Advocacy Updates

Hearings this week on Ohio bills curtailing citizen voice Upcoming votes in Ohio’s Lame Duck session could significantly reduce the power of Ohio voters.  Here are the bills: SB 178 removes most powers of the Ohio Board of Education, after voters elected enough new members to block policies restricting what can be taught about US…

The Ohio Legislature’s fast-tracked Sub HB 294 creates new barriers to voting. This Ohio Legislative Service chart explains how. The bill has a hearing Thursday Dec. 1 at 9: testimony must be emailed by 9 am Wednesday to be included. An array of nonprofit statewide voting rights groups including the League of Women Voters Ohio,…

Ohio’s Lame Duck session reflects polarization: Ohio’s legislative leaders are preparing for a short, intense lame duck session. You can track bills and see how to direct your advocacy on Innovation Ohio’s Lame Duck site. Innovation Ohio is a progressive non-profit, so the site recommends specific stands on the bills. You can choose your own,…

Ohio Election Results and Implications Using gerrymandered state legislative maps ruled unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court but mandated by a Federal court panel to allow the election to proceed in 2022, Ohio Republicans increased their supermajority in both the House and the Senate.  This fulfilled predictions of political scientists and warnings by the Ohio…

Election Day Prayers As polls begin to close on Nov. 8 for the U.S. midterm elections, all are invited to join an Election Day Prayers gathering from 8 p.m. to midnight online, hosted by The Episcopal Church Office of Government Relations. Tune in via The Episcopal Public Policy Network Facebook page or The Episcopal Church…

Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment Affordable Care Act (ACA) Open Enrollment begins today, with more generous subsidies plus fix of “family glitch” to shield millions from inflation: If the premiums you are paying for employer-provided family coverage are already heavy and rising, your family may now be eligible for a subsidized plan under the Affordable…

Ohio Voter Rights Coalition Training for Election Day Poll Monitors begins Oct. 27 Register here to attend Thursday online from 6-7 pm. The Coalition says you can receive a link starting Oct. 28 to view the training on demand. Early poll monitoring starts Saturday, Oct. 29.  You can sign up and view the recorded training…

Becoming Beloved Community Requires Protecting Civil Rights and Equal Protection Under Law Over the past two years I’ve been covering news on dangers to civil rights and equal protection under the law.  These include wasting votes through partisan gerrymandering. See an update on Ohio’s redistricting ordeals below, and excerpts from historian Heather Cox Richardson’s Oct.…

Voter registration deadline today Oct. 11 Is the deadline for registering or updating your registration as an Ohio voter. You can do it online if you have an Ohio ID and social security number.  If you don’t have the required IDs, you can download a paper form and take it your county board of election…

Cincinnati’s median rent surge the worst of top 50 metros Greater Cincinnati’s rents have increased 25.8% since August 2021, with median rent hitting $1,682 this August. Cincinnati has one of the highest proportion of renters (62%) in the nation. Households in the Cincinnati market need to earn $61,000 a year to be able to pay…