Latest news with #WCMH
Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Top Ohio court to decide fate of transgender healthcare ban
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Ohio Supreme Court is set to decide whether a contested state law banning certain medical treatment for transgender youth is unconstitutional. The high court announced on July 22 that it's reviewing a lawsuit against House Bill 68, the state law prohibiting gender-affirming care for minors. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost asked the justices to consider the case after an appeals court ruled in March that the law is unconstitutional, arguing it 'infringes on parents' fundamental right to direct the medical care of their children.' Yost, a longtime H.B. 68 supporter, vowed to appeal that ruling. In an April statement, the attorney general's office said, 'We look forward to showing once again that the legislature acted properly in enacting this constitutional law, which protects our children from irreversible medical decisions.' Watch a previous NBC4 report on the March decision in the video player above. Now able to endorse political candidates, Ohio churches express interest in staying neutral Ohio's top court, which voted 6-1 along party lines to take up Yost's appeal, said in late April that the state can continue enforcing the law while litigation continues. Boding well for H.B. 68, a Tennessee law that also prohibits trans minors from receiving treatment like puberty blockers and hormone therapy was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in June. Still, the ACLU of Ohio, which filed the lawsuit against H.B. 68 on behalf of two families with trans children, said it remains confident in challenging Ohio's version of the law. 'Make no mistake: the ACLU of Ohio's litigation challenging House Bill 68 will proceed,' said Freda Levenson, ACLU of Ohio chief legal officer, in a statement. 'Unlike [in Tennessee], our case raises separate constitutional claims under the Ohio Constitution. We will continue to do everything in our power to ensure transgender children and their families have the ability to live freely and thrive.' H.B. 68, which also bans trans female athletes' participation in women's sports, faced a contentious road while advancing through Ohio's legislature. The measure was condemned by top Ohio doctors, including Nick Lashutka, president of the Ohio Children's Hospital Association, who argued at the Statehouse in 2023 that 'it is a dangerous precedent for government to dictate when medication is appropriate in pediatrics.' While the Statehouse approved H.B. 68 in December 2023, Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed the legislation the following month. The governor said he made his decision after visiting patients at five children's hospitals, arguing that 'these are gut-wrenching decisions that should be made by parents and should be informed by teams of doctors.' Still, both chambers of the Statehouse moved to override DeWine's veto. As 988 lifeline ends LGBTQ+ service, Ohio group warns of risks for youth The ACLU filed its lawsuit against H.B. 68 later that spring, putting the law temporarily on hold and setting up a five-day Franklin County trial in July 2024. Ultimately, Common Pleas Judge Michael Holbrook ruled that the legislation could go into effect given it didn't violate Ohio's constitution. The ACLU then appealed Holbrook's decision to the appeals court. 'This has been a long hard fight to protect minors in the state of Ohio,' said Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery), H.B. 68's primary sponsor, in a statement after Holbrook's ruling. 'A strong cross-section of Ohioans… recognize that decisions like these are too consequential to be made for and by minors who are incapable of providing informed consent.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ohio Supreme Court removes Whitehall council candidate from the race
WHITEHALL, Ohio (WCMH) — The Ohio Supreme Court removed a candidate from Whitehall's City Council race last week, reversing a decision by the Franklin County Board of Elections. The city challenged council hopeful Holly Stein's candidacy because of a stipulation in the city's charter about residency. Whitehall said Stein had not lived in Ward 4 the appropriate amount of time to be a candidate. Although the Franklin County Board of Elections said her candidacy was still valid, the Ohio Supreme Court disagreed and removed her from the race last week. Whitehall's charter says candidates must 'have resided in their respective wards … for at least two years preceding their election.' Stein lived in Ward 4 from 2019 to 2022 but moved away before returning in 2024. Upon noting this, Whitehall Councilwoman Lori Elmore, acting as a private citizen, brought the case before the Franklin County Board of Elections early this year. Stein argued that because she had lived in the ward for at least two years in total before the election, she should still be allowed to run. In her defense, she cited another Ohio Supreme Court case where a candidate faced similar residency concerns but was allowed to remain in the race. Top Ohio court to decide fate of trans healthcare ban In March, the Franklin County Board of Elections agreed with her 3-1 and decided to keep her on the ballot. Shortly after, Elmore appealed to the Ohio Supreme Court, this time alongside the city. See previous coverage in the video player above. On July 23, the Ohio Supreme Court said there are differences between her case and the previous one, especially as justices in the previous case barely agreed with one another. Citing opinions from that case, the court ruled Stein needed to have lived in the ward for the two years before running for council, so she is not qualified for the 2025 election. All seven Ohio Supreme Court Justices ruled in favor of Elmore and the city. 'While this outcome is not the decision I wanted, I respect the decision of the Ohio Supreme Court and will use this time to support other candidates and prepare myself to be the best candidate I can be for future elections,' Stein said. 'I am here to serve the people of Whitehall.' Stein told NBC4 she plans to run again in the future. In the meantime, she has plans to support other independent candidates in city council races this year, and will help speak up at council meetings on behalf of other residents as a member of the public. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ohio updates law on golf carts and slow-moving vehicles
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Golf carts and other slow-moving vehicles have become a frequent sight in central Ohio communities since a 2017 law allowed them on public roads; however, a recent update to the law has tweaked its details. Section 4511.214 of the Ohio Revised Code took effect at the end of June, adding new restrictions and clarifying rules for low-speed vehicles, under-speed vehicles, utility vehicles, mini-trucks and motor-driven cycles or scooters. While low-speed vehicles, which can be driven at speeds of 20-25 mph, are still permitted on roads with a speed limit of 35 mph or less, the state has added specifications for under-speed vehicles. Previously, the rules for USVs, or those capable of traveling at 20 mph or less, were only loosely defined. USVs, such as utility vehicles and mini-trucks, are now not allowed on public roads unless a local city, village, or township explicitly passes an ordinance authorizing them on streets with speed limits of 35 mph or under. Drivers must also have their vehicles inspected, titled, and registered, and the local government must notify the state. State lawmakers also included an exception for park employees and volunteers to use utility vehicles within park boundaries. The 2025 law also addresses another growing trend, motor-driven scooters and small cycles. These are now restricted from operating on roads where the speed limit exceeds 45 mph, although crossing those roads at intersections is still allowed. The 2025 version still allows local governments to create stricter ordinances, resolutions, or regulations for operating a low-speed vehicle, a mini-truck, a motor-driven cycle, or a motor scooter. Many central municipalities have detailed online guidelines that operators should follow. 4511.214-6-30-2025Download Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Dublin-based nonprofit lays off 80 central Ohio workers, cites AI and federal cuts
DUBLIN, Ohio (WCMH) — A Dublin-based organization that manages the Dewey Decimal System and partners with libraries worldwide has laid off dozens of central Ohio employees, citing the rise of artificial intelligence and federal funding cuts. OCLC, a global nonprofit with thousands of library members in more than 100 countries, confirmed to NBC4 it recently reduced its central Ohio workforce by about 80 positions. Headquartered at 6565 Kilgour Place in Dublin, OCLC said in a statement that the layoffs come as the organization 'is operating in a rapidly changing environment.' Inside Intel's announcement to further slow construction in New Albany 'Artificial Intelligence and other technology changes require different skills and provide opportunity for efficiencies,' spokesperson Bob Murphy said. 'Reasons for this adjustment include shifts in technical skill requirements, growing influence of artificial intelligence, and ongoing changes in higher education and libraries.' Watch a previous NBC4 report on federal library funding cuts in the video player above. Still, OCLC has several open positions and will hire for more new roles in the future as the organization continues 'to expand to serve libraries all over the world,' Murphy said. It's unclear whether the nonprofit's new roles will be based in central Ohio, but six of OCLC's seven active job postings state they are for hybrid roles in Dublin. OCLC employs a global staff of 1,300, including about 800 in central Ohio. The organization serves public institutions and libraries around the world by providing shared technology, software, research and data services like WorldCat, the world's largest library database that publishes the Dewey Decimal System. The library nonprofit's layoffs follow the Trump administration's decision earlier this year to dismantle the Institute of Museum and Library Services, an agency that funds and promotes libraries and cultural institutions nationwide. The move means Ohio libraries could lose of millions of dollars in funding, used to support programs accessible to communities across the state. What the end of pandemic rental assistance means for Columbus While OCLC partly points to AI for the workforce cuts, the organization announced in June it is using AI 'to deliver faster, smarter resource sharing solutions for libraries.' First launched in 2020 as automation tools, the nonprofit's latest 'smart fulfillment features' now incorporate AI that optimizes interlibrary loan processes and enabling libraries to deliver items faster. The organization was founded in 1967 as the Ohio College Library Center, but later changed its name to OCLC. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
What does the Ohio House property tax override mean?
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Ohio House pushed for property tax relief this week, but legislators disagree on whether removing some property tax authority will help Ohioans' pocketbooks. Gov. Mike DeWine signed Ohio's 2026-2027 budget into law on June 30, but vetoed 67 provisions within the several thousand page document. On Monday, the Ohio House held a rare out-of-season session to override one of the budget vetoes in an attempt to provide property tax relief. During the vote, politicians on both sides of the aisle said Ohio's tax system is too complex to be productive, so NBC4 is breaking this issue down. Olentangy coach resigns amid investigation into inappropriate text messages What happened? On Monday, 89 of the House's 99 members met and voted to override DeWine's veto on school district property tax levy restrictions. The move needed 60 votes, and it successfully passed 61-28. The House originally planned to vote on three overrides, but leaders said they did not think they had the votes due to absences. See previous coverage in the video player above. It is now up to the Senate to decide if they will also vote on the override, but they have not yet announced plans to vote. The override is not official unless 20 of Ohio's 33 Senators concur. What could change? If the Senate concurs the veto override, Ohio would change what type of property tax levies schools and other services could place on the ballot. The changes stop schools and political subdivisions, like fire departments or libraries, from introducing replacement and emergency levies. This change also stops school districts from asking for operating levies if it has too much money left over in their general funds. Replacement levies occur when a levy is expiring, and can either keep the same levy in place or, more commonly, replace it with a higher tax rate. Emergency levies are used when funding is crucial to keep operating, and they expire after a set number of years. These are all operating levies, meaning they are used to pay for daily necessities like supplies, utilities and salaries. These funds typically cannot be used for permanent improvement projects, like building a new high school or fire department. House members in favor of the changes said words like 'emergency' and 'replacement' can influence people to vote for property tax increases they may not want. They hope removing these levy options will promote transparency in levy requests. Bobcats, bald eagles and bears, oh my! Species seeing population growth in Ohio What does this mean for schools? This would limit how public school districts are allowed to ask for public money by removing several levy options. Schools would still be allowed to request other property tax levies. The Ohio Education Association (OAE) said these levies are crucial for school districts' long-term financial stability. Replacement levies are frequently used to help districts keep up with inflation, so having to always seek new levies brings a more complicated request to taxpayers. According to the OAE, this change could force Ohio schools to increase class sizes and cut programming. Schools will also no longer be allowed to ask for certain levies if they carry over more than 100% of their expenditures in their general funds from school year to school year. School districts say this is an important protection for long-term financial planning, as they cannot ask for more money even if they say they need more. House Republicans who voted in favor of the override said it will encourage districts to be more fiscally responsible. Proponents of the change say this is not taking money from schools, as voters will still have the opportunity to approve levies. Opponents, like Rep. Ismail Mohamed (D-Columbus), said the veto would limit the choices Ohioans have at the ballot. What does this mean for local services? Although the change affects school districts immensely, it also affects political subdivisions like local governments, fire departments, libraries and parks. All of these services rely on property taxes, and many of them use replacement levies to stay afloat. For instance, Franklin Township had two replacement levies fail in the past year, leading them to have to close one of their two fire stations. Legislators and advocates who disagree with the possible property tax change say examples like this prove Ohioans already have control over whether or not to pass a levy. Like local schools, this could make it more difficult to pass levies, or just complicate how these services are asking for funding. House Democrats say these services will have to choose between more frequent levy requests or making budget cuts. House Republicans largely say this will protect taxpayers from overreach and encourage local services to be better stewards of tax dollars. Three months later, still no updates in OSU investigation of hidden cameras in dorm bathroom What does this mean for my taxes? Even if the Senate concurs this veto override, this change does not guarantee a different property tax rate for Ohioans. The change reduces how many types of levies subdivisions can ask for, but fewer levies may not correlate with fewer levy requests. Proponents say this will help provide transparency at the ballot and prevent tax hikes that voters may not expect. The change would go into effect Jan. 1, 2026, so it would not change tax laws until after the November election. Proponents say this is a proactive change to help future overreach. Opponents say it is unlikely this will provide meaningful property tax relief because it does not address immediate pressures. They said it could even add financial pressure for taxpayers as local governments and schools try to find other revenue sources. Ohio leaders say property tax reform is coming, regardless of whether the override stands. Gov. Mike DeWine has tasked a property tax reform work group with analyzing concerns and generating solutions by Sept. 30. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
