Week in Review February 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.

ADDICTION/SUBSTANCE ABUSE

OneOhio Recovery Foundation is reminding the substance abuse treatment community of its Wednesday, Feb. 11 deadline for round-two funding inquiries at the agency's grant portal. Executive Director Alisha Nelson says OneOhio's Grant Headquarters hosts various resources including the request for proposal (RFP), "Evidence Guide," "Funding Priorities," webinar recordings, FAQs and grant portal.

BALLOT ISSUES

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost on Tuesday certified the title and summary of a potential ballot issue to repeal sections of marijuana omnibus bill, SB56 (Huffman). Yost had rejected the initial petition language submitted last month by Ohioans for Cannabis Choice (OCC) for reasons ranging from an unclear distinction between uses of the word "hemp" to language Yost called misleading concerning local government authority under SB56, among other reasons. In a letter sent Tuesday to McTigue & Colombo LLC, Yost concluded that the title and summary submitted by OCC following his initial rejection of the language are now "fair and truthful statements of the proposed law or constitutional amendment."

DEATH PENALTY

Because of ongoing issues with drug supplies for lethal injection, Gov. Mike DeWine last week issued the following execution reprieves:

• Gerald Hand, who was scheduled to be executed on June 17, 2026. The new date of execution has been moved to April 18, 2029.

• Danny Lee Hill, who was scheduled to be executed on July 22, 2026. The new date of execution has been moved to July 18, 2029.

• Cleveland R. Jackson, who was scheduled to be executed on July 15, 2026. The new date of execution has been moved to June 13, 2029.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/URBAN REVITALIZATION

The Ohio Water Development Authority (OWDA) recently approved funding for numerous projects throughout the state designed to improve wastewater and drinking water infrastructure for communities and make water quality improvements for Ohioans. On Jan. 29, 2026, the OWDA Board approved funding for five projects as part of the Fresh Water Loan Fund Program to improve or replace aging infrastructure.

EDUCATION

Speaking Friday at an America 250-Ohio conference on the Northwest Ordinance, Gov. Mike DeWine said he is working to give social studies a renewed focus after state emphasis on reading, math and science left it unintentionally "crowded out" of K-12 education.

Refining a Senate proposal on academic intervention services, digging into forthcoming recommendations for improving school transportation and streamlining regulations will be dominant themes for the House Education Committee as its resumes hearings this year, Chair Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) told Hannah News. "I anticipate all of those to feature a lot in the upcoming committees, but we also have a lot of bills that members have introduced, and we're going to give as many of them as thorough a process as possible. So we're going to be very, very busy," she said in a phone interview.

Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel Monday officially launched the second round of his Team Tressel Fitness Challenge, which encourages students to set goals in fitness, nutrition and sleep. More than 390,000 students at 1,376 schools are enrolled, up from 183,000 students in more than 700 schools in the first round, according to the DeWine administration. Through the challenge, students in grades three through eight set personal goals and spend time reflecting on their progress.

A bipartisan House bill would prohibit the operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), or drones, over schools with exceptions for government use, "legitimate commercial" purposes and prior written consent from the school administration. It also limits the legal penalties for those younger than 17. Reps. Mark Sigrist (D-Grove City) and Ty Mathews (R-Findlay) sponsored HB597, which has been referred to the House Transportation Committee and awaits a hearing. Sigrist told Hannah News the inspiration for the bill came after instances where drones were flown at school athletic events in his district, making some attendees "uncertain" about them.

Some school leaders in Ohio feel strong-armed by the bylaws adopted by the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) in November 2025 that allow the state's high school athletes to enter into name, image and likeness (NIL) deals, according to Rep. Adam Bird (R-Cincinnati). "We should not be making decisions for Ohio based on one judge and one county," Bird said on Tuesday at a news conference held at the Statehouse. He was referring to the temporary restraining order by Franklin County Judge Jaiza Page in October 2025 that allowed OHSAA to move forward with adopting NIL rules for high school athletes. Bird and co-sponsor Rep. Mike Odioso (R-Cincinnati) on Tuesday introduced HB661 (Bird-Odioso), barring middle or high school athletes from earning NIL compensation, saying the state Legislature should be able to weigh in on such decisions. Bird's intent is to pass HB661 before the start of the next school year.

Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) founder William Lager is asking justices of the Ohio Supreme Court to block the state's attempts to freeze his assets while it seeks recovery of public money from him and companies tied to him that sold services to the now-defunct online charter school. Lager filed an appeal Friday with the Supreme Court after the 10th District Court of Appeals declined to issue a stay blocking the asset freeze ordered by Franklin County Common Pleas Judge Kimberly Cocroft.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) announced that its annual track and field state championships in early June will be named after track and field legend and pioneer Jesse Owens. Upon action by the OHSAA Board of Directors and effective immediately, the event will be renamed the OHSAA Jesse Owens Track and Field State Championships.

Touted by sponsors as a transparency and clarity bill, legislation introduced in the House Health Committee on Wednesday would require Ohio schools to notify parents about the childhood immunizations required by law as a condition of continued admission or enrollment and to notify parents about the exemptions that currently exist in Ohio code. "This legislation aims to ensure parents are fully informed of their existing rights under Ohio law to claim vaccine exemptions for children to attend licensed day cares, pre-schools, and K-12 public and nonpublic chartered schools," said HB561 sponsor Rep. Melanie Miller (R-Ashland).

The House Workforce and Higher Education overhauled a bill introduced to create scholarships for foster youth into a broader proposal to help these students navigate the education system and find resources to help them. The committee adopted Wednesday a substitute version of HB25 (Jarrells-Ray), 2337-7, renaming the proposed Foster to College Scholarship proposal the Fostering School Success Act. "We moved away from a single program and focused on building something stronger and more lasting," said Rep. Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus), who is jointly sponsoring HB25 with Rep. Sharon Ray (R-Wadsworth.)

The performance of all students enrolled in math classes at the Ohio State University (OSU) has improved, Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware) said Wednesday after telling the House Education Committee he had spoken with the dean of OSU's Department of Mathematics and learned the college had proceeded with a "complete" change in handling math instruction to address learning deficiencies in the subject. Brenner made the statement during his time giving sponsor testimony on SB19 (Brenner), legislation he said would address the "critical need for learning acceleration" among students across the state. He commented on improved math performance at OSU after saying the university changed its remediation process for incoming students to account for academic underperformance.

Gov. Mike DeWine addressed this year's Career and Technical Education Legislative Seminar in Columbus Thursday, espousing the importance of career tech programs for the state's overall success while noting there are challenges that still need to be addressed, particularly on career tech access and awareness. DeWine detailed ways Ohio is "doing well" at business attraction and workforce training, saying JobsOhio is one of the state's "great assets" and listing national rankings in which Ohio has performed well recently. He also noted the state's natural resources, particularly water, and its location within one day's drive from 60 percent of the U.S. and much of Canada as well.

Ohio school districts that file legal actions against the state to challenge the funding system, including scholarship programs like EdChoice, would see their state funding held in escrow until they drop out of the litigation. Rep. Jamie Callender (R-Concord) this week introduced HB671. The two-page bill proposes a Section 3317.50 of the Ohio Revised Code that would read, in part, as follows: "The Department of Education and Workforce shall withhold state foundation funding calculated under this chapter for any school district that is a complainant or a member of a complainant in a legal action against the state that challenges or otherwise seeks to change, invalidate, or declare void the calculation or distribution, or both, of foundation funding under this chapter, including funding for state scholarship programs as defined in Section 3301.0711 of the Revised Code. The department shall certify the amount of withheld funds to the director of budget and management. The director of budget and management shall transfer the amount certified into the state foundation funding escrow fund established under this section. The department of education and workforce shall release withheld funds to the school district only upon the termination of the legal action or the district's withdrawal from the action," the bill states.

ELECTIONS 2026

The leading candidates for governor continued to boast record-breaking fundraising totals in their annual reports for 2025, though Republican Vivek Ramaswamy has four times the cash on hand of Democrat Amy Acton, according to campaign finance reports. Friday was the filing deadline for statewide and legislative candidates to file their annual reports covering fundraising activity for the second half of 2025. Coming into the second half of the year with $7.43 million on hand, Ramaswamy's campaign reported $9.77 million in contributions, $4.66 million in expenditures and $12.87 million on hand. That amounted to $19.8 million raised over the year, which his campaign called "the strongest fundraising performance ever by a gubernatorial candidate in Ohio history." Acton reported $3.94 million in contributions, $1.66 million in expenditures and $3.09 million on hand. She raised $5.3 million during all of 2025. Her campaign said it was the most raised to that point by any Democratic challenger for governor, doubling the previous record from Rich Cordray's 2018 bid.

Northwood Mayor Edward "Ed" Schimmel recently announced he will seek the Republican nomination for Ohio's 44th House District, which will be open with Rep. Josh Williams' (R-Oregon) running for Congress. Schimmel, a Lucas County attorney, has served as mayor of Northwood since 2016 after previously serving on city council.

Familiar names are among those who filed their petitions by Wednesday's filing deadline for the Tuesday, May 5 primary, but there were also some notable names who didn't file. Among them was former Sen. Niraj Antani, who decided against running for state treasurer this year. His exit from the race leaves Sen. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson) and former Rep. Jay Edwards competing for the Republican nomination for state treasurer, with the winner facing Democrat and Cincinnati City Councilman Seth Walsh in November. Roegner, Edwards and Walsh all filed by the deadline. In General Assembly races, Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) was the only one to file for the Republican nomination for Ohio Senate District 5, where Sen. Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City) is term-limited, and as of press time, no Democrat had filed for the seat. Rep. Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria), who had launched a Senate campaign, instead filed for re-election and will likely face former Rep. J. Todd Smith for the nomination for the 40th House District. Former Rep. Scott Lipps also did not file for Senate District 7, where Sen. Steve Wilson (R-Maineville) is term-limited, leaving Republicans Zac Haines and Kim Lukens facing each other for the seat. Democrat Cara Jacob filed on the Democratic side. A list of candidates for filed for state offices is HERE.

Gov. Mike DeWine discussed multiple items related to the November election with reporters Thursday, saying he's "not really focused on this primary for the first time in a few years." He noted he's endorsed frontrunner Vivek Ramaswamy for governor, adding he'll make other endorsements in statewide races at a later date and will be "supporting Republican tickets."

The following endorsements were made over the week:

• The campaign of U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) announced the endorsements of the Ohio Cattlemen's Association and U.S. Reps. Warren Davidson (R-Troy) and Dave Joyce (R-Novelty).

• The Ohio Senate campaign of Republican Phil Plummer announced the endorsement of Ohio Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon).

• 314 Action Fund endorsed Democrat Allison Russo for secretary of state.

ENERGY/UTILITIES

The Ohio Supreme Court may be forced to issue a precedent-setting decision on "deliberative-process" confidentiality following its two-decade-old ruling on executive privilege to resolve Monday's evidentiary dispute in the criminal trial of former FirstEnergy executives. The defense seeks to exclude what the Ohio Attorney General calls key emails implicating CEO Charles Jones and S.V.P. of External Affairs Michael Dowling in the 133-HB6 (Callender-Wilkin) scandal. Jury selection began last week in the Summit County trial of Jones and Dowling, who face 11 charges including racketeering, bribery, conspiracy and money laundering, and concluded Monday before the AG and defense counsel argued over emails allegedly between late Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) Chairman Sam Randazzo and agency staff. Jones and Dowling say the attorney general's attempt to keep those emails confidential would handicap their case. Attorney General Dave Yost says he will go to the high court if Judge Susan Baker Ross excludes them altogether.

A major voice on Capitol Square says the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) and grid operator PJM Interconnection are allowing power companies to inflate electric load forecasts supporting "gold-plated" capital investments and windfall profits to justify generation capacity and transmission demands that may never bear out -- data centers and artificial intelligence (AI) notwithstanding. Sen. Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario) says the Ohio Manufacturers' Association (OMA) is right to question "speculative" or anecdotal megawatt (MW) needs which PJM's Independent Market Monitor (IMM) blames for regional capacity costs -- those ensuring power 24/7/365 -- rising 10 times faster than actual load over the past three years. Instead of $1.8 billion in charges for demonstrated need, OMA says, PJM consumers of all sizes have paid $21.3 billion more for electric capacity since 2022.

ETHICS

The Ohio Ethics Commission's now-suspended effort to require some charter school officials to file financial disclosure forms marks the continuation of a longstanding debate about oversight of these schools. Paul Nick, executive director of the commission, told Hannah News the commission has been considering for a while whether anyone in the governance structure for charter schools - the colloquial term, as state law refers to them as community schools - should file disclosure forms. At traditional public school districts, superintendents, treasurers and business managers file disclosure forms, as do board members in districts with enrollment of at least 12,000 students. Those people, noted Nick, are all unquestionably public officials, but the line is not so clear for some in the charter sector. Charter schools have a hybrid oversight and governance structure. The schools are public entities, but they might be operated under contract with a nonprofit or for-profit private company. Every charter school is overseen by a sponsoring organization, some of which are public and some private. School districts themselves often sponsor charter schools, as do educational service centers (ESCs).

Before the Ohio Ethics Commission (OEC) voted to suspend its bid to require board members for charter schools to file financial disclosure forms, the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) had begun digging into the commission's protocols for adding new people to the list of those who must file the forms. "It's about the process. What happened was a pretty substantive change with very little input, and we became aware of this process where a majority of the Ethics Commission members can basically determine different public entities that are going to be required to disclose personal financial information through a majority vote, and it's put down in their [meeting] minutes with very little process," Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green), co-chair of JCARR, told Hannah News in an interview.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE

Senate Democrats asked Republicans to join them in legislation Tuesday to ensure Ohio's data center boom does not erode energy reliability and affordability or local water resources or limit communities' home rule power over how and whether huge digital installations are built in their jurisdictions. Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) and colleagues said the small number of permanent jobs created by data centers do not warrant the special tax breaks they've enjoyed since budget bill 130-HB59 (Amstutz) and state law amended as recently as budget bill HB96 (Stewart).

The House Technology and Innovation Committee resumed its work Tuesday with a briefing from Chair Thad Claggett (R-Newark), reflecting how he previously addressed the committee after breaks in the legislative schedule. His written statement told the committee to expect votes on a number of bills "relatively soon." He said their work is "extraordinarily important" given the pace of technological development, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), saying he wants to move as quickly as possible while maintaining members' full understanding of the technology issues.

The House Technology and Innovation Committee heard proponent testimony on HB524 (Cockley-T. Mathews), which seeks to penalize entities whose artificial intelligence (AI) models suggest harming oneself or another person. Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation CEO Tony Coder said there have been "some suicides where AI has played a part," and detailed overall rates of suicide. That included 1,777 Ohioans in 2023 -- nearly five a day -- and Coder said suicide was the second-leading cause of death for children ages 10 to 14.

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) has announced that the Statehouse parking garage will be closed to the public and passholders for the purpose of planned electrical work beginning at the end of the day on Friday, Feb. 6 at midnight and reopening Sunday morning, Feb. 8 at 5 a.m. On Saturday and early Sunday morning, the elevators in the garage will not be operational. Stairwell access will still be available for pedestrians.

House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) told reporters Wednesday some of his priorities for the second half of the 136th General Assembly are "not as interesting" to the public, such as a tax conformity bill he anticipates will be voted on in "the next couple of weeks." The capital budget would likely be done before summer break, he continued, and he wants to see what caucuses and committees bring forward as well. Huffman noted there is "a lot of support" for HB646 (Click-Deeter) to create a bipartisan commission to study the rapid growth of data centers in the state, adding the House will consider an override on Gov. Mike DeWine's veto of budget language removing data centers' exemption for paying taxes on building materials. He commented that "everybody else" pays taxes on their building materials.

House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) told reporters Wednesday his caucus continues to focus on affordability issues, such as buying a first home, renting and paying property taxes; child care; energy costs; and health care. "Our job as lawmakers should be making a quality, good life more accessible and affordable for the people in this state," he said when asked about priorities for the second half of the 136th General Assembly.

By strengthening and modernizing Ohio's criminal identification system, Rep. Andrea White (R-Kettering) hopes to evolve the "highway" on which the state's background checks -- for jobs, professional licenses, criminal investigations and firearms purchases -- run. White appeared on Thursday with Attorney General (AG) Dave Yost and several representatives of Ohio law enforcement agencies and county courts to outline her bill, which has yet to be introduced, that intends to improve the collection and warehousing of computerized criminal history (CCH) that remains sometimes disjointed among agencies like local law enforcement, jails and prisons and the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI).

GOVERNOR

Judicial appointment made during the week includes the following:

• Eva J. Yarger to the Van Wert Court of Common Pleas, Probate and Juvenile Division. Yarger, of Van Wert, will assume office on Tuesday, Feb. 17, and will take the seat formerly held by Judge Kevin H. Taylor, who retired. She will serve the remainder of the unfinished term and must run for election in November 2026 to retain the seat.

• Timothy W. Clary to the Eighth District Court of Appeals. Clary, of Cleveland Heights, will assume office on Tuesday, Feb. 17, taking the seat formerly held by Judge Mary Eileen Kilbane, who retired. He will serve the remainder of the unfinished term and must run for election in November 2026 to retain the seat.

• Ryan Styer to the Tuscarawas County Court of Common Pleas, General and Domestic Relations Division. Styer, of New Philadelphia, will assume office on Monday, March 2, and will take the seat formerly held by Judge Elizabeth Thomakos, who resigned. He will serve the remainder of the unfinished term and must run for election in November 2026 to retain the seat.

Appointments made over the week include the following:

• Pradeep K. Bekal of Cincinnati (Hamilton County) to the University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees for a term beginning Jan. 16, 2026, and ending Jan. 1, 2032.

• Lauren E. Massie of New Albany (Franklin County) to the STEM Committee for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and continuing at the pleasure of the governor.

• E. Ann Gabriel of Athens (Athens County) to the Ohio Tuition Trust Authority Investment Board for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Jan. 30, 2028 and Scott Brihn of North Royalton (Cuyahoga County) reappointed for a term beginning Jan. 31, 2026, and ending Jan. 30, 2030.

• Ralph E. Griffith, Jr. of Columbus (Franklin County) reappointed to the Ohio Housing Finance Agency for a term beginning Feb. 1, 2026, and ending Jan. 31, 2032.

• Cynthia S. Mucher of Yellow Springs (Greene County) to the Ohio Arts Council for a term beginning Jan. 16, 2026, and ending July 1, 2028.

• Joe Foster of Gallipolis (Gallia County) to the Ohio Expositions Commission for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Dec. 1, 2028.

• Cole R. Luthman of Versailles (Darke County) appointed, and Cathann A. Kress of Ostrander (Delaware County), Bradford L. Garrison of West Salem (Wayne County) and Leah C. Dorman of Croton (Licking County) reappointed to the Ohio Livestock Care Standards Board for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Jan. 25, 2029.

• Andrea L. Miller of Delaware (Delaware County) appointed to the State Veterinary Medical Licensing Board for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Dec. 31, 2027 and Susan M. Skorupski of Orient (Franklin County) and Ray A. Hephner of Walton Hills (Cuyahoga County) reappointed for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Dec. 31, 2028.

• Abbey M. DeHart of Delaware (Delaware County) appointed director of the Ohio Public Works Commission for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending March 18, 2029.

• Andrea M. Hoff of Kettering (Montgomery County) and Rachel L. Huffman of Xenia (Greene County) appointed to the Chemical Dependency Professionals Board for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Dec. 23, 2028; Duane E. Adkins of Willowick (Lake County) appointed for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Dec. 23, 2026, and Wendy H. Doolittle of Springfield (Clark County) and Kenneth R. Yeager of Granville (Licking County) reappointed for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Dec. 23, 2028.

• Wayne T. Kinney of Harrison (Hamilton County) to the Counselor, Social Worker, and Marriage and Family Therapist Board for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Oct. 10, 2028.

• Dennis P. Deters of Cincinnati (Hamilton County) reappointed to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio for a term beginning April 11, 2026, and ending April 10, 2031.

• Nancy L. Bucci of Columbus (Franklin County) appointed to the Ohio Advisory Council for Aging for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Nov. 21, 2026, Kaitlin Reber Stokes of Columbus (Franklin County) and Trey Addison of Blacklick (Franklin County) appointed for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Nov. 21, 2028, and Blaine P. Brockman of West Jefferson (Madison County) and Jean B. Thompson of Columbus (Franklin County) appointed for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Nov. 21, 2027.

• Sarah V. Ackman of Columbus (Franklin County) appointed to the Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Dec. 31, 2026, and Pandora S. Dupras of Chillicothe (Ross County), Guadalupe Bright of Westerville (Delaware County) and Allison M. Boot of Beavercreek (Greene County) appointed for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Dec. 31, 2028.

• Kevin R. Flynn of Cincinnati (Hamilton County) has been appointed to the Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Oct. 26, 2026 and William C. Clark III of Youngstown (Mahoning County), Courtney E. Hines of Lewis Center (Delaware County), Ashley M. Poling of Dublin (Franklin County) and Donna Foster of Westerville (Franklin County) appointed for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending March 14, 2027.

• Robert L. Davis of Richmond Heights (Cuyahoga County) reappointed to the Waterways Safety Council for a term beginning Feb. 1, 2026, and ending Jan. 31, 2031.

• Nathan Leggett of Dover (Tuscarawas County) to the Reclamation Forfeiture Fund Advisory Board for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Jan. 10, 2030.

• Dennis E. Booth of Williamsport (Pickaway County) reappointed to the Ohio Board of Motor Vehicle Repair for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Jan. 1, 2029.

• John N. Pavlis of Canton (Stark County) and A. Bailey Stanbery of Toledo (Lucas County) reappointed to the Board of Building Standards for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Oct. 13, 2029.

• George E. Brown of Etna (Licking County) reappointed to the State Fire Council for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Nov. 1, 2030.

• John W. Kayser of Bucyrus (Crawford County) appointed to the State Emergency Response Commission for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Jan. 13, 2027 and Kathryn Bradsher Brown of Dublin (Franklin County), Heith D. Good of Amanda (Fairfield County), D. Michael Barhorst of Sidney (Shelby County) and Edward J. Dadosky of Blue Ash (Hamilton County) reappointed for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Jan. 13, 2028.

• Jeffrey K. Bates of Johnstown (Licking County) and Kirk E. Hines of Lancaster (Fairfield County) appointed to the Sewage Treatment System Technical Advisory Committee for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Dec. 31, 2027, Mark H. Adams of Canal Fulton (Stark County) and Anthony W. Nosko of Columbus (Franklin County) appointed for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Dec. 31, 2028 and Gary R. Salmon of Oxford (Butler County) reappointed for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Dec. 31, 2028.

• John G. Reiner of Dublin (Delaware County) reappointed to the Ohio Landscape Architects Board for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Nov. 10, 2030.

• Doreen N. Uhas-Sauer of Columbus (Franklin County), Clyde E. Henry of Orient (Madison County), Amy L. Kramb of Dublin (Franklin County) and Elizabeth F. Johnson of Cincinnati (Hamilton County) reappointed to the Ohio Historic Site Preservation Advisory Board for terms beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Jan. 14, 2029.

• Walter L. Wiant of Greenville (Darke County), John C. Leck of New Philadelphia (Tuscarawas County) and James A. Lashaway of Bowling Green (Wood County) appointed to the Historical Boilers Licensing Board for terms beginning Jan. 31, 2026, and ending Jan. 30, 2031, Richard L. Oeder of Morrow (Warren County) reappointed for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Sept. 30, 2030 and Homer D. Rufener of Sardis (Monroe County) reappointed for a term beginning Jan. 30, 2026, and ending Sept. 30, 2029.

HIGHER EDUCATION

The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) has opened a new learning complex dedicated to animal agriculture. The opening was marked by a ribbon-cutting event attended by more than 250 people, according to a university statement. The new Multispecies Animal Learning Complex (MALC) and dairy, located at Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory near OSU's Columbus campus and spanning more than 150,000 square feet, features separate barns for swine, poultry, equine and ruminants, which at max capacity will house approximately 2,200 animals, the university said.

The University of Toledo's (UT) Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership will host a free, public lecture discussing the legacy of abolitionist Frederick Douglass, the university announced. The lecture will be presented by Diana Schaub, professor emerita of political science at Loyola University Maryland, and is set to take place Tuesday, Feb. 10 at noon in the Law Center Room 1013 at UT's College of Law. The lecture falls only a few days prior to Douglass Day, which is celebrated annually on Saturday, Feb. 14.

Ohio State University (OSU) announced Thursday that it has reached an additional eight settlements with survivors in cases involving Richard Strauss. This settlement resolves all claims in two different plaintiff groups, the university noted. "Ohio State has now reached settlement agreements with more than half of all plaintiffs, 304 survivors, for more than $60 million. No taxpayer, tuition or restricted donor funds are utilized for these settlements," the statement from the school said.

IMMIGRATION

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security does not have "unbounded discretion" to terminate the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) allowing many Haitians to live legally in the U.S., according to the Monday night ruling that at least temporarily halted Trump administration efforts to end TPS for Haitians. An outcome in the case had been anxiously awaited in Ohio, where Springfield in particular has a high concentration of Haitian immigrants living and working under TPS. Judge Ana Reyes of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia sharply criticized DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's legal arguments and public statements on the TPS termination.

Ahead of the court ruling and TPS deadline, Gov. Mike DeWine said he’s received “mixed signals” about what kind of immigration enforcement activity Springfield should expect. He said he viewed revocation of TPS for Haitians as a mistake.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has not made communities across the country safer, despite that being the "whole point" of its operations, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Sherrod Brown said recently, speaking with reporters after meeting with a local Columbus restaurant owner to discuss the state's "affordability crisis" and its effect on small businesses. His comments come at a time the state was bracing for increased ICE activity in anticipation of the since-halted revocation of TPS for Haitians.

A group of more than 600 state lawmakers from across the country signed a statement expressing support for residents of Minnesota and calling for changes to federal immigration enforcement actions. The statement, released Jan. 28, 2026, says the lawmakers believe the country is at a decisive moment and argues the recent federal immigration enforcement actions threaten constitutional rights and democratic principles. Ohio House members who signed the letter include Reps. Michele Grim (D-Toledo), Munira Abdullahi (D-Columbus), Anita Somani (D-Dublin), Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland), Christine Cockley (D-Columbus), Tristan Rader (D-Lakewood), Ashley Bryant Bailey (D-Cincinnati), Veronica Sims (D-Akron), Karen Brownlee (D-Cincinnati) and Erica White (D-Toledo). Members of the Ohio Senate who signed the letter include Sens. Beth Liston (D-Dublin) and William DeMora (D-Columbus) and Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood).

House Democrats Tuesday held a press conference announcing a package of eight pieces of legislation in response to the activities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in other states, saying the bills will protect Ohio families, safeguard due process, and ensure accountability related to recent federal immigration enforcement activity.

JUDICIAL

The U.S. Supreme Court has denied Miami Township's request for writ of certiorari to hear its appeal of a lower court's $45 million award to Roger Dean Gillispie, who the Ohio Supreme Court and other tribunals have found was wrongly imprisoned for alleged sexual assault. Gillispie walked free in 2011 after a judge granted his claims of wrongful prosecution. Miami Township attorneys now say a $45 million award would bankrupt it for decades.

The Supreme Court of Ohio announced the release of its first "Competency to Stand Trial and Dispositions" bench card Tuesday to help judges, magistrates, attorneys and the public navigate the complexities of competency evaluations and dispositions in state courts. The bench card results from collaboration with legal and behavioral health experts and provides a practical guide on competency issues in misdemeanor and felony cases, offering detailed information on evaluation procedures, restoration timelines and disposition pathways.

JUVENILE JUSTICE

The Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) and Uber for Business are teaming to provide transportation -- long a hurdle for former DYS detainees -- to young adults on parole. The department is launching the program among youth on release in Columbus, Cleveland and Dayton but looked all the way to Miami, FL for scalable data on that city's public-private partnership with the ride service. DYS explored various transportation solutions before choosing Uber for ease of use, customizable ride controls and transparent billing. The agency verifies that riders are 18 years or older and restricts each trip to preapproved locations, dates and times remotely through the Uber for Business dashboard.

The DeWine administration is heralding a new education facility focused on training young people for technology careers rather than detaining them in juvenile lockup. The governor joined the Ohio Department of Youth Services (DYS) this week at the Central Ohio ribbon-cutting for the Circleville Juvenile Correctional Facility (JCF) Career Center. It expands career pathways in hospitality and tourism, construction technologies, media arts and transportation systems. "All kids deserve the opportunity to live up to their full potential, including the justice-involved youth at DYS," Gov. Mike DeWine said Tuesday. "The youth here have all gone through a lot in their young lives, but because of this new center, they know there are opportunities awaiting them. When they head home, they'll be leaving here with skills that are in demand and talents that employers are looking for."

LOBBYISTS

The Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA) announced that its CEO Todd Baker "will conclude his tenure with the organization later this year following a planned decision to transition into an independent consulting role." As a result, the organization's Board of Directors has begun a search for Baker's successor, "seeking an experienced health care or association executive with a strong understanding of Ohio's health care policy environment and physician advocacy. The CEO will provide strategic leadership for the association, oversee day-to-day operations, and serve as the primary representative with key health care stakeholders." Additional information regarding the CEO search is available on the organization's website.

The Ohio Children's Hospital Association (OCHA) Tuesday announced that it has named Kate Huffman as its vice president. Huffman, who replaces Sarah Kincaid, has more than a decade of experience in legislative and executive lobbying. Prior to joining OCHA, Huffman served as senior director of government affairs at the Ohio Hospital Association, leading advocacy efforts for 252 hospitals and 15 health systems. She has also worked in the office of the Ohio Speaker of the House in various capacities, beginning her career in public service as an LSC legislative fellow. Additionally, Huffman served as the finance director for a statewide campaign and worked in the Ohio Secretary of State's office, managing regional operations and overseeing outreach initiatives across the state.

MILITARY AFFAIRS

Speaking to reporters Friday, Gov. Mike DeWine said Ohio National Guard personnel in Washington, D.C. "will be coming home" in February, rather than remaining beyond that point. The overall National Guard presence is expected to last through 2026, according to media reports.

NATURAL RESOURCES

The Controlling Board Monday approved a request from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) that would spend nearly $1.2 million in oil and gas lease royalties for improvements to the park. Ryan Frazee, the chief financial officer for ODNR, told the panel that the request involves the first royalty payment for fracking leases in Salt Fork State Park and was received on Dec. 26 for August, September and October of last year.

Following the finale of white-tailed deer hunting season in Ohio on Sunday, Feb. 1, hunters in the state checked a total of 232,142 deer for the season since September 2025, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Wildlife. That total checked during the 2025-2026 season is slightly down from the 238,137 deer checked in Ohio during the 2024- 2025 season, despite tightened regulations on deer bag limits in some parts of the state following outbreaks of epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) over the past two years.

OHIO HISTORY

The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) announced free educational programs will be offered every Tuesday in February in the Statehouse Atrium to celebrate Black History Month. Topics of the programs include West African music and dance, Freedom on the Frontier, Black Communities in Cincinnati and history programs by the Underground Railroad and Freedom Center and the Columbus Metropolitan Library. CSRAB said that admission is free and reservations are not required, but large groups and schools are encouraged to RSVP to tours@ohiostatehouse.org. American Sign Language interpretation will be available, however CSRAB is asking for those needing services to RSVP to tours@ohiostatehouse.org for reserved seating.

OHIO STATE FAIR

The Ohio Expositions Commission (OEC) recently announced the preliminary lineup for performers at the 2026 Ohio State Fair. Thus far, the following artists are set to perform this summer:

• Styx featuring Don Felder to perform on Wednesday, July 29, at 7 p.m.

• Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas to perform on Saturday, Aug. 1, at 7 p.m.

• For KING + Country to perform on Monday, Aug. 3, at 7 p.m.

• Nelly to perform on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at 7:30 p.m.

• "Weird Al" Yankovic to perform on Wednesday, Aug. 5, at 7 p.m.

• Bailey Zimmerman to perform on Friday, Aug. 7, at 7:30 p.m.

• Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms and Spin Doctors to perform on Saturday, Aug. 8, at 7 p.m.

PARKS/RECREATION

The Cuyahoga Valley National Park (CVNP) is seeking volunteers for a variety of different roles at the park. To that end, it is hosting a volunteer open house on Saturday, Feb, 28 from 1-3:30 p.m. at Happy Days Lodge, at which time attendees can find out more about the opportunities.

PEOPLE

Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and his wife, Apoorva, announced the birth of their third child Wednesday night. Ramaswamy's daughter, Savrithi, is the couple's third child and first daughter, following sons Karthik and Arjun.

TAXATION

The House Ways and Means Committee Wednesday amended a Senate bill to make it this year's version of tax conformity related to recent federal changes - this time in response to last year's passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) or federal HR1. Vice Chair Rep. David Thomas (R-Jefferson) moved substitute version 2663 for SB9 (Blessing), which Chair Bill Roemer (R-Richfield) said is the annual tax conformity bill. He said this version includes more significant changes than previous versions. He added that provisions related to taxes on tips and overtime that were part of the federal HR1 are not included in the bill as those tax changes are on a different schedule.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) projected its smallest private-employer rate cut in nine years Friday due to "uncertainty" around medical inflation -- historically lower than wage expansion -- that could overtake continued income growth now well ahead of the standard cost-of-living increase. BWC 's Board of Directors reviewed a -1 percent rate decrease for private employers recommended by Deloitte accountants. That is well below last year's -6 percent cut and lags far behind double-digit savings in previous years. One must go back to 2012 for a smaller decrease of -0.4 percent -- a downward trend in private-employer rates interrupted only in 2017.

WORKFORCE

Applications are now being accepted for the next round of Industry Sector Partnership (ISP) grants, which offers $5 million to support new and existing local collaborations between businesses, education and training institutions and community stakeholders. The Ohio Department of Development (DOD) and Governor's Office of Workforce Transformation announced the round's opening Tuesday, noting the ISPs must focus on an in-demand sector defined by regional workforce needs. The application window closes at 3 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 27. More information is HERE.

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