A cut in jobless benefits?

COLUMBUS

State lawmakers spent their final full week before the Thanksgiving holiday positioning bills for passage before the end of the year and launching work on others that may or may not have a chance of making it to the governor’s desk.

Syrian refugees, public funding of Planned Parenthood and laws affecting where permitted carriers can take their concealed firearms were the focus of a lively House session.

Legislation that would cut the number of weeks of unemployment benefit payments also is poised for action in that chamber before lawmakers break for the holidays next month.

Bills that would outlaw bestiality, require increased electronic disclosure of candidates’ campaign finances and exempt gold and coins and other precious metals from the state sales tax continued to move through committees in the Ohio House and Senate.

So did lots of other legislation – more than 90 bills were slated for hearings over the past week. Here’s a quick look at a few:

HB 212 is this session’s attempt to block Common Core standards in Ohio’s public schools.

Sponsor Rep. Andy Thompson, R-Marietta, said in testimony to the House Education Committee, “This bill is designed to restore local control over matters relating to educational standards, testing, teacher and principal evaluations, and assessment of resident educators. While local control is provided for in statute, as with many other statutes in this state, we feel it is necessary to restate and reinforce the concept in light of changes that have been made to Ohio Revised Code and Administrative Code over the past 10 years.”

HB 359 would establish an address confidentiality program, shielding residential information of victims of domestic violence and other crimes from public records.

Similar bills have been offered in recent general assemblies.

HB 371 would require at least two people on every freight train crew.

Rep. Michele Lepore-Hagan, D-Youngstown, is a primary co-sponsor. Her husband, former state Rep. Bob Hagan, worked as a locomotive engineer for nearly three decades.

“Today’s freight trains carry extremely dangerous materials, including Bakken crude oil, ethanol, ammonia, liquefied petroleum gas and acids, which may pose significant health and safety risks to communities and our environment in the case of an accident,” she said in testimony submitted to the House Commerce and Labor Committee.

HB 363 would require restraints be removed from juveniles prior to court proceedings.

Sponsoring Rep. Alicia Reece, D-Cincinnati, said the legislation would establish a uniform statewide policy for shackling youths during hearings.

“... Since shackles restrict voluntary movements and create mental distractions, they interfere with a youth’s ability to communicate privately and effectively with their attorney and participate in their defense during court proceedings,” Reece said in testimony to the House Judiciary Committee. “Also, shackles create a visual representation that is counter-intuitive to a presumption of innocence. Adults in the criminal justice system are not shackled at trial, except when necessary, because it is an affront to due process and the dignity of the court. Youth similarly should be afforded the due process right to be free from unreasonable restraint.”

Marc Kovac is The Vindicator’s Statehouse correspondent. Email him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog.