Ohio Democrats propose utility rate freeze, consumer dividend
Ohio House Democrats want to freeze utility rates for 12 months and give every customer a $150 annual electric bill credit, funded by raising the state's oil and gas severance tax to 7%.
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Menopause hormone therapy treatments would be covered by health insurance under Ohio bill
Ohio House Bill 767 would mandate insurance and Medicaid coverage for menopause hormone therapy after the FDA removed longstanding warnings from estrogen treatments. Costs can reach $1,000 out of pocket.
Ohio blocks big solar farm, despite apparently fake public comments
Ohio regulators denied a permit for the Crossroads Solar project in Morrow County, citing local opposition — even though many comments against it were found to be duplicated or faked. Critics say the process gives fossil fuels preferential treatment.
Ohio House passes drag ban but leaves loophole exempting married minors from indecency protections
Ohio House Bill 249, passed 63-30 as a child protection measure, amends the state's public indecency statute — but leaves intact language exempting minors from those protections if they are married to the offender. Ohio still allows 17-year-olds to marry.
Ohio House passes drag ban backed by GOP lawmaker accused of child sex abuse
The Ohio House passed HB 249, a drag performance ban framed as child protection, 63-30 along party lines. Among the bill's 44 Republican cosponsors: Rep. Rodney Creech, who was accused of climbing into bed with a minor relative while wearing only his underwear, according to BCI documents. Planned Parenthood's Danielle Firsich called out Creech's role during committee testimony.
JobsOhio oversight proposed by bipartisan Ohio lawmakers following podcast scandal
After a podcast scandal forced out Ohio State's president and revealed a $60,000 JobsOhio sponsorship, a bipartisan pair of Ohio lawmakers are pushing legislation to require public audits, financial disclosures, and legislative approval over the state's secretive economic development corporation.
Medically unsupported abortion ‘reversal’ language turns up again in new Ohio bill
Ohio Republicans introduced a bill requiring providers to share medically unsupported abortion "reversal" information with patients — the latest in a series of legislative efforts to restrict abortion access despite the 2023 constitutional amendment.
League of Women Voters fires back after Click claims he was 'boxed out'
The League of Women Voters of the Tiffin Area issued a statement rebutting State Rep. Gary Click's claims that he was excluded from a March 18 candidates night, saying the event was scheduled months in advance and Click was personally invited multiple times.
Got a copier? Ohio proposal would require copies of photo ID to vote absentee
An Ohio House bill would require absentee voters to include a front-and-back photocopy of their photo ID with their ballot — a proposal that drew skepticism from both parties over its logistical feasibility.
Candidates begin race for Ohio Treasurer, with unclaimed funds as hot topic
2 Republicans and a Democrat are competing for Ohio state treasurer in 2026, with the unclaimed funds controversy — and a blocked proposal to use that money for a Browns stadium — emerging as a central issue in the race.
Ohio GOP bill would create state registry of pregnancies, require fetal death certificates
Rep. Jean Schmidt's HB 754 would require doctors to file a "certificate of life" after detecting a fetal heartbeat and mandate registration of all fetal deaths — drawing criticism from reproductive rights advocates who call it pregnancy surveillance.
Ohio House approves food stamp funding that will leave big shortfalls in urban counties
The Ohio House passed a $12.5 million SNAP stopgap that splits funds equally across all 88 counties — leaving Cuyahoga County facing a $7.5 million shortfall while smaller counties are made whole — after Democrats' needs-based amendment was voted down.
Report: As food cuts phase in, Ohioans will die prematurely
New work requirements under Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill are projected to cause at least 900 premature deaths in Ohio by 2040 — rising to 23,000 if Ohio abandons SNAP entirely under a nearly $400 million cost burden the law imposes on states.
Ohio bill would end hep B vaccine requirement for daycares
Ohio House Bill 561 would repeal the hepatitis B vaccine requirement for daycares and preschools and bar schools from excluding unvaccinated students during disease outbreaks, raising public health concerns amid already declining childhood vaccination rates.
Ohio GOP's drag ban cosponsor was accused of sexual misconduct with minor relative
Ohio Republicans are pushing HB 249 to ban drag performances in the name of child safety. One of the bill's 42 cosponsors, state Rep. Rodney Creech, was accused of climbing into bed with a minor relative while wearing only his underwear, according to BCI documents. A possible committee vote is scheduled for March 25.
Vivek Ramaswamy spent $12K in campaign funds on luxury Puerto Rico resort
Campaign finance records show Vivek Ramaswamy's gubernatorial campaign paid nearly $12,000 to an exclusive Puerto Rico resort where he was photographed playing pickleball with social media influencers.
Gary Click calls anti-abortion group 'clowns' after they endorse his GOP primary opponent Eric Watson
State Rep. Gary Click attacked End Abortion Ohio as "clowns" on Facebook after the group endorsed his primary challenger Eric Watson — then watched his own supporters pile on against him in the comments.
Husted touts endorsement from lawmaker accused of child sex abuse
Sen. Jon Husted's Senate campaign promoted an endorsement from state Rep. Rodney Creech, who was accused of climbing into bed with a minor relative while wearing only his underwear, according to BCI documents. No charges were filed, but a prosecutor called Creech's conduct "concerning."
New Ohio law banning intoxicating hemp products, THC and CBD beverages takes effect
Ohio's Senate Bill 56 took effect Friday, banning intoxicating hemp products and tightening marijuana rules — even as businesses file lawsuits and warn of job losses across the state.
Nearly half of Ohioans don’t make enough to be economically secure, report says
Urban Institute data shows many Ohio families can’t meet basic costs despite incomes above poverty, with parents and minority households hit hardest.
