A bipartisan coalition in the Ohio House successfully passed a bill allowing electric utilities to charge ratepayers for energy efficiency programs. While Republicans mostly opposed the bill, a Democratic lead sponsor referred to it as a partial repeal of House Bill 6 from 2019, which was allegedly bribe-induced. The Ohio General Assembly also passed numerous education bills, including funding for new K-12 school buildings and changes to sex ed curriculum. However, they did not pass some key bills, such as funding for the Ohio State Board of Education.
Progressive organizations and green card holders filed a lawsuit challenging a new state law that prohibits contributions from noncitizens to ballot issue campaigns. Governor Mike DeWine signed a $4.2 billion capital spending plan that includes funding for community jails and mental health projects. DeWine also expressed his support for a bill banning transgender students from using bathrooms that align with their gender identities, which has passed the Ohio House.
Additionally, a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding local laws criminalizing homelessness is unlikely to lead to a crackdown on homeless encampments in Ohio. Lastly, the campaign backing a proposed redistricting reform amendment, Citizens Not Politicians, announced that they have collected over 731,600 signatures, exceeding the minimum required for the ballot. These are just a few of the recent developments in Ohio politics as lawmakers wrap up their sessions before the November election.
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