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Ohio Capital Journal
Ohio Supreme Court draws distinction between ‘utility’ and ‘motor’ vehicles
When is a vehicle with a motor not a motor vehicle? That’s the question at the heart of a recent Ohio Supreme Court case. Known as State v. Fork, it dealt with a drunk driving accident, but the catch is that the accident involved a Polaris utility vehicle rather than a car. The justices determined […] The post Ohio Supreme Court draws distinction between ‘utility’ and ‘motor’ vehicles appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
School voucher proponents spend big to overcome rural resistance
AUSTIN, Texas — In rural Texas, public schools are the cultural heart of small towns. People pack the high school stadium for Friday night football games, and FFA classes prepare the next generation for the agricultural life. In many places, more people work for the school district than for any other employer. For years, many […] The post School voucher proponents spend big to overcome rural resistance appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Self-managed abortions increased by about 26,000 after Dobbs decision, study shows
Self-managed abortions rose by more than 26,000 in the six months after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade nearly two years ago, according to a peer-reviewed study published Monday in JAMA, the American Medical Association’s journal. Researchers determined that an increase of approximately 27,838 online orders of abortion pills between July and December 2022 corresponded […] The post Self-managed abortions increased by about 26,000 after Dobbs decision, study shows appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
First the GOP came for abortion. Birth control, surrogacy and IVF are next.
For girls like me who came of age in the ‘80s while the backlash to the women’s liberation movement raged, it was a profoundly confusing time. On one hand, we grew up listening to “Free to Be … You and Me” combat harmful sexist stereotypes, but the decade was also marked by stifling pressures to […] The post First the GOP came for abortion. Birth control, surrogacy and IVF are next. appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio Minority Leaders Nickie Antonio and Allison Russo are navigating a Republican supermajority
For the first time since 2008, two women are serving as the minority leaders of their caucuses in the Ohio Statehouse. Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, became leader in 2023 and Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, became leader in 2022. “I couldn’t be more proud to have two women leading […] The post Ohio Minority Leaders Nickie Antonio and Allison Russo are navigating a Republican supermajority appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance wants to eliminate a tax break for large mergers
U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-OH, has introduced a bipartisan measure placing new limits on large corporate mergers. The bill, co-sponsored with U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-RI, would eliminate a tax exemption when the businesses involved have a combined annual revenue of $500 million or more. The measure represents another example of Vance staking out a […] The post Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance wants to eliminate a tax break for large mergers appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio landowners say solar opposition groups threaten their property rights
A pair of cousins who want to lease land for a contested solar project in central Ohio say a vocal minority is trying to interfere with their property rights. “I have rights as an owner, farmer and investor that shouldn’t be limited by a small group of individuals who are opposed to any solar development,” […] The post Ohio landowners say solar opposition groups threaten their property rights appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
U.S. Senate in overnight vote sends $1.2 trillion government spending package to Biden
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate took a broadly bipartisan vote early Saturday to approve a $1.2 trillion spending package, sending the measure to President Joe Biden for his signature with no time to spare after missing a midnight deadline. Biden signed the bill later Saturday. The 74-24 vote wraps up the government funding process for […] The post U.S. Senate in overnight vote sends $1.2 trillion government spending package to Biden appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
U.S. Supreme Court to hear oral arguments Tuesday on abortion pill limits
WASHINGTON — The same U.S. Supreme Court that overturned the constitutional right to an abortion will hear oral arguments Tuesday over access to mifepristone, a pharmaceutical used in both medication abortion and miscarriage care. The nine justices will then decide whether to leave access to the drug intact or require the U.S. Food and Drug […] The post U.S. Supreme Court to hear oral arguments Tuesday on abortion pill limits appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Dissatisfaction with one-party control leads to more ballot initiatives, 60% of them in six states
Recent polls show Americans are increasingly dissatisfied with their system of representative democracy, in which they choose candidates to represent their interests once in office. When available, voters have bypassed their elected representatives and enacted laws by using direct democracy tools such as ballot initiatives and veto referendums. Ballot initiatives allow citizens or legislatures to […] The post Dissatisfaction with one-party control leads to more ballot initiatives, 60% of them in six states appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio Senate President, redistricting reform supporters, trade criticisms in post-primary event
Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman spoke out Thursday against a proposed constitutional amendment to remove politicians from the redistricting process and give authority over state redistricting to an independent, citizen-led commission. In a post-primary event hosted by the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, Republican Senate President Huffman, who oversees a supermajority in his chamber representing districts […] The post Ohio Senate President, redistricting reform supporters, trade criticisms in post-primary event appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Texas Republican border maneuvers cause chaos, outrage local officials
El PASO, Texas — Texas’ GOP politicians have long used state law enforcement to act tough on immigration. But developments over the past few days seem to show how their latest maneuvering is inviting chaos — raising fundamental constitutional questions, outraging local officials, and worsening international relations. For more than a decade, the state has […] The post Texas Republican border maneuvers cause chaos, outrage local officials appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown announces almost $20 billion for Intel fabs in Ohio, around U.S.
Nearly $20 billion in federal grants and loans is on its way to Intel to support work on semiconductor fabs in Ohio and around the country. The funding is part of the CHIPS Act, signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022. Ohio’s New Albany-area Intel facility currently under construction stands to benefit substantially. […] The post U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown announces almost $20 billion for Intel fabs in Ohio, around U.S. appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman eyeing House speakership, ‘talking’ to Democrats
Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman has finally announced a long-expected move — his interest in running to unseat House Speaker Jason Stephens in January 2025. He suggested to reporters today that the current leader is not doing a good enough job and said that Democrats have reached out to him about a possible speaker run. […] The post Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman eyeing House speakership, ‘talking’ to Democrats appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
AIPAC spending on Ohio Democratic and Republican candidates
AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is the largest pro-Israel lobbying group in the United States, boasting of “3 million grassroots members who want to strengthen and expand the U.S.-Israel relationship.” Reporting from the campaign finance news outlet Sludge shows that they gave $3.7 million in November to the campaigns of U.S. lawmakers, and […] The post AIPAC spending on Ohio Democratic and Republican candidates appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Ohio Republican politicians trying to normalize Trump are debasing themselves for all of history
Enough. Enough trying to normalize Donald Trump. Enough giving him cover of respectability. Enough with this pretending from Ohio Republican politicians that he’s not one of the most reckless, unstable, chaotic, dysfunctional, angry, corrupt, fraudulent, egomaniacal, vengeful, solipsistic, mean-spirited, ignorant hucksters to ever darken the American stage — that he is somehow not what the […] The post Ohio Republican politicians trying to normalize Trump are debasing themselves for all of history appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Expanded child tax credit stranded in U.S. Senate by GOP comparisons to welfare
WASHINGTON — One of the cheapest provisions aimed at helping low-income families has become a main sticking point for Republican senators as they negotiate a bipartisan tax package that attracted broad support in the U.S. House. The reason for the opposition is that a taxpayer could earn no income for a year and still qualify for […] The post Expanded child tax credit stranded in U.S. Senate by GOP comparisons to welfare appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
Massive $1.2 trillion spending package that would avert a shutdown released by Congress
WASHINGTON — Congress released the final six government funding bills early Thursday, starting off a sprint toward the Friday midnight deadline to wrap up work that was supposed to be finished nearly six months ago. The bipartisan agreement on the $1.2 trillion spending package, which emerged just before 3 a.m., came less than two weeks […] The post Massive $1.2 trillion spending package that would avert a shutdown released by Congress appeared first on Ohio Capital Journal.
U.S. Senate GOP seeking to attach immigration measure to massive spending bill
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans want to tie an immigration bill named for a slain Georgia nursing student to a massive spending package lawmakers must pass by Friday night to avoid a partial shutdown. Senate Republicans, led by Ted Budd of North Carolina, told reporters Thursday they’re proposing to attach the House-passed Laken Riley Act as an amendment to […] The post U.S. Senate GOP seeking to attach immigration measure to massive spending bill 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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