A bill on its way to Gov. Mike DeWine would require transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms that correspond with their birth gender. The bill pertains to public and private students in K through 12 and college. The so-called bathroom bill passed the Ohio Senate this week.
It's one of many bills that will be passed in what is known as the lame duck session. That’s the time between the end of a general election and the end of the legislative term in December. Over the next few weeks expect a flurry of legislation from the statehouse.
We will talk about the “bathroom bill” and what the priorities are for lawmakers in the last weeks of the session on the Friday “Sound of Ideas Reporters Roundtable.”
Other topics in this week’s discussion include Gov. Mike DeWine’s choice of the person to take the U.S. Senate being vacated by vice president-elect JD Vance. DeWine says this is one of the biggest decisions he will make. Vance still must resign his seat before an appointment could happen.
Cleveland City Council Member Jenny Spencer will not seek reelection when her current term ends in 2025. Spencer represents Ward 15 which includes the Edgewater and Detroit Shoreway Neighborhoods and part of Ohio City.
And former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder is planning to seek clemency from president-elect Donald Trump, potentially pursuing a full pardon. Householder is serving a 20-year prison term for his conviction in the House Bill 6 nuclear bailout bribery scandal.
Guests:
-Josh Boose, Associate Producer for Newscasts, Ideastream Public Media
-Taylor Wizner, Health Reporter, Ideastream Public Media
-Karen Kasler, Statehouse News Bureau Chief, Ohio Public Radio/TV