Legislative Update
Governor DeWine Signs HB 34 into Law
House Bill 34, which excuses breast-feeding mothers from jury service, was signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine. The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of the bill sponsored by Representatives Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) and Angela King (R-Celina). It unanimously passed the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives and will go into effect 90 days from April 23, 2024.
CCO Testified in Support of HB 106, the Pay Stub Protection Act
House Bill 106 would require employers to provide earnings and deductions statements to their employees. After passing the House of Representatives, HB 106 received a second hearing in a Senate committee. In their Pastoral Letter on the U.S. Economy, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops wrote that the fundamental right to make a living calls for protection in the fundamental fairness in all agreements and transactions. View the full testimony here >
CCO Testified in Support of HB 295, the Innocence Act
House Bill 295, the Innocence Act, would prohibit an organization from failing to verify the age of a person attempting to access material that is obscene or harmful to juveniles, prohibit a person from using another person's likeness to create sexual images, and create a private right of action for each prohibited activity. The research on pornography is clear and unanimous: its effects are gravely harmful to young people. Not only will the Innocence Act treat minors online as it does in person, but this bill also responds to one of the most pressing needs of our time—namely, the protection and elevation of human dignity. Click View the full testimony here >
CCO Testified in Support of HB 197 to Establish Community Solar Pilot Programs
House Bill 197 would establish community solar pilot and solar development programs. Caring for our common home requires public attention to the means of energy production, and HB 197 brings an innovative approach to an all-of-the-above energy strategy. View the full testimony here >
Other Updates:
ACLU Files Lawsuits on Abortion Laws and HB 68
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a lawsuit on March 29, 2024, on behalf of abortion clinics, asking the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas to declare state-mandated information, such as the medical risks associated with the procedure, testing for cardiac activity, and 24-hour waiting periods (Ohio Revised Code 2317.56 and 2919.192–2919.194) as unconstitutional and permanently unenforceable. They claim these laws violate the constitutional amendment passed last November, which forbids the state to "burden, penalize, prohibit, interfere with, or discriminate against" women seeking an abortion or abortion providers. (View Complaint | View Motion for Preliminary Injunction)
In addition, on March 26, 2024, the ACLU filed a lawsuit challenging the enactment of House Bill 68, which bans gender transition drugs and surgeries for minors and prohibits biological males from competing in female sports. They claim it violates four sections of the Ohio Constitution, including the single-subject rule, the Health Care provision, the Equal Protection Clause, and the Due Course of Law provision, and are requesting the court to issue a temporary restraining order to prevent enforcement of House Bill 68 and to declare the gender-affirming care ban unconstitutional. A county judge recently granted a temporary restraining order, and Attorney General Yost asked the Ohio Supreme Court to overturn the judge's decision. (View the Lawsuit)
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