Ohio lawmakers are currently in a rush to pass legislation during the lame duck session. This week, the focus is on education policy, criminal justice reform, and low-level marijuana regulation. With the session quickly coming to an end, lawmakers are resorting to putting provisions from various bills into unrelated policies to speed up the process.
One major piece of legislation to watch is House Bill 8, which would allow parents to opt-out of certain content in schools and require schools to report changes in student identity, such as LGBTQ+ status. This bill has been compared to Florida’s controversial “Don’t Say Gay” bill and has sparked opposition from LGBTQ+ advocates.
Another contentious proposal is a bill that would require Ohioans to provide their state ID online in order to watch pornography. The bipartisan legislation has faced backlash from citizens concerned about privacy and potential misuse of personal information.
Lawmakers are also debating a bill to ban the sale of delta 8, a low-level marijuana product, at convenience stores. While some support a complete ban, others argue for regulating it similarly to tobacco.
Several other bills, including a property tax relief bill and a bill to make tracking devices illegal without consent, will also be addressed during this week’s session. Lawmakers are racing against the clock to get these bills passed before the lame duck session ends. Follow statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on social media for updates on these developments.
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