Rotunda Rumblings

Final countdown: The 135th Ohio General Assembly’s two-year session culminated in a flurry of activity Wednesday, as lawmakers worked late into the night to pass – or shoot down – a wide range of bills on what’s expected to be the end of their “lame-duck” session. Here’s more on what lawmakers did:

Sex, God and school: Legislators gave final approval to House Bill 8, which combines the so-called “Parents Bill of Rights” (which would require schools to notify parents of any sexuality content and changes in the students’ physical or mental health) with a bill that requires all public school districts to adopt a policy allowing released time for religious instruction. Laura Hancock reports that the LGBTQ community is worried about students whose parents could punish them if they find out from school officials that they’re gay or transgender.

Night moves: Lawmakers wrapped up their marathon session around 2:15 a.m. Thursday by passing House Bill 315, which a legislative conference committee had shortly beforehand filled up with a litany of policy items large and small. Jake Zuckerman has more on what lawmakers packed into the bill, including proposals to protect “medical free speech,” create a Dolly Parton Imagination Library specialty license plate, and codify two executive orders from Gov. Mike DeWine allowing college athletes and their schools to enter into marketing and endorsement deals.

SLAPP at intimidation: State lawmakers also passed legislation that takes aim at the use of the courts to silence critics from exercising free speech for fear of expensive litigation, Robert Higgs and Hancock report. The bill, which now goes to DeWine for approval, would combat a civil action known as a “Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation,” or more simply a SLAPP – a legal action used by deep-pocketed plaintiffs that makes claims such as defamation and invasion of privacy to intimidate people exercising their rights to free speech.

Suspensions: A bill that would add threatening manifestos, hit lists, social media posts and other behavior to the list of student behavior that can result in a yearlong suspension is headed to DeWine’s desk. As Hancock reports, before passing Senate Bill 206, the Senate tacked on several amendments, including allowing a charter school known as OHDELA to get up to two years of relief from closing due to low report card scores. Another amendment would give the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce an additional $4.1 million to handle the administration work around private school vouchers.

Word is bond: Ohio voters will decide during next year’s May 6 primary election whether to approve another $2.5 billion in state bonds to help pay for local infrastructure projects. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, lawmakers overwhelmingly supported re-upping the bond program and appropriated $15 million to offset the cost of staging an election on the measure in parts of the state that otherwise have nothing to vote on during the May primary.

Sextortion: Lawmakers passed legislation Wednesday creating new felony offenses for “sextortion” crimes. As Zuckerman reports, the bill targets those who use the nude image of another as leverage to induce them to send money or commit another offense.

Licensed to bill: State lawmakers passed legislation around 10:15 p.m. Wednesday designed to dramatically limit the number of Ohioans whose drivers licenses are suspended over unpaid debts. As Zuckerman reports, the bill will help those convicted of drug offenses (if no car is involved), truancy or owing court costs keep their license.

Pay out: A last-minute push by some House Republicans to approve pay increases for lawmakers and a variety of local elected officials died in the Senate. As Pelzer reports, Senate President Matt Huffman suggested that the pay-raise plan would benefit too many different elected officials for the Senate GOP’s liking.

Low energy: The Senate also killed legislation that would revive energy efficiency programs in Ohio, designed to reduce the state’s aggregate electricity consumption. As Jake Zuckerman reports, 2019 legislation at the center of a statehouse bribery scandal ended the programs. Senators canceled a Wednesday morning committee vote on the bill.

Defense conservation: The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly to back a National Defense Authorization bill that includes several non-defense related measures championed by U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce, a South Russell Republican, Sabrina Eaton writes. The package includes a bill authored by Joyce called the Wildlife Innovation and Longevity Driver Reauthorization (WILD) Act. It reauthorizes a program that enables wildlife and habitat conservation in all 50 states and territories, and the Multinational Species Conservation Fund, which supports the global conservation of imperiled species, including rhinos, elephants, tigers, great apes, and turtles.

Brown bill advances: The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted 73-27 to advance consideration of the “Social Security Fairness Act” sponsored by U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, a Cleveland Democrat. It would repeal laws that keep around 3 million Americans – including an estimated 250,000 Ohioans – from getting their full Social Security benefits because they’re also getting public pensions that didn’t withhold Social Security taxes. “I urge all my colleagues on both sides to join us, restore the Social Security that people who protect us and serve us have earned over a lifetime of work,” Brosn said before the vote. The bill passed the House of Representatives earlier this year with support from all its Ohio members.

Vance for president: Departing GOP U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah told CNN’s State of the Union that he believes Vice President-elect JD Vance will be the Republican Party’s 2028 presidential nominee, The Hill reports. “MAGA is the Republican Party, and Donald Trump is the Republican Party today,” Romney said. “And if you were to ask me who the nominee will be in 2028, it’ll be JD Vance.” Romney, who was the GOP’s 2012 presidential nominee, said Vance will likely be the next GOP leader because he is smart, well-spoken and believes in the MAGA movement.

Full Disclosure

Five things we learned from the Feb. 16, 2024 ethics disclosure form filed by state Rep.-elect Matthew Kishman, a Minerva Republican:

1. Kishman owns an IGA grocery store in Minerva and served on the village’s council and the Sandy Creek Joint Fire District.

2. His only investment worth more than $1,000 is stock in Consumers Bancorp Inc.

3. At some point last year, Kishman owed more than $1,000 to Consumers Bank for an auto loan and a home equity line of credit, to Huntington Bank for a home loan, and to Barclays Bank for a credit card.

4. He reported owning no real estate, though legislative candidates don’t have to list their personal residence or property used for personal recreation.

5. He wasn’t owed more than $1,000 at any time in 2023.

On the Move

GOP activist and former U.S. House of Representatives candidate Madison Gesiotto Gilbert of Canton has been appointed to serve on Ohio Right to Life’s Board of Trustees.

Birthdays

Former U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, a Cincinnati Republican

Straight from the Source

“As a high school senior, Sherrod, one day, got together with his friends, Paul and John, to organize a rally in Mansfield to honor the very first day Earth Day in 1970. This is what he did. He organized rallies. Some people went to ball games. Some people watch TV. Some people went out to restaurants. Sherrod organized rallies.”

– U.S. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, in a speech honoring departing U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown of Ohio, a Cleveland Democrat.

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Hundreds of thousands of Ohio drivers who face driver license suspensions every year may have an easier road to getting their licenses reinstated.

Hundreds of thousands of Ohio drivers who face driver license suspensions every year may have an easier road to getting their licenses reinstated.

Lawmakers gave final approval on Wednesday to a bill that will make it harder to lose your license and easier to get a suspended license reinstated.

The bill now heads to Gov. Mike DeWine for consideration.

The Ohio Poverty Law Center thanked lawmakers for moving the legislation forward.

“With the amendment and passage of House Bill 29, Ohioans who have been shouldering the burden of debt-related driver’s license suspensions will soon find relief and be able to return to the road. A valid driver’s license is essential to participating in Ohio’s economy and earning the money necessary to resolve existing debt,” the center said in a statement on Wednesday.

Currently, Ohio drivers can lose their licenses for more than 30 reasons, many of which are not related to dangerous driving. Reinstatement fees can ramp up quickly, starting at $15 and maxing out at $650.

Roughly 60% of license suspensions each year are for debt-related reasons. Under the bill heading to DeWine’s desk, license suspensions would largely be limited to convictions that are related to dangerous driving.

The Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles doesn’t keep statistics on the total number of current suspensions but on average there are 257,500 suspensions imposed each year.

After last-minute changes made Wednesday, the bill would:

• Wipe out old suspensions from the discontinued program that randomly selected drivers to provide proof of insurance.
• Shorten the window in which driving without insurance offenses can be considered repeat offenses from five years to one year.
• Increase the opportunities that Ohioans can ask for driving privileges if their licenses were suspended for failure to pay child support.
• Eliminate school truancy as a reason for license denial or suspension.
• Remove licenses suspensions for drug offenses unrelated to driving.
• Keep the ability to suspend licenses for some lower-level drug abuse offenses when the vehicle is used in the commission of a drug crime.

Statehouse reporter Erin Glynn contributed reporting.

Laura Bischoff is a reporter for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

Ohio State has had its ups and downs this season, opening the year at 7-4 with wins over No. 19 Texas and Rutgers with losses to No. 23 Texas A&M, Pitt, Maryland and No. 2 Auburn — that last one a 38-point beatdown in the Holiday Hoopsgiving event in Atlanta this past weekend.

The Buckeyes, led by first-year coach Jake Diebler, are grading out fine as the No. 32 team in the NET and the No. 36 team by KenPom — No. 33 in offense and No. 55 in defense — with terrific shooting numbers while dealing with some availability issues. In a high-profile event like the CBS Sports Classic in a higher-profile venue like Madison Square Garden, though, Mark Pope is expecting OSU’s best shot on Saturday.

“Terrific team, they shoot the ball at an unbelievable clip. I think as a team they’re shooting 41 percent from the 3-point line,” Pope said of the Buckeyes. “They play fast, they play hard, it’s a great coaching staff. They’re a formidable opponent. It’s a really, really good team.”

The highs have been high while the lows have been low, that 38-point loss to Auburn serving as the biggest and most demoralizing black eye. On one end, Ohio State has just one Quad 1 victory in the first game of the season against the Longhorns. Beyond that, though, the Buckeyes are 0-4 in Quad 1 matchups and 6-0 against Quad 3 and 4 teams — no Quad 2s. They’ve beaten up on the cupcakes without much to show for it against the real competition.

That’s where a Quad 1 against UK comes in, a chance for OSU to get back on track with a statement win in the national spotlight. CBS Sports Classic in New York City right before Christmas? That’s what it’s all about, right?

Pope certainly views it that way.

“They’ve had some great success and then a couple of games I think they’d like to take back — like all of us, right?” he said. “A really, really good challenge against a team that is going to continue to get better and better. It’s going to be an epic clash in Madison Square Garden for Christmas. I mean, it’s what you live for.”

Sophomore forward Devin Royal leads the Buckeyes with 15.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest, followed by junior guard Bruce Thornton with 14.8 points per game, freshman guard John Mobley Jr. with 12.1 points and senior guard Micah Parrish with 10.5 points to round out double-digit scorers.

Elsewhere, former Kentucky forward Aaron Bradshaw‘s status remains up in the air after returning to team activities on Dec. 9 with no games under his belt since Nov. 19. Fifth-year guard Meechie Johnson Jr., who is second on the team in minutes played at 28.8 per contest with 10 starts, is also taking a leave of absence from the team to “address some personal matters,” the school announced this week.

Don’t expect the Wildcats to have their guard down against the Buckeyes — even with Christmas just a couple of days away. Gotta earn an 11th win on the year before cruising into the holiday.