Week in review March 9, 2026

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This report reflects the latest happenings in government relations, in and around the Ohio statehouse. You’ll notice that it’s broad in nature and on an array of topics, from A-Z. This will be updated on a weekly basis.

Please feel free to share it with anyone else you believe may find it of interest, as well. Also, please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any questions, concerns or if we can be of any assistance.

ABORTION/REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS

The number of abortions in Ohio increased by more than 15 percent from 2024 to 2025, according to the Ohio Department of Health's (ODH) annual report on the procedure. Most of the abortions were induced by medication and involved pregnancies of less than nine weeks. The full report is HERE.

FY27-28 CAPITAL APPROPRIATIONS

School systems in the pipeline for state assistance with construction and renovation could expect the same amount of funding as in recent cycles under the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission's (OFCC) capital budget request. OFCC has requested $600 million for inclusion in the capital budget legislation now under development in the General Assembly. That total matches money requested and provided in the past few capital budget cycles.

State finances are on solid footing as lawmakers and the administration prepare a new capital budget, Office of Budget and Management (OBM) Director Kim Murnieks told House and Senate finance committee members Tuesday during presentations of the companion biennial capital reappropriations bills. Murnieks testified on HB730 (Stewart) in the House Finance Committee and SB371 (Cirino) in the Senate Finance Committee, telling the legislators the legislation would continue funding for projects approved in prior capital budgets but not yet completed. She said the $1.93 billion in the proposal is lower than the total appropriated in the prior cycle's capital reappropriations measure. Public works, K-12 and higher education projects account for the bulk of the total.

The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) is seeking $54.2 million for several programs supporting technological innovation, efficiency and workforce development, according to ODHE's capital budget request letter to the Office of Budget and Management.

CHILDREN/FAMILIES

The Ohio Commission on Fatherhood (OCF) plans to award organizations $150,000 per county per state fiscal year to implement the Responsible Fatherhood Initiative (RFI) across Ohio starting this summer. OCF announced it had posted the FY27 RFI Request for Grant Application, seeking to fund organizations across the state to provide fathers "resources, support and encouragement" in their parenting role. Applications are due on Tuesday, April 14, at 1 p.m. OCF said funds will start going out on Wednesday, July 1. More information is HERE.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/URBAN REVITALIZATION

Gov. Mike DeWine's administration announced Monday the approval of assistance for eight projects expected to create 1,320 new jobs and retain 1,195 jobs statewide. During its monthly meeting, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority (TCA) reviewed economic development proposals brought by JobsOhio and its regional partners. The projects are expected to collectively result in more than $80.6 million in new payroll and spur more than $853 million in investments across Ohio.

ECONOMY

The Manufacturing Advocacy and Growth Network (MAGNET) recently released a report measuring how Ohio's manufacturing sector is responding to pressures including slowed growth, increased uncertainty and continued high-cost pressures. Manufacturers have adjusted to the situation with stronger operations and investments in the areas that matter most, MAGNET found as well. "This is not a story of retreat," said MAGNET President and CEO Ethan Karp. "Manufacturers are operating in a harder environment, but they are adapting in practical ways. They are being disciplined, focused, and intentional about how they move forward. And despite the headwinds, they are optimistic about growing in the year ahead."

EDUCATION

Two House members told colleagues Tuesday that major vendors providing database services to schools and libraries across Ohio are not providing the child-safe experience they promise, prompting the legislators to propose a three-strikes framework to gain compliance. Reps. Kevin Ritter (R-Marietta) and Johnathan Newman (R-Troy) presented sponsor testimony on HB583 to the House Finance Committee. They said educational databases from Cengage and EBSCO, used in Ohio under the names INFOhio and OWL, are allowing harmful, age-inappropriate content on to platforms marketed for use by K-12 students. That includes pornography, dating websites and advertisements for tobacco products or marijuana, for example, they said.

A resolution urging Congress to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) had its first hearing Tuesday during the Senate Education Committee. Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware), also the committee chair, provided sponsor testimony on SCR16 (Brenner), the resolution he said would return authority over education to where it "constitutionally belongs" -- in the hands of the states, local communities and families.

ELECTIONS

The secretary of state's office last month agreed to a request from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to provide Ohio's statewide voter registration database to the federal agency. The DOJ, which has asked multiple states for its data, sent a letter to the secretary of state's office last August asking for Ohio's data to assess the state's compliance with federal law. In a Feb. 13 letter to the DOJ, Secretary of State Frank LaRose said he had directed his staff to initiate the delivery of the data to the DOJ. He told DOJ officials, however, that the list "is a static snapshot" and is continuously updated to reflect real-world events that affect voter eligibility.

ELECTIONS 2026

The Ohio Democratic Party's Executive Committee on Saturday endorsed Amy Acton for governor, Jennifer Brunner for reelection to the Ohio Supreme Court, and the five Democratic congressional incumbents. The committee, however, did not weigh in on the contested race for attorney general between Elliot Forhan and John Kulewicz or the secretary of state race between Bryan Hambley and Rep. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington).

Secretary of State Frank LaRose ordered the Delaware County Board of Elections to take a new vote on a matter where one of the board members cast a vote involving her potential primary opponent. Rebecca Nourse had filed to run in the women's 19th Senate District Ohio Republican Party State Central Committee seat, but her petition was challenged over an error. The board held a vote to reconsider its previous decision to remove Nourse from the ballot, but tied 2-2 on Feb. 24. However, one of the board members - Melanie Leneghan - is also running for the same seat as Nourse and would be her opponent if Nourse is certified to the ballot. In a letter to the Board of Elections this week, LaRose said that Leneghan should never have participated in the vote to reconsider Nourse's candidacy.

The following endorsements were made over the week:

• The gubernatorial campaign of Democrat Amy Acton announced the endorsements of the American Federation of Government Employees and the Ohio Education Association.

• The campaign of U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) announced the endorsements of all Republican Ohio senators and Auditor Keith Faber.

• The attorney general campaign of Democrat John Kulewicz announced the endorsement of the Ohio AFL-CIO.

• The Ohio Senate campaign of Republican Beth Lear announced the endorsement of U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Urbana).

• The Ohio Senate campaign of Republican Craig Riedel announced the endorsements of Ohio Senate President Pro Tempore Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin), Senate Majority Floor Leader Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) and Senate Majority Whip George Lang (R-West Chester).

• The Ohio House of Representatives campaign of Republican Jill Cole announced the endorsement of Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague.

ENERGY/UTILITIES

House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) told reporters Wednesday following the House Rules and Reference Committee he believes nuclear energy will be the most relied upon power source in the next 100 years. Huffman shared he had recently been in Washington, D.C. alongside energy industry leaders from around the country. He said many of them agreed Ohio could soon become an energy exporter given the development of several new plants popping up across the state.

State regulators denied electric distribution utilities' (EDU) newest rate proposal Wednesday and gave American Electric Power (AEP), Duke Energy, FirstEnergy and AES three months to comply with electric overhaul HB15's (Klopfenstein) mandatory distribution maps showing power plants, load capacity and behind-the-meter generation, rejecting environmental "best practices" in implementing the law. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) adopted Duke's recommendation to narrow publicly available information on utilities' "hosting capacity" versus their "entire distribution system" in the interest of grid security, however, a request joined by other EDUs.

House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) and Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) told an audience of oil and gas industry professionals Thursday about how they developed the energy reforms of HB15 (Klopfenstein) and their battle of more than a decade to put into effect the law allowing energy extraction in state parks. In a discussion at the Ohio Oil & Gas Association (OOGA) annual meeting in Columbus moderated by OOGA Legislative and Regulatory Affairs Director Stephanie Kromer, Huffman and McColley also talked about the threat of property tax abolition and the potential energy posture of a new gubernatorial administration, given McColley's role as running mate to GOP frontrunner Vivek Ramaswamy.

ENVIRONMENT

The group behind a Joint Legislative Ethics Committee (JLEC) complaint against Senate Energy Committee Chairman Brian Chavez (R-Marietta) returned to the Statehouse Thursday to deliver hundreds of petitions and nine public resolutions to Gov. Mike DeWine documenting concerns over safe drinking water in Southeast Appalachian Ohio, where residents say the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) has failed to protect communities from radioactive brine injection well waste. Washington County for Safe Drinking Water (WCSDW) says the region is ground zero for Class II injection well ruptures and ODNR shutdowns as well as radioactive "migration" threatening ground water and oil and gas production.

The Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) is seeking new project applications as part of the H2Ohio Wetland Grant Program. The reimbursement grant program provides up to 100 percent funding for high-quality natural infrastructure projects focused on nutrient reduction and water quality improvement, specifically in Northwest Ohio. More information is HERE.

ETHICS

The executive director of the Ohio Ethics Commission told the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) Monday that the commission has no plans to reintroduce its requirement for board members of charter school governing authorities to file disclosure forms after receiving pushback from legislators and members of those governing authorities. Members of the commission and Executive Director Paul Nick were called before JCARR Monday to have a discussion over the commission's decision in December to require the board members of charter governing authorities to file the disclosures if those members were serving on the board on Jan. 1. After receiving pushback, the commission paused the rule and then rescinded it during its January meeting after lawmakers informed the commission they were prepared to step in quickly if the commission did not take that action.

GAMING/GAMBLING

Sports betting tax receipts exceeded $200 million in 2025, up about 60 percent from the first year of legalized sports betting in 2023, according to an analysis by economist and school funding expert Howard Fleeter.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE

A new statewide program originating from the House Arts, Athletics and Tourism Committee hopes to corral the attention being spread throughout the entire state of Ohio for America's 250th anniversary celebrations into an ongoing effort to draw sustained tourism, economic growth and workforce development into the state. Rep. Melanie Miller (R-Ashland), who chairs the House Arts, Athletics and Tourism Committee, along with America 250-Ohio Executive Director Todd Kleismit and representatives of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and the Ohio Arts Council, introduced on Tuesday HB732 (M. Miller), which would create the "Ohio, Heart of It All Pass" program as a way to use tourism to compel folks from both inside and out of Ohio to explore the state and its hidden treasures of tourism.

The House Technology and Innovation Committee adopted a substitute bill for HB646 (Click-Deeter) on Tuesday, with changes to the proposed Data Center Study Commission's membership, elimination of a compensation provision for members and removal of the bill's emergency clause. The substitute bill also adds an examination of data center wastewater discharge to the commission's duties.

Wednesday’s Senate session included concurrence with House amendments on tax conformity measures SB9 (Blessing) and ranked-choice voting ban SB63 (Gavarone-DeMora), sending both on to the governor, as well as passage of SB87 (Johnson), regarding antisemitism; HB229 (Deeter), which sets up a licensing structure for pharmacy benefit managers; SB262 (Blessing), regarding construction contracts; and SB263 (Roegner), regarding professional employment organizations and unemployment compensation.

Wednesday’s House session included passage of HB437 (Schmidt-Rader), requiring student athlete health examinations before participation; HB25 (Jarrells-Ray), regarding education services for foster youth; HB507 (Newman-John), to criminalize receiving proceeds from prostitution; HB292 (T. Mathews-Santucci), to establish the Ohio Defense and Space Commission; HB650, to create the Frontier Technologies and Quantum Commission; SB244 (Roegner-Timken), designating Aug. 26 as “Abbey Gate Remembrance Day”; and HB37 (Stewart), a road naming bill.

American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio Legislative Director Gary Daniels told the House Judiciary Committee Wednesday he was concerned HB314 (Isaacsohn-Ray) would go beyond the "vexatious" filers of public records requests it is meant to address and could "dramatically shrink" the public's ability to get information on their elected officials, as part of his opponent testimony on the bill.

The Senate Health Committee heard conflicting testimony on Wednesday concerning SB230 (Romanchuk) over whether authorizing pharmacists in Ohio to test and treat certain health conditions would effectively improve access to health care in the state. Monica Hueckel of the Ohio State Medical Association told the committee in opponent testimony to SB230 on Wednesday that the claim by the bill's proponents that SB230 would address the state's health care access issues is "trying to apply a bandage to a much larger and more complicated issue." In nearly direct opposition to Hueckel's testimony, Rea Hederman of the Buckeye Institute said in interested party testimony that the United States will soon face a physician shortage nearing 86,000, and Ohio would suffer along with the rest of the country.

Speaking with reporters Wednesday following the House Rules and Reference Committee, House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) claimed artificial intelligence (AI) to be the main factor driving the state's demand for data centers. "The huge issue here is the role of AI in society today and the role that AI will play for the next five to ten years in both potentially disrupting the economy, costing thousands or millions of jobs and also the potential as a tool to help cure cancer and increase ... economic activity," said Isaacsohn. He went on to stress the need for the Legislature to discern how to regulate the technology responsibly. He suggested elected officials before his time "dropped the ball" on regulating social media -- a fallout he said has resulted in "massive, negative effects" on society.

All 12 entities that appeared before the Sunset Review Committee Wednesday requested reauthorization. The joint committee, chaired by Sen. Kyle Koehler (R-Springfield), is charged with evaluating the usefulness, performance and effectiveness of various minor state agencies. Those who testified Wednesday represented the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, Ohio Arts Council, Ohio History Connection Board of Trustees, the Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board, and the Commission on Hispanic-Latino Affairs.

In other legislative action, House Technology and Aviation Committee reported out HB84 (Demetriou-Williams), regarding age requirements for obscene materials; Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology Committee reported out SB306 (Lang), regarding insurance; House Energy Committee reported out HB173 (D. Thomas), regarding behind-the-meter utility services; Senate Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee reported out SB214 (Koehler), regarding firearms suppressors and mufflers; and Senate Transportation Committee reported out SB302 (Johnson), a license plate bill.

GOVERNOR

Speaking to reporters after the Ohio Statehood Day event Thursday, Gov. Mike DeWine was asked about Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) saying Wednesday that he didn't think a bond issue for the H2Ohio program would happen and answered Huffman hadn't told him that so "we will see." Huffman said "I don't think we're going to do that" regarding the potential bond issue but that DeWine had "a right to make his case" for it as the State of the State address is scheduled for Wednesday. DeWine added the program has been "very successful" and has "broad support," with legislative approval over four budgets, and said he wouldn't discuss his conversations with Huffman. He also said he wasn't sure whether it would be included in his State of the State speech yet.

The governor signed the following bills:

• SB9 INCORPORATE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE CHANGES (BLESSING III L) To expressly incorporate changes in the Internal Revenue Code since March 7, 2025, into Ohio law and to declare an emergency.

Appointments made over the week include the following:

• Paul A. Brooks of Findlay (Hancock County) appointed and James E. Samuel of Columbus (Franklin County) reappointed to the Wildlife Council for terms beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Jan. 31, 2030.

• Larry Fletcher of Milan (Erie County) and Alex M. Czayka of Moreland Hills (Cuyahoga County) to the Ohio Lake Erie Commission terms beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Sept. 1, 2026 and Sept. 1, 2028 respectively.

• Jessica A. Borza of Lisbon (Columbiana County) to the Governor's Executive Workforce Board for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and continuing at the pleasure of the governor.

• Terry J. Dowdy of Frankfort (Ross County) to the Ohio War Orphans and Severely Disabled Veterans' Children Scholarship Board for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Dec. 31, 2029.

• Frances E. McGee-Cromartie of Dayton (Montgomery County) to the Ohio Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and continuing at the pleasure of the governor.

• Joseph D. Napoli of Toledo (Lucas County) to the University of Toledo Board of Trustees for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending July 1, 2028.

• William L. Given of Coshocton (Coshocton County) to the Central Ohio Technical College Board of Trustees for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Sept. 30, 2028.

• Richard L. Craig of Massillon (Stark County) to the Stark State College Board of Trustees for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Aug. 1, 2028.

• Christopher S. Habel of Cincinnati (Hamilton County) to the Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Board of Trustees for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Aug. 31, 2030.

• William T. Darling of Worthington (Franklin County) to the Miami University Board of Trustees for a term beginning March 1, 2026, and ending Feb. 29, 2032.

• Madison A. Repass of Perrysburg (Wood County) as a student member to the Miami University Board of Trustees for a term beginning March 1, 2026, and ending Feb. 29, 2028.

• Edward F. Suiter of Amelia (Clermont County) to the State Fire Council for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Nov. 1, 2030.

• Andrew W. Swaim of Westerville (Franklin County) and O. Walker Mees of Columbus (Franklin County) to the State Emergency Response Commission for terms beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Jan. 13, 2028 and Jan. 13, 2027, respectively.

• Christopher J. Kinn of Carey (Wyandot County) to the Ohio AMBER Alert Advisory Committee for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Feb. 6, 2027.

• Natalie A. Fravel of Delaware (Delaware County) to the Automated Title Processing Board for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and continuing at the pleasure of the governor.

• Jennifer L. Sheets of Pomeroy (Meigs County) to the Ohio Ethics Commission for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Jan. 1, 2032.

• Susie O'Brien of Upper Arlington (Franklin County) to the Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Oct. 10, 2028.

• Kathleen L. Fischer of Sylvania (Lucas County) and Dennis G. Shaffer of Galena (Delaware County) reappointed to the Banking Commission for terms beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Jan. 31, 2030.

• Jacob D. King of New Carlisle (Miami County) to the Board of Building Standards for a term beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Oct. 13, 2028.

• Gregory W. Kimble of Dover (Tuscarawas County), Steven W. Sigler of Big Prairie (Holmes County) and Donald R. Huck of Lancaster (Fairfield County) reappointed to the Technical Advisory Council on Oil and Gas for terms beginning Feb. 27, 2026, and ending Jan. 31, 2029.

• Vinod Miriyala of Dayton (Montgomery County) appointed and Kim M. Oberlander of Cincinnati (Hamilton County) reappointed to the Dentist Loan Repayment Advisory Board for terms beginning Feb. 28, 2026, and ending Feb. 27, 2028.

  
  

GREAT LAKES

The Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) is using "cutting-edge science" in hundreds of projects using hundreds of millions of dollars of federal funding to clean Ohio's waterways and coastal areas, Todd Nettesheim of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Great Lakes National Office told the Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on Tuesday.

HANNAH NEWS RACES TO WATCH

Following the new congressional maps drawn by the Ohio Redistricting Commission in 2025, the Republican majority in Ohio's Seventh Congressional District now stands as one of the slimmest such majorities on the state map. The district has a 10 percent advantage of registered Republican voters over Democrats, according to data from the Ohio Redistricting Commission, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee considers the district to be "in-play" to unseat incumbent U.S. Rep. Max Miller (R-Parma) ahead of the 2026 general elections. While Miller is unopposed in the Republican primary for the seat, several candidates have entered May's Democratic primary in hopes of taking on Miller in next fall's general election. Foremost among the eight Democrats who have entered the district's 2026 primary is former Cuyahoga County Executive Ed FitzGerald.

Two Democrats are competing in the Senate District 3 primary race to challenge Sen. Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) as she seeks a second term with no primary opponent. District 3 includes Madison and Pickaway counties and parts of Franklin County. The current district lines favor Republicans at 54.6 percent to Democrats' 44.6 percent, according to 2016-2022 demographic data compiled by Dave's Redistricting App. Reynolds unseated then-Sen. Tina Maharath (D-Canal Winchester) in 2022, following Maharath's upset win against Rep. Anne Gonzales (R-Westerville) in 2018. Reynoldsburg City Councilman Stacie Baker and nonprofit professional Natasha Wheatley Caffrey are the two Democratic candidates.

Four Republicans hope to knock the Ohio Supreme Court's sole remaining Democrat off the bench this November after age-limited Justice Patrick Fisher briefly considered running for the parallel seat and 2nd Appellate District Judge Ron Lewis -- winner of a GOP primary "pre-vote" -- pulled his name from the Ohio Republican Party's endorsement consideration after a screening committee recommended him. Justice and former Secretary of State (SOS) Jennifer Brunner has served on the Supreme Court for five years, defeating Republican Justice Judith French in 2020, and is looking to remain the Court's minority voice through 2032, when she will be 75 and over the limit for election to the high court.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Ohio can begin preventing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) enrollees from using their benefits to buy full-sugar soft drinks starting in October, following federal approval Wednesday of a waiver ordered by lawmakers in the biennial budget. The waiver will be in effect for two years, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's approval letter, though it can be extended in year-long increments to a total of five years' duration.

HIGHER EDUCATION

The University of Toledo (UToledo) recently announced the American Petroleum Institute (API), the trade association representing the nation's natural gas and oil industry, would provide free access to its industry best practice standards to UToledo students enrolled in the College of Engineering. The standards will benefit engineering students by giving them access to the same technical guidelines used by professionals in the field, the university said, adding they will be used in academic courses like Chemical Process Economics and Design and Chemical Process Simulation and Design.

Muskingum University recently appointed Flavius Lilly as the school's 22nd president, effective July 1 of this year. Lilly will succeed Susan Hasseler, who plans to retire in June, according to the university.

HOUSING/HOMELESSNESS

Housing is becoming more unaffordable for a growing number of Ohioans, especially those considered low- or extremely low-income, according to data released Thursday by the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO). Even as data released by the U.S. Census Bureau this week shows that Ohio's rental housing costs are significantly lower than the national average, nearly half of the state's 1.58 million renters are spending more than they can afford on rent.

JUDICIAL

The National Center for State Courts (NCSC) has named two Ohio courts among 12 nationally to participate in its "Right Services, Right Time: Promising Practices for Family Courts" program, the Ohio Supreme Court announced Monday. The Delaware County and Medina County domestic relation courts will implement evidence-based tools for "innovative, data-supported training, resources and tracking" to maximize family case management from intake to resolution without systemic changes.

MEDICAID/MEDICAID REFORM

A Franklin County court has sentenced Neesha Haynes, 40, of Eastlake to 90 days in jail, five years of community control and $775,000 in restitution to the state of Ohio for her role in a Medicaid fraud scheme, Attorney General Dave Yost said Friday. Haynes was under contract to provide in-home care to 12 Medicaid recipients in the Cleveland area. Investigators in Yost's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit found she frequently billed for "nonexistent services" between January 2022 - June 2025, including dates when clients were hospitalized and "impossible days" when Haynes billed Medicaid for more than 24 hours of services.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

Speaking to reporters after an event honoring the Peace Corps' 65th anniversary, Gov. Mike DeWine discussed the weekend strikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israeli air forces that led to the death of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. "The regime in Iran, it was a horrible regime ... ruthless, horrible people who were killing thousands of their own people because they wanted to demonstrate, they wanted to make their voices heard. So no one should shed any tears for people in the leadership of the country who were killed," DeWine said.

OHIO HISTORY

The National Museum of the Great Lakes (NMGL), in partnership with Cleveland Underwater Explorers (CLUE), recently announced a newly discovered shipwreck in Lake Erie along with the opening of a temporary micro exhibit showcasing the find. After "extensive historical research," CLUE identified the vessel as the "Clough," an 1867 stone-hauling vessel built in Lorain and owned by Baxter Clough, a quarry owner from Amherst. The vessel sank in September 1868 transporting stone, according to the announcement.

Gov. Mike DeWine joined former Gov. Bob Taft, former state and federal legislator Steve Driehaus and Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio (D-Gahanna) at a Statehouse event Monday to honor the Peace Corps' 65th anniversary. Taft and Driehaus are both past Peace Corps members, and Driehaus called DeWine a "huge advocate" for the Peace Corps during his time in Congress. He also recognized that former Gov. Dick Celeste, who could not attend, was a past director of the Peace Corps.

The state of Ohio turned 223 years old on Sunday, March 1, 2026, having been founded as the 17th state in 1803. To mark the occasion, the U.S. Census Bureau released a trove of data over the weekend showing where Ohio stands in relation to the U.S. population generally.

The Ohio History Connection (OHC) "Statehood Day" event Thursday at the Statehouse included keynote remarks by Bob Cupp, a former House Speaker, state senator and Ohio Supreme Court justice, and the presentation of an award to Gov. Mike DeWine. The event's theme recognized the U.S. 250th anniversary, with members of the America 250-Ohio Commission present and leaders Michael Coleman and Doug Preisse speaking.

PENSIONS

Key lawmakers are urging the two pension systems still holding assets of companies doing business in Iran and in Sudan to fully divest, as they pledged to do nearly two decades ago. Rep. Adam Bird (R-Cincinnati) and Sen. Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario), respectively chair and vice chair of the Ohio Retirement Study Council (ORSC), this week wrote a letter to the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) and School Employees Retirement System (SERS) on divestment. Those systems were the only two to report remaining holdings at the most recent ORSC meeting, and Romanchuk expressed hope at the time they would have no such assets to report in their next annual update next year. Bird and Romanchuk took a hard line in their letter, dated Tuesday. "The ORSC has displayed, at this point, an extraordinary amount of patience and constraint regarding certain direct investments in Iran and Sudan made by the state retirement systems. Candidly, our patience is spent," they wrote.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The State Fire Marshal's office announced 190 small volunteer fire departments in 49 counties will receive nearly $8 million in grants established in budget bill HB96 (Stewart). The first-of-its-kind Small County Volunteer Fire Department Grant is a nonrenewable grant that allows the departments to purchase essential equipment, upgrade facilities, and enhance access to firefighting training. HB96 defined small counties as those that have a population of 70,000 or fewer per the 2020 U.S. Census.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) announced Monday that the 2026 hazardous materials training grant program is now open for applications. Funded by hazmat carrier and shipper fines, grants train educational institutions and local governments on first-response, operations, highway response, incident command, and tank car specialist; intermodal; incident response; rail and rail/highway incidents; planning and survey studies. The 2026 grant application period closes on Thursday, April 30. More information is HERE.

TAXATION

Two local government sectors heavily reliant on property taxes say a new poll shows high levels of voter satisfaction with their services and support for maintaining their funding. Survey results from Public Opinion Strategies conducted for the Ohio Township Association and Ohio Library Council come as campaigners continue a ballot drive that would eliminate property taxes, the predominant funding source for both groups. More than half of overall library funding and about two thirds of township revenue derives from property taxes, according to the two organizations.

TECHNOLOGY/AEROSPACE

The City Club of Cleveland hosted NASA Glenn Research Center Director James Kenyon in a discussion on the center's history and activities to support the Artemis program, which seeks to return Americans to the Moon in coming years. Friday's event was hosted by WKYC Chief Meteorologist Betsy Kling, with America 250-Ohio Commission Executive Director Todd Kleismit opening the forum as the commission recognized the state's innovations and innovators in February.

TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) released a draft conceptual alternatives study for a potential four-lane U.S. 23 and I-71 connector, identifying five options out of 16 preliminary ones that were considered. An earlier planning study completed Oct. 1, 2025 narrowed the focus to U.S. 23 north of Waldo, with potential routes north or south of the village of Ashley connecting to I-71 between U.S. 36/S.R. 37 and S.R. 229.

VETERANS

The Ohio Department of Veterans Services (ODVS) has named Kaitlin Stokes as the new superintendent of the Ohio Veterans Homes (OVH). As superintendent, she will oversee the two state-run facilities that provide care to hundreds of Ohio's veterans - the Ohio Veterans Home in Sandusky, which is the largest nursing home in Ohio, and OVH-Georgetown, which has served residents in Brown County since 2003.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

The Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) Board of Directors Friday finalized the 1 percent cut in workers' comp premiums for the state's private employers first announced at the January meeting. This is the smallest private-employer rate cut since 2017 and will take effect July 1, 2026. It means Ohio's private employers will be paying approximately $10 million less in premiums and follows a similar 1 percent cut for public employers that took effect Jan. 1, 2026, resulting in a $2 million reduction in premiums for public employers.

WORKFORCE

The Ohio Department of Development (DOD) and Governor's Office of Workforce Transformation (OWT) announced the launch of a new round of grant funds for training providers in the Individual Microcredential Assistance Program (IMAP). A total of $5 million is available and eligible applicants can request up to $500,000 in total reimbursement through the program, which helps Ohioans receive credential training at no cost to them.

[Story originally published in The Hannah Report. Copyright 2026 Hannah News Service, Inc.]