Women's Public Policy Network

Ohio

Stay engaged, involved, and up-to-date: 02/19/2018 Weekly Review

Monday, February 26th, 2018

Stay engaged, involved, and up-to-date: In the weekly reviews from the Women’s Public Policy Network, we look back on last week’s highlights from the WPPN, share updates on bills affecting women that are moving at the Statehouse, showcase weekly news clips, and provide calls to action on bills pending in the Legislature. Sign up for our emails to receive these updates in your inbox every week!

FROM THE BLOG: CONTINUED ATTACKS ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE ACCESS
This week the Ohio House Committee will hold a third hearing on Ohio Senate Bill 28, which would impose a medically unnecessary funeral ritual on patients who choose abortion by requiring the burial or cremation of fetal remains.
Abortion is an essential component of comprehensive reproductive health care for women, and the passage of bills like SB28 would present barriers to the accessibility and affordability of abortion care. That’s why we need you to take action. Read our full blog post here to learn more about SB28 and find out how you can take action. 
 
LOOKING AHEAD: PARTNER EVENTS THIS UPCOMING WEEK  
Wednesday, February 28, 2018
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
The Ohio Statehouse, Meeting Room 121
1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215
Join us at the next Ohio House Health Committee hearing for Senate Bill 28, an abortion ban that requires the burial of fetal tissue, imposing a medically unnecessary funeral ritual on patients choosing abortion. 
 
There is clearly no purpose of Senate Bill 28 other than to stigmatize and shame people who have already made the personal decision to have an abortion. This bill also requires state issued documents that can be made public, a patient who has decided to have an abortion would have their private medical information exposed. Let’s pack the hearing and show them that we oppose the attacks on repro-rights! Find out more.

Women’s Fund of Central Ohio: Statehouse Day: Making HERstory

Thursday, March 1, 2018
8:00 AM – 3:00 PM
The Ohio Statehouse
1 Capitol Square, Columbus, OH 43215
Convene with women and men from across the state at The Women’s Fund Statehouse Day. You will spend the morning hearing from policymakers and community leaders on why issues promoting women’s economic empowerment benefit society. 
 
The lunch portion of this day will feature Lilly Ledbetter, the inspiring woman at the center of the historic discrimination case that inspired the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act. Hear about her fight for equal rights in the workplace, and how her determination became a victory for the nation.This event is sold out!
Visit our Partner Events Calendar for more details on future events hosted by our coalition partners across the state.
#OHLEG ALERT
We are tracking the progress of any state bills affecting women in the Ohio Legislature for the 132nd General Assembly. The legislature is back in session for 2018. Here are some updates from this past week and a look ahead at activity to watch for in the House and Senate:
  • HB 1 (Sykes, Manning) – Dating Protection Orders: Updates Ohio’s domestic violence laws by extending victims of dating violence access to DV protections, such as civil protection orders. The Ohio Senate passed the bill with a unanimous 32-0 vote last week during Senate session. 
  • HB 468 (Perales, Boyd) – Military Leave: Would grant full-time state employees paid leave for the purpose of attending medical examinations and appointments provided through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The House Armed Services, Veterans Affairs & Homeland Security Committee will hold a second hearing on the bill for proponent testimony this upcoming Wednesday, February 28. The Committee will meet at 4:00 PM in Statehouse Room 116.
  • HB 492 (Gonzales) – State Procurement: Establishes the women-owned business enterprise program, which would require state agencies to establish goals for procurement of women-owned businesses. The bill House State & Local Government Committee will hold a first hearing on the bill for sponsor testimony this upcoming Tuesday, February 27. The Committee will meet at 2:00 PM in Statehouse Room 017.
  • HB 497 (Rogers, Manning) – Private Images: Prohibits the nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images, and creates certain legal rights and employment protections for a victim of such a crime. The Community & Family Advancement Committee will hold a first hearing on the bill for sponsor testimony this upcoming Wednesday, February 28. The Committee will meet at 5:00 PM in Statehouse Room 114.
  • HB 505 (Sykes) – Awareness Month: Designates May as “Maternal Mortality Awareness Month.” The bill was referred to the House Health Committee this past week on February 20. 
  • HB 511 (Lanese, Rogers) – Marriage Age: Makes changes to the state laws governing marriage ages by requiring both males and females to be aged 18, with exceptions for 17 year olds to marry with court approval. Legislation was prompted after a Dayton Daily News story investigated the prevalence of minors marrying in Ohio. The House Community & Family Advancement Committee will hold a first hearing on the bill for sponsor testimony. The Committee will meet at 5:00 PM in Statehouse Room 114.
  • HB 520 (Miller, Hughes) – Human Trafficking: Increases the penalty for solicitation from a third degree to a first degree misdemeanor. The bill was introduced in the House last week on Wednesday, February 21.
  • SB 28 (Uecker) – Abortion: Would require fetal remains from a surgical abortion at an abortion facility to be disposed of by cremation or burial. The bill was passed out of the full Senate by a 24-9 vote in January and will receive a third hearing with all testimony and possible vote this upcoming Wednesday, February 28 in the House Health Committee. The Committee will meet at 9:00 AM in Statehouse Room 121.
  • SB 171 (Hottinger) – Protection Orders: Increases the penalty for violating a protection order under certain circumstances. The bill would then require those that have violated their protection orders to be electronically monitored by probation agencies. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a third hearing on the bill for all testimony and possible amendments this upcoming Tuesday, February 27. The Committee will meet at 10:15 AM in the Statehouse North Hearing Room.
  • SB 190 (Hoagland) – Veteran Paid Leave: Would grant full-time state employees paid leave for the purpose of attending medical examinations and appointments provided through the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. The Senate Local Government, Public Safety & Veterans Affairs Committee held a second hearing on the bill for proponent testimony this past Tuesday, February 20. You can find testimony from the hearing here (look under Committee Documents from February 20).
  • SB 198 (Yuko) – Marriage Age: This bill makes updates to Ohio’s marriage laws to set the legal age of marriage to 18 years. The original bill draft allowed for exceptions in circumstances allowing for 16 and 17 year olds if they receive consent from the juvenile court and their parent or guardian, but Senator Yuko asked the chair to change the bill to 18 year olds without any exceptions. The Senate Judiciary Committee held a first hearing on the bill for sponsor testimony this past Tuesday, February 20. You can find testimony from the hearing here (look under Committee Documents from February 20).
  • SB 244 (Dolan, Manning) – Prostitution: Increases penalties for soliciting. The Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a second hearing on the bill for proponent testimony this upcoming Tuesday, February 27. The Committee will meet at 10:15 AM in the Statehouse North Hearing Room. 
  • SB 261 (Tavares) – Paid Leave: Establishes a statewide family and medical leave insurance benefits program. The program provides paid leave for Ohio workers to continue to earn a portion of their paycheck for up to 12 weeks in a 12-month period in order to care for and bond with a new baby, care for an ill family member or address their own serious health condition. The bill was introduced this past week on February 22 with bipartisan support from bill co-sponsors.
We will keep tracking any new updates and will be sharing timely legislative updates on these and other women-centric legislation on Twitter using the #OHLeg hashtag. Follow us to stay up-to-date on what’s happening at the Statehouse.
The United States is the only industrialized country in the world without some form of guaranteed, legally-protected paid family leave. Because of that shortfall, only 15 percent of workers have access to paid family leave, and that drops to a mere four percent among low-wage workers.
In the absence of a national standard, state legislators are taking action! State Representatives Kristin Boggs and Janine Boyd recently announced that they will be introducing statewide paid family and medical leave legislation in the Ohio House.
TAKE ACTION:  Contact your State Representative and urge them to sign on as a co-sponsor of the Ohio Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program that will be introduced in the Ohio House by Representatives Boggs and Boyd.
We believe everyone deserves access to the paid leave policy they need to balance the demands of work and the needs of family. Are you with us? Visit the Paid Leave landing page on our website to learn more about paid family leave and how you can make a difference.