Week in Review May 4, 2026

PDF/Printer-Friendly Version

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.

AGING

The Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) recently announced Director Ursel McElroy had been named to the new federal Healthcare Advisory Committee, which will assist the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve, strengthen and modernize the U.S. health care system, including federal programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

AGRICULTURE

In the first three months of 2026, more than 907 acres across the state have been permanently preserved for agricultural use through the state's Farmland Preservation Program (FPP), the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODAg) recently announced. "Each year we're excited to see more farmland in Ohio placed in the FPP," said ODAg Director Brian Baldridge in a statement. "Agriculture remains one of Ohio's top industries and preserving land for future generations of farmers helps strengthen the state's agricultural heritage."

More than two-thirds of crop fields in Ohio's Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB) are currently enrolled in either a state- or federal- level cost share conservation program, according to the results of a survey of agricultural best management practices released by the Ohio Agricultural Conservation Initiative (OACI).

ATTORNEY GENERAL

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost says professionals serving older Ohioans can now register for his World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) Conference. The conference, presented by the attorney general's Elder Abuse Commission, will return to the Fawcett Center at Ohio State University in Columbus on Monday, June 29. The deadline to register is Wednesday, June 10, or earlier if capacity is reached. The registration portal and additional information can be found HERE.

Ohio Attorney General (AG) Dave Yost is seeking nominations for 2026 Law Enforcement Awards to be presented this fall. Award criteria and nomination instructions are available HERE.

FY27-28 CAPITAL APPROPRIATIONS

The Ohio Attorney General's Office is proposing its largest capital budget over five biennia in FY27-28 to maintain traditional law enforcement skills and spur advanced DNA and ballistics testing. The AG says antiquated technology at the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCII), a proposed "smart" shooting range for the Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy (OPOTA), and basic renovations will require $23.6 million in FY27-28 -- $1 million more than the current biennium, over twice FY29-30's projected request. "This request focuses on the most urgent infrastructure needs -- to ensure the London BCII facility remains a state-of-the-art center for forensic science and criminal investigation for all of Ohio," the attorney general says in an 18-page capital budget request.

CHILDREN/FAMILIES

Gov. Mike DeWine, joined by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Assistant Secretary Alex Adams, this week announced the state will join ACF's "A Home for Every Child" initiative, a federal effort working to improve outcomes for children in foster care. According to ACF, for every 100 children entering foster care, only 57 licensed foster homes are available nationwide. The initiative aims to create a better ratio of foster homes to the number of children in the foster care system, DeWine's office said, noting it focuses on improving the foster care system for both children and caregivers by creating a faster, more efficient pathway to permanency while also ensuring there is access to safe foster homes.

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

The public official at the center of a $61 million FirstEnergy bribe to advance its interests in the General Assembly and at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) says, according to media reports, that he'll seek a presidential pardon after the U.S. Supreme Court denied his writ of certiorari, meaning former House Speaker Larry Houselder won't find an audience there. Absent compelling new evidence, the ruling appears to end all avenues of judicial appeal for Householder and former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Matt Borges, who also asked the Supreme Court to hear his case.

A New Albany man this week pleaded guilty to mailing threatening letters to more than 30 public officials including Gov. Mike DeWine, Attorney General Dave Yost, Secretary of State Frank LaRose and others. According to the office of U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio Dominick Gerace, 40-year-old Ronald Lidderdale pleaded guilty to 31 counts of federal crimes including mailing threatening communications, transmitting threatening communications in interstate commerce, false information and hoaxes and cyberstalking.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT/URBAN REVITALIZATION

Gov. Mike DeWine Monday said he would listen to any proposed changes to JobsOhio, but said he believes the nonprofit economic development arm of the state is transparent and has been hugely successful for his administration. A number of lawmakers have introduced bills seeking increased transparency and regular audits of JobsOhio in the wake of its role in the sponsoring of a podcast linked to the resignation of former Ohio State University President Ted Carter. Attorney General Dave Yost also has renewed his calls for more scrutiny of JobsOhio, saying the podcast matter "revived legitimate questions about public transparency and accountability" at JobsOhio.

Gov. Mike DeWine's administration announced Monday the approval of assistance for five projects expected to create 437 new jobs and retain 315 jobs statewide. During its monthly meeting, the Ohio Tax Credit Authority (TCA) reviewed economic development proposals brought by JobsOhio and its regional partners. The projects are expected to collectively result in more than $29.4 million in new payroll and spur nearly $100 million in investments across Ohio.

From Ohio's best-in-the-nation state parks system to the booming arts districts in the state's largest cities, the warming temperatures of the spring season invite Ohioans to blaze a trail, or several, through the brightest highlights the state has to offer this summer. To guide Ohioans on their journey, TourismOhio recently released the 2026 Ohio Travel Guide to inspire Buckeyes and beyond through Ohio's best getaways and hidden gems with expert tips and unforgettable stories. A digital copy of the 2026 Ohio Travel Guide can be found HERE.

ECONOMY

Ohio's capital city has grown faster than any other city in the state in recent years, according to population numbers recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau. In total population, the Columbus metro area at 2,242,028 came in just behind Cincinnati (including parts of Indiana and Kentucky) at 2,312,858 as of July 2025. However, Ohio's capital grew at a faster rate than Cincinnati both from 2024-2025 (Columbus at 1.0 percent, Cincinnati at 0.6 percent) and from 2020-2025 (Columbus at 4.8 percent, Cincinnati at 2.8 percent).

EDUCATION

Credential-earning Ohio high school students generally get a short-term earnings boost, but the economic value of work credentials the state recognizes varies widely, and lower-income students are more likely to earn lower-value credentials, according to a study commissioned by the Fordham Institute. With substantial growth in the proportion of students earning workforce credentials - from 2 percent in the class of 2014 to 26 percent for the class of 2024 - Fordham set out to gauge the benefit to students from this increased focus. Fordham asked Ohio State University researcher Jay Plasman to study the topic.

Gov. Mike DeWine visited with students and teachers at an Upper Arlington elementary school Monday as he continues to make the case for the science of reading for the next administration. DeWine, along with First Lady Fran DeWine and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) Director Stephen Dackin toured Greensview Elementary School, one of five elementary schools in Upper Arlington recognized as a Governor's Science of Reading Champion for 2026. He also held a roundtable with teachers in the district, saying that he wanted to hear from teachers how they implemented the science of reading, and how it works.

The Ohio Supreme Court has rejected a bid by Electronic Classroom of Tomorrow (ECOT) founder William Lager to block the asset freeze ordered by a trial court in the state's case seeking to recoup Lager's profits from public funding to the defunct online charter school. The Supreme Court this month declined Lager's request that justices accept jurisdiction in the case after losses in Franklin County Common Pleas Court and the 10th District Court of Appeals. Justice Jennifer Brunner dissented in the decision not to accept the case, while Justice Joe Deters did not participate in the decision.

A countywide juvenile probation officer faces "overlapping influences and conflicting loyalties" that prevent simultaneous service on a local school board in the same county, Attorney General Dave Yost wrote in a formal opinion to the Wyandot County prosecutor. Prosecutor Eric Figlewicz wrote to Yost about the interest of one of three countywide juvenile probation officers in serving on a local school board, asking if the positions are compatible. Yost relied on a seven-part test regarding compatibility of public offices laid out in a 2015 opinion regarding the potential school board service of a sheriff', saying all seven conditions must be met to demonstrate computability. In this case, the fifth question, regarding conflicts of interest between positions is "dispositive" of incompatibility, Yost wrote.

The DeWine administration and Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) said Wednesday that $97.5 million will be provided under two grant programs to help expand high-quality charter schools, also known as community schools in Ohio. The funds include $50 million through the Charter Schools Program Grant and $47.5 million through the Charter School Facilities Incentive Grant, with both grant programs funded by the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE). USDOE Secretary Linda McMahon announced plans for those investments during a visit to Columbus in September.

ELECTIONS

Three alleged campaign finance violations by former House Speaker Larry Householder can continue to be heard by the Ohio Election Integrity Commission (OEIC), while another should be dismissed, a magistrate for the Ohio 10th District Court of Appeals recommended Tuesday. Secretary of State Frank LaRose had filed the complaints against Householder with the Ohio Elections Commission (OEC) in the wake of Householder's federal indictment. However, citing the ongoing federal case, OEC did not act on the complaints until last year, holding a hearing on the matter in its waning days before its functions were turned over to the new OEIC created by lawmakers in biennial budget HB96 (Stewart).

The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a long-awaited ruling Wednesday on consideration of race in congressional redistricting, finding that federal Voting Rights Act language on minority representation has previously been applied by courts "in a way that forces states to engage in the very race-based discrimination that the Constitution forbids." Justice Samuel Alito wrote that majority opinion, joined by Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Amy Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas. Thomas also filed a concurring opinion signed by Gorsuch. Justice Elena Kagan filed a dissent joined by Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Sonia Sotomayor.

ELECTIONS 2026

Three Republicans are dominating the advertising space in down ticket races ahead of the Tuesday, May 5 primary, according to AdImpact, which tracks political ad spending. Current Treasurer Robert Sprague, who is running for secretary of state, and state Sen. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson), seeking Sprague's current office of state treasurer, have spent the most so far this primary cycle, AdImpact reports, but new spending recently by Roegner primary opponent former Rep. Jay Edwards had put him ahead in campaign investment.

In advance of the Tuesday, May 5 primary, the League of Women Voters of Ohio (LWVO) highlighted the importance of Ohioans participating and casting a ballot. Pointing to recent elections, LWVO Executive Director Jen Miller said a single vote can determine if a local fire department gets enough funding to operate, or a few votes can determine how many teachers a school district can hire and pay. LWVO said turnout in the 2022 and 2024 primary elections was around 20 percent. In 2022, precincts with the highest turnout were in North Ridgeville in Lorain County and precincts in Mahoning, Van Wert, Defiance and Fulton counties. Those with the lowest turnout were in Bowling Green and Athens, Franklin and Hamilton counties. Mercer County had three of the highest turnout precincts in 2024, followed by Valley View in Cuyahoga County and one precinct in Stark County, while four of the lowest primary turnout precincts were in Hamilton County.

According to the secretary of state's office, 207,089 Ohioans had cast an early ballot for the Tuesday, May 5 primary election with a week to go. As of Tuesday afternoon, 155,873 absentee ballots have been requested by mail, and 88,324 have been returned. Another 118,765 ballots have been cast early and in person for a total of 274,638 overall ballots requested.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Heather Hill is asking for the Ohio Supreme Court to keep her on the ballot after the secretary of state's office disqualified her due to her lieutenant governor candidate withdrawing. Hill filed a lawsuit with the Ohio Supreme Court against Secretary of State Frank LaRose over the refusal by LaRose to accept and certify replacement lieutenant governor candidate Larry Barnett to the ballot after previous running mate Stuart Moats filed paperwork to drop out of the race after a public feud with Hill.

With Ohio's primary election season wrapping up, the campaign of U.S. Sen. Jon Husted (R-OH) launched its first television ad on Wednesday in advance of the fall's general election against presumed opponent Sherrod Brown. The ad, in which Husted promotes his efforts to expand career tech education and overall jobs in the state, has already reserved over $300,000 in airtime in the Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo broadcast markets, according to AdImpact, which measures political ad spending.

An outside group has spent just over a quarter million dollars on ads backing former Rep. Jay Edwards in the Ohio treasurer's race. AdImpact, which tracks political spending, shows Ohioans for Fiscal Accountability has spent $257,494 on broadcast ads backing Edwards, with a majority going into the Columbus media market. The group has also placed ads in the Youngstown and Lima markets.

The following endorsements were made over the week:

• Ohio Value Voters endorsed Republican Kristina Roegner for Ohio Treasurer and Republican Colleen O'Donnell for Ohio Supreme Court.

• The United Food and Commercial Workers International Union endorsed Democrat Amy Acton for governor.

• The attorney general campaign of Democrat John Kulewicz announced the endorsements of United Mine Workers of America and former U.S. Rep. Tim Ryan.

• The gubernatorial campaign of Democrat Amy Acton announced the endorsement of the Dayton Building and Construction Trades Council.

• The secretary of state campaign of Democrat Allison Russo announced the endorsement of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus.

• The Ohio Supreme Court campaign of Republican Ron Lewis announced the endorsement of Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel.

• Ohio Values Voters endorsed Marcell Strbich for Ohio secretary of state.

• The Ohio Nurses Association endorsed Amy Acton for governor.

• The Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors (OCAAUP) endorsed Amy Acton for governor.

  
  

ENERGY/UTILITIES

Rep. Sean Brennan (D-Parma), Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Vice President of Government Affairs Spencer Dirrig and attorney Mark Whitt of Whitt Sturtevant LLP praised the Ohio Supreme Court's ruling that submetering companies are regulated public utilities, while saying more regulatory work and potentially legislation is needed. Speaking at a Statehouse press conference Friday, Brennan called the unanimous decision a "long overdue affirmation of fairness, accountability and basic consumer protections and rights for Ohioans."

A coalition of renewable advocates say the 13-state electric grid encompassing Ohio is in reasonably good shape for the summer cooling season but warns of a growing supply imbalance by 2027 without readily deployable solar, wind and batteries to offset long construction timelines for natural gas generation. The Reliable Grid Project (RGP), launched in the first year of the Trump administration under Director Sarah Hinde, hosted a network briefing with Senior Director Jon Gordon of Advanced Energy United (AEU), Director Clara Summers of Citizens Utility Board (CUB) of Illinois' Consumers for a Better Grid Campaign, and Program Director Nikhil Kumar of GridLab.

It's too early to say how the Ohio Supreme Court's recent watershed decision declaring utility reseller Nationwide Energy Partners (NEP) a fully regulated "public utility" will impact all submeterers operating in state service territories, and whether the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) will have to create an entirely an new ratemaking scheme and separate dockets for electric, gas and water resellers. That was the commission's stated position Thursday following Wednesday's order granting the Office of Ohio Consumers' Counsel (OCC) and American Electric Power (AEP) rehearing on special submetering rates designed to address PUCO's previous determination that utility resellers were not public utilities.

The OVEC contract overall is not in the best interest of AEP Ohio ratepayers." That, in sum, was essentially the General Assembly's conclusion last year in passing electric reset HB15 (Klopfenstein) with an outright repeal of consumer subsidies to the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC) through American Electric Power (AEP), Duke Energy and AES. The Supreme Court of Ohio nevertheless held Wednesday that OVEC's independent auditors had not purged this statement from their final report due to "undue influence" by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). In a unanimous opinion denying the Office of Ohio Consumer Counsel (OCC) and Ohio Manufacturers Association's (OMA) appeal, the Court found AEP should not be denied $74.5 million in PUCO-approved OVEC subsidies remaining from 2018 to 2019, when the utility lost money on the 70-year-old coal plants near Gallipolis, OH and Madison, IN.

ENVIRONMENT

The sounds of children exploring interactive earth science stations filled the main atrium of COSI in downtown Columbus recently, as families gathered in celebration of the fourth annual Earth Day event, hosted jointly by H2Ohio and the science museum. Children were entertained with live animal exhibits, featuring sheep, pigs and a snake that had been rescued from a fishing net, presented, in part, to educate children on the harms of pollution and the importance of recycling. A series of environmental demonstrations and activities were presented by the state agencies behind the H2Ohio initiative, including the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODAg) and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA).

GAMING/GAMBLING

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and 40 other attorneys general filed a formal letter Thursday to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), urging the federal regulatory body to recognize states' authority over sports-related prediction markets in their jurisdiction. In their letter, the bipartisan group of 41 attorneys general said the distinction between sportsbook betting and prediction markets is "illusory" and that "on so-called 'prediction markets,' users can make all the same wagers they can make at a traditional sportsbook."

GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE

Proposed legislation announced by Sen. Lou Blessing (R-Cincinnati) and Assistant Minority Whip Sen. Beth Liston (D-Dublin) and backed by Time to Care would make Ohio the nation's 15th state to adopt paid leave for family and medical concerns if passed by the General Assembly and signed by the governor. Blessing and Liston held a Statehouse press conference to unpack SB396, which is now assigned to the Senate Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology Committee.

Reps. Tom Young (R-Washington Twp.) and Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) held a press conference Wednesday to discuss HB635 (Plummer-Young), a bill they said "strengthens accountability in child protection investigations, clarifies agencies' responsibilities and ensures serious cases involving abuse and violence against children are handled with urgency." According to Young, HB635, aka the Child Protection Reform Act, aligns child welfare procedures and criminal enforcement "where appropriate" and improves coordination among the courts, prosecutors and children services. The bill closes procedural gaps, strengthens reporting and updates sentencing and enforcement provisions where current law does not reflect the severity of harm inflicted on children, he said further.

GOVERNOR

A judicial appointment made during the week includes the following:

• Gov. Mike DeWine's office said Thursday he's appointing Washington County Prosecutor Nicole Tipton Coil to the Washington County Common Pleas Court, General and Domestic Relations Division, to succeed Judge Mark Kerenyi, who retired.

HANNAH NEWS RACES TO WATCH

In the Republican primary for House District 61, a long-time Delaware County lawmaker faces a former appointee to the House now seeking to succeed the person who ousted him in a primary election. The seat is opening up as Rep. Beth Lear (R-Galena) seeks to move over to the Ohio Senate seat now held by Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware), who is term-limited and seeking election to Lear's House seat. Opposing Brenner is Shawn Stevens, who was appointed to a House vacancy in 2022 but was subsequently defeated by Lear in the primary.

HIGHER EDUCATION

The University of Dayton (UD) recently announced Christopher Roederer as the new dean of its School of Law, officially succeeding Andrew Strauss after serving as the school's interim dean since January 2025.

Controlling Board members discussed the future of Central State University (CSU) during their meeting on Monday, as the agenda included a request for $7 million to support efforts to clear "outstanding payables and cover financial liabilities related to ongoing settlements and leave payouts," according to the request. Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS) Assistant CFO Kenneth Henault appeared on behalf of CSU, detailing a range of efforts to address costs since the university was put on fiscal watch in October 2024. That started with a focus on facilities and other areas which grew into finances and academics, including a hiring freeze in December 2025 and a purchasing and travel freeze in January outside of health, safety, student success and critical infrastructure needs.

Following the release of Ohio State University's (OSU) report on the investigation into former President Walter "Ted" Carter Jr., the University of Nebraska - which operated under Carter prior to his transition to OSU -- has moved forward with its own review of its former academic leader.

JUDICIAL

The Ohio Attorney General's Office, former state senator and sitting 11th Appellate District Judge John Eklund and the Ohio Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management (DOGRM) were vindicated Wednesday when the Supreme Court of Ohio held unanimously that wastewater injection company AWMS Water Solutions did not suffer a regulatory "taking" of investment capital when the state temporarily halted two Trumbull County sequestration wells due to nearby earthquakes. The Court said AWMS had previously admitted seismic activity was linked to "fracking" brine injection and could lead to suspended permitting and well operations.

The Ohio Supreme Court rejected the argument Tuesday that same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges (2015) encompasses the parental claims of a woman unmarried to her girlfriend prior to the U.S. Supreme Court decision. Dissenting from the 6-1 opinion, Justice Jennifer Brunner agreed to deny "C.E." legal parentage but said the Court never should have considered her marriage claims in the first place.

The Supreme Court of Ohio recently released results from the state's February bar examination, with 143 of the 338 aspiring attorneys who took the exam passing it. That represented a 42 percent passage rate. Seventy-one of the 116 first-time examinees in that overall group passed, for a rate of 61 percent.

LOBBYISTS/ASSOCIATIONS

The Ohio Grocers Association (OGA) announced Tuesday the appointment of Joe Ewig as executive director, following the retirement of association President and CEO Kristin Mullins. Ewig was director of government relations and communications for the association and later represented the association among other clients as a principal at FBT Gibbons. He also is a former staffer for Sen. Tom Patton (R-Strongsville). In addition, the association board will see a transition, as Aaron Saltzman of Dave's Markets and Lucky's Supermarkets ends his time as chair and Ron Graff Jr. of Columbiana Foods Inc. returns to the chair position for a second time.

MEDICAID/MEDICAID REFORM

A Kasich-era dispute over whether the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) could publicly release a consultant's report on controversial pharmacy pricing practices went before 10th District appellate judges for oral argument Thursday. The Ohio Attorney General's Office and counsel for pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) Caremark and OptumRx debated the continued relevance of eight-year-old data, the meaning of contract provisions between ODM and consultant HealthPlan Data Solutions (HDS), and the implications of failed redactions in another state that revealed sensitive data.

NATURAL RESOURCES

As the traditional celebration reserved for the second Sunday in May approaches, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) invites Ohioans to celebrate the day with both their own mother and Mother Nature at one of several of Ohio's state parks. Each of Ohio's state park lodges will offer its own unique Mother's Day experience on Sunday, May 10, 2026 to make Mom feel celebrated and cherished, from brunches to buffets to tea service and other offerings. More information about activities at Ohio state parks planned for Mother's Day weekend or any other weekend is available at the ODNR Calendar page HERE.

Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Director Mary Mertz cut the ribbon last week on Ohio's two newest recreation sites in Southeast Ohio in the Appalachian region. DeWine and Mertz were on hand to officially open the Appalachian Hills Wildlife Area Visitor Center in Morgan County, while also celebrating the opening of a new campground and cabins at the nearby Jesse Owens State Park.

PEOPLE

Forner state senator, deputy director of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and member of the Ohio Liquor Control Commission James Carnes died Saturday, April 25 at his home in St. Clairsville. He was 84. Gov. Mike DeWine has ordered that all U.S. and Ohio flags be flown at half-staff on public buildings in Belmont County and at the Ohio Statehouse, Vern Riffe Center and Rhodes Tower from sunrise to sunset on the day of his funeral on Monday, May 4. Visitation is set for Sunday, May 3 from 2 to 8 p.m. at the Toothman Funeral Home, 141 S. Marietta St., St. Clairsville with the funeral set for Monday, May 4 at 2 p.m. at the First Christian Church of Barnesville (219 W. Church St., Barnesville).

The League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus (LWVMC) will host its 34th annual event Democracy in Action, dedicated to celebrating civic leadership. This year, LWVMC will honor Kathy Ransier and Fred Ransier for their impact on the Central Ohio community. The Ransiers met at the Ohio State Moritz College of Law and began their own law firm, Ransier & Ransier in 1976, at a time when opportunities in the legal profession were limited for women and African Americans. Their practice went on for 26 years before they joined Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP, and worked there until retirement. The Democracy in Action event will take place on Thursday, May 14 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fawcett Event Center in Columbus. Tickets run $100 for League members and $125 for others. More information on the event can be found HERE.

PUBLIC SAFETY

The Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) is working to increase the number of state, regional and local law enforcement jurisdictions achieving state accreditation, announcing nearly $200,000 in federal grants to 23 agencies recently under the DeWine administration's Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS).

TAXATION

Limits on property valuation complaints adopted by lawmakers in 2022 violate tax uniformity rules in the Ohio Constitution, the 10th District Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday. Under 134-HB126 (Merrin), signed by Gov. Mike DeWine in April 2022, the General Assembly puts limits on the filing of property valuation complaints by local government jurisdictions and third parties, barring them unless certain conditions were met. Plaintiff Stan Bahorek filed dozens of property valuation challenges in March 2023 with the Franklin County Board of Revision (BOR), asserting that the new limits on valuation challenges violated Article XII, Section 2 of the Ohio Constitution regarding tax uniformity, among other defects. The board dismissed the complaints for lack of jurisdiction, and the Board of Tax Appeals affirmed those decisions, prompting Bahorek's appeal to the 10th District.

TRANSPORTATION/INFRASTRUCTURE

The Transportation Review Advisory Council (TRAC) approved its final project list, which will spend $123.1 million on 11 major transportation projects in eight counties over the next four years. According to the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT), the final list contains $103.6 million for six projects in TRAC's Tier 1 status reserved for projects recommended to start construction within the next four years.

The authors of a new book on what it would take to design cities where people are not reliant on automobiles to get around said Wednesday that they believe Columbus is in good position to take that step. Sarah Goodyear and Doug Gordon, co-hosts of "The War on Cars" podcast and co-authors of "Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile," spoke Wednesday at a Columbus Metropolitan Club forum on the subject, joined by Devayani Purnak of the Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA), who spoke about the transit agency's LinkUS initiative funded through a sales tax increase.

VETERANS

The Ohio Department of Veterans Services (ODVS) announced Wednesday it is accepting nominations for the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame class of 2026, honoring former service members who continued to show "exemplary service and leadership in their communities." That work includes public service, volunteerism, advocacy, professional achievement or philanthropy. Up to 20 veterans are inducted each year. Nominations must be submitted by Monday, June 1, though early submissions are encouraged to support timely processing and a thorough review. The nomination form, rules and a sample form are available HERE.

WORKERS’ COMPENSATION

Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) directors reviewed a recommendation Friday from investment consultant Meketa for an "Ohio Focused" fund that will both support and reflect the state's economic growth. Investment Committee Chairman Mark Palmer presented the board with Meketa's opinion on the Economically Targeted Investment (ETI) program based on two dozen responses to the bureau's February request for information (RFI) on opportunities in fixed income, real estate and private investment markets.

WORKFORCE

Programs designed to focus on expanding recovery-to-work programs that help individuals overcome barriers, build skills and reenter the workforce can now apply for the Investments Supporting Partnership in Recovery Ecosystems (ISNPIRE) Initiative through the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the Governor's Office of Appalachia. Successful INSPIRE programs focus on building and expanding recovery-to-work ecosystems, including workforce training, mentoring, peer support and other wraparound services tailored to individuals in recovery. Applicants in Ohio are encouraged to work with DOD's Local Development Districts to prepare their applications. Information about those districts can be found HERE.

Gov. Mike DeWine, Lt. Gov. Jim Tressel and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) promoted opportunities in Ohio during "National Apprenticeship Week," which began Sunday, April 26 and runs to Saturday, May 2. Apprenticeships are growing around Ohio, offering access to in-demand positions in a range of industries.

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