The Elias Law Group alleges the provisions impose "needless and discriminatory burdens'' on voting. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Cleveland on behalf of groups representing veterans, teachers, retirees, and the homeless. The litigation points to Ohio's exemplary administration of the 2020 election and alleges lawmakers used a false narrative of widespread fraud to justify the bill.

Voters will notice a few changes the next time casting a ballot. In addition to now requiring a photo ID at the polls, those who wish to vote by mail must submit an application at least a week before Election Day, and completed mail-ins must arrive within four days of the election. Provisional voters will have no longer than four days after the election to provide missing information, and the law eliminates in-person early voting the Monday before Election Day.

Cities along the U.S.-Mexico border are setting in motion humanitarian efforts including emergency shelter, food, and transportation services ahead of an expected dramatic increase in the number of asylum-seekers. That's as pandemic-era immigration restrictions are set to expire this week. Title 42, a public health rule in place since March 2020, has been used to deter more than 2.5 million migrants and will expire Wednesday. Congressman Bob Latta is concerned with what it is going to do to a border that is already strained.

The latest proposal to give Ohio's governor more power over-seeing K-12 education cleared the Ohio Senate last week. The bill would significantly change decision making about academic standards, on guidance on curriculum, and on school district ratings.  If passed, the state education department will be run by a director appointed by the governor rather than the state board of education and the superintendent that the board hires.  Supporters of the bill say the changes would promote more accountability and transparency.  But teachers’ unions and advocacy groups say lawmakers are rushing the bill.  The 2,000 page bill only has  around a week to get Ohio House approval before the legislative session ends. Speaker of the House Bob Cupp says discussion are ongoing. 

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose would like to see a supermajority in elections, but that requirement would only be for voter-approved amendments that are put on by the public, not by state lawmakers. For ballot issues put on by state lawmakers, like Issue One and Two in this past general election, the pass or failure would only have to reach, at least, 50%.

Ohio Lawmakers are not going to make the COVID vaccine part of the required vaccinations for children.   They believe is should be the parents choice if they want their kids to get the vaccine or not.  

Ohio's top Republican lawmakers are taking their case to the U.S. Supreme Court on how the Ohio Supreme Court ruled on the drawing of the congressional districts in the state.  Ohio Senate President Matt Huffman, Ohio Speaker of the House Bob Cupp and two other ranking Republican members of the state legislature filed an appeal with the nation's highest court about the rejection of the congressional map.  The lawmakers said in a statement that, "The 4-3 decision of the Ohio Supreme Court encroached on this legislative authority in multiple ways and that action deserves to be tested in the U.S. Supreme Court."  The Ohio Supreme Court twice rejected the Congressional map saying that the drawing of the 15 Congressional districts favored the Republican party in both cases.   The map that is being used for the November General Election was one state lawmakers approved in March.   The Ohio Supreme Court also rejected the drawing of the Ohio house and senate maps five times with the same ruling.  The U.S. Supreme Court will have to choose to hear the case for it to move forward. 

The Platform Accountability and Transparency Act would require social media companies to provide independent researchers and the public with access to certain platform data. Portman has been vocal about social media not being able to prevent child sexual abuse material from being uploaded. But before lawmakers can make laws about that and other issues, they need to know how social media sites operate.

(WLIO) - It has been two months since Ohio has enacted its abortion law, but the fight is far from over. Governor Mike DeWine signed into the …

With just a few months left in this legislative session, a local state representative gives the Lima Kiwanis Club an update from Columbus. 84th District Representative Susan Manchester talked about some bills she is working on before the end of the year. One deals with making sure that patients receive appropriate coverage for prescription medication, plus tightening the rules for people to set up massage therapy practices.