Rotunda Rumblings
Bet on it: After more than three years of debate, Ohio lawmakers are on the brink of legalizing betting on sports, with official action potentially coming as soon as today. As Andrew Tobias writes, a conference committee on House Bill 29, the sports-betting bill, is scheduled to meet at 11 a.m. today. Depending on how talks go, the full House and Senate could approve the bill as soon as later in the day, although the House is scheduled to meet again on Thursday, and the Senate is scheduled to be in session next week, too.
Power robes: The Ohio Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday over the Ohio Power Siting Board’s certification of the Icebreaker wind project on Lake Erie. Opponents to the project argued the Siting Board should have demanded more research on bird and bath deaths before certifying it. Laura Hancock reports that the Siting Board and Icebreaker say they used extensive studies, and more will be coming.
Coming today: The Ohio Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments today for three redistricting lawsuits challenging Ohio’s new state legislative maps as illegal gerrymanders. As Tobias writes, a pair of procedural rulings issued in a set of parallel cases challenging the state’s new congressional map could offer some tea leaves to read in how the court may eventually rule. In Monday’s rulings, the court’s three Democratic justices generally favored being more permissive toward discovery requests from plaintiffs, while Republican justices favored being more restrictive. And Republican Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor fell in the middle, leading to Monday’s ruling, which directed Secretary of State Frank LaRose to provide information to the plaintiffs while saying Gov. Mike DeWine and state Auditor Keith Faber don’t have to.
Abortion bill advanced: The Ohio House Families, Aging and Human Services Committee passed Senate Bill 157, which would require doctors to perform life-saving care to a fetus who survives a botched abortion. The committee rejected a Democratic-sponsored amendment to ensure that doctors who deliver babies between 20 to 24 weeks are not punished for letting the mothers hold and say goodbye to their infants when medical interventions are futile, as some pregnancies don’t go as planned. The bill heads to the House Rules and Reference Committee, which means it could soon hit the House floor.
Matter of life and death: As promised, Sen. Jerry Cirino amended Senate Bill 224, a funeral regulation measure, to exempt nonprofit cemeteries from increased requirements on pre-planned funeral casket sales. But cemetery owners said he made a mistake. The amendment says 501(c)(3) cemeteries would be exempt. But nonprofit cemeteries are regulated by the Internal Revenue Service as 501(c)(13) organizations, so his amendment changes nothing for nonprofit cemeteries.
Taking another shot: Ohio House Republicans are trying for a second time to pass legislation allowing people in the state to carry concealed any deadly weapon – not just firearms – without needing a permit. As Jeremy Pelzer reports, last month, the GOP-dominated House passed a bill that, if enacted, would allow concealed firearms to be carried without a license.
Brownfield blitz: Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order Tuesday to immediately put in place rules needed for his administration to start distributing $500 million in grants to clean up contaminated industrial sites and demolished blighted buildings. As Pelzer reports, the money was appropriated under the state’s current budget thanks to higher-than-expected tax revenues.
Russian roulette: U.S. Sen. Rob Portman said Tuesday he’s “deeply concerned” that Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to return former Soviet republics to Russian control, starting with Ukraine, Sabrina Eaton reports Portman, who co-chairs U.S. Senate’s Ukraine Caucus, said Putin “needs to know that there will be very severe consequences” from the United States and the international community if the Russian troops massing along Ukraine’s border invade its neighbor. He spoke with reporters as President Joe Biden discussed the subject with Putin during a video call.
Maybe moving up: Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Turner of Dayton would be interested in taking his party’s top spot on the House Intelligence Committee after California’s Devin Nunes, who currently has the job, leaves Congress to take over President Donald Trump’s new media company, CNN reports. Turner has served on the committee since 2015. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy will make the decision. Turner has served on the committee since 2015. Last year, Turner sought the top GOP job on the House Armed Services Committee but lost out to Alabama’s Mike Rogers.
Brain drain: State Rep. Jon Cross, a Hardin County Republican, wants to retain Ohio college graduates, 11% to 40% of whom leave the state after graduation, depending on the school. He’s introducing legislation offering recent college grads three years of income tax breaks, among other ideas, the Enquirer’s Jessie Balmert reports. However, when asked about the state’s reputation that may be off-putting to Generation Z – such as dozens of abortion restrictions, little gun control and no statewide nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ Ohioans – he dismissed the question, claiming even places like California have political battles that people don’t like.
School rules: While teachers who resign during a misconduct investigation get put into a national database, which makes it difficult for them to get other teaching jobs, teachers who retire who do not. A bipartisan bill would eliminate the so-called “retirement loophole,” the Dispatch’s Anna Staver reports, requiring schools to submit information about the employee to the Ohio Department of Education along with a statement about their misconduct.
Cleveland next: On Sept. 30, California officials returned a Manhattan Beach park to the Black family who owned the land before it was seized by eminent domain in 1924. Now, the group that helped the family has turned to a tract of land partly owned by the Cleveland Clinic that they believe rightfully belonged to former businessman Winston E. Willis. The Washington Post’s Eric Werner and Troy McMullen write that it could be the beginning of a movement of looking at the wealth gap between Black and white Americans.
GOP Climate: Ohio GOP Senate primary candidate efforts to align with former President Donald Trump includes embracing his skepticism of climate change and policies to fight it, Timothy Cama of E&E News reports. Leading GOP candidates J.D. Vance, former Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel and former Ohio Republican Party Chair Jane Timken, as well as most of the other hopefuls, have been scornful of climate change activists and clean energy, while giving nods to clean air and clean water, mainly in line with the former president.
Tax facts: Ohio collected $2.27 billion in taxes in November, $75.8 million, or 3.4% above budget estimates, according to new figures released Tuesday by DeWine’s Office of Budget and Management. With the latest figures, the state has collected $337.4 million more than it had initially estimated when it set up the current state budget.
Always on call: The Ohio General Assembly is considering permanently expanding telemedicine to include psychologists, speech and hearing therapists, physical therapists, counselors and social workers, dieticians, optometrists, chiropractors and other specialties under House Bill 122, the Dayton Daily News’ Jim Gaines reports. The bill, which passed the House in April and is under consideration in the Senate, also would require public and private insurance to cover the services.
Lobbying Lineup
Five organizations are lobbying on House Bill 122, which would permanently expand telemedicine after the pandemic and require public and private insurers to cover it. State lobbying forms don’t require people to disclose which side of a bill they are on.
1. AARP
2. Humana Inc. and subsidiaries
3. National MS Society
4. Ohio Association of Physician Assistants
5. University Hospitals Health System
Straight From The Source
“You’re not even required to live in the district for Congress, but I think it’s important. I’ve always loved the lake, and since I’ve represented all of Erie County and Ottawa County and that lake area for the past few years, my love for the lake has deepened.”
-State Rep. Theresa Gavarone, a Bowling Green Republican, told the Blade’s Trevor Hubert. Gavarone is renting a house in Huron, which is in U.S. House District 9 under new political maps. Gavarone is running for Congress in that district and has been accused of being a carpetbagger because it doesn’t include Bowling Green.
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