Legislative Updates

August 08, 2022

Ohio held its second primary on Tuesday, August 2nd for State Senate and House seats as well as State Central Committee. The legislature remains on recess until after the November 8th General Election. While it is mostly quiet on Capitol Square, the election is keeping the Ohio Legislature and Administration quite busy. G2G has been tracking, engaging in, and attending events for several Ohio races. From the senate campaign of Congressman Tim Ryan v. J.D. Vance to the re-election campaigns of Reps. Dave Joyce, Shontel Brown, Marcy Kaptur and Steve Chabot to the state level campaigns of Governor DeWine as well as state legislators in tricky redrawn districts, G2G has gone to numerous events and pounded the pavement. The common theme throughout is no one is taking anything for granted with the November 8th elections. See G2G’s full report on Ohio politics including detailed election results, education, and health.

August 8, 2022

The Senate just passed the Inflation Reduction Act on a party line vote on August 7, a bold measure to address climate change, corporate taxation, and health care. It is a $3.5 trillion budget reconciliation package that includes everything from electric vehicle tax credits to clean energy manufacturing to investments in environmental justice, a new 15% minimum tax on the income large corporations report to shareholders and a new 1% excise tax on companies’ stock buybacks, and extension of the enhanced federal premium subsidies for Obamacare and new Medicare power to negotiate prescription drug pricing. Also, the Senate released draft appropriations legislation for FY2023 on July 28, however, no Republicans were included in the process, so they are likely to change in the final negotiations with the House at the end of the year. See details in our report and please let me know any questions.

June 28, 2022

While June 24 marked a historic day with the Supreme Court ruling that the nearly 50-year old Roe v. Wade decision was unconstitutional, other events are shaping Washington, D.C. this summer. The November 8 elections are a big factor as the pundits predict the House to flip to Republican control and possibly the senate as well. And while all agree the recent Supreme Court decisions on the second amendment as well as abortion will impact the elections, no one is sure how as both sides are mobilizing for a big turnout. Meanwhile, the House passed the ARPA-H authorization bill and both chambers passed the most significant gun safety legislation in a generation that is bipartisan and a response to the Robb Elementary School shooting and several other mass shootings. President Biden signed this Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law on June 25. In addition, gas prices and inflation continue to be top concerns and President Biden responded by asking Congress to authorize a gas tax holiday this summer, which was immediately rejected by many Republicans. Finally, the House and Senate National Defense Authorization Act and all the House appropriations bills moved through the markup process with floor activity planned for July. The Senate is expected to start subcommittee markups before the August recess. See details in our report.

June 10, 2022

With the Capital Budget bill done, the Ohio legislature recessed with no scheduled session dates until after the elections in mid-November. Before recessing at the end of May, more than 30 bills passed out of the House and Senate. Also, federal judges finally weighed in to set the General Assembly redistricting maps, however, the maps will only be valid for two years because they are deemed unconstitutional. Ohio will hold its second primary on August 2nd for the Ohio House and Senate. Meanwhile Governor DeWine and his administration have begun preliminary work on the FY24-25 budget and will follow the standard timeframe for introduction in early 2023. DeWine has stated mental health and addiction remain top priorities for his budget proposal. See G2G’s full report on the Capital Budget, economic development, health issues, business, education bills, and other legislative activities below.

May 31, 2022

The Ohio legislature has recessed with no scheduled session dates until mid-November, after the general election. During the final session before recessing at the end of May, more than 30 bills passed out of the House and Senate. Also, federal judges have finally weighed in to set the General Assembly redistricting maps, however, the maps will only be valid for two years as they are deemed unconstitutional. Ohio will hold its second primary on August 2nd for the Ohio House and Senate. See G2G’s full report on Ohio politics, legislative activities, education, and health.

May 31, 2022

The past few weeks have been among the most disturbing in recent years, raising renewed concerns about how to address mass casualty shootings. Several efforts are underway in Congress, however, partisanship remains a major barrier despite national polling indicating broad support for some gun control measures. Inflation is also top of mind these days. Gas and food prices are soaring, hitting Americans on a daily basis, and the baby formula supplies are far from pre-pandemic levels. Congress returns from the annual Memorial Day recess on June 7th and will work on nomination votes and legislation addressing the health of veterans exposed to burn pits, the annual defense authorization, and the appropriations funding levels for FY2023.

March 31, 2022

March was an active month with the March 1 State of the Union, March 15 signing into law the FY2022 Omnibus Appropriations bill, and March 28 release of President Biden’s FY2023 budget proposal. The House and Senate Budget and Appropriations Committees have jumped right into organizing budget hearings and collecting appropriations submissions, including community project funding requests from constituents. Many more people have also returned to Capitol Hill, holding meetings in offices and hearings in person.

March 31, 2022

The state legislature is now on Spring Break and scheduled to return around mid-May. At that time, we hope to see a Capital Budget Bill introduced and quickly moved through the legislative process to pass before summer. Redistricting continues to be top of mind for legislators. Because the General Assembly maps are still not approved, Ohio will have two primaries. The May 3rd primary will have statewide and Congressional candidates on the ballot. The Ohio House and Senate primary will be held at a later date, likely August 2nd. However, the maps seem to have caused one incumbent to announce his retirement this week: Congressman Bob Gibbs. Finally, Governor DeWine held his first State of the State in House Chambers with an audience since 2019 on March 23, highlighting Ohio’s successes and his continued plans and priorities.

February 28, 2022

All eyes in Ohio are still on redistricting as maps are still not confirmed with the May 3rd primary. When the Ohio Redistricting Commission failed to produce new General Assembly maps within their 10 day deadline as given by the Court, Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor asked that Commission appear before the Court in person to explain the reason for the delay and why they should not be held in contempt. The court appearance was scheduled but is now in continuance with no date reset.

February 28, 2022

President Biden gave his first State of the Union speech on March 1, focused on Ukraine as well as infrastructure, electric vehicles, gas prices, climate change, manufacturing such as the new Intel semiconductor site in Columbus, child care and paid leave, crime and police training, voting rights, and several health issues: COVID and his “Test to Treat” initiative, opioids, mental health, Cancer Moonshot, and biomedical research through ARPA-H. In the coming weeks, he will announce his FY2023 budget and then Congress can begin work on their 12 appropriations bills.

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