Ohio
Will Ohio GOP lawmakers have the votes to override property-tax vetoes?: Capitol Letter
Rotunda Rumblings
Session showdown: The Ohio House is back in session, but whether Republicans have the votes to override Gov. Mike DeWine’s property tax vetoes remain to be seen. Anna Staver reports that House members are getting lobbied hard to let the governor’s vetoes stand. DeWine promised to create a property tax working group that would develop alternative plans for relief by Sept 30. No word yet on when that committee will start meeting.
Stretching the rules: Ohio’s budget isn’t just about spending; it’s where some of the state’s biggest policy decisions get made. Lawmakers have used it to restrict abortion, limit what SNAP recipients can buy, overhaul retirement boards and mandate where books can be shelved in libraries. Critics say it violates the state constitution’s single-subject rule. But courts have largely allowed it. Staver deep dives into the why and the history of legislating by budget.
Draft dodging? Several times in recent years, Public Utilities Commission of Ohio staff, as well as utility company officials, have gotten independent auditors to soften or delete draft report language that’s unfavorable toward utilities. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, PUCO critics point to examples of behind-the-scenes moves they say help allow powerful utilities to continue charging illegal or unfair fees to their customers. A PUCO spokesman, though, said such criticism is either misguided or an outright lie.
PBS cuts: The U.S. House of Representatives voted early Friday to approve a White House request to rescind $9 billion that Congress previously agreed to spend on public broadcasting and foreign aid, Sabrina Eaton writes. It passed by a 216 to 213 margin. All Ohio Republicans backed the measure except for Dayton’s Mike Turner while all the state’s Democrats opposed it. Turner did not release a statement explaining his vote.
Racy drawings: Before Jeffrey Epstein’s first arrest in 2006, billionaire retail magnate Leslie Wexner and dozens of other powerful associates—including Donald Trump—contributed to a 50th birthday album compiled by Ghislaine Maxwell, according to documents reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. Wexner, then Epstein’s financial patron and closest known business ally, submitted a cryptic note: “I wanted to get you what you want… so here it is…” followed by a drawing resembling a woman’s breasts. Sabrina Eaton has more.
Off the map? While Ohio Republicans are expected to redraw the state’s congressional districts this year in a way that helps them pick up multiple seats in 2026, Ohio Democrats still have a card to play. As Andrew Tobias of Signal Ohio explains, if the GOP-led legislatures pass new maps via legislation, Democrats could try to put a repeal referendum on the 2026 ballot. All this is still theoretical, of course – and Republicans themselves have a couple potential ways to thwart such an attempt.
Full Disclosure
Here are five things we learned from the May 13, 2025 ethics disclosure form filed by state Rep. Lauren McNally, a Youngstown Democrat, about her 2024 finances:
1. Besides McNally’s 2024 legislative salary of $77,848.92, she only listed one source of income last year: a tax refund of less than $1,000.
2. McNally’s investments in 2024 included a rollover IRA with the John Arnold Wealth Management Company, a college savings 529 account with BlackRock, and an Ohio Public Employees Retirement System account.
3. At some point in 2024, McNally owed at least $1,000 to PNC Bank, GMC, Wells Fargo, and Chase Bank.
4. McNally listed two instances in which lobbyists spent money on her in 2024: the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber of Commerce gave her a $40 ticket to its “Salute to Elected Officials” event in November, and a $50 ticket an “Appalachian luncheon” held by Heritage Ohio, the state’s historic preservation society, in December.
5. The Ohio House last year reimbursed McNally $3,192.32 for mileage between her home and Columbus, as well as $1,400.72 for lodging.
Birthdays
State Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney
Straight from the Source
“A safe traveler is a well-rested traveler”
– Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine, commenting as he cut the ribbon to celebrate new rest areas along Ohio roadways.
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Another state is jumping into the fray to put the brakes on non-domiciled CDLs, with roughly 5,000 commercial drivers in Ohio facing the potential of having their licenses downgraded.
On Friday, May 29, the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles announced it would be contacting approximately 5,000 non-domiciled CDL holders to verify the status of their credentials under updated rules from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
According to the Bureau, non-domiciled license holders in the state will receive one of two notices, depending on the type of documentation they initially used to obtain their CDL.
For drivers whose documentation meets current FMCSA standards, their licenses will remain valid until their expiration date. For those who do not meet current standards, the process is a bit more complicated.
As for CDL holders whose original documents do not meet current FMCSA guidelines, they will receive a notice of downgrade, and their CDLs will be downgraded to a Class D license 30 days after receiving the notice.
Drivers who receive a downgrade notice can request a hearing with the BMV to dispute the downgrade, and can provide additional documentation to prove their eligibility. According to the Bureau, those documents include:
- An unexpired Employment Authorization Document issued by USCIS, valid on the most recent CDL/CLP issuance date
- An unexpired foreign passport with an unexpired USCIS I‑94 form, both of which must be valid on your most recent CDL/CLP issuance date
Officials said the Ohio BMV has not issued or renewed any non-domiciled CDLs since FMCSA put new standards in place in 2025, and that it does not intend to resume issuing non-domiciled CDLs in the future. Additionally, the BMV will not renew revalidated non-domiciled CDLs after they expire.
All notices will be sent by mail to the address listed on file with the Ohio BMV. The Bureau emphasized that the reverification process does not apply to full CDL holders or CDL holders with legally established permanent residence. LL
2026 U20 World Team Trials
At Geneva, Ohio, May 29
Best-of-Three Final Results
57 kg
Isaiah Cortez (Spartan Combat RTC/ TMWC) defeats Grey Burnett (Burnett Trained Wrestling), two matches to none
Round 1 – Cortez dec. Burnett, 5-1
Round 2 – Cortez tech. fall Burnett, 10-0
61 kg
Aaron Seidel (SERTC- TMWC) defeats Elijah Cortez (Spartan Combat RTC/ TMWC), two matches to none
Round 1 – Seidel tech. fall Cortez, 10-0
Round 2 – Seidel tech. fall Cortez, 10-0
65 kg
Bo Bassett (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) defeats Clinton Shepherd (Howe Wrestling School, LLC), two matches to none
Round 1 – Bassett fall Shepherd, 2:40
Round 2 – Bassett tech. fall Shepherd, 10-0
70 kg
Landon Robideau (Cowboy RTC) defeats Melvin Miller (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)), two matches to none
Round 1 – Robideau dec. Miller, 5-0
Round 2 – Robideau tech. fall, 12-0
74 kg
Jayden James (KD Training Center/ TMWC) defeats Ladarion Lockett (Cowboy RTC), two matches to none
Round 1 – James dec. Lockett, 5-4
Round 2 – James dec. Lockett, 4-2
79 kg
Ryan Burton (SERTC- TMWC) defeats Joseph Jeter (Position Wrestling), two matches to none
Round 1 – Burton dec. Jeter, 10-7
Round 2 – Burton dec. Jeter, 8-1
86 kg
Aeoden Sinclair (Tiger Style Wrestling Club) defeats Brock Mantanona (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club), two matches to none
Round 1 – Sinclair dec. Mantanona, 6-0
Round 2 – Sinclair tech. fall Mantanona, 10-0
92 kg
Jimmy Mastny (Relentless Training Center) defeats Karson Tompkins (Air Force Regional Training Center), two matches to none
Round 1 – Mastny fall Tompkins, 3:31
Round 2 – Mastny tech. fall Tompkins, 10-0
97 kg
Michael Boyle (Ohio Crazy Goats Wrestling Club) defeats Garett Kawczynski (Askren Wrestling Academy), two matches to none
Round 1 – Boyle tech. fall Kawczynski, 10-0
Round 2 – Boyle tech. fall Kawczynski, 10-0
125 kg
Dreshaun Ross (Cowboy RTC) defeats Coby Merrill (NYAC), two matches to one
Round 1 – Merrill tech. fall Ross, 11-0
Round 2 – Ross dec. Merrill 9-2
Round 3 – Ross dec. Merrill, 7-1
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A Central Ohio family has filed a lawsuit against a Hilliard funeral home after their mother was accidentally cremated, despite plans for her to be buried.
According to court documents, Tidd Funeral Home cremated Nancy Anders in June of last year against the family’s wishes. The lawsuit states Anders died a week earlier in May.
The family says Anders had planned and prepaid for funeral arrangements two years before her death to be buried with her late husband. The arrangements did not include cremation because, the family says, she did not believe in the concept.
The lawsuit says the family was told a week after her death that she had been accidentally cremated. It also accuses Tidd Funeral Home of cremating her even though the proper authorization form was never signed.
The family says they have suffered physical illness and emotional trauma and are seeking $25,000 in damages. They are also asking for the case to be decided by a jury.
ABC 6 reached out to the funeral home for comment but had not heard back.
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