Catholic Conference of Ohio The official voice of the Catholic Church in Ohio on matters of public policy and government relations.

Following the ruling of a Franklin County judge on the EdChoice program, Brian Hickey, executive director for the Catholic Conference of Ohio released the following statement:

“We remain confident the EdChoice program will prevail in the appeals process. Ensuring EdChoice scholarships for students is a matter of social justice, as it allows for equal opportunities for all of Ohio’s children. It is also sensible public policy, encouraging a more robust education system for families that ultimately benefits society and the common good.

The Catholic Church will continue to advocate for and defend programs that support parents as the primary educators of their children and enable them to select a school that best suits their child’s needs. We are proud that Catholic schools in Ohio continue to flourish with ethnic and racial diversity while providing a rich spiritual and intellectual environment. Catholic schools, like other chartered nonpublic schools in Ohio, work closely with the Department of Education and Workforce to adhere to state chartering requirements, including operating standards, teacher licensing, state audits and approved testing."

The Catholic Conference of Ohio submitted testimony in opposition to Senate Bill 197 (R-Manning) and House Bill 298 (R-Stewart & R-John) to legalize internet gambling on personal devices. CCO wrote, "SB 197 would facilitate an unprecedented scope and capacity for enslavement to gambling by legalizing round-the-clock access to highly addictive platforms" and noted they, "disproportionately impact the poor, young men, and the lonely." Full testimonies: SB 197 & HB 298.

Multiple recent proposals in the General Assembly would expand gambling to personal devices in Ohio. Gambling expansion does not serve the common good. Please send a message to your Ohio Senator and Representative.  
ACTION ALERT: Contact your Ohio Senator and Representative to urge them to oppose the expansion of gambling in Ohio >

The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of Senate Bill 30 (R-Blessing and D-Ingram), requiring retail merchants to give customers the option to pay cash. The CCO testified, “The indigent, the pennywise laborer, or the retiree who knows all too well the caprice of wealth exchanged or generated virtually –– these and many other Ohioans conduct their transactions by cash. SB 30 protects their place in our society. This bill will also help Christians and others of good will to give to God what is God’s, ensuring that an act of charity for the hungry in the form of a few dollars is not rendered useless in a market designed for expediency, not humanity.”

Click “Read more” for the full testimony.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in the Senate Education Committee as an interested party for House Bill 96, the Operating Budget. CCO shared the pro-family benefits of school choice and statistics on Catholic schools, particularly enrollment increases among African American and Hispanic students, and that students on Jon Peterson and Autism Scholarships have doubled since 2014. CCO asked legislators to expand Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid (DPIA) to chartered nonpublic school students to allow students from low-income families to “receive specialized reading and math interventions, mental health support, and other areas of integral development, no matter where their parents choose to send them.”

Act Now – click here for an Action Alert to ask your Ohio senator to extend DIPA to chartered nonpublic school students.

Habemus papam! Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, Chicago-born prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops, has been elected the 267th pope of the Catholic Church and has taken the name Pope Leo XIV.

“Congratulations to Pope Leo XIV. May God bless and protect him as he shepherds the Church. Holy Spirit, guide Pope Leo XIV in bringing peace and building a civilization of love throughout the world.” – Brian Hickey, Executive Director for the CCO

The Catholic Bishops of Ohio issued a signed statement urging lawmakers to include the child tax credit from the Executive Budget in the final version of the FY 2026-2027 State Operating Budget. The Executive Budget included a refundable tax credit of up to $1,000 per child under the age of seven, but it was removed in the House version. CCO has long advocated for the creation of a refundable child tax credit as “a hallmark of pro-family public policy, as reflected in their broad, bipartisan support at the federal level.”

Click “Read more” for the full statement.

In response to the introduction of House Bill 72 and Senate Bill 134, the Catholic Bishops of Ohio sent a letter to members of the 136th General Assembly urging them to uphold a consistent ethic of life by prohibiting the State of Ohio from funding the intentional termination of human life­­­­––including abortion, euthanasia, and execution––and to abolish the death penalty in favor of life without parole.

The bishops wrote, “A government that sanctions the destruction of human life through taxpayer funding of abortion, euthanasia, or the use of capital punishment undermines the dignity of those it exists to serve and protect. If taxpayer dollars are used to end life in the womb and hasten the death of the elderly, infirm, and suffering, what message does this send? Instead, state funds should be used to advance the common good and to accompany and support those in need.“

The bishops also call for the abolition of the death penalty, citing the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states, “…more effective systems of detention have been developed, which ensure the due protection of citizens but, at the same time, do not definitively deprive the guilty of the possibility of redemption.” 
 
Click “Read more” to view the full letter. Click here to learn more about HB 72 and SB 134.