A recent report found that a dark money group promoting Gov. Mike DeWine’s gun control platform has connections to the governor himself.
Read MoreDark Money Group Promoting DeWine’s Gun Control Platform Has Connections to Governor
Tag: Mike DeWine
DeWine Signs Occupational Licensing Board Reciprocity Bill Into Law
Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law Senate Bill 7, which proponents say will ease employment transitions for military husbands and wives who relocate to Ohio with their active-duty spouses.
Read MoreBill Proposal Would Let Ohio Police Pull Over Drivers for Distracted Driving
Ohio State Rep. Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville) introduced a bill Monday that would let police pull over people who are using their phones or electronic devices while operating a vehicle. Currently, police can’t pull over people they see using their phones because it is a secondary offense. However, this bill…
Read MoreDeWine Remains Against Legalizing Marijuana
Gov. Mike DeWine told Ohio Public Radio in an interview this week that he is still opposed to legalizing marijuana.
Read MoreCity of Westerville, Ohio Approves Refugee Resettlement
Westerville City Council unanimously passed a resolution this week that says the city will allow refugees to resettle within their community.
Read MoreCuyahoga County’s Plastic Bags Ban Took Effect This Week
Single use plastic bags will no longer be available in Cuyahoga County as its ban took effect at the start of the new year.
Read MoreWith Budget Deadline Approaching, Ohio Senate GOP Expects a Compromise Vote
by Tyler Arnold Ohio Senate Republicans expect a budget bill compromise to be reached for a vote by Wednesday’s deadline, according to spokesperson John Fortney. “We are very close, and we expect the budget to be ready for a vote before the interim period ends,” Fortney told The Center…
Read MoreJudge Temporarily Blocks Ohio Heartbeat Bill
by Margaret Mary Olohan A judge temporarily blocked an Ohio bill that bans abortions after a baby’s heartbeat can be detected. Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Barrett issued a preliminary injunction Wednesday temporarily preventing the heartbeat bill from going into effect, according to Cleveland.com. The heartbeat bill, S.B. 23,…
Read MoreBoth Parties Seek to Delay Abortion Lawsuit in Ohio
by Tyler Arnold In a joint filing, both sides of the Ohio abortion lawsuit have requested that the U.S. district court delay information gathering until after a similar case in Kentucky is settled. Both Kentucky and Ohio passed legislation to prohibit abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected,…
Read MoreTrump Issues Disaster Declaration for 10 Ohio Counties
by Todd DeFeo President Donald Trump on Tuesday issued a disaster declaration for 10 counties in Ohio affected by severe weather last month. The declaration “will help those working to rebuild their homes and their lives,” Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. It also opens the door for…
Read MoreOhio Gov. DeWine Declares State of Emergency in Three Counties Amid Tornado Wreckage
by Tyler Arnold Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine declared a state of emergency in three counties in the western half of the state after a swarm of tornadoes killed at least one person and injured at least 130 others late Sunday in Ohio and Indiana. The deceased has been identified…
Read MoreState Senator Says Cutting Tax Breaks for Small Businesses Would Be ‘a Mistake’ for Ohio
State Sen. Lou Terhar (R-Cincinnati) said it would be “a mistake” for the Ohio Senate to support a decrease to the tax breaks small businesses receive in the state. “There are a range of issues with the House budget that concern us in the Senate. The first would be…
Read MoreAnti-Smoking Groups Actually Testified Against Ohio Gov. DeWine’s Proposal to Raise Minimum Age to 21
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has called for raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco from 18 to 21, a proposal that’s included in Ohio’s biennial budget bill. But anti-smoking groups in the state have actually testified against the proposal. These groups believe that the proposal would mostly punish youth…
Read MoreOhio House Democrats Unveil Package of Gun-Control Laws
Ohio House Democrats announced their plans Wednesday to introduce a package of gun-control laws in response to the so-called constitutional carry bill making its way through the committee process. As The Ohio Star previously reported, Republicans introduced a bill in March to bring constitutional carry to the Buckeye state,…
Read MoreOhio Cities Partake in Pro-Abortion ‘Stop the Bans’ Protests
Pro-abortion activists across the country organized “Stop the Bans” rallies on Tuesday, several of which occurred in Ohio. In Columbus, protesters lined the streets outside of Gov. Mike DeWine’s office, chanting: “Keep abortions safe and legal!” Several protesting outside the governor’s office for the ‘Stop the Ban’ protest pic.twitter.com/kda5faqQpl…
Read MoreDeWine Opens Up Investigation, Calls for Lifting Statute of Limitations in Response to ‘Monster’ Richard Strauss
Gov. Mike DeWine called for lifting the statute of limitations in cases of rape and sexual abuse in response to the report surrounding former Ohio State University team doctor Richard Strauss. According to a report released Friday by the university, Strauss, who killed himself in 2005, abused at least…
Read MoreGovernor Mike DeWine Says He Intends to Take Abortion Bill Lawsuit to Supreme Court
by Tyler Arnold The Ohio ACLU filed a lawsuit challenging recently signed legislation that would prohibit abortion after a fetal heartbeat can be detected. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said he intends to take this fight all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court to challenge the abortion law precedent…
Read MoreOhio House Dems and Republicans Continue Unusual Bipartisan Push
Ohio House Democrats and Republicans unveiled a set of bills Monday at a joint press conference, continuing an unusual bipartisan push in the Ohio Legislature after successfully passing a state budget bill. “By working together, we can strengthen Ohio families, give our children a brighter future and create a…
Read MoreLyft Opposes Proposal to Impose Sales Tax on Rides
by Todd DeFeo Levying a sales tax on transportation network companies in Ohio could have a potentially dangerous effect on the state’s residents, Lyft told members of the Ohio House Finance Committee. State lawmakers are looking to mandate ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft collect a sales tax…
Read MoreOhio’s Revised Budget Proposal Makes Tax Code ‘Fairer’ But Punishes Small Businesses Retroactively, Conservatives Say
A revised state budget proposal unveiled Thursday by House Republican leadership would introduce substantial income tax cuts for Ohioans but would do so by eliminating tax breaks for small businesses. The budget plan, House Bill 166, builds off of the budget proposal put forward by Gov. Mike DeWine, who…
Read MoreCleveland Heights City Council Calls Heartbeat Bill ‘Intrusion’ on ‘Liberty’ in Letter to DeWine
Cleveland Heights Mayor Carol Roe and members of the city council have issued a letter to Gov. Mike DeWine to warn that “all options” are on the table in response to the controversial heartbeat bill. The letter begins by expressing “concern and disappointment” with DeWine for signing the heartbeat…
Read MoreOhio Conservatives Suggest Ways to Fix the State’s GOP
Two conservatives with clout in Ohio say they can fix the Ohio Republican Party, which they say has members that are too elite, lean left politically, and are too vindictive toward others. Those ideas include making Ohio a right-to-work state and changing its primary election system, they told The…
Read MoreDeWine Claims He’s Asked His Team to Work on ‘Red Flag’ Law
Gov. Mike DeWine told the media Monday morning that he has asked his team to draft a red-flag bill to send to the Republican-controlled General Assembly. Former Gov. John Kasich repeatedly lobbied for red-flag legislation in the state, and refused to sign a controversial “Stand Your Ground” bill at…
Read MoreOhio Republican Elite Lean Left and Act Vindictively, Tea Party Members Say
Ohio Tea Party members say an elite political class of Republicans-In-Name-Only controls the state’s GOP. Any conservatives not among the establishment class Republicans are kept at a distance. Once in office, these powerful RINOs use their power and influence to penalize people who speak up against them — and…
Read MoreDeWine Supports Bailout of Ohio’s Nuclear Power Plants
Gov. Mike DeWine expressed support for saving Ohio’s two nuclear power plants that are expected to close if they don’t receive legislative relief. As The Ohio Star previously reported, lawmakers introduced a bill in early April that would effectively save Ohio’s only two nuclear plants. FirstEnergy Solutions, a subsidiary…
Read MoreTea Party and GOP Members Believe Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted Cut a Secret Deal in 2018 Election
There’s no hard evidence to back it up, but sources believe Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and Lt. Gov. Jon Husted, both Republicans, allegedly made a secret pact during the 2018 election season to assist one another’s political fortunes. Initially, Husted ran for governor, but he later dropped out of…
Read MoreDeWine Claims Vaping Isn’t Safer Than Smoking Cigarettes
Gov. Mike DeWine joined Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton Wednesday for a press conference to warn parents against the dangers of vaping. DeWine’s first budget proposal for the 2020-2021 biennium calls for increasing the age to purchase tobacco and vaping products to 21. On Wednesday, DeWine said that…
Read MoreThe Bob Frantz Authority on WHK Radio in Cleveland Talks to State Rep Candace Keller About the Heartbeat Bill
Franz: Certainly there are a lot of important faith-based organizations that helped to accomplish what was accomplished last week in Columbus. As our state legislature and our governor combined to finally win for life. The Heartbeat Bill is now law. I know a lot of faith-based people in this listening…
Read MoreOhio Lawmakers Look to Come Together on Tax Reform Amid Divisive Abortion Battle
Ohio House Democrats unveiled a number of proposals Thursday that they claim will “modernize” Ohio’s tax system to “benefit working people, families and small businesses.” They’re calling the set of proposals the “People First Tax Reform,” which will include a “Working Families First” tax incentive. This incentive would reform Ohio’s…
Read MoreHeartbeat Bill Set to Become Law in Ohio After Emotional Day at the Statehouse
One of the most divisive and talked-about bills in Ohio’s history is officially on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk and is expected to be signed into law at any moment. After months of debate and numerous committee hearings, the heartbeat bill passed the Ohio House Wednesday afternoon in…
Read MoreBuckeye Institute Annual Report Identifies $2.5 Billion in Savings for Ohio Taxpayers
The Buckeye Institute released its annual Piglet Booklet Wednesday, which identifies wasteful government spending across state agencies that could save Ohio taxpayers $2.5 billion. “In this year’s Piglet Booklet, The Buckeye Institute identified at least $2.5 billion that policymakers can save Ohioans. And with the increase in the gas tax,…
Read MoreOhio’s Lt. Gov. Husted Named as Director of Another Top State Office
Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was named director of the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation, a role he will take on in addition to his capacity as director of InnovateOhio. Gov. Mike DeWine announced the appointment during a Thursday Cabinet meeting, saying he was “pleased” to have Husted “serve as…
Read MoreOhio Lawmakers Look to Institute $10,000 Fines for Violations of Heartbeat Bill, Use Money Collected for Adoption Efforts
Ohio House Republicans added substantial new provisions to their version of the “heartbeat bill” that have the potential to make one of the state’s most controversial pieces of legislation even more divisive. While the Senate already passed its version of the bill last month, it is still making its way…
Read MoreCommunities Brace for Diesel Tax Increases After Ohio Gov. DeWine Signs Gas Tax Into Law
In one of his first major acts in office, Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) signed into law the state’s first gas tax increase since 2005. The issue has been the focal point of his first few months in office, and negotiations with House and Senate Republicans have not been easy. But…
Read MoreOhio Conference Committee Fails to Reach Deal on Gas Tax, Cancels Monday Meeting
The Ohio Legislature failed to agree on a transportation budget before its midnight deadline Sunday. While several items were agreed to, a comprise hasn’t yet been reached on the gas tax. As The Ohio Star reported, the Ohio House and Gov. Mike DeWine settled on an 11-cent gas-tax increase, seven…
Read MoreOhio Republicans Rally Behind Constitutional Carry Bill
Ohio House Republicans introduced a bill Wednesday to bring constitutional carry to the state, which allows gun owners to carry concealed weapons without obtaining a permit. The bill, House Bill 174, was introduced by Reps. Ron Hood (R-Ashville) and Tom Brinkman (R-Mt. Lookout) and quickly gained the support of 27…
Read MoreA DeWine Campaign Promise Turned Into $176K Salary for Lt. Gov. Husted
“InnovateOhio” was a central campaign promise of the Mike DeWine/Jon Husted gubernatorial ticket that ended up securing Husted a $176,426 salary. DeWine and Husted, now governor and lieutenant governor, announced the initiative in September 2018 and said it would “bring the best and brightest technology minds” to Ohio to help…
Read MoreFormer Ohio State Senator Randy Gardner Now Highest Paid Member of DeWine Administration at $190,000 Salary
Former State Sen. Randy Gardner, who was picked by Gov. Mike DeWine to lead the Department of Education, is currently the highest paid member of the new administration. Gardner will receive a base salary of $190,008, which is more than $100,000 higher than the average $87,600 salary he made as…
Read MoreExperts Say DeWine’s Predicted Revenue Forecast Is Off by $705 Million
An expert analyst suggested that the revenue forecast in Gov. Mike DeWine’s budget proposal is $705 million too high during a testimony before the House Finance Committee Tuesday. According to Legislative Service Commission Director Mark Flanders, DeWine’s General Revenue Fund (GRF) tax revenue forecasts would come up $704.9 million short…
Read MoreFormer Congressman Renacci Calls for Smarter Government Spending During Forum on Gas Tax
Ohio’s Future Foundation Chairman and former Congressman Jim Renacci hosted a forum on the gas tax Monday evening with Greg Lawson of The Buckeye Institute and Paul Lewis of the Eno Center for Transportation. Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) has been pushing for an 18-cent gas tax increase, which Monday night’s…
Read MoreLake Erie Improvements Bill Turned Into a 90-Page Spending Package with $2 Million in Renovations to the Ohio Governor’s Residence
The Ohio Governor’s Residence in Bexley is set to receive $2 million in renovations on the taxpayer’s dime after the funding was tossed into a catch-all bill passed at the last minute of 2018. Senate Bill 51 was initially introduced in the Ohio Senate in February 2017 as a piece…
Read MoreOhio House Democrats Question ‘Fiscal Stability’ of Republican Governor’s $69 Billion Budget Proposal
Ohio House Democrats are raising concerns over the “fiscal stability” of Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s $69 billion budget proposal released Friday. House Minority Leader Emilia Strong Sykes (D-Akron) said that while her caucus was “encouraged by the governor’s commitment to supporting Democratic policies of investing in families, maintaining access to…
Read MoreOhio Governor Mike DeWine Cites Bible in Budget Proposal That Increases Spending by Seven Percent
Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) released his first two-year budget proposal Friday morning in what he is describing as a $69 billion investment in “Ohio’s future.” “As I shared in my State of the State address, the Bible tells us that there is a time and a place for everything. Now…
Read MoreThird Time’s a Charm: Ohio House Begins Heartbeat Bill Debate Again Tuesday
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio House version of the infamous heartbeat bill will get its first hearing Tuesday morning in the House Health Committee. The bill was introduced by State Reps. Ron Hood (R-78) and Candice Keller (R-53), and has 48 cosponsors. Two previous iterations of the bill cleared the…
Read MoreDeWine Sends ODOT Director to Senate to Lobby for 18-Cent Gas Tax
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio Senate Transportation, Commerce, and Workforce Committee began hearing testimonies Monday on Gov. Mike DeWine’s demand for an 18-cent gas-tax increase. The chairman of that committee, Sen. Rob McColley (R-01) (pictured, left), however, made it clear that he and his fellow Senate Republicans oppose the 18-cent…
Read MoreOhio Workers Injured on the Job Will No Longer Be Prescribed Oxycontin
The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation voted Friday to no longer prescribe the powerful opioid Oxycontin to workers injured on the job. According to a Friday press release from the BWC, Chief Medical Officer Terry Welsh recommended that the drug be phased out of the organization’s formulary (a list of…
Read MoreMinnesota Republicans Introduce Bill to Ban Abortions After Fetal Heartbeat Is Detected
Minnesota’s Senate Republicans have introduced a bill that would ban abortions in the state after a fetal heartbeat is detected in a pregnant woman’s unborn child. Senate File (SF) 869 was introduced Thursday and is co-sponsored by five Republican state senators, including Sens. Andrew Mathews (R-Milaca), Mark Koran (R-North Branch),…
Read MoreRichard Cordray, Dem Candidate for Ohio Governor, Hopes to Continue Monitoring Consumers Just Like He Did at CFPB
Democratic-hopeful Richard Cordray recently announced in his bid for Ohio’s governor seat that he intends to enact failed policies from his time at the Obama administration’s Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). In April, it was revealed that under Cordray’s direction the CFPB allegedly faced at least 1,000 different hacks, including…
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