Keeping it Brief

State

A bill has recently been introduced which would provide legal protections to those Ohioans who choose to not receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
- Once one claims they do not want the vaccine, “People, businesses, and governments would not be able to “discriminate against, deny service or access to, segregate, require a facial covering or other vaccination status label for, or otherwise penalize an individual financially or socially” for declining a vaccine.”
This bill supports the argument against vaccine passports too.

HB 13 was recently introduced by Republican representatives. This bill is aimed at making Ohio’s campaign finance laws more transparent. More specifically, it would:
- “...differentiate donations to nonprofits meant to influence elections from donations for what other purposes the “social welfare organization” exists.”
- “...would allow groups to separate their accounts, only publicly disclosing funding from people who donated for expressly political purposes.”
Overall, it removes restrictions on labor unions and corporations that were implemented in “Citizens United”

A bill has recently been introduced by two Democratic representatives that would “utilize the Ohio Civil Rights Commission to operate a “pay equity hotline” where anonymous tips about wage discrimination could be placed.”
- The hotline is currently used for general discrimination claims
“The bill is a reintroduction of the bill both lawmakers led in the last General Assembly. With no Republican cosponsors signing on, the bill received three hearings but never made it out of the House Civil Justice Committee.”

Legislation introduced by Republican senators would “repeal overtime requirements for hours employees spend on their way to the “place of performance of the principal activity, on activities that are “preliminary or postliminary” to the work itself, or on activities requiring “insubstantial or insignificant periods of time” past scheduled working hours.”
- Employers would be allowed to use a stingler accounting method if this bill were to be signed into law.
- Lawmakers would also be legally protected if they were to not pay overtime.

“State Reps. Stephanie Howse of Cleveland and Jessica Miranda of Forest Park recently sponsored the “Ohio Equal Pay Act,” which sets new requirements for public employers as well as business entities pursuing grants and contracts with the Ohio government.”
- “Public employers would be required to determine all of the job classifications at a given workplace, then see how many men and women are working in each classification. The goal would be to find out if there are pay disparities between job types held primarily by women versus those primarily held by men.”
- “Private employers vying for government contracts or grants would first be required to have an “Equal Pay Certificate,” essentially assuring they follow existing laws guaranteeing equal workplace opportunities for women. The Ohio Department of Administrative Services would issue these certificates for a $25 fee.”
The passage of the bill would prevent employers from asking potential employees about their wage history and prevent employers from encouraging employees to talk about wages with each other.

“A judge has temporarily blocked an Ohio ban on the use of telemedicine for medication abortions as a suit challenging the law’s constitutionality proceeds.”
- This ban will last about two-weeks
There will be a hearing on April 19th about the direction of this issue.
“Supporters of the law argued that it is important for a doctor to be physically present when women take mifepristone for a chemical abortion to assure safety and to answer questions.”
“Opponents contended that women seeking abortions are already required to visit a clinic for counseling and for an ultrasound a day ahead of the procedure under current Ohio law. They said taking the abortion medication from home on the second day, while connected online with the clinician, is safe and permitted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.”

Guest UserApril 7, 2021