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Ohio Capital Journal
Advocates concerned with Ohio’s mass voter purge set to remove 500 people experiencing homelessness
Advocates for individuals experiencing homelessness are asking Ohio not to move forward with their scheduled voter purge before the November election. About 160,000 Ohioans are about to lose their ability to vote on July 22, 2024. This elimination should only impact inactive and infrequent voters, but voting rights advocates say they only have two weeks to fix […] The post Advocates concerned with Ohio’s mass voter purge set to remove 500 people experiencing homelessness appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Emails to bill sponsors show opposition to Ohio drag ban proposal
Constituents writing to the sponsors of an Ohio bill seeking to regulate and ban most drag performances largely spoke out against the bill, though there were some who praised the effort. Documents obtained by the Capital Journal through a public records request show many criticisms of House Bill 245, including several Ohioans who said the […] The post Emails to bill sponsors show opposition to Ohio drag ban proposal appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
One Fair Wage continues to collect signatures to get $15 minimum wage on next year’s ballot
Minimum wage won’t be on Ohio’s ballot this year, but it could be on next year’s. After a day of mixed messaging last week, One Fair Wage ultimately failed to submit the necessary signatures to the Ohio Secretary of State to get their initiative on the November ballot. But One Fair Wage is continuing to […] The post One Fair Wage continues to collect signatures to get $15 minimum wage on next year’s ballot appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
‘Don’t lump us in’ — Ohio police reject GOP’s pension system overhaul due to teachers’ controversy
Ohio police officers are urging lawmakers not to punish them and the rest of the retirees for the controversy going on inside the teachers’ retirement pension fund. Statehouse Republicans proposed combining all five public systems to cut costs and stop alleged corruption. At 26 years old, Columbus police officer Mike Weinman responded to a car […] The post ‘Don’t lump us in’ — Ohio police reject GOP’s pension system overhaul due to teachers’ controversy appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Proposed bill to hamstring pensions threatens Ohio’s economic stability and long-term progress
Ohio Senate Bill 6 threatens our state’s financial health, economic stability, and long-term progress by prohibiting state pension systems from considering Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) factors in their investment decisions. ESG investing allows businesses and investors to consider Environmental, Social, and Governance factors in their decision-making. These criteria are not just trendy buzzwords but […] The post Proposed bill to hamstring pensions threatens Ohio’s economic stability and long-term progress appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio lawmakers propose removing board members from teachers’ pension fund amid controversy
Ohio lawmakers are the latest to join the governor and attorney general in trying to prevent reform-minded educators from taking control of the retired teachers’ pension fund. They have proposed removing the elected members from the board. This comes as the state alleges the State Teachers Retirement System board leaders are involved in a public […] The post Ohio lawmakers propose removing board members from teachers’ pension fund amid controversy appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio Secretary of State office move cost $147K more than promised, watchdog says
It was already controversial last fall when Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose acknowledged that he was moving his office to new digs and abandoning its home of 20 years. An analysis by a watchdog group now indicates that the move was substantially more expensive than LaRose claimed. And it all but demolishes one of […] The post Ohio Secretary of State office move cost $147K more than promised, watchdog says appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Checking in on Ohio nursing legislation as lawmakers break for summer recess
Shortly before Ohio lawmakers left for summer recess, the House passed a bill aimed at reducing violence in health care settings. To the Ohio Nurses Association, it’s an important step toward improving safety. It’s also doesn’t address what the nurse union sees as a much greater threat — lack of adequate staffing. A measure to […] The post Checking in on Ohio nursing legislation as lawmakers break for summer recess appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
How can we do capital budgeting better in Ohio?
Late last month, the Ohio Senate sent a $4.2 billion capital expenditures budget to the Governor’s office. Ohio’s capital budget is a budget of long-term investments in projects and infrastructure across the state mostly financed by debt. This year’s version of the capital budget includes $3 billion in new debt taken on by the state […] The post How can we do capital budgeting better in Ohio? appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Gas taxes can’t pay for roads much longer, but Amazon deliveries might
For decades, states have relied on gas taxes to provide much of the money to maintain roads and bridges. But as cars become more fuel efficient, and some Americans switch to electric vehicles, state leaders say the gas tax won’t pay the bills for much longer. At the same time, many cities have seen their […] The post Gas taxes can’t pay for roads much longer, but Amazon deliveries might appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Congressional Dems urge a more robust Biden on the campaign trail, but few openly revolt
WASHINGTON — Democrats in Congress called on President Joe Biden to prove to voters that he is up for another four years in the Oval Office, though many in interviews pledged to stick with him as the presumptive nominee as they returned to the Capitol on Monday following the Fourth of July recess. Questions over […] The post Congressional Dems urge a more robust Biden on the campaign trail, but few openly revolt appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Federal regulator: Pharmacy middlemen appear to be raising prices, hurting patients
The federal trade watchdog on Tuesday released an interim report saying that sprawling health care conglomerates are driving out competition in the pharmacy sector and appear to be increasing prices in the process. The interim report comes after the Federal Trade Commission in 2022 announced that it was undertaking a sweeping investigation of pharmacy middlemen […] The post Federal regulator: Pharmacy middlemen appear to be raising prices, hurting patients appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Full-time workers need to make $20.81 an hour to afford two-bedroom apartment in Ohio
Ohioans need to be making at least $20.81 an hour working a full-time job to be able to afford a “modest” two-bedroom apartment, according to a new report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition and the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio. This is a 9% increase compared to last year’s report — […] The post Full-time workers need to make $20.81 an hour to afford two-bedroom apartment in Ohio appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
New report explores the connection between the death penalty and electoral politics
Ohio’s capital punishment system has been in a kind of limbo since 2018. The state can’t lay its hands on the drugs necessary for lethal injection, so executions have stopped, and death row inmates are facing an indefinite delay. Even adding those complications to an already lengthy and expensive appeals process, capital punishment retains a […] The post New report explores the connection between the death penalty and electoral politics appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio Capital Journal wins seven more Society of Professional Journalists awards
In the “Ohio’s Best Journalism Contest” from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Ohio Capital Journal won seven awards last week, including three first place finishes and four in second place. The contest covered stories and editorial from 2023. The latest awards come after the Ohio Capital Journal won seven SPJ awards last year, and […] The post Ohio Capital Journal wins seven more Society of Professional Journalists awards appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Project 2025 looks to impose publicly-funded religious education on America. Ohio already has that.
If you haven’t heard about Project 2025, the dystopian blueprint for a second Trump administration, Google it. There’s a reason the felon angling for a get-out-of-jail-free-card with another White House romp pretends ignorance about the Handmaid’s Tale regime his former senior officials and allies created for him. It’s straight up authoritarian rule under God. Besides […] The post Project 2025 looks to impose publicly-funded religious education on America. Ohio already has that. appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Biden tells congressional Dems he is staying in the race, urges end to speculation
President Joe Biden pledged Monday to stay in his race for reelection, even after a weekend in which a growing number of Democrats asked for him to withdraw and a key U.S. House Republican called for an investigation into the president’s doctor. In a letter to congressional Democrats, Biden argued that the calls for him to drop […] The post Biden tells congressional Dems he is staying in the race, urges end to speculation appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
The Supreme Court just limited federal power. Health care is feeling the shockwaves.
A landmark Supreme Court decision that reins in federal agencies’ authority is expected to hold dramatic consequences for the nation’s health care system, calling into question government rules on anything from consumer protections for patients to drug safety to nursing home care. The June 28 decision overturns a 1984 precedent that said courts should give […] The post The Supreme Court just limited federal power. Health care is feeling the shockwaves. appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
“She’s not going in the boys bathroom.” Ohio mom speaks out against trangender bathroom ban bill
Bradie Anderson fears she will be physically harmed if she uses the boys bathroom at her Northeast Ohio high school. The 14-year-old sophomore is transgender and her mom Anne said she has never had any issues with using the girls restroom at school. “She’s not going in the boys bathroom,” Anne said. “If my daughter […] The post “She’s not going in the boys bathroom.” Ohio mom speaks out against trangender bathroom ban bill appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Increasing the minimum wage will save 4,000 Ohio lives, study says
There may be some drawbacks, but increasing Ohio’s minimum wage to $15 an hour would save 4,000 lives and create a $25 billion benefit to the state economy by 2036, according to a study released last month by Scioto Analysis. A group proposing to increase the minimum wage from the current $10.45 an hour to […] The post Increasing the minimum wage will save 4,000 Ohio lives, study says 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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