Week in Review August 17, 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.

ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE ABUSE

Fourfold growth among providers, reports of squalid conditions and other concerns prompted Gov. Mike DeWine to announce Monday that he signed an order authorizing emergency rules requiring state certification of recovery housing. DeWine, Ohio Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) Director Tia Moretti, Attorney General Andy Wilson, Sen. Terry Johnson (R-McDermott) and Rep. Justin Pizzulli (R-Franklin Furnace) spoke at a press conference Monday to explain the need for the change. Pizzulli has legislation pending to require state certification, HB59. Moretti explained that a prior biennial budget, 135-HB33 (Edwards), gave DBH discretion either to adopt a statewide certification program or accept third-party accreditation of recovery housing providers. She said DBH will continue to work with accrediting organizations but felt the need for direct certification given concerns about bad actors and the explosion in provider numbers from a few hundred in 2022 to more than 1,700 today.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

The Ohio Attorney General's Office is seeking lead-plaintiff status on behalf of public pensions including the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) in the national class action lawsuit against Canadian-born billionaire David Buszucki and online gaming platform Roblox Corp. for massive stock losses allegedly due to lax child safety controls and financial misrepresentations. Attorney General Andy Wilson announced Monday that his office had filed a request in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California last Friday to be named lead plaintiff and to consolidate Police and Fire Retirement System of Detroit et al v. Roblox, Baszucki, Guthrie and Chopra with Mukherjee et al v. Roblox, Baszucki and Chopra following Roblox's 66 percent stock loss from $133.74 per share on Oct. 30, 2025 to $45.13 on May 1, 2026.

The Ohio Attorney General's Office released the raw numbers Friday for last week's statewide bust of retail theft syndicates, an organized crime costing Ohio businesses up to $3 billion annually. The arrest and indictment of four dozen actors follow the passage and signing of 135-HB366's (Ghanbari) Fight Organized Retail Crime and Empower Law Enforcement (FORCE) Act, written in cooperation with the attorney general's office to create the Organized Retail Theft Council (ORTC) and establish tougher penalties and regional cooperation in combating retail crime.

FY27-28 CAPITAL APPROPRIATIONS

Adults and youth sentenced to rehabilitation and correction in Ohio are due a capital infusion of more than a quarter billion dollars in FY27-28 after the passage and signing of SB450 (Cirino), a $3.7 billion budget which took immediate effect. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction's (DRC) capital appropriation totals $246.5 million for prisons, community corrections and two county jail projects in the new biennium -- short of a request exceeding $250 million. The Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS), meanwhile, will receive its full request of $30 million for general renovations, community rehabilitation and local juvenile detention.

DATA CENTERS

Ashville officials did not have sufficient reasons to declare a resolution on data center development an emergency, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled in a dispute on whether a village council vote can be put up for referendum. In the opinion, justices said their precedent holds that while they may not pass judgement on the validity of the reason for passing a resolution as an emergency, they can determine whether it was "purely conclusory, tautological or illusory" and invalidate emergency determinations for a resolution that "simply parrots" state law criteria for an emergency resolution -- "preservation of the public peace, health and safety."

DEATH PENALTY

Gov. Mike DeWine's office said Friday, Aug. 7 that the governor has issued another series of capital punishment reprieves, again citing challenges with drugmakers' willingness to supply drugs for executions. Granted reprieves that delay their execution dates from 2027 to 2030 were Keith LaMar, Scott Group and Davel Chinn.

DISASTERS

The chain of thunderstorms that left flooding and power outages in its wake across Ohio will not end in a single day, Gov. Mike DeWine said at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon addressing the severe weather. DeWine signed a proclamation declaring a state of emergency in Perry and Muskingum counties following flooding in those places, and he also noted that such declarations for more locations likely would follow if and when necessary. "We are in a very dangerous weather situation that really involves all of Ohio," said DeWine from the Emergency Operations Center of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency (EMA) in Columbus. "It is unusual to see this, but danger can be anywhere in the state."

As Ohioans assessed the damage from Tuesday's strong rain and wind storms and endured another onslaught Wednesday, Attorney General Andy Wilson offered tips for finding reputable contractors and avoiding unscrupulous storm chasers. The attorney general's office maintains a guide, available HERE, covering signs of a scam, legitimate versus exploitive charitable responses to natural disasters, vehicle damage and other post-disaster concerns. Ohioans can file or search for consumer complaints at www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov as well, Wilson's office noted.

The DeWine administration released additional information late Tuesday on the Ohio National Guard deployment to Perry and Muskingum counties in support of emergency rescue operations. Forty total Guard members are being deployed from the 1484th Transportation Company in North Canton and the 1485th Transportation Company in Coshocton. Both companies, part of the 28th Infantry Division Sustainment Brigade, will use 20 light medium tactical vehicles (LMTV) for rescue and evacuation.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/URBAN REVITALIZATION

The Ohio Department of Development (DOD) announced Monday that it awarded $3.68 million in tax credits to four feature films as part of the Motion Picture Tax Credit Program, which offers refundable credits up to 30 percent on production cast and crew wages and other eligible in-state spending.

Funding earmarked in the biennial budget for middle-mile broadband infrastructure along U.S. Rt. 30 in Northern Ohio will go to Com Net Inc., the DeWine administration announced recently. In HB96 (Stewart), lawmakers committed $20 million to the U.S. Rt. 30 Middle-Mile Infrastructure Project to address connectivity issues in the corridor. The administration noted the corridor crosses 15 counties and passes numerous schools, universities, health care, government, industrial and military sites.

The Ohio River Commission recently launched its grant program for communities across the state's 14 river counties to turn local opportunities into economic growth, prepare workers for in-demand careers and attract more visitors to the region. The announcement comes after members of the commission discussed the program, which will allow local governments, schools, career centers, nonprofits, ports, terminals and economic development agencies to apply for up to $100,000 in grant funding per project, with an available total of approximately $500,000. Grant program guidelines are HERE.

ECONOMY

U.S. employment declined by 23,000 jobs in July while the unemployment rate was little changed at 4.1 percent, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data released Friday. There were decreases in local government education and retail trade, BLS noted, while health care employment increased.

ELECTIONS

Secretary of State Frank LaRose's office has directed local boards of elections to prepare notices to a set of inactive voters due to be removed from the rolls in January unless they vote in November or provide updated information. LaRose's office noted that registrations deemed inactive as part of the process initiated in 2022 will not be removed from the rolls prior to the November election. By Friday, Sept. 11, potentially affected voters will receive a "registration readiness notification." Final cancellations will take place Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2027. Eligible Ohioans with cancelled registrations can still re-register later.

ELECTIONS 2026

Voters in the 89th House District in North Central Ohio will now see Caleb Stidham as the Republican candidate on November's general election ballot after the district's Republican officials named him Monday to fill the ballot vacancy created when incumbent Rep. D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron) withdrew from the race last week. Stidham is currently Erie County treasurer and chairman of the Erie County Republican Party.

With three months remaining until election day, the U.S. Senate race between incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) and challenger Sherrod Brown is shaping up to dwarf 2024’s then-record campaign ad spending during Brown's unsuccessful reelection bid against now-U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH). As of Aug. 4, the combined ad spending of the Husted and Brown campaigns as well as outside groups has surpassed $220 million in 2026 on ads already or yet to be run in broadcasts or digital formats before election day in November.

Ahead of National Poll Worker Recruitment Day on Tuesday, Aug. 11, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is once again encouraging Ohioans to answer the call to serve as poll workers and help ensure another successful Election Day. "Every election depends on dedicated Ohioans who are willing to serve their communities," said LaRose. "This November, voters across the state will be casting ballots in important races that will shape Ohio's future. Poll workers are the men and women who ensure every eligible voter can cast a ballot conveniently and with confidence." Ohioans interested in serving can learn more and apply through their local county board of elections or by visiting VoteOhio.gov.

Rep. Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville) would rather earn the 13th Senate District seat from voters than be appointed to the now-vacant seat by legislative leadership. Rep. Manning's son and former senator, Nathan Manning, vacated the seat after Gov. Mike DeWine appointed him to the Ninth District Court of Appeals to serve the remainder of the term of retiring Judge Donna Carr. "I didn't think anybody would want to come back [to Columbus] just to put me in the Senate, including me," said Manning. "I don't know if they would be as inclined to want to work with me after they have to drive three hours to vote me in."

While the campaign of Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton released its first television ad of the cycle this week, the advantage in ad spending by her opponent, Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, has only continued to grow this summer, as total spending continues to climb before the general election in November. Acton's campaign spent over $700,000 in the ad's first week across broadcast, cable and connected TV channels throughout Ohio.

The following endorsements were made over the week:

• The NFIB Ohio PAC endorsed the following candidates for the Ohio General Assembly: Craig Riedel, Michele Reynolds, Phil Plummer, Zac Haines, Gayle Manning, Shane Wilkin, Ryan Rivers, Bride Rose Sweeney, Steve Demetriou, Jane Timken and Al Landis for Senate; and Brian Stewart, Chris Glassburn, Mike Dovilla, Dan Troy, Cindy Abrams, Mike Odioso, Mike Kahoe, Jack Daniels, Vik Sandhu, Andrea White, Tom Young, Ed Schimmel, Jennifer Gross, Thomas Hall, Diane Mullins, Jim Thomas, Matthew Kishman, Jodi Salvo, Kellie Deeter, Michelle Teska, Adam Mathews, Jesse Styles, Tex Fischer, Brian Lorenz, Shawn Stevens, Jean Schmidt, Adam Bird, Nick Santucci, David Thomas, Sean Hutson, Melanie Miller, Thad Claggett, Kevin Miller, Brian Lampton, Levi Dean, Heidi Workman, Jeff LaRe, Bernard Willis, Haraz Ghanbari, Marilyn John, Meredith Craig, Matt Huffman, Monica Robb Blasdel, Johnathan Newman, Patti Rockey, Roy Klopfenstein, Ty Mathews, Angela King, Tim Barhorst, Ben Weber, Jeff McClain, Gary Click, Justin Pizzulli, Bob Peterson, Mark Johnson, Kevin Ritter, Ty Moore, Ron Ferguson, Adam Holmes, Mark Hiner and Sarah Fowler Arthur for House.

GAMING/GAMBLING

Ohio Lottery Director Michelle Gillcrist told members of the Lottery Commission Wednesday that work is continuing "behind the scenes" on efforts to convert the gaming system. That has included training regional sales staff over the past two weeks on a new application called Gem Intelligence which will help them service their retailers more efficiently. The new system, also called "Gem I," went live on Monday to replace Sidekick, an internally built app that Gillcrist said had served staff well. The new system is doing well so far and likely will receive new features in the future, she continued. Sales representatives also got to see new lottery vending machines and learn how those will operate. Gillcrist added she hopes to show commissioners those machines at the September meeting.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE

The Capital Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) reports that a hallway on the southeast side of the ground floor of the main Ohio Statehouse building will be closed starting Monday, Aug. 17 for approximately two weeks. This hallway is located between Ohio Government Television's control room and the backdoor of the Statehouse Museum Shop.

Rep. Elgin Rogers Jr. (D-Toledo) was arrested and booked into the Ottawa County jail, according to multiple media reports. According to WTOL and the Toledo Blade, Roger was stopped Wednesday night in Clay Township and taken to the county jail early Thursday morning, then released later that day. He is charged with improper handling of a firearm in a motor vehicle, operating a vehicle under the influence and driving too slow, according to the reports.

GOVERNOR

Gov. Mike DeWine reiterated his position Wednesday that dumping the state income tax would be a zero-sum game for public revenues without improving Ohio's economic climate beyond its CNBC ranking as "Top State for Business." He told the annual ReadOhio kickoff in Columbus that companies instead seek literate and trainable workers -- one of DeWine's leading priorities in his final months as governor. DeWine told the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce's (DEW) 2026-27 gathering of ReadOhio coaches near the state capitol that people top buildings and budgets in producing competent employees.

Appointments made recently include the following:

• Benjamin O. Albright of Marion (Marion Co.) to the Financial Planning and Supervision Commission for the City of Marion for a term beginning Aug. 5, 2026, and continuing at the pleasure of the governor.

• Kimberly A. Winkle of Bucyrus (Crawford Co.) reappointed to the North Central State College Board of Trustees for a term beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending Jan. 16, 2029, and Mark E. Masters of Lucas (Richland Co.) reappointed for a term beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending Jan. 16, 2028.

• David W. James of Akron (Summit Co.) to the University of Akron Board of Trustees for a term beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending July 1, 2032.

• Kristina K. Clouse of Lewis Center (Delaware Co.) to the Governor's Executive Workforce Board for a term beginning Aug. 4, 2026, and continuing at the pleasure of the governor.

• Charles R. Moses of Dublin (Franklin Co.) appointed to the Ohio Arts Council for a term beginning July 20, 2026, and ending July 1, 2027, and designated to serve as vice chair effective Aug. 7, 2026; and Geraldine B. Warner of Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.) and Kristie Dukes Davis of Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.) reappointed for terms beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending July 1, 2031.

• Paula L. Grieb of Perrysburg (Wood Co.) and Sophia L. Whitehouse of Powell (Delaware Co.) to the Children's Trust Fund Board for terms beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending July 2, 2028.

• Randi M. Thomas of Oxford (Butler Co.) and Randall W. Leite of Hilliard (Franklin Co.) reappointed to the Ohio Commission on Fatherhood for terms beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending July 30, 2028.

• Craig W. Butler of New Philadelphia (Tuscarawas Co.) to the Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission for a term beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending June 29, 2032.

• William E. Alloway of Fresno (Coshocton Co.) and Stephen K. Williamson of Hilliard (Franklin Co.) reappointed to the Reclamation Commission for terms beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending June 28, 2031.

• Daniel M. McCarthy of Columbus (Franklin Co.) to the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority for a term beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending June 30, 2034.

• Jason C. Ziss of Brecksville (Cuyahoga Co.) appointed to the Materials Management Advisory Council for a term beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending July 1, 2029, and Jennifer G. Fenderbosch of Avon Lake (Lorain Co.), Michael G. Dinneen of Worthington (Franklin Co.), Charles W. DeJonckheere of Cincinnati (Hamilton Co.) and Alexander T. Boehnke of Columbus (Franklin Co.) reappointed for terms beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending July 1, 2029.

• Giles L. Allen of Dublin (Franklin Co.) appointed and Bill W. Dingus of South Point (Lawrence Co.) reappointed to the Transportation Review Advisory Council for terms beginning July 31, 2026, and ending June 29, 2031.

• Kelly A. Jacobs of Waterville (Lucas Co.) to the Ohio Home Inspector Board for a term beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending April 5, 2029.

• Marlin L. Palich of Lakewood (Cuyahoga Co.) reappointed to the Ohio Real Estate Commission for a term beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending June 30, 2031.

• Robert E. Rue of Springfield (Clark Co.) to the Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors for a term beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending June 30, 2031.

• Amy L. Hahn of Columbus (Franklin Co.) to the State Board of Psychology for a term beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending Oct. 4, 2030.

• Julie E. Teater of Hilliard (Franklin Co.) to the Chemical Dependency Professionals Board for a term beginning Aug. 7, 2026, and ending Dec. 23, 2026.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

New Ohio Department of Health (ODH) data Thursday identified 5,452 cases of cyclosporiasis so far since Jan. 1, and the number for July continued to rise from 3,615 as of Aug. 4 to 4,042 in the new data. The case count for August also rose from seven to 40, and June saw an increase from 1,309 to 1,351 as past cases were identified.

HIGHER EDUCATION

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon recently issued a national call to action to university presidents and governing boards across the country, urging them to reaffirm commitment to restoring public trust in higher education through academic excellence, research and national service. McMahon called on every postsecondary institution to publish, by the end of 2026, a public statement outlining its commitment to specified principles intended to guide a "long overdue" conversation with the American people.

Ohio State University (OSU) recently announced its hiring of John Marschhausen, soon-to-be former Dublin City Schools superintendent, as the university's inaugural assistant vice provost for academic program pathways, pending OSU Board of Trustees approval.

Projects led by researchers from three Ohio institutions were selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for a Genesis Mission Award to boost artificial intelligence (AI) centered scientific discovery. Out of more than 5,000 applications, four separate projects led by researchers from Kent State University, Ohio State University (OSU) and University of Cincinnati (UC) were among the 278 chosen for the award, which intends to double the nation's scientific productivity across national laboratories, universities and industry partners.

Lawmakers approved approximately $76.6 million in capital appropriations in SB450 (Cirino) for Ohio State University (OSU) this cycle, with funds largely dedicated to building and infrastructure improvements and renovations at the university's campuses across the state. Of OSU's total allocation, roughly $61 million will go toward renovations at two historic academic buildings located on its main campus: Ramseyer and Hughes halls.

Lourdes University, the Catholic institution in Sylvania that closed at the end of the 2025-2026 academic year, announced it has filed for bankruptcy "to support an orderly wind down of the university's operations, the settlement of its remaining affairs and the disposition of its assets." Lourdes, which had been in operation since 1958, announced in February that it would close, saying its primary supporters, Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, could no longer subsidize it at the level required to operate.

Kent State University (KSU) recently announced two new financial initiatives aimed at making college more affordable for Ohio students: a new scholarship for prospective first-year undergraduate students and the elimination of the university's undergraduate application fee for Ohio residents. The financial measures come after the university earlier this summer announced it would be increasing tuition rates for the coming year.

INSURANCE

A troubled insurer for retired first responders that was already under the supervision of Ohio Department of Insurance Director Judith French is now facing a court hearing on French's motion for it to be held in contempt. The department accuses Thin Blue Line (TBL) of defying court orders and emptying out an account meant to cover unpaid health care claims. The company in turn says the trial court exceeded its jurisdiction in the case. Thin Blue Line provided pre-Medicare retiree insurance and other coverage to many members of the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F) after signing a marketing agreement with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) of Ohio in 2023 and 2024. But the company was accused of failing to pay claims, and in 2025 the attorney general's office sued and won an order appointing French as conservator for the company.

JUDICIAL

The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) is recognizing the Delaware County Domestic Relations Court with its Irwin Cantor Innovative Program Award for helping families navigate separation or divorce with "dignity, respect and hope," the Ohio Supreme Court said Monday. The Delaware County court's Co-Parent Coaching Program seeks to improve outcomes for children from broken families.

The American Tort Reform Association (ATRA) recently placed Ohio in "legislative limbo," citing three bills in particular. Those included HB126 (A. Mathews-Craig) and SB157 (Lang), which ATRA views positively, and SB292 (Blessing), which it gave a thumbs down in a data sheet.

LIBRARIES

The Ohio Library Council (OLC) named a State Library of Ohio employee and a Cincinnati library system director as winners in of its 2026 awards, among other honorees. Janet Ingraham Dwyer, library consultant for the State Library of Ohio, was named Hall of Fame Librarian for 2026. OLC cited her 36-year career and her involvement in statewide initiatives on youth services and early literacy. Paula Brehm-Heeger, Eva Jane Romaine Coombe director of the Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library, is Librarian of the Year for 2026.

MARIJUANA/HEMP

The same federal judge who previously blocked enforcement of hemp restrictions in SB56 (Huffman) has ruled that several Ohio beverage companies can sell THC-infused products in Ohio, at least temporarily.

MEDICAID/MEDICAID REFORM

The Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) announced Tuesday that the Next Generation MyCare program is now available statewide. As of Aug. 1, the program, designed for Ohioans eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare, has expanded to all 88 counties, offering a single, streamlined plan to integrate fully Medicare and Medicaid benefits for eligible Ohioans.

Provider tax uniformity rules in federal HR1, aka the One Big Beautiful Bill, could put Ohio Medicaid billions of dollars in the hole in the coming biennium absent changes to state funding structures, according to a recent report from Policy Matters Ohio (PMO). Ohio's Health Insuring Corporation (HIC) tax is out of step with uniformity rules in HR1, since it levies a much higher rate on Medicaid managed care organizations (MCO) than other insurers. According to PMO, the state raised $2.2 billion from the HIC tax in the FY24-25, leveraging a federal share of $5.13 billion for a total effect of $7.33 billion. For the current biennium, FY26-27, lawmakers appropriated $1.75 billion of revenue from that tax, leveraging $4.08 billion from a total effect of $5.83 billion.

NATURAL RESOURCES

The Supreme Court of Ohio last week accepted for review an appeal from the attorney general's office in Shawnee Ridge Hunting, LLC v. LaRose concerning wild boars and feral swine in 135-HB503 (Peterson). On Aug. 4, the Fourth Appellate District Court in Adams County upheld a permanent injunction on HB503, which originally sought to prohibit certain activities regarding garbage-fed swine, feral swine and wild boar to curtail the potential spread of feral swine in Ohio following problems with the animals on farms in the southern U.S. Adams County Common Pleas Court Judge Brett Spencer granted Adams County hunting preserve owner Paul Richter a temporary restraining order on HB503 in spring 2025 before the law took effect, finding its definition of "wild boar" or "feral swine" was too broad to allow for the hunting of all such breeds in Ohio, thus potentially hurting Richter's business.

More than a dozen Ohioans were honored last week for their lifetime contributions to protecting Ohio's natural resources and working to ensure a balance between the protection of those resources and the benefit of all. The state of Ohio has long honored individuals who have made significant contributions to preserving and protecting the state's water, soil, woodlands, wildlife and mineral resources with membership in the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Hall of Fame, with 206 people inducted since 1966.

OHIO HISTORY

At its founding, America's experiment in self-governance and natural rights broke markedly from its European roots, and the Declaration of Independence remains foundational to not only American history, but also to contemporary world history. After 250 years, that foundation has naturally shifted, and America's semi-quincentennial invited reflection Wednesday at the Columbus Metropolitan Club (CMC) on what the next 250 years of American democracy will demand and what changes might be needed to better serve the American public.

OHIO STATE FAIR

Ohio State Fair managers reported Thursday that this year's event set records for attendance and spending on rides, games, food and drink. According to the Ohio Expo Center & State Fairgrounds, total attendance of 1,025,190 was 5.8 percent higher than 2025 and 2 percent higher than the prior record of 1,006,228, set in 2023.

PENSIONS

Members of the Ohio Retirement Study Council are hoping to hear directly from two academics or at least get them in touch with council staff after publication of an article in a finance journal that asserted the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) paid out incentive compensation to investment staff based on performance figures that exceed the system's audited investment returns. STRS leadership pushed back on the conclusions of the article, and a council researcher raised questions about numbers on which it is based.

PEOPLE

AARP Ohio announced the hiring of Holly Saelens as government affairs manager. Saelens mostly recently was chief operating officer for Molina Healthcare of Ohio. Her other experience includes time as interim director and deputy director of the Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) and as vice president of government relations at Amerigroup. She has a bachelor's degree from Ohio University and master's degree in public administration from Ohio State University.

Rachel Winder, government relations manager in the Columbus office of Benesch Law, has died, according to an announcement from the Benesch Columbus office, where she worked since July 2013. She was 56. Her funeral is set for Friday, Aug. 14.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety, recently released a new public service announcement featuring NASCAR Cup Series driver Ross Chastain, calling on Ohioans to slow down and make safe driving a priority. The PSA coincides with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) nationwide campaign, Speeding Catches Up with You, which urges drivers to recognize speeding as dangerous and an aggressive driving behavior that puts everyone on the road at risk.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) says an increase in loose loads during the summer construction season is prompting an advisory to all commercial drivers, construction suppliers and debris haulers to redouble vehicle checks and ensure loads are secure before entering roadways.

The DeWine administration added two county sheriffs and two university police departments Wednesday to the growing number of state and local law enforcement jurisdictions earning full state accreditation, a voluntary credential building on Ohio's original and ongoing certification program. The Ohio Department of Public Safety's (DPS) Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) announced seven total accreditations by the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board during Wednesday's meeting, comprising the Medina and Union county sheriff's offices, University of Cincinnati Department of Public Safety (Hamilton County) and Wright State University Police Department (Greene), and police in Goshen Township (Clermont), Grove City (Franklin) and Troy (Miami).

The Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of State Fire Marshal (SFM) Tuesday held an event to mark the retirement of its Ignitable Liquid Detection K-9 Finnegan, also known as "Finn," after nine years. After retirement, he'll live with the family of his handler, SFM Investigator Nakoa Spradlin.

STATE GOVERNMENT

The National Governors Association (NGA) announced it had joined with Dignity.Us to launch the Center for Dignity in Politics, an initiative that will equip governors with the tools, training and resources to strengthen democratic culture, reduce political polarization and model respectful public leadership. The announcement was made at NGA's annual meeting in Oklahoma City. The group said the center "will serve as a trusted, bipartisan resource for governors who are seeking to elevate the language, practice and culture of dignity in public leadership."

TAXATION

"Ohio's tax scheme simply favors banks that do more business in Ohio." The Ohio Supreme Court says that's true of the state's financial institution tax (FIT) whether banks are headquartered here or in other parts of the U.S. It rejected an interstate challenge to Ohio's regressive tax Thursday that claimed the FIT trashes the Commerce Clause and Due Process Clause by gouging banks doing business in multiple states and especially Ohio instead of remaining in one -- a "test" case by any definition.

TECHNOLOGY/AEROSPACE

Ohio's state government, multiple universities, economic development organization JobsOhio and the Ohio Educational Service Center Association (OESCA) were among the entities named in a list of "25 companies and organizations" defining Ohio's artificial intelligence (AI) economy released by Ohio Tech News recently. The state of Ohio was named for "setting the pace on AI governance in both government and education," including the release of a formal AI policy for the state government and an Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) AI policy that served as a model for the policy all traditional public school districts, community schools and STEM schools were required to adopt by July 1.

WORKFORCE

The Ohio Department of Development (DOD) announced Tuesday it is now accepting applications from companies for the College Technology Internship Program's next round, with a deadline of Friday, Aug. 28. Students will be able to apply from Tuesday, Sept. 1 through Friday, Sept. 25, and internships can occur between Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026 and Friday, April 30, 2027. Under the program, companies are reimbursed for two-thirds of an intern's wages -- up to $7,500 -- and can hire up to 10 interns per round. Interns must be paid at least $15 an hour. Student eligibility includes Ohio residents attending college anywhere in the U.S. and non-Ohio residents attending Ohio colleges.

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