Latest Ohio state government News

Victims of violent crime drive legislative change to state programs, pushing against barriers to aid

May. 31, 2023 00:57 AM EDT

Vanessa Martinez was finishing preparations for her daughter’s second birthday in September 2021 when her ex-boyfriend broke into her Mesa, Arizona, condo and shot her in the head as she frantically tried to shield their three young children. Doctors had to remove a third of her...

Struggles continue for thousands in Florida 8 months after Hurricane Ian as new storm season looms

May. 29, 2023 16:29 PM EDT

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Eight months ago, chef Michael Cellura had a restaurant job and had just moved into a fancy new camper home on Fort Myers Beach. Now, after Hurricane Ian swept all that away, he lives in his older Infiniti sedan with a 15-year-old long-haired chihuahua named Ginger....

Editorial Roundup: Ohio

May. 29, 2023 15:29 PM EDT

Cleveland Plain Dealer. May 26, 2023. Editorial: Attempted legislative takeover of state universities is misguided and dangerous State Sen. Jerry Cirino of Kirtland, prime sponsor of Senate Bill 83 -- the so-called Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act -- says the...

Indiana doctor reprimanded, fined $3,000 for talking publicly about Ohio 10-year-old's abortion

May. 26, 2023 08:47 AM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indiana board decided Thursday night to reprimand an Indianapolis doctor after finding that she violated patient privacy laws by talking publicly about providing an abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim from neighboring Ohio. The state Medical Licensing Board...

Meet the influential new player on transgender health bills

May. 20, 2023 18:08 PM EDT

Do No Harm, a nonprofit that launched last year to oppose diversity initiatives in medicine, has evolved into a significant leader in statehouses seeking to ban gender-affirming care for transgender youths, producing model legislation that an Associated Press analysis found has been used in at...

Ohio Senate OKs higher education bill limiting diversity training

May. 17, 2023 16:58 PM EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A bill that would ban nearly all diversity and inclusion training requirements at Ohio's public colleges and universities, prohibit faculty strikes and bar public universities from taking stances on “controversial” topics cleared the GOP-dominated Ohio Senate Wednesday...

GOP state lawmakers try to restrict ballot initiatives, partly to thwart abortion protections

May. 15, 2023 00:10 AM EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — With other state lawmakers seated around her in the Ohio House, Democratic state Rep. Tavia Galonski got to her feet and began to loudly chant, “One person, one vote!” The former Teamster's cry spread quickly through the visitors gallery, then began to...

Ohio opioid settlement panel's records must be public, top state court says

May. 11, 2023 17:39 PM EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The state panel that will decide how Ohio distributes more than half of the money it will receive from a nationwide settlement regarding the opioid addiction crisis must make its records publicly available, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday. In their...

Ohio Constitution question aimed at thwarting abortion rights push heads to August ballot

May. 10, 2023 18:49 PM EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio voters will get the chance to decide whether to make it harder to pass constitutional amendments just ahead of possible November vote on an amendment that would enshrine abortion rights in the state. A resolution asking voters in an August election to...

Ohio constitution overhaul faces deadline, backlash

May. 09, 2023 15:46 PM EDT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An effort by a Republican faction in Ohio to make it harder to change the state constitution faces a critical juncture Wednesday, with action needed in the politically fractured Ohio House where the undertaking has so far stalled. Wednesday is the last day to...