The Ohio House will reconvene this month and lawmakers may take up an override of Governor Mike DeWine’s veto of House Bill 68. The bill bans gender affirming care for transgender youth and prohibits transgender girls from playing on girls and women’s sports teams. The bill passed both the Ohio House and Senate along party lines.
DeWine vetoed the bill on Dec. 29, after he says he consulted with a variety of stakeholders, including parents of transgender children.
The story tops this week's discussion on the "Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable."
Bill Johnson submitted his resignation letter to Congress this week. He will take over the presidency of Youngstown State University on Jan. 22. Johnson has served six terms in Congress representing Ohio’s 6th district. His district includes portions of eastern and southeastern Ohio, including Mahoning County, site of YSU’s campus.
While many folks in Akron were sleeping or ringing in the New Year, just after midnight on Monday, Shammas Malik took the oath of office at a private swearing-in ceremony as the city's new mayor. Malik succeeds Dan Horrigan who served as mayor for the last eight years.
If you tuned into our year-end roundtable last week, you know we promised that forever chemicals or PFAS would be a topic you would be hearing about. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, PFAS or Poly- and Perfluoroalkyl substances contaminate nearly half of the nation's tap water supply as well as freshwater fish. Scientists say decades of contamination means every American likely has some "forever chemicals" in their bodies.
A coalition of voting and civil rights groups is in the beginning stages of a campaign to put a state constitutional amendment before voters in November. This amendment proposal seeks to greatly expand voting access in the state while at the same time rolling back several voting changes put into place by Republicans, such as requiring a photo ID to vote in person.
The start of the new year brings new laws in Ohio.
Later this month, a law that requires social media companies to get parental permission for users aged 16 and younger goes into effect. Lawmakers passed the Social Media Parental Notification Act as part of the budget.
Guests:
-Stephanie Czekalinski, Deputy Editor for News, Ideastream Public Media
-Anna Huntsman, Akron-Canton Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
-Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio/TV