Keeping it Brief
New bill proposes legal sports betting at Ohio casinos, lotto retailer
If passed, SB 176 will legalize sports gambling for those who are 21 and over and legalize electronic bingo machines at charitable organizations.
“Sports betting was widely outlawed until 2018, when a U.S. Supreme Court decision made it legal for states to each set up their own regulated systems. More than two-dozen states have already moved to legalize gambling on sports as a way to boost revenue, including nearby states of Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Indiana.”
If passed, entities who offer sports gambling will be required to receive licensure. There will also be a 10% tax on every transaction.
“Under this plan, there would be 20 “Class A” licenses available for the state’s 11 casinos and racinos. They could have retail sportsbooks inside their properties, or could partner with an existing operator (such as FanDuel or DraftKings) to provide a mobile betting option. Ohioans would be able to place bets from their own home.There would be 20 additional “Class B” licenses for other brick-and-mortar sportsbook locations, such as professional sports arenas.”
Nurse overtime bill returns as pandemic asks more of nurses
A bill was recently introduced in the state Housethat would prevent mandatory overtime for nurses
A similar bill was introduced earlier in the pandemic, but was not voted through the state Senate.
“Bill sponsors, state Rep. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, and Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney, D-Cleveland, said the bill is meant to help nurses who feel “compelled” to work unscheduled overtime, resulting in negative health consequences for both patients and nurses.”
The goal of the bill is to improve work conditions for nurses, improve patient care, and save hospitals money.
Opponents to the bill explain that it “creates government mandates that dictate the relationship between employers and employees and represents legislation that seeks to over-regulate Ohio employers which can hinder the state’s economic competitiveness.”
Lawmakers propose bill to crack down on cell phone use while driving
“Legislation from state Reps. Cindy Abrams, R-Harrison, and Brian Lampton, R-Beavercreek, would prohibit using electronic devices while driving in most circumstances. Law enforcement could ticket drivers for even holding their phones while driving.”
This bill comes in the light of there being an increased amount of car crashed between 2016 and 2020.
Under this bill, driving while distracted would be a primary offense. Holding one’s phone while driving will be a violation of the law.
“There would remain exceptions for calling emergency services and “single swipe” actions such as answering a phone call.”
The race of drivers caught not using a hands-free phone will be recorded to ensure that the law is not disproportionately being enforced against certain races.
Ohio Republicans push bill to ban 5 transgender athletes from women’s sports
“Ohio Republicans have joined in a national wave of conservative legislatures proposing legislation to ban transgender girls from women’s high school and collegiate sports, a move LGBTQ advocates characterize as thinly veiled bullying for political points.”
“the bill would allow unspecified parties to “dispute” the sex of athletes. When this occurs, the athlete would need to present a signed physician’s statement indicating her sex based on “internal and external reproductive anatomy;” her “normal endogenously produced levels of testosterone;” and an “analysis of the participant’s genetic makeup.”
The current “Ohio High School Athletic Association policy, developed with experts from Nationwide Children’s Hospital, allows transgender girls to compete if they have either undergone a year of hormone therapy, or obtained special permission from the school athletic director who finds they harbor no distinct physical or physiological advantage over the other athletes.”
House to consider blocking cities from banning natural gas
The House Energy Committee “sent legislation to the floor Wednesday that would prohibit local governments from blocking consumers from obtaining natural gas hookups.”
HB 201 “prohibits cities from passing laws that “limits the use of, prohibits, or prevents residential, commercial, or industrial consumers within their boundaries from obtaining distribution service or retail natural gas service.”
The fossil fuel industry and Ohio Chamber of Commerce support this bill because they believe it protects consumer choice and “avoids a mishmash of local energy regulations for businesses to navigate.”
Currently, cities in Ohio like Cleveland and Cincinnati have a goal to operate on 100% clean energy by 2025. If this bill passes, these cities will no longer be able to control the use of natural gas.
LGBTQ+ couples can adopt, but GOP rejects updating Ohio law to note that
“Although it is legal in Ohio for LGBTQ+ couples to adopt, some GOP legislators want the state law to only acknowledge the adoption rights of heterosexual couples.”
“Married LGBTQ+ couples have been allowed to adopt children in Ohio since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling legalized same-sex marriage across the country.”
Gov. DeWine proposed adding the language into law, but the GOP rejected this proposal.
Ohio House GOP’s proposed voting law changes, explained
A bill is currently being written by two GOP members of the House which would change voting laws. The bill has yet to reach the House floor. The bill will propose the following:
“Streamline the voting registration process so that information provided to the BMV is used electronically to register someone to vote.”
“The Monday before Election Day would be removed from the early voting calendar. The bill sponsors say this is to allow elections officials to be “wholly focused on preparation for Election Day.” The preceding weeks of early voting would be unchanged.”
“Ohioans would be able to request an absentee ballot online. Doing so would require two forms of identification, similar to existing online voter registration. (A separate proposal calls for adding electronic versions of bank statements/utility bills as permissible forms of ID.)”
“County boards of elections offices would be allowed to place up to three drop boxes outside their office. The boxes would only be available for the 10 days prior to Election Day except for cases of a pandemic or other public emergency.”
“Making the request deadline be 10 days before Election Day.”
“Restricting the secretary of state from prepaying postage only if the legislature authorizes it first.”
“The bill would codify other actions a voter can take (besides voting) to restart the clock and prevent their voter registration from being purged. This includes signing a petition for a candidate/issue as well as any activity conducted at the BMV.”
“All 17- year-olds would be eligible to serve, regardless of grade level.”