CCO supported House Bill 7, sponsored by Representatives Andrea White (R–Kettering) and Latyna Humphrey (D-Columbus), which passed the Ohio Senate on December 18, 2024. After several amendments, the bill reforms early childhood and maternal health programs by clarifying and streamlining various processes. Senate members expressed their support during the committee process for appropriating funds in the upcoming State budget for the programs that HB 7 originally aimed to expand. The Ohio House concurred with the Senate changes, so the bill now goes to the desk of Governor DeWine.

The Ohio House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 54, which was amended to modify certain capital appropriations and reappropriations. The final version of the bill includes $750,000 for St. Vincent de Paul Social Services Emergency Shelter for Men. Special thanks to Senator Stephen A. Huffman (R-Tipp City) and House Representative Andrea White (R-Kettering) for supporting the funding and addressing the need for these essential services. SB 54 now goes to the desk of Governor DeWine.

The Ohio Senate passed House Bill 106, sponsored by Representatives Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) and Scott Lipps (R-Franklin), requiring employers to provide employees with earnings and deduction statements. The CCO was one of only two organizations that testified in support of the bill and helped get it passed. HB 106 previously passed the Ohio House with a unanimous vote of 96-0 in June 2023 and now goes to the desk of Governor DeWine.

CCO supported Senate Bill 198, sponsored by Senators George Lang (R-West Chester) and Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville), unanimously passed the Ohio House of Representatives on December 11, 2024. The bill would provide inmates with state identification cards and documentation upon their release relating to work experience, education, and trade skills. SB 198 previously passed the Ohio Senate with a unanimous vote of 31-0 in June 2024, and now goes to the desk of Governor DeWine. The CCO believes the bill will help recently incarcerated inmates to readjust to their communities and contribute to the common good.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of Senate Bill 311, sponsored by Senator Sandra O’Brien (R-Ashtabula), which would permit students to concurrently receive an Educational Choice scholarship or Cleveland scholarship and either an Autism or Jon Peterson Special Needs scholarship. SB 311 would ensure families of children with special needs are also afforded the opportunity for an EdChoice scholarship to help pay for tuition at the school that best fits their child’s needs. Although the bill did not pass the General Assembly, the CCO will advocate for its provisions during the State operating budget deliberations in early 2025.

House Bill 5, supported by the Catholic Conference of Ohio, passed the Ohio Senate with a unanimous vote of 31-0. The bill would align Ohio law with Supreme Court precedent, align laws from county to county, and address the unnecessary length and cost to finalize certain adoptions. The bill previously passed the Ohio House of Representatives with a unanimous vote of 95-0 and now goes to the desk of Governor DeWine.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of House Bill 5 to modernize and streamline the adoption process in Ohio. The bill would align Ohio law with Supreme Court precedent, increase consistency from county to county, and address the unnecessary length and cost to finalize certain adoptions. Of note, HB 5 would increase financial support for birth mothers from $3,000 to $6,000 for living expenses and supporting the health and well-being of the mother and child. The Catholic faith sees adoptive parents as exemplars of those who fulfill the “works of mercy” that Jesus enjoined on His followers to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, and care for those in need.

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The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of House Bill 475 which ensures state and local funds are not directly or indirectly used by any entity that supports, promotes, or provides elective abortions. Our faith calls us to build a civilization of love in which each woman’s pregnancy is supported by her community, including local and state governments. In no circumstance should state dollars, even by subsidy, bring about the termination of a human life. HB 475 will encourage Ohio communities to invest in a culture that empowers and supports women without compromising the dignity of the unborn.

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House Bill 50 (sponsored by State Representatives Latyna Humphrey (D-Columbus) and Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati)), which creates a certificate of qualification for housing (CQH) for the formerly incarcerated, was signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine. The Catholic Conference of Ohio supported HB 50, noting that, “Restoration demands that we respond to the victims of crime with care and compassion, but the full administration of justice is impossible unless we also attend to the dignity of those returning from prison. … Becoming a tenant is one of the most important steps a formerly incarcerated person takes in their reintegration, and failure to do so dramatically increases the likelihood of recidivism.”

Two bills supported by the Catholic Conference of Ohio are moving forward to the next stage in the legislative process.  House Bill 7, the Strong Foundations Act, passed the Ohio House of Representatives and will now go to the Ohio Senate. HB 7 supports Ohio mothers and babies in their first one thousand days to address maternal and infant mortality and to improve health, developmental, and learning outcomes. Programs it funds include Healthy Beginnings at Home, which helps pregnant women maintain stable housing, and the Help Me Grow program, which provides parent support and education to improve maternal and child health and encourage positive parenting.

Senate Bill 198, which provides inmates with state identification cards and documentation upon their release relating to work experience, education, and trade skills, was passed out of the Small Business and Economic Opportunity Senate Committee. It will now go to the Ohio Senate floor for a vote.