Week in Review August 18, 2025

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/ANTI-ABORTION

The Center for Christian Virtue (CCV) will be the "voice at the Statehouse" for the Ohio Coalition of Pregnancy Centers (OCPC), the organizations announced Monday. Through a new partnership, CCV will advocate for policies that support the existence and expansion of Ohio's anti-abortion pregnancy centers, CCV said. "Pregnancy centers are the backbone of the pro-life movement. They are in the trenches every day, offering help to moms, dads and babies in need," said Peter Range, CCV senior fellow for strategic initiatives.

Twenty-one nonprofit organizations across the state will receive nearly $20 million in grants through the Ohio Parenting and Pregnancy Program, Gov. Mike DeWine announced Friday. The grants connect expectant parents and caregivers to education, support and trusted local services, the governor's office said. "Ohio's infant mortality rate is the lowest it's been in two decades -- 6.6 per 1,000 live births," DeWine said. "That's a sign that our investments in supporting families -- before, during and after pregnancy -- are working. But we must keep going because every child deserves the opportunity to grow up healthy and strong." Through a competitive application process, the Ohio Department of Children and Youth (DCY) selected 21 grantees to deliver prenatal education, parenting classes, case management, referrals, and material assistance tailored to the needs of their local communities.

AGING

AARP Ohio this week celebrated Social Security's 90th anniversary with a series of events across the state, "recognizing Ohio's unique place in the history of the program that has helped generations retire with dignity."

AMERICA 250-OHIO

America 250-Ohio recently announced the launch of the Lake Erie to Ohio River Trail, an experiential driving trail of more than 150 sites across Ohio that celebrates the crucial role that water has played in moving people, goods, and ideas across the state. The organization, which serves as the official state commission responsible for spearheading Ohio's celebrations and commemorations relating to America's semiquincentennial in 2026, said the Lake Erie to Ohio River Trail is the third of six planned experiential trails for America 250-Ohio's signature Trails & Tales program created in partnership with the Ohio Travel Association. The trail features sites in seven categories: Boat Rides and Ferryboats; Lake Erie Lighthouses; Lake Erie Museums and Historic Sites; Ohio Canal Museums, Locks, and Natural Areas; Ohio River Museums and Historic Sites; and Natural Areas and Overlooks, Aquatic Science & Research Sites.

APPALACHIA

Gov. Mike DeWine on Monday joined local leaders to break ground on three riverfront projects along the Ohio River. The projects were made possible through the Appalachian Community Grant Program, the governor's office said. Projects in Ripley, Higginsport and New Richmond are expected to spur economic development in downtown districts, improve access to the river, and create spaces for recreation and tourism.

ARTS, SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

The Ohio Department of Development (DOD) announced Tuesday it was awarding over $46 million in funds through the Motion Picture Tax Credit Program, supporting 27 production projects in 14 Ohio communities. In addition to 11 feature films, that includes four TV miniseries, five full TV series, four Broadway/theatrical productions, two documentaries and one digital media project. DOD said the projects are collectively expected to create over 1,000 new jobs, provide more than $150 million in eligible production spending and drive $196 million in production-related expenses.

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Attorney General Dave Yost is set to decide whether the Ohio Revised Code authorizes county sheriffs to arrest, incarcerate and potentially transport illegal "aliens" beyond a 48-hour period for civil violations of federal immigration law in cooperation with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office (USICEO), more commonly known as ICE, and/or the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The Butler County Prosecuting Attorney's Office in July submitted the following request for a legal opinion from Yost: "Does a county sheriff or a county board of commissioners on behalf of a sheriff have statutory authority to enter into an agreement with federal immigration authorities which would allow for the incarceration and possible transportation of aliens detained at a county jail for civil violations of federal immigration law beyond a 48-hour hold?"

BALLOT ISSUES

A group behind a proposed constitutional amendment to enshrine LGBTQ rights and other protections into the Ohio Constitution had their newly filed petition language certified by Attorney General Dave Yost Friday after the Ohio Ballot Board had split their previous proposal into two separate issues. Ohio Equal Rights had sought to collect signatures on one issue, but on a party-line vote, the Ballot Board last month separated out language that would repeal Ohio's 2004 gay marriage ban into its own separate issue. The petitioners must now collect signatures from registered voters equal to at least 10 percent of the vote cast in the most recent gubernatorial election for each issue. Those signatures must come from voters in at least 44 of Ohio's 88 counties, and for each of those counties the number must equal at least 5 percent of the vote cast in the most recent gubernatorial election.

Saying there is no hope for state lawmakers to address the property tax issue, Butler County Commissioner Don Dixon told Hannah News that he and other local officials have tried to go through the legislative procedure in order get a handle on skyrocketing property taxes, and have worked with local lawmakers including Sen. George Lang (R-West Chester) and Rep. Thomas Hall (R-Middletown). But now fed up with inaction, he said they are discussing moving forward with their own constitutional amendment.

The issue is currently stalled in the Legislature as lawmakers are on their summer recess. Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed several proposals approved by legislators as part of the biennial budget HB96 (Stewart) and has convened his own property tax study group led by former Rep. Bill Seitz and Pat Tiberi, CEO of the Ohio Business Roundtable. The House has overridden one of those vetoes, and the Senate plans to take up that veto override in the fall.

FY26-27 BUDGET

We Are Ohio, the group behind the 129-SB5 referendum that overturned collective bargaining legislation, said it has begun running digital ads on Facebook and Instagram encouraging Ohioans to oppose overrides of vetoes made by Gov. Mike DeWine to biennial budget HB96 (Stewart). The ads encourage Ohioans to contact Ohio senators and oppose overriding the vetoes.

IT’S IN THE FY26-27 BUDGET

No longer will individuals ages 18-20 be able to get their driver's licenses without any driver's education, thanks to a provision added by lawmakers in biennial budget HB96 (Stewart). The provision was added by the House to the bill, removed by the Senate, and re-added to the final version by the conference committee. It requires all individuals under the age of 21, instead of 18, to complete a full driver's education course and 50 hours of practice driving with an eligible adult in order to obtain an initial driver's license. Additionally, the language modified the abbreviated driver training course for adults to apply to individuals 21 and older, rather than 18 and older.

CHILDREN/FAMILIES

Following the recent announcement that the Gates Foundation will commit $2.5 billion through 2030 to support dozens of different approaches for improving women's health worldwide, the head of the foundation's Gender Equality Division spoke to the Cleveland City Club about how global efforts in women's and maternal health can inform efforts in Ohio. Anita Zaidi, president of Gender Equality for the Gates Foundation, detailed for the City Club how the foundation's effort will further its mission to provide every person with an equal opportunity for a healthy, productive life. Globally, those efforts focus on issues of health, education and economic mobility, with an emphasis on the last two issues in the United States. The Gates Foundation's announced philanthropy wants to change the paradigm globally for women's health, said Zaidi, focusing on research, development and innovation in issues of women's health. Zaidi said children's health is also tied to women's health, since when you're taking care of children, you're really taking care of an entire family.

CITIES

Local governments nationwide are facing the dual headwinds of the end of an influx of federal assistance distributed during the COVID pandemic and the uncertainty of further funding coming amid changes at the federal level. Still, a National League of Cities (NLC) survey of mayors across the country from early 2025 reports that local leaders remain focused on the same issues they did in 2024, including major themes of economic recovery and advancement, housing, public safety and effective budget management. NLC gauged the priorities of mayors nationwide by synthesizing key themes from 53 "State of the City" mayoral addresses from local leaders delivered in early 2025, more than 230 responses to a survey NLC sent out between February and March of 2025, and an analysis of relevant social media engagement.

Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) announced Thursday that eight communities around Ohio will receive $12.7 million in grant funding for transportation infrastructure needs. The funding, awarded through ODOT's Small City Program, will support critical road infrastructure improvements that improve safety, accessibility, and economic development, the governor's office and ODOT said. The Small City Program focuses on supporting roadway, safety, and pedestrian projects in cities with populations between 5,000 and 24,999 that are not part of a Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

DISASTERS

Gov. Mike DeWine announced Wednesday that he has authorized the use of the State Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) to support the following 12 counties that were significantly affected by severe storms and flooding during several weather events that occurred this year: Jackson, Athens, Clermont, Hamilton, Jackson, Lawrence, Meigs, Monroe, Noble, Scioto, Shelby, Washington and Fairfield counties.

EDUCATION

Perrysburg Schools Superintendent Thomas Hosler is the next CEO of the Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA), following the departure of Kathy McFarland to lead a national group. Hosler has been superintendent in Perrysburg since 2007. He also was a finalist to become state superintendent in 2022 and has been active in the Fair School Funding Workgroup, which has advocated the past several years for adoption of the K-12 formula developed by local school leaders, former Speaker Bob Cupp and former Rep. John Patterson. McFarland led OSBA for about two years, following the retirement of Rick Lewis in 2023; she had been deputy executive director of OSBA before that.

At a recent Business Advisory Council Townhall hosted by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce and the Ohio Association for Career Technical Education (Ohio ACTE), numerous business advisory councils were presented with excellence awards. All Ohio school districts and educational service centers (ESC) are required to have business advisory councils (BAC) to bring together education and business leaders.

ELECTIONS 2025

Secretary of State Frank LaRose Tuesday, in recognition of National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, renewed his call to Ohioans to consider becoming a poll worker in the upcoming November election. "Free and fair elections don't just happen, they're made possible by thousands of committed Ohioans from every corner of our 88 counties," said LaRose. "These men and women are the guardians of our voting process, ensuring every ballot is cast and counted with integrity. This National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, I'm calling on patriotic Ohioans to answer the call and join this proud tradition by serving as poll workers to keep our elections secure, accurate, and accessible to all eligible voters." The secretary of state's office highlighted several poll worker recruitment initiatives, including Give a Day for Democracy, Professionals at the Polls, Second Call to Duty, Youth at the Booth, Styling for Democracy, and Work a Day.

ELECTIONS 2026

Former U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) will seek to return to the Senate next year nearly two years after he was ousted by now U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-OH), according to multiple reports on Tuesday. Brown will seek to unseat U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH), who was appointed earlier this year to replace now Vice President JD Vance. Cleveland.com was the first outlet to report Brown's plans, citing several Ohio labor leaders whom Brown spoke to. Reports earlier this month had Brown meeting with U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The race between Brown and Moreno was among the most expensive in the country last year, and next year's race is expected to be no different.

Steven Erbeck, a Cincinnati-area dentist and business owner, announced Friday that he will be seeking the Republican nomination for Ohio's First Congressional District. He said he plans "to bring common-sense leadership, small business and health care experience, and a renewed focus on public safety to Washington." He likely will face Republican Eric Conroy, an Air Force veteran and previous CIA case officer, in the Republican primary for the seat.

The following endorsements were made over the week:

• The Ohio Corn & Wheat Political Action Committee endorsed Vivek Ramaswamy for governor, saying it is the first gubernatorial candidate the group has endorsed since George Voinovich.

• The gubernatorial campaign of independent candidate Timothy Grady announced the endorsement of the U.S. Pirate Party National Committee.

ENVIRONMENT

The Ohio Air Quality Development Authority (OAQDA) has approved $3.91 million in air quality revenue bond financing for projects in Greene and Columbiana counties, the agency announced Thursday. In Greene County, a workforce development and recovery facility will implement customer-sited energy infrastructure and energy efficiency upgrades to reduce utility bills and help the business grow. In Columbiana County, a local concrete manufacturer will install new dust control equipment, enabling the business to meet federal air quality regulations while improving workplace safety.

GAMING/GAMBLING

The Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) is conducting an independent investigation of suspicious betting activity on the Cleveland Guardians, the agency announced Wednesday. "On June 30, the commission was notified by an Ohio licensed sportsbook of suspicious wagering activity on Cleveland Guardians wagering events and was also promptly contacted by Major League Baseball (MLB) regarding the events. Under the commission's statutory responsibilities, an independent investigation commenced," OCCC said. The commission said it's working closely with MLB's investigative team on the matter.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE

The chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee isn't happy with the tax provisions that his fellow Republicans approved as part of budget law HB96 (Stewart). Speaking during a panel discussion at the Ohio Chamber of Commerce Tax Conference on Thursday, Sen. Louis Blessing (R-Cincinnati) said the budget's income tax cut was "deeply irresponsible. … I didn't say this on the Senate floor out of respect for my colleagues, but I do not believe that it has the return on investment that they think it will. We're going to wind up looking like Kansas at the end of the day, when all of this comes through -- maybe not this cycle, maybe not the next cycle, but with everything going on, I think that was a mistake. … I think there is a general belief in my caucus in particular that if you continue cutting income taxes, more money will flow in to offset those cuts," he continued. "There is obviously an economic bump to that, but it certainly doesn't pay for itself the way these folks think it would." Blessing also discussed his interest in reining in certain tax expenditures.

The Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) made a last-minute addition to its regular agenda Thursday and referred one rule each to its to-be-refiled and withdrawn columns, followed by public testimony from opponents of proposed rules for certified medication aides (CMA) filed by the Ohio Board of Nursing (OBN) after passage of 135-SB144 (Romanchuk). CMA rules drew opposition testimony during an Aug. 4 public hearing and received more pushback at JCARR Thursday from Paul Dohse of Xenia, a licensed professional nurse (LPN) and former medication aide-certified (MA-C), and Sherri Gunasekera of Beavercreek, a licensed nursing home administrator and registered nurse (RN), among other credentials. JCARR took no further action on the rule.

HANNAH NEWS’ MEET THE FRESHMEN

House District 95 is too often a "forgotten district" in Columbus despite strong leadership in the General Assembly recently, newly appointed Rep. Ty Moore (R-Caldwell) said. "I think that the three Cs always catch a lot of the money. I plan on being one of those squeaky wheels that always gets greased, as in trying to be a huge voice for the 95th District to bring a lot of money back," Moore told Hannah News during an interview in the Riffe Center. Asked what his district needs the most, Moore answered without hesitation. "Our district needs infrastructure. … Our district needs broadband. Our district needs water. Sewer is always crammed down your throat by the state because they make you do it ... but they don't mandate the water, and they don't mandate the broadband," Moore said.

HOUSING/HOMELESSNESS

The Trump administration is planning to shut down the Supplemental Security Income (SSI)/Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) Outreach, Access and Recovery (SOAR) Technical Assistance Center on Monday, Aug. 18, according to the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO). "Funded by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), SOAR has helped thousands of people with serious mental illness or physical disabilities overcome and avoid homelessness. Providers using the SOAR model can greatly increase the approval rate for applications to the Social Security Administration's disability income benefit programs," COHHIO said in an email.

IMMIGRATION

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Ohio has filed lawsuits against two Ohio county sheriff's offices for failing to provide public records on their dealings with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The organization is asking the Ohio Supreme Court to order the Seneca County Sheriff's Office and the Geauga County Sheriff's Office to release documents and communications pertaining to its contractual arrangements with ICE and other federal agencies to carry out federal immigration functions. The ACLU of Ohio filed its lawsuit against Seneca County on Tuesday, while the lawsuit against Geauga County was filed in May. Both cases were filed on behalf of ACLU of Ohio Chief Policy and Advocacy Officer Jocelyn Rosnick, who requested public records from the sheriff's offices on March 12, according to the organization.

JUDICIAL

Eighteen counties and some 70 school districts stretching from Northwest to Southeast Ohio are celebrating after the Ohio Supreme Court Wednesday affirmed the Board of Tax Appeals' $3.67 billion valuation for the 700-mile Rover Pipeline linking natural gas fields in shale-rich Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio to industrialized Michigan and sister pipelines reaching Canada and all parts of the U.S. At more than twice the pipeline owners' $1.79 billion valuation, the Court's unanimous finding is a major boon to local jurisdictions and public schools facing long-delayed revenues for the 2019-2023 tax years, during which the interstate pipeline paid reduced levies while the case was on appeal. "The operating budgets of local governments -- particularly school districts -- are unstable since Rover tax payments have not been finalized. Second, construction projects that are in part dependent upon the property tax monies from Rover have increased in cost because the projects have been delayed. Third, interest rates for financing those types of projects have increased because of the delay in those projects, causing local governments to incur additional debt service expenses," state 18 county auditors, the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA), Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO), Ohio School Boards Association (OSBA), Ohio Township Association (OTA), Ohio Prosecuting Attorneys Association (OPAA) and Ohio Library Council (OLC).

Former Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann and former Rep. Jeff Crossman (D-Parma) are encouraging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a California unclaimed property law they say is similar to Ohio's new law directing unclaimed funds to be used for sports and cultural facilities. The attorneys have filed an amicus brief asking the Court to take up Peters v. Cohen, a case involving the seizure of property under California's unclaimed property law. Dann and Crossman recently sued the state of Ohio over the provision in budget law HB96 (Stewart) requiring the use of $600 million in unclaimed funds to help pay for a new Cleveland Browns stadium in Brook Park. "Amici's interest stems from the striking similarity between the unconstitutional practices challenged in Peters v. Cohen and those at issue in litigation currently pending in Ohio. Both cases involve state schemes that seize private property under the guise of unclaimed property laws, without providing constitutionally adequate notice or compensation, and divert those funds for purposes that do not serve the public interest," the amicus brief states.

"Baby girl, I love you" might not be the best way to break the ice with a woman Dorian Crawl found out. He now faces an apparent fourth-degree felony conviction and up to 18 months behind bars after he posted several unsolicited and unreturned social media comments to a 29-year-old woman, A.P., whom he recalled from grade school, dug up her address online, showed up at her front door in West Carrollton and tried the handle when she asked who it was.

NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF STATE LEGISLATURES (NCSL)

Hannah News has compiled its comprehensive coverage of the 2025 National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Legislative Summit in Boston into one document. Coverage ran the gamut from using/regulating artificial intelligence (AI) to the economy to education to cannabis to Medicaid to broadband to elections and so much more. The compilation can be found HERE.

The One Big, Beautiful Bill included new tax policy promoting school choice, but a lot of implementation questions won't be answered until federal regulators fill in the details, an NCSL policy specialist said during a Legislative Summit discussion. House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) told Hannah News he sees it as highly significant. Emily Katz Sayag, associate legislative director for NCSL, gave an overview of the new federal tax credit for donations to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs), set to take effect in 2027. It will provide a dollar-for-dollar credit up to $1,700 for donations to nonprofits that fund scholarships. Katz Sayag reviewed the criteria for SGOs and families, including a household income limit of 300 percent of the area median income (AMI). She cited Urban Institute estimates that show about 90 percent of U.S. households fall under that threshold. "While this is not a fully universal eligibility, it is quite close to that," she said. Speaking to Hannah News following a different NCLS session, Huffman said he got "an incredible response" from private schools when Ohio created its SGO program, and the federal policy will amplify its effects. "I can put money in this and it doesn't cost me anything -- a credit versus a deduction," he said.

The U.S. saw a sharp decline in overdose deaths in 2023 and the downward trajectory has continued into 2025, according to Allison Arwady, director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). When looking at the latest available provisional data -- numbers from February 2024 to February 2025 -- the U.S. has experienced a 25.9 percent decline in overdose deaths, Arwady told attendees of the NCSL panel on the "evolving overdose crisis." The provisional data show that 46 out of the 50 states saw overdose death declines from February 2024 to February 2025.

Unlike any other tax issue that lawmakers tackle, Vermont Rep. Emilie Kornheiser said the work around property taxes is emotional. "I love my home," Kornheiser said during a panel at NCSL. "I love it like a person sometimes. I don't feel that way about my bank account or my paycheck or really anything else in my life that's tied to dollars. I know that's not just true for me, it's true for my constituents, so the work is very emotional. The property valuation is very emotional, the property tax bill is very emotional, and … the risks that our constituents feel around property taxes can be very emotional, so it makes this work much harder and it makes having conversations about the precision and the stability of the tax code feel even more tone deaf than some other tax policy conversations can feel, which are often tone deaf." Bethany Paquin, senior research analyst, Lincoln Institute of Land Policy, a nonprofit that seeks to improve the quality of life through the effective use, taxation and stewardship of land, set the current landscape around home values and property taxes across the country. She said states across the country experienced record home price growth between 2020 and 2022, and prices have continued to rise since then but at a more moderate pace.

A tight labor market, waning concerns about the COVID pandemic and high inflation are driving more people to leave retirement and return to the workforce -- a workforce that will continue to get older in the aggregate as the nation ages. An NCSL panel explored the effects and possibilities of that trend, featuring Angela Rowe, NCSL policy specialist focused on pensions, retirement and public sector employment; Carly Roszkowski, vice president of financial resilience programming at AARP; and Montana Rep. Llew Jones. Rowe said the changing nature of work makes it easier for retirees to return for part-time, flexible and remote roles. NCSL legislative tracking found close to 100 bills on the subject of reemployment after retirement, with just under 40 enacted, she said.

Simon Sinek's The Infinite Game was inspiration for a discussion on successful legislative leadership, where it was argued that a good leader has a just cause, a worthy rival and existential flexibility. Curt Stedron, director of the NCSL Legislative Training Institute, put Sinek's writing through the lens of political leadership to compel legislators to step out of a finite mindset that is fixated on beating opponents in the next election or in the next debate, and take on an infinite mindset that sees success more long-term. Sinek defines a finite game as one with known players, set rules and an end point, and an infinite game as one with known and unknown players, rules that change throughout, and an objective to perpetuate the game rather than win. A state Legislature is a lot like an infinite game, Stedron said, because players are constantly changing via elections, and it's a legislator's job to change the rules by adding, amending or repealing laws. And, there's no endpoint in politics, since there's always another session day, committee meeting or election.

While foreign investment in U.S. agricultural land has increased in the last 15-20 years, China's share of that has decreased since 2021 from 383,000 acres to 277,000 acres in 2023, said Danny Munch of the American Farm Bureau Federation. At NCSL, Munch reviewed the share of ag land that is owned by foreign nations and China owns about 0.2 percent of the foreign-owned ag land in America. Sixty-two percent of foreign ag land is owned by Canada, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Germany, Munch said, with almost half of all ag land being forest. Munch said the reason European countries are largely eyeing property ownership, leasing or use in the U.S. is because they have nowhere else to expand for renewable energy, like solar or wind, and they need to buy cheap land to keep pace with demand.

Leslie Odom, Jr., who won a Tony Award for his portrayal of Aaron Burr in the smash Broadway musical "Hamilton,” spoke to attendees at the NCSL Legislative Summit, saying he learned that you either win or learn, adding that he now spends every day advancing his career whether he has been called or not. “I don't need to wait for anybody else's permission to be an artist or to create that day. And it changed my life. From that day until this one, I have not stopped working in 14 years. And it's not because the phone is always ringing, but it is because I have not since that day ever waited for it to ring. Ever." Odom’s interview with California Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry closed out NCSL's largest-ever summit with more than 9,000 attendees and the largest gathering of state legislators in the nation's history.

NATURAL RESOURCES

Efforts are in full bloom at the newly established Buckeye State Tree Nursery in Zanesville as more than half a million seedlings planted by nursery staff are set to be distributed for conservation projects across Ohio starting in spring 2026. The Buckeye State Tree Nursery sprouted from nearly $3 million in appropriations between FY24 and FY25 in 135-HB101 (Bird). The nursery is growing approximately 40 different tree species that are well-suited to Ohio's climate. Trees that grow from seedlings at the nursery will support Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) projects, including H2Ohio, the Girl Scout Tree Promise, the Northwest Ohio Windbreak Program and abandoned mine land reclamation projects. The nursery's focus is on cultivating native species, including the following:

• Ohio buckeye

• Red and white oak

• Black walnut

• American chestnut

• American hazelnut

• Persimmon

• American plum

• White pine

• Arborvitae

• Virginia pine

Two of Ohio's shooting ranges invite the public to gain hands-on experience with firearms from certified instructors at either of two events hosted by the ODNR Division of Wildlife on Saturday, Aug. 16. Free Range Day is held in coordination with the National Shooting Sports Foundation as part of their National Shooting Sports Month during August. Division of Wildlife public shooting ranges provide comfortable, safe places to hone skills with rifles, shotguns, handguns and archery equipment. The following two ranges will host free events for the public:

• Delaware Wildlife Area, 1110 State Route 229, Ashley, OH 43003.

• Spring Valley Wildlife Area, 3570 Houston Rd., Waynesville, OH 45068.

Ongoing improvements to one of Ohio's most famous state parks passed another milestone Tuesday as Gov. Mike DeWine and ODNR Director Mary Mertz helped cut the ribbon at the new visitor center at Mohican State Park. "Ohio truly is the Heart of Adventure, and we want everyone to have a first-class experience when visiting one of our state parks," said DeWine. "Mohican State Park has so much to offer, and the new visitor center serves as a perfect welcome point for guests to learn about the region's natural history." An interactive children's space within the lodge teaches visitors of all ages about the park's natural and cultural history, and the center provides easy access for park visitors even during off hours.

PENSIONS

An auditor hired by the Ohio Retirement Study Council (ORSC) for a periodic check of actuarial calculations used by the School Employees Retirement System (SERS) found nothing substantial to report, the council heard Thursday. State law calls for the five public retirement systems to undergo actuarial audits once per decade. ORSC hired consulting firm PTA-KMS-Bolton to conduct the audit for SERS, and consultant Linda Bournival presented the results to the council Thursday. "The major finding: no news was good news," she said.

Next in the rotation is the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS). ORSC Chair Rep. Adam Bird (R-Cincinnati) established a subcommittee for the actuarial audit of OPERS to be chaired by Sen. Willis Blackshear (D-Dayton). Other members include Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) and gubernatorial council appointee and former Rep. Gary Scherer, with OPERS Executive Director Karen Carraher serving as a non-voting member. Such subcommittees typically solicit bids and then recommend to the full council a firm to conduct the audit.

PEOPLE

A memorial service for Sam Gresham has been set for Thursday, Aug. 21 at noon at the First Church of God, 3480 Refugee Rd., Columbus. Visitation will be held beginning at 10 a.m. Gresham, a long-time presence in and around Capitol Square, died at his home on Thursday, Aug. 7 at the age of 76. He was chair of Common Cause Ohio at the time of his death. Gresham was a familiar face on a number of local public affairs programs including NPR's Columbus on the Record. His last appearance was July 11. Gresham is survived by his wife Sandra Moody Gresham, six children and 15 grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, a donation to CommonCause.org or OHOrganizing.org is suggested.

Matt and Carrie Damschroder have been selected as 2025 "Angels in Adoption" honorees, U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) announced Friday. Husted had recommended that the couple be recognized by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), Husted's office said. The Damschroders are former foster parents who have two adopted children. Matt Damschroder serves as director of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS). Husted recently served with Damschroder in the DeWine administration when he was lieutenant governor.

The ABC Ohio Valley Chapter has named Doug Bolton as its new president effective Aug. 1. According to the organization, ABC Ohio Valley is a construction trade association "that is the voice of the merit-shop philosophy and represents nearly 300 member companies across a 35-county region in Southeast Indiana, Southern Ohio and Northern Kentucky." Bolton succeeds Brian Schlise, who had been hired in the fall of 2024 to replace longtime ABC Ohio Valley chapter president John Morris. Morris had been ABC's president for nearly 14 years. Schlise resigned earlier this year.

POLITICS

When it comes to youth engagement in the political process, House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) says it is a growing problem in Ohio relative to nearby states. Speaking at a Columbus Metropolitan Club (CMC) forum Wednesday, Isaacsohn said the state has young people registered to vote at "far lower rates," and lower rates of turnout among younger voters. "I do think we have failed to engage a diverse group of people in our democracy and government," Isaacsohn said, adding that entire swaths of the state have been lacking representation in their state government. Isaacsohn was part of a panel titled "The Next Wave: The New Leaders Shaping Ohio Politics" held in Columbus, which also featured Rep. Munira Abdullahi (D-Columbus), Whitehall Treasurer Shaquille Alexander, Sen. Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester), and Rep. David Thomas (R-Jefferson).

The Ohio Democratic Patty's (ODP) announced its rural caucus has elected new leadership. Christopher Gibbs will serve as chair, while Jordan Horstman will serve as vice chair and Troy Scott as secretary. ODP formed its Rural Caucus in 2023 to support Democratic values in rural communities; to identify, discuss, and address rural issues; and to accurately represent the needs of rural Democrats at all levels.

POVERTY

Industry and policy experts deliberating this week on the design of a ban on buying sweet drinks with food benefits explored the potential to use data from the overlapping Medicaid population and a separate, highly prescriptive nutrition benefits program for new mothers and their young children. Meanwhile, the Ohio Manufacturers' Association (OMA) and health care company Abbott requested the group ensure that any ban on buying sugar-sweetened beverages with Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program (SNAP) benefits not include infant formula and specific products meant for medical and special dietary uses. The two letters sought exemptions for formula as well as "medical foods," like oral rehydration solutions and formulas for metabolic disorders, as well as "foods for special dietary use," like nutrition supplements meant to help maintain weight, strength and immune function.

Twelve states, including two of Ohio's neighbors, have preliminary approval from the federal government to prohibit beneficiaries of SNAP from buying sweet drinks like soda. Ohio will submit a waiver request this fall under lawmakers' orders in the state budget bill, HB96 (Stewart). Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed definitional language from this section, saying it was too complex, and established a workgroup to recommend new parameters ahead of an October submission deadline. According to the federal Food and Nutrition Services (FSN), an arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, those 12 states are the following: Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.

Even with a slight dip in Ohio's overall poverty level from 2022 (13.4 percent) to 2023 (13.2 percent), the state's poverty rate is still above the national rate of 12.5 percent, ranking 15th highest among states. As of 2025, Ohio has trailed the national average for 18 consecutive years -- this according to Ohio Association of Community Action Agencies (OACAA) which released its 2025 "State of Poverty in Ohio" report on Thursday. Within Ohio, the effects of poverty can be seen in the life expectancy difference between wealthy Delaware County (81.3 years) and Vinton County (69.9 years), one of the state's most impoverished counties. Such disparity within the state often reflects the availability or lack thereof of resources like physical or mental health care, pharmacies and healthy food. OACAA highlights such resource deserts in its 2025 report which is available HERE.

PROPERTY TAX

The Property Tax Reform Working Group discussed five proposals that have been advanced on the issue at its meeting Thursday, reaching some consensus on two. Those included having a trigger percentage, such as 100 percent, in excess of the carryover at which time a taxing jurisdiction would have to justify to its county budget commission why the money was needed, rather than what Co-Chair Bill Seitz called an "arbitrary restriction" on the carryover amount. The other consensus item was that the county budget commission should have to wait "a decent interval" of time following voter approval of a levy before reducing it, Seitz told reporters, along with more specific definitions of "unnecessary and excessive" in the context of the commission's authority to act on levies found to meet that standard. There was also general agreement around HB186 (Hoops-D. Thomas), though discussions are ongoing about inside millage and whether to provide an offset to school districts through the school funding formula. The formula is expected to be discussed more at the next meeting on Thursday, Aug. 21.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board tweaked its new missing persons accreditation standard Wednesday and learned the pending 2025 law enforcement accreditation report is nearing 250 pages. Members were further updated on the implementation of Missing Persons Work Group recommendations and told extradition grants for interference-with-custody cases are "live and active." Director Ed Burkhammer of the Office of Criminal Justice Services' (OCJS) Law Enforcement Agency Certification Office suggested the older certification program portends good things for the DeWine administration's nascent law enforcement accreditation program launched last year. Burkhammer said the certification program, launched under the Kasich administration, now encompasses roughly two thirds of all state and local agencies and dozens more in some stage of the certification process.

As families prepare for the approaching academic year, the DeWine administration is asking drivers to protect students by following traffic and school bus laws. Ohio has seen 6,225 crashes involving school buses since 2020, including five fatal crashes involving one deceased student and four other deaths. "While school buses are considered the safest mode of transportation for students, their safety depends heavily on every driver remaining vigilant while behind the wheel," Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement. "There is nothing more important than our kids, and it's our shared responsibility to keep them safe." The governor recently signed legislation creating a new school bus safety grant program to help schools upgrade or add safety features to buses.

REDISTRICTING/REAPPORTIONMENT

With Ohio the only state required to redraw its congressional map in 2025, a number of groups are coming back together to reform the Equal Districts Coalition with a message for lawmakers drawing the lines -- Do the right thing. While other states are voluntarily redrawing congressional district lines to maximize political gain ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, Ohio is required to redraw its lines because the previous map adopted in 2021 did not have any bipartisan support, limiting its use for only four years under the Ohio Constitutional amendment adopted by voters in 2018. Members of the Equal Districts Coalition held an event at the Statehouse Thursday calling on lawmakers to draw fair districts in a transparent way. The coalition, made up of representatives from environmental, education, civil rights, and several other advocacy groups, highlighted what they said were the stakes as Ohio redraws its lines. Republicans currently hold 10 of the state's 15 congressional districts, but they could attempt to draw the lines to increase their advantage by two to three seats.

TAXATION

The Ohio Department of Taxation sent out a reminder that Ohio's sales tax holiday ended at 11:59 p.m. Thursday, August 14, 2025. During the previous two weeks, the holiday exemption applied to all sales of goods that are $500 or less except for certain watercraft, motor vehicles, alcoholic beverages, tobacco, vapor products, or items containing marijuana.

WORKFORCE

JobsOhio shared new details Tuesday on its Relocation Incentive Program, meant to encourage growing Ohio companies to develop or further expand an out-of-state recruitment effort, noting that broadens the overall state talent pool. The program provides $15,000 incentive payments for qualifying STEM or technical hires who move to Ohio, with up to $225,000 per company. Use of the money has no restrictions and can go to signing bonuses, relocation packages, recruiting campaigns, or other strategic talent acquisition investments.

Ohio stands ahead of the curve among states in one metric, although it may not be the one Ohio would choose. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of students graduating high school nationally is projected to peak during the 2025-2026 school year, before beginning a decline projected to last into the 2040s. In Ohio, however, the number of graduates peaked around 2020. Beyond that, Tom Walsh of Ohio State University (OSU) said during a panel at the recent Ohio Chamber of Commerce Workforce Summit that following the COVID-19 pandemic, the proportion of Ohio students going from high school to post-secondary education fell from 72 percent pre-pandemic to about 64 percent now. Walsh said that 70 percent of OSU graduates stay in Ohio -- a higher percentage than average.

[Story originally published in The Hannah Report. Copyright 2025 Hannah News Service, Inc.]