Saturday, November 29, 2014
COLUMBUS
We’re midway through the Legislature’s lame-duck session, and there’s plenty of controversial stuff poised for passage.
Municipal income tax reform, red light camera regulations, confidentiality for lethal injection drug mixers and a package of agriculture-related law changes that may stretch the constitution’s single-subject rule are all positioned for potential action before Christmas.
And there are still ample controversial bills likely to prompt debate and discussions over the next three weeks, including a repeal of Common Core standards in Ohio schools and a ban on abortions within weeks of conception. Don’t hold your breath on those two, as they don’t appear to have adequate support in both chambers and from the governor for enactment, but they’re still going to draw public praise and criticism.
With all of the attention on such issues, you may have missed some less-controversial legislation finalized since lawmakers returned to the Statehouse a few weeks ago.
The first lame duck-passed bills are on Gov. John Kasich’s desk. Here’s a quick rundown of the new laws, which will take effect about three months after the governor adds his signature:
HB 27: House Bill 27 designates the last day of February as “Rare Disease Day” in an effort “to raise public awareness about rare diseases and their impact on patients’ lives,” according to an analysis by the state’s Legislative Service Commission.
The list of such diseases includes Huntington disease, muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis and childhood cancers.
HB 218: House Bill 218 creates an Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program within the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, with five business- people appointed annually to a panel that will work to “provide for better outreach by state government to small businesses, to strengthen coordination and interaction between state government and small businesses and to make state government programs and functions simpler, easier to access, more efficient and more responsive to the needs of small businesses,” according to the Legislative Service Commission.
Appointees will not be paid for their involvement and will be required to file financial disclosures with the state ethics panel.
COURSE SHARING
SB 69: Senate Bill 69 creates the Course and Program Sharing Network, headed by the chancellor of the Board of Regents, to work with economic development groups and other nonprofits to develop ways to “share existing curricula, increase course availability and avoid unnecessary course duplication” at the state’s colleges, universities and adult career centers, according to the Legislative Service Commission.
SB 301: Senate Bill 301 designates “Ohio Warrior Awareness Week,” coinciding with Armed Force Week in May and recognizing Ohioans who serve in the armed forces.
HB 465: House Bill 465 designates the first week in July as “Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Awareness Week,” drawing awareness to “newborn babies exposed to addictive drugs while in utero,” according to the Legislative Service Commission. “... At birth, the newborn may still be dependent on the addictive drug.” The syndrome affects 88 in 10,000 live births in Ohio, according to state health officials.
Marc Kovac is The Vindicator’s Statehouse correspondent. Email him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog.