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U.S. House Republicans pass bill to stop census from counting noncitizens
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Republicans passed a bill Wednesday to add a citizenship question to the census and exclude noncitizens from the official headcount when determining population for representation in Congress and electoral votes. The legislation, which passed on a 206-202 party-line vote, is part of a trend of House GOP bills relating to immigration […] The post U.S. House Republicans pass bill to stop census from counting noncitizens appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Public funds for private purposes: How vouchers are undermining democracy
Take a moment to look around your neighborhood and beyond. In your observations, have you noticed an increasing number of children out and about during school hours? If you have, you’re witnessing the warning signs of future societal instability. And yes, those warning lights are blinking red. Surprise? Not really. It’s been coming for decades. […] The post Public funds for private purposes: How vouchers are undermining democracy appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio lawmakers insist Biden will be on November’s ballot, but they’re fuzzy on details
In a surprise move, the Ohio House decided not to take up legislation to ensure President Joe Biden appears on the November ballot in Ohio. But elected leaders from both parties insist Biden will appear on voters’ ballots. They have said so many times. But the thing is, they’re not exactly sure how, and an […] The post Ohio lawmakers insist Biden will be on November’s ballot, but they’re fuzzy on details appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Gov. signals looming scandal at teachers’ pension fund
After years of complaints about gold-plated salaries, billions in investment fees and lackluster returns, things seem poised to hit the fan at Ohio’s State Teachers Retirement System. Gov. Mike DeWine on Wednesday issued a press release saying that he was alarmed at the news that a consultant for the $90 billion retirement plan, Aon, was […] The post Gov. signals looming scandal at teachers’ pension fund appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio’s gerrymandered maps “diminishing the voting power of Black voters,” groups say
Ohio’s gerrymandered maps take voting power away from Black communities, fair map advocates said this week on a media call. The Brennan Center for Justice at NYU’s law school found that about 77% of Ohio (about 9.1 million people) lives in “districts where elections for state representatives are not in serious dispute,” according to their […] The post Ohio’s gerrymandered maps “diminishing the voting power of Black voters,” groups say appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Georgia appeals court to review decision allowing DA Willis to prosecute Trump case
The Georgia Court of Appeals agreed on Wednesday to hear a request filed by former President Donald Trump and eight co-defendants seeking the removal of the Fulton County district attorney from the 2020 election interference case. The appeals court ruling means that District Attorney Fani Willis will renew a court battle with defense attorneys over […] The post Georgia appeals court to review decision allowing DA Willis to prosecute Trump case appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Michigan women detail ’emotional and psychological toll’ of abortion bans
Two women from southern states talked to the Michigan Advance recently about the trauma of being denied medical care as they were losing their pregnancies following the fall of Roe v. Wade. Amanda Zurawski of Texas and Kaitlyn Joshua of Louisiana said they both wanted to get pregnant. Zurawski went through what she described as […] The post Michigan women detail ’emotional and psychological toll’ of abortion bans appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Porn star Stormy Daniels in NYC hush money trial alleges sexual encounter with Trump
WASHINGTON — Adult film star Stormy Daniels told a Manhattan jury Tuesday about meeting Donald Trump in a penthouse suite in 2006, where he told the actress not to worry about his wife and that she reminded him of his daughter shortly before they had sex. The testimony, reported by journalists in the courtroom, described […] The post Porn star Stormy Daniels in NYC hush money trial alleges sexual encounter with Trump appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Though noncitizens can vote in few local elections, GOP goes big to make it illegal
Preventing people who are not United States citizens from casting a ballot has reemerged as a focal point in the ongoing Republican drive to safeguard “election integrity,” even though noncitizens are rarely involved in voter fraud. Ahead of November’s presidential election, congressional and state Republican lawmakers are aiming to keep noncitizens away from the polls. […] The post Though noncitizens can vote in few local elections, GOP goes big to make it illegal appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Arizona’s now-repealed abortion ban cautionary tale for reproductive health care across US
When the Arizona Supreme Court ruled on April 9, 2024, that the state’s Civil War-era law banning nearly all abortions was enforceable, it brought into stark reality the potential impacts of leaving reproductive rights up to the states to regulate, and the related consequences for women’s health. The ruling, set to go into effect in […] The post Arizona’s now-repealed abortion ban cautionary tale for reproductive health care across US appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio lawmakers err in attempt to fix Biden ballot problem
Ohio lawmakers have joined together to fix the state’s obscure law that would have prevented President Joe Biden from being on the November ballot — but there is one problem. Seemingly unbeknownst to the lawmakers, they only gave themselves until Thursday to get this signed into law. Ohio requires parties to confirm their presidential candidates […] The post Ohio lawmakers err in attempt to fix Biden ballot problem appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost says student protesters may face felony charges due to 1953 law
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost sent a letter Monday to Ohio university presidents saying recent protesters who were arrested may have committed a felony by wearing a mask. A 1953 Ohio law says it is a felony to commit a crime — even a misdemeanor — with two or more people “while wearing white caps, […] The post Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost says student protesters may face felony charges due to 1953 law appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Tech industry group wants judge to block Ohio’s social media consent law permanently
Ohio’s social media parental consent law has been on hold since January. Now, a tech company trade group is asking the judge to block the law permanently. At the same time, momentum appears to be building for alternative approaches meant to reduce the amount of time kids spend on social media. Last summer during budget […] The post Tech industry group wants judge to block Ohio’s social media consent law permanently appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Religious views on abortion more diverse than they may appear in U.S. political debate
Lawmakers who oppose abortion often invoke their faith — many identify as Christian — while debating policy. The anti-abortion movement’s use of Christianity in arguments might create the impression that broad swaths of religious Americans don’t support abortion rights. But a recent report shows that Americans of various faiths and denominations believe abortion should be […] The post Religious views on abortion more diverse than they may appear in U.S. political debate appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Biden decries campus antisemitism in Holocaust remembrance speech
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden warned Tuesday of rising antisemitism in the U.S. and said too many are forgetting the attack on Israel in October. During a Holocaust memorial speech at the U.S. Capitol, Biden stressed the importance of honoring the 6 million Jews who were killed in the Holocaust, and the victims of Hamas’ […] The post Biden decries campus antisemitism in Holocaust remembrance speech appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
‘Wanting to be free does not insinuate violence’
LEXINGTON — History has a way of vindicating student protests — civil rights, Vietnam, apartheid — but it can take a while. I was thinking about this while trudging up Woodland Avenue on a sunny afternoon last week to a pro-Palestinian rally at the University of Kentucky. Along the way I passed a group of […] The post ‘Wanting to be free does not insinuate violence’ appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Border businessmen: False rhetoric won’t fix real immigration problems
SUNLAND PARK, NEW MEXICO — For Robert Ardovino, the surge of migrants to the southern border has been a constant problem for a while now, and he’s hardly alone. Ardovino’s Desert Crossing — his restaurant/bar/retro-RV resort — has to be one of the coolest spots in the Southwest. Just across the Texas line from El […] The post Border businessmen: False rhetoric won’t fix real immigration problems appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
How to find out if you are still registered to vote before Ohio’s purge
Ahead of the November election, Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has instructed officials to purge inactive voters from the rolls. Here is what you need to do to find out if you are still registered — plus how you can stay registered. “It’s very important to vote, got a lot of decisions to make,” […] The post How to find out if you are still registered to vote before Ohio’s purge appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio seeks $189 million in EPA funds to electrify state fleets, retrofit public buildings
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration is seeking $189 million in federal Inflation Reduction Act funding to help implement the state’s first climate action plan. The proposal, submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in late March, would establish a statewide fund to help electrify government fleets, retrofit public buildings, and install solar generation on city, […] The post Ohio seeks $189 million in EPA funds to electrify state fleets, retrofit public buildings appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Plummeting balance in federal crime victims fund sparks alarm among states, advocates
WASHINGTON — States and local organizations that aid victims of sexual assault and other crimes are raising the alarm about a multi-year plunge in funds, a major problem they say Congress must fix soon or programs will be forced to set up wait lists or turn victims away altogether. Affected are rape crisis centers, domestic […] The post Plummeting balance in federal crime victims fund sparks alarm among states, advocates appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
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The Ohio Capital Journal is a hard-hitting, independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to connecting Ohioans to their state government and its impact on their lives. The Capital Journal combines Ohio state government coverage with relentless investigative journalism, deep dives into the consequences of policy, political insight, and principled, progressive commentary. All those cheesy journalism aphorisms about reporters being the eyes and ears of the people in the halls of power? We believe them, deeply. We also deeply believe in sharing the stories of people outside the halls of power, connecting the actions of state leaders to their impacts on Ohioans. The Ohio Capital Journal is part of States Newsroom, a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit supported by grants and a coalition of donors and readers. The Ohio Capital Journal retains editorial independence.
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