's office on Monday.

The coalition pushing for a "Yes" vote on public works amendment Issue 2 has raised nearly $700,000 since its formation earlier this year, according to campaign finance reports. Thursday was the deadline for candidates and issues to report their pre-Tuesday, May 6 primary fundraising and spending totals. While most ballots will contain candidates for local offices and local issues, statewide voters will weigh in on the renewal of the State Capital Improvement Program. It would authorize the state to issue up to $2.5 billion in bonds over a 10-year period. The Strong Ohio Communities Coalition, formed in February, is backing the issue, and reported it has raised $697,500, spent nearly $350,000, and has around $348,000 on hand.

FY26-27 BUDGET

The House-passed version of the budget, HB96 (Stewart), added the creation of an Airport Improvement Program for publicly owned, public-use airports in Ohio. The program would be funded by a portion of Petroleum Activity Tax (PAT) receipts derived from the sale of aircraft fuel, estimated at $4.65 million per fiscal year, and would fall under the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT).

ELECTIONS

Reps. Dan Troy (D-Willowick) and Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D-Gahanna) have reintroduced legislation that would move Ohio's presidential election-year primary elections from March to the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May. HB197 (Troy-Piccolantonio) is a reintroduction of Troy's 135-HB21, which only received two hearings in the last General Assembly. "Every fourth year, we schedule our primary election in mid-March, allegedly so that Ohio can be more of a player in the presidential primary races. Ohio's influence on that process has proven to be dubious at best, and it's time to return to a normal and consistent election schedule," said Troy in an announcement of the latest bill.

ELECTIONS 2026

In an appearance on the "Ohio Politics Explained" podcast this week, Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel again deflected questions about his political future, saying he has given "zero thought" to potentially running for governor to succeed Gov. Mike DeWine in 2026. The former Ohio State football coach compared his approach as lieutenant governor to coaching, saying then he was only focused on the task at hand rather than winning a championship or beating the rival.

Republican Marcell Strbich filed paperwork this week to run for secretary of state in 2026, setting up a potential primary next year. Strbich, a retired air force intelligence officer, has testified before the General Assembly on a number of elections bills, including legislation that would require proof of citizenship to vote, and also on the security of Ohio's voter registration database. His entry in the race would set up a possible primary with Treasurer Robert Sprague, who is term-limited and has announced he will run for secretary of state.

The following endorsements were made over the week:

- Republican congressional candidate Kevin Coughlin announced the endorsements of U.S. Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Urbana) and Michael Rulli (R-Salem).

EMPLOYMENT/UNEMPLOYMENT

Ohio's unemployment rate increased from 4.7% in February to 4.8% in March, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) on Friday. The national unemployment rate for the month was 4.2%.

ENVIRONMENT

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) is awarding more than $2.7 million to 116 public water systems in 58 counties to protect and improve drinking water. "This is what we do -- getting funding to Ohio communities that need it most," Ohio EPA Director-Designate John Logue said in a news release "This is last-mile money that helps push these projects over the finish line to ensure safe drinking water."

Thirty-three county and municipal health departments will receive more than $650,000 from the Mosquito Control Grant Program, the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) announced Tuesday. The grants are intended to mitigate the spread of viruses such as West Nile, La Crosse Encephalitis and Eastern Equine Encephalitis, according to a news release from the agency.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE

Ron Hood, former long-time state representative and candidate for Ohio governor and U.S. Congress, died suddenly overnight on Saturday, April 19, reportedly of medical complications at age 55. Visitation will be 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, April 28 at Heritage Nazarene Church, 2264 Walnut Creek Pike, Circleville, followed by funeral services at 6 p.m. A graveside service will take place at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Reber Hill Cemetery in Ashville. The family requests memorial contributions in care of Wellman Funeral Home.

The six Senate standing committees that will delve into agency budgets and hear from the public on HB96 have laid out tentative schedules for the coming three weeks, with some planning twice-weekly meetings.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) on Thursday unanimously approved a $500,000 contract with architectural services firm BBCO. The firm is expected to assist with multiple projects at the Statehouse as part of the "indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity" (IDIQ) contract, CSRAB Executive Director Megan Wycuff said during the board's meeting in the State Room. "That just allows us to have a single architect and engineer for multiple projects up to $500,000 over the biennium. It's our intention for this consultant to assist with the architectural and engineering services for the list of priorities that was compiled for the FY26-27 process," Wycuff said.

GOVERNOR

Antisemitic incidents are continuing to occur at elevated levels in Ohio and across the U.S., Gov. Mike DeWine said Wednesday. "Today, we are seeing disturbing trends in regard to hatred," DeWine said during his remarks at the 45th Annual Governor's Holocaust Commemoration at the Statehouse. The governor pointed to the latest Anti-Defamation League (ADL) report on antisemitic incidents in the country, saying there has been a shift in the type of harassment targeting Jewish people, "with an increase in gatherings, parades and picketing" in 2024 compared to 2023.

The governor signed the following bills:

- HB43 (Fowler-D. Thomas), to waive required minimum instructional hours for Ashtabula Lakeside High School due to the school building being unusable

- SB33 (Wilson-Lang), to allow employers to post certain labor law notices on the Internet.

HANNAH NEWS’ MEET THE FRESHMEN

Rep. Chris Glassburn's (D-North Olmstead) official status as "freshman" legislator belies years of experience as former House Speaker Armond Budish's (D-Beachwood) budget and policy director and as follow-up advisor to Budish at the Cuyahoga County Executive's Office for two terms ending in 2022.c

Rep. Tristan Rader (D-Lakewood) says he began his foray into politics after his experiences working for the Greater Cleveland Foodbank, as well as in social services and running small businesses, which he said helped him learn how the world operated.

The best type of person to fight for the working class in the Legislature is someone from the working class, according to Rep. Erika White (D-Toledo).

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

A dozen organizations will take on the task of coordinating and delivering crisis behavioral health care to children and young adults under the statewide expansion of crisis response services, the DeWine administration said Monday. Under the Mobile Response and Stabilization Services (MRSS) expansion framework announced Monday, the state will be divided into 18 regions, with the 12 regional organizations covering between one and four regions apiece. Ohio's three most populous counties have their own regions, while some regions include more than 10 counties.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Owens Community College (OCC) recently opened its new $31.3 million Healthcare Education Center. The renovation project expanded the space to more than 86,500 square feet for health care students and houses the college's School of Nursing and Health Professions.

Almost a year after announcing a planned merger between the University of Findlay (UF) and Bluffton University, the deal has been called off after Findlay's board voted against the continuation of the proposal, according to a statement released by the university.

Miami University recently suspended its chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi for 15 years due to accusations members were physically beating and verbally abusing new recruits, according to media reports. The university initially issued a permanent ban that was lowered on appeal.

Amid Trump administration action to freeze and curtail higher education funding, scores of institution presidents, including some from Ohio, have signed a statement decrying "government overreach and political interference." The statement, titled "A Call for Constructive Engagement," was organized by the American Association of Colleges and Universities.

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science (CCMS) Jack Lechner, Jr. has resigned from his position, effective March 19, having served in the role since 2016. During his time with CCMS, Lechner helped expand and enhance the CCMS curriculum, offering training in hands-on cremation, alkaline hydrolysis, hospitality management and pet loss. Lechner also contributed to the establishment of a new Educational Cremation Center.

The grove of trees planted in memory of former governors and presidents at the Ohio State Fairgrounds now has an Ohio Buckeye tree marking Ohio State University's (OSU) victory in the college football championship. Three members of the championship team joined DeWine administration and university officials Thursday to plant the tree at the Buckeye Grove in the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Natural Resources Park. The administration contingent had its own Buckeye connections, with Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel, a former OSU football coach who has his own championship ring, and Glen Cobb, chief of the ODNR Division of Parks and Watercraft and a former OSU linebacker and team captain. "There's something special about having a living memory of an extraordinary accomplishment, and I'm so proud of those kids and coaches," Tressel said.

HOUSING/HOMELESSNESS

Some 18,000 Ohio inmates each year could find it easier to locate housing and avoid recidivism with the release of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction's (DRC) petition for a certificate of qualification for housing (CQH) authorized by 135-HB50 (Seitz-Humphrey). Effective Sept. 20, 2024, HB50 creates a legal process for individuals reentering society to document their rehabilitation and fitness for housing before an Ohio judge. Ex-cons wishing to overcome certain collateral sanctions of incarceration can present prospective landlords the CQH to demonstrate their trustworthiness, enlarging the state's previously adopted certificate of qualification for employment (CQE).

JUDICIAL

The Ohio Supreme Court is seeking public comment on proposed changes to the Rules of Superintendence for the Courts of Ohio that would allow guardians who are family members to provide direct services to adult wards. Comments are due not later than Monday, May 5 and can be mailed to Keely McWhorter, Supreme Court of Ohio, 65 S. Front St., Columbus 43215, or emailed to [email protected].

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

This isn't just about football to Cleveland Mayor Justin Bibb. Bibb harkened back to Cleveland's public/private partnerships in the 1990s under then-Mayor George Voinovich in discussing Wednesday why keeping the Browns downtown is part of a broader model of civic alignment of priorities for the city. "Now isn't the time to turn our back on investing in our urban core," Bibb said during his annual State of the City address. Bibb said the city of Cleveland and the Cuyahoga County government have been aligned on the issue of keeping the Browns playing on the Cleveland lakefront, though he was "not betting" on what Gov. Mike DeWine and the Legislature would do following the inclusion in budget bill HB96 (Stewart) of language allowing issuance of $600 million worth of bonds toward the proposed Brook Park stadium development.

PEOPLE

Gov. Mike DeWine on Monday ordered that the flags of the U.S. and Ohio be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds throughout Ohio until sunset on the day of Pope Francis' interment. Pope Francis (Jorge Mario Bergoglio) died on Monday morning of stroke, coma and irreversible cardiovascular collapse, according to a statement from Andrea Arcangeli, director of the Directorate of Health and Hygiene of Vatican City State.

Thomas Green, a Capital Square fixture of nearly half a century, died peacefully on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, at the age of 82. Green's family will receive friends from 5-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at Schoedinger Midtown, 229 E. State Street, Columbus OH 43215. A Mass of Chistian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at the Church of St. Edward the Confessor, 785 Newark Granville Road, Granville OH 43023, and a reception celebrating Green's life will follow immediately at The Granville Inn, 314 East Broadway, Granville OH 43023.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) is looking for 80 "highly motivated" people to join the next generation of state troopers. Its upcoming cadet class begins Monday, Sept. 22 at the OSHP Training Academy in Columbus, where candidates will receive paid, college-level instruction in Ohio laws, human relations, crash investigation, arrest techniques, self-defense, firearms, defensive driving, hands-on training and other law enforcement skills.

STATE GOVERNMENT

The Ohio Attorney General's Office has opened registration for the 24th annual Emerging Trends in Fraud Investigation and Prevention Conference scheduled for Tuesday, May 13-Wednesday, May 14 in Columbus. Speakers include Attorney General Dave Yost, Auditor of State Keith Faber, and colleagues from both offices; experts at the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) and Ohio Ethics Commission; officials with the U.S. Attorney's Office; and representatives of the private sector.

The Controlling Board approved all items left on its agenda Monday after two were deferred by agency request. The Ohio Department of Development’s (DOD) deferred item was for an increase of $31.3 million for brownfield clean-up while the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) deferred a request to contract with the Ohio Children's Alliance to facilitate the 12th Annual Trauma-Informed Care Summit. Sen. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati) had the only hold of the meeting, regarding the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce's (DEW) request for an increase in appropriation to support solvency assistance payments to the Trimble Local School District in Athens County.

According to a recent analysis from the Pew Charitable Trusts, state tax revenue volatility has increased in recent years, with annual tax revenue growth varying more dramatically from FY19-23 than the long-term average. The analysis found significant fluctuations not only in total collections but also across major tax streams. Pew said the volatility was driven by a mix of COVID-19 pandemic-related disruptions, federal tax policy changes, and shifting economic conditions.

The state of Ohio may be moving closer to accepting cryptocurrencies -- or crypto -- like Bitcoin as a payment for fees and services pending approval from the State Board of Deposit (BOD) of a resolution put forward Thursday by Treasurer of State Robert Sprague and Secretary of State Frank LaRose. Under the proposal, state agencies would be given authority to accept cryptocurrency through a payment processor as designated by the treasurer's office.

TAXATION

The head of a coalition backing property tax reforms said Wednesday that lawmakers should find ways to rein in "unvoted" tax increases and adopt other changes to make the system more understandable and less burdensome. Tom Zaino, tax commissioner during the Taft administration and now head of the Ohio Taxpayer Protection Coalition, said in a conversation with reporters that the coalition's work stems from Ohio Chamber of Commerce research that found local taxes are more a drag on Ohio's competitiveness than state-level taxes.

TECHNOLOGY/AEROSPACE

A recent national poll of adults regarding artificial intelligence (AI) by Quinnipiac University (QU) reported Americans feel wary of AI's impact on daily life and consider it a harm to education but feel the technology will be beneficial to medical advancements.

TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE

The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission (OTIC) Monday made a slight change to the retire and rehire of Executive Director Ferzan Ahmed, making the effective date of his retirement a week earlier than what was approved during its last meeting.

The Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC) Wednesday approved a final funding list for major new construction projects, making no changes from the draft list that was released in March. Overall, the list makes for a $319.3 million investment in 14 projects across the state, which TRAC Coordinator Kevin Davis broke down as $8.5 million in preliminary engineering, $5.3 million in detailed design, $14.9 million for right of way, and $290.6 million for construction.

WORKFORCE

Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel recently met with Wright State University (WSU) President Sue Edwards and the school's regional partners to discuss and learn how the university is prioritizing economic growth in the region and preparing its students for the workplace. The visit was part of a larger statewide series of community conversations focused on innovative workforce development and educational partnerships.

Provided by Hannah News Service