State lawmakers wrapped up the two-year session by passing a bunch of bills. Gov. Mike DeWine into law the week before Christmas.
Among those measures:
- a ban on the use of electronic tracking devices without consent
- a measure extending the standard lease terms of contracts to frack under state parks and include natural gas and nuclear power as green energy
- a bill to extend child support orders for parents and guardians of adult children with disabilities who can't support themselves
- a proposal to allow property owners to shoot and kill feral hogs on their land without a hunting license
The last of the bills that got through lame duck are on DeWine鈥檚 desk or on their way. DeWine鈥檚 office confirms receiving three so far.
One is , a spending measure that includes $15 million for a statewide special election in May to decide on renewal of the bond program that funds local infrastructure. On Dec. 18 legislators approved putting that bond program before voters - which is required by law. SB 54 passed unanimously in the Senate, and 17 Republicans voted against it in the House.
Another bill DeWine has received, , was a measure to designate May as Older Ohioans Month but now includes price transparency requirements for hospitals. That passed unanimously in both chambers.
And DeWine has received , which started as a bill to change laws on townships before it transformed into the so-called Christmas tree bill, with lots of provisions attached.
DeWine has said he will strike the line in HB 315 banning regulators from taking action against medical professionals who deal in misinformation. And he鈥檚 being pressured to veto allowing law enforcement to charge $75 an hour for body cam video.
Then there鈥檚 , the "Parents鈥� Bill of Rights". The bill requires parents to be notified about "sexuality content" in K-12 classrooms so they can choose to opt their children out. It also requires school employees notify parents of changes in a child's physical or mental health, such as a request for counseling. This includes informing parents if a child has gender identity questions or wants to be referred to by a different name or pronouns. It also includes a requirement that K-12 school districts allow students to leave school during the day for religious instruction. LGBTQ+ groups have urged a veto, calling it Ohio's version of a "don't say gay" law and saying it will hurt vulnerable kids.
"I'm going to review every bill, and our team is looking through every bill to make sure there's not anything in there that we were surprised about or that we did not catch before," DeWine said on Dec. 20 when he signed a bill intended to protect patients from sexual abuse by medical professionals. "There were changes that were made in this or in our request. And, I think it's likely that I will sign the bill."
DeWine鈥檚 office said he hasn鈥檛 received HB 8, which passed both chambers on Dec. 18. A governor has 10 days to sign or veto a bill after receiving it, or it becomes law without his signature.
