Latest news with #OhioHouseofRepresentatives
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
You could soon face a higher fine if you speed by a school bus in Ohio
In August 2023, a man driving a minivan struck a school bus filled with students, ejecting and killing 11-year-old Aiden Clark in Springfield. The driver was later sentenced to at least nine years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and vehicular homicide. But state lawmakers want to do more to prevent future injuries and deaths. The Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 3, 88-0, on June 11. The proposed law would increase penalties for drivers passing stopped school buses, allow schools to install cameras on buses to catch offenders and set aside $10 million in state lottery profits to pay for school bus safety upgrades. 'Every day, thousands of students in Ohio ride school buses, and too many are put at risk by drivers who illegally pass stopped buses,' said Rep. Cecil Thomas, D-North Avondale. Ohio lawmakers won't require safety belts on school buses − an issue hotly debated following the August 2023 crash. Some of the changes came from recommendations of the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group, which Gov. Mike DeWine assembled to look into school bus safety. But they will increase penalties for drivers who illegally pass school buses − a major issue identified when studying what would make school buses safer. 'That's been the overriding goal from the beginning: Make it more safe,' said Rep. Bernard Willis, R-Springfield. He represents Northwestern Local Schools, whose students were injured in the August 2023 crash. Current law requires drivers to stop at least 10 feet back from school buses with red flashing lights, loading or unloading students. The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported 933 criminal violations of illegally passing a school bus − although, bus drivers say the actual number is much higher. However, fines are currently optional for drivers who illegally pass these buses. Under the proposed changes, drivers would face a mandatory fine of between $250 and $1,000 for a first offense. Repeat offenders within five years would pay between $350 and $2,000 and have their driver's license suspended. Fines could be reduced if drivers took an educational course. The bill would also allow school buses to install cameras to catch drivers who fly past school buses. The school bus driver's eyewitness testimony would be required for a citation, not just the video footage alone. If the bill becomes law, Ohio schools could apply for a $10 million grant program to buy cameras, safety belts, illuminated signs, lane departure warning systems and other safety features recommended by DeWine's task force. Lawmakers initially proposed $50 million over two years, but that sum was reduced. The proposed law also honors the Northwestern Local Schools students by designating August as 'School Bus Safety Month.' The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate for consideration. If both chambers approve of the changes, the proposed law would head to DeWine for his signature. Dispatch reporter Bethany Bruner contributed to this article. State government reporter Jessie Balmert can be reached at jbalmert@ or @jbalmert on X. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio wants to crack down on drivers after fatal school bus accident
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Yahoo
You could soon face a bigger fine if you speed pass a school bus in Ohio
In August 2023, a man driving a minivan struck a school bus filled with students, ejecting and killing 11-year-old Aiden Clark in Springfield. The driver was later sentenced to at least nine years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and vehicular homicide. But state lawmakers want to do more to prevent future injuries and deaths. The Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 3, 88-0, on June 11. The proposed law would increase penalties for drivers passing stopped school buses, allow schools to install cameras on buses to catch offenders and set aside $10 million in state lottery profits to pay for school bus safety upgrades. 'Every day, thousands of students in Ohio ride school buses, and too many are put at risk by drivers who illegally pass stopped buses,' said Rep. Cecil Thomas, D-North Avondale. Ohio lawmakers won't require safety belts on school buses − an issue hotly debated following the August 2023 crash. Some of the changes came from recommendations of the Ohio School Bus Safety Working Group, which Gov. Mike DeWine assembled to look into school bus safety. But they will increase penalties for drivers who illegally pass school buses − a major issue identified when studying what would make school buses safer. 'That's been the overriding goal from the beginning: Make it more safe,' said Rep. Bernard Willis, R-Springfield. He represents Northwestern Local Schools, whose students were injured in the August 2023 crash. Current law requires drivers to stop at least 10 feet back from school buses with red flashing lights, loading or unloading students. The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported 933 criminal violations of illegally passing a school bus − although, bus drivers say the actual number is much higher. However, fines are currently optional for drivers who illegally pass these buses. Under the proposed changes, drivers would face a mandatory fine of between $250 and $1,000 for a first offense. Repeat offenders within five years would pay between $350 and $2,000 and have their driver's license suspended. Fines could be reduced if drivers took an educational course. The bill would also allow school buses to install cameras to catch drivers who fly past school buses. The school bus driver's eyewitness testimony would be required for a citation, not just the video footage alone. If the bill becomes law, Ohio schools could apply for a $10 million grant program to buy cameras, safety belts, illuminated signs, lane departure warning systems and other safety features recommended by DeWine's task force. Lawmakers initially proposed $50 million over two years, but that sum was reduced. The proposed law also honors the Northwestern Local Schools students by designating August as 'School Bus Safety Month.' The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate for consideration. If both chambers approve of the changes, the proposed law would head to DeWine for his signature. Dispatch reporter Bethany Bruner contributed to this article. State government reporter Jessie Balmert can be reached at jbalmert@ or @jbalmert on X. Do you think this plan does enough to make school buses safe in Ohio? This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio wants to crack down on drivers after fatal school bus accident
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Clyde named next chair of Ohio Democratic Party
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — The Ohio Democratic Party has named its next chairperson. On June 10, the Ohio Democratic Party announced Kathleen Clyde was elected as the next chair. Clyde will take her position in 2026, as current chairwoman Elizabeth Walters is stepping down. Walters was elected state party chair in 2021. According to Clyde's biography, she has held a number or public service positions, including a representative for constituents in the Ohio House of Representatives and election official for the Franklin County Board of Elections. The incoming chairwoman said she is ready to get to work to 'get our state back on the right track.' After years of failed governance from illegal Republican supermajorities, Ohioans are seeing their bills climb and their quality of life drop while billionaires line their own pockets. With every statewide office and a U.S. Senate race on the ballot, Ohio has key opportunities to elect Democrats who actually work for Ohioans and get our state back on the right track. Already, Ohioans are fed up with Republicans as they push a budget that prioritizes special interests and their billionaire backers while working families fall behind. I'm grateful to Ohio Democrats for putting their trust in me during this critical election cycle, and I'm looking forward to getting to work.' Kathleen Clyde Allison Russo, house minority leader of the Ohio House, believes Clyde's leadership within the state party will help show change for the state. 'She has been a tireless advocate for working families and the future of our state,' said Russo. 'I'm confident her leadership will energize our party and help deliver results for Ohioans.' reached out to the Ohio Republican Party Wednesday morning for comment. We have not yet heard back. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
DeWine announces extended Ohio Sales Tax Holiday
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — Families will be able to save even more money during Ohio's tax-free shopping period. Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio General Assembly have once again expanded the Ohio Sales Tax Holiday to a full two weeks. Retail store opens in former Trotwood Big Lots The 2025 Sales Tax Holiday will run from Friday, Aug. 1 to Thursday, Aug. 14. This allows families to save money on school supplies and other general necessities. During this time period, shoppers can make qualifying purchases in-store and online without paying state sales tax. In 2024, the state of Ohio extended the three-day tax-free weekend to a full 10 days, and expanded to include a wider range of items up to $500, rather than be limited to just school supplies. 'Ohio's sales tax holiday is a practical way we can help working families keep more of their hard-earned dollars,' said Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives Matt Huffman. 'Whether it's back-to-school shopping or everyday essentials, this is an opportunity for Ohioans to get more value for their money.' The tax exemption does not apply to services or to purchases of motor vehicles, watercraft, outboard motors, alcohol, tobacco, vapor products or any item containing marijuana. To learn more, visit the Ohio Department of Taxation's website. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
23-05-2025
- Business
- Newsweek
Proposal May Ban Some Green Card Holders from Owning Land Throughout State
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ohio state lawmakers are considering legislation that could prohibit some green card holders from certain countries and foreign nationals from owning land across large portions of the state. Newsweek has reached out to the bill's sponsors for comment via email on Friday. Why It Matters The bill represents one of the broadest state-level efforts to restrict foreign investment in U.S. real estate, following in suit with Florida and Texas initiatives. For American universities, research centers, and businesses that rely on global talent, the legislation could have substantial consequences for staffing and investment. Green card holders, legal permanent residents of the United States, have faced increasing uncertainty under President Donald Trump's administration and his crackdown on immigration, with reports of some being detained at airports or during immigration checks and others facing possible deportation. What To Know Introduced by Representatives Angela King and Roy Klopfenstein, House Bill 1, seeks to limit who can be a land owner in the Buckeye state. Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens looks out from the Speaker's dais during a session of the Ohio House of Representatives in the Ohio Statehouse House Chamber on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens looks out from the Speaker's dais during a session of the Ohio House of Representatives in the Ohio Statehouse House Chamber on Wednesday, April 24, 2024, in Columbus, Ohio. AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster The bill's sponsors say it addresses national security threats, including espionage and cyberattacks, by prohibiting noncitizens from designated "foreign adversaries," including China, Russia, and Iran, among others, from owning land within 25 miles of "critical infrastructure." The term is broadly used to describe a range of facilities, including power plants, transportation hubs and military installations. Under the measure's broad scope and strict distance limits, few areas in Ohio would remain open to such purchases. The bill exempts American citizens or those with dual citizenship from the ban. The Senate counterpart bill notes that impacted individuals would have to sell and divest their property within two years. Under the bills, county sheriffs would be responsible for enforcing the new restrictions. If the legislation passes, individuals subject to the prohibition would be required to sell restricted property within two years. Ohio's legislation follows similar laws in Florida and Texas, where foreign adversary property bans have led to lawsuits and national debate. The state-level movement intensified after a 2022 case in North Dakota, when the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) declined to review a Chinese firm's land purchase, fueling state action. Earlier this week, critics of the proposal attended an Ohio Statehouse hearing opposing the matter. What People Are Saying Xiang Zhang, a professor of genomics at the University of Cincinnati, said at a hearing on Tuesday, as reported by the South China Morning Post: "I never thought that one day, I would have to stand here in front of you to defend myself solely because of my nationality. I never thought that one day, I would lose my house in Ohio solely because of my nationality." Ohio Representative Angie King, who sponsored the bill, said: "This is a national security issue. The federal government can't counter all these threats on their own. What people don't realize is that the Chinese government kind of exerts a top-down control over all Chinese companies and commercial enterprises regardless of whether a state official has a stake in the company or not." Ohio Realtors said in a May 20 statement on its website: "The bill is part of a broader national push to address concerns about foreign land ownership tied to national security. However, as currently written, the legislation would create sweeping limitations that affect far more than high-risk transactions, including everyday residential purchases." Harrison Siders, a member of the State Armor Action nonprofit seeking to combat the Chinese Communist Party's influence, testified at an Ohio committee hearing, as reported by the Cincinnati Enquirer: "Without states and localities addressing this threat, even the most robust action by Washington will be too little, too late. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) calls the states the soft underbelly of America." What Happens Next Lawmakers are expected to debate amendments as the House and Senate bill are still in their early stages. The proposals could advance to full legislative votes in the coming months.
