Catholic Conference of Ohio
Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Issues - Catholic Conference of Ohio

State Budget

 

Prioritize the Poor & Vulnerable

“Our faith has an integral unity that calls Catholics to defend human life and human dignity whenever they are threatened. A priority for the poor, the protection of family life, the pursuit of justice and the promotion of peace are fundamental priorities of the Catholic moral tradition which cannot be ignored or neglected. We encourage and will continue to work with those in both parties who seek to act on these essential principles in defense of the poor and vulnerable.” Responsibilities of Catholics in Public Life USCCB, 3/10/2006

"Welfare policy should reduce poverty and dependency, strengthen family life, and help families leave poverty through work, training, and assistance with child care, health care, housing, and transportation. Given the link between family stability and economic success, welfare policy should address both the economic and cultural factors that contribute to family breakdown. It should also provide a safety net for those who cannot work. Improving the Earned Income Tax Credit and child tax credits, available as refunds to families in greatest need, will help lift low-income families out of poverty." #75 Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship 2015

Protect Human Life

“A basic moral test for our society is how we treat the most vulnerable in our midst…This preferential option for the poor and vulnerable includes all who are marginalized in our nation and beyond—unborn children, persons with disabilities, the elderly and terminally ill, and victims of injustice and oppression.” Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship, USCCB, 2011

"Our Conference supports laws and policies to protect human life to the maximum degree possible, including constitutional protection for the unborn and legislative efforts to end abortion, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. We also promote a culture of life by supporting laws and programs that encourage childbirth and adoption over abortion and by addressing poverty, providing health care, and offering other assistance to pregnant women, children, and families." #65 Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship 2015

Support Families Who Choose Catholic Schools

“Parents—the first and most important educators—have a fundamental right to choose the education best suited to the needs of their children, including public, private and religious schools. Government, through such means as tax credits and publicly funded scholarships, should help provide resources for parents, especially those of modest means, to exercise this basic right without discrimination. Students in all educational settings should have opportunities for moral and character formation consistent with the beliefs and responsibilities of their parents.

All persons have a right to receive a quality education. Young people, including those who are poor and those with disabilities, need to have the opportunity to develop intellectually, morally, spiritually, and physically, allowing them to become good citizens who make socially and morally responsible decisions. This requires parental choice in education. It also requires educational institutions to have orderly, just, respectful, and non-violent environments where adequate professional and material resources are available. The USCCB strongly supports adequate funding, including scholarships, tax credits, and other means, to educate all persons no matter what their personal condition or what school they attend—public, private, or religious. All teachers and administrators deserve salaries and benefits that reflect principles of economic justice, as well as access to resources necessary for teachers to prepare for their important tasks. Services aimed at improving education—especially for those most at risk—that are available to students and teachers in public schools should also be available to students and teachers in private and religious schools as a matter of justice." # 82 & 83 Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship 2015

Promote Care For Our Common Home

"Care for Creation is a moral issue. Protecting the land, water, and air we share is a religious duty of stewardship and reflects our responsibility to born and unborn children, who are most vulnerable to environmental assault. We must answer the question that Pope Francis posed to the world: "What kind of world do we want to leave to those who come after us, to children who are now growing up?" (Laudato Si', no. 160). There are many concrete steps we can take to assure justice and solidarity between the generations. Effective initiatives are required for energy conservation and the development of alternate, renewable, and clean-energy resources. Our Conference offers a distinctive call to seriously address global climate change, focusing on the virtue of prudence, pursuit of the common good, and the impact on the poor, particularly on vulnerable workers and the poorest nations." #86 Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship 2015.

 

Supporting Ohio Women in Need

CCO was grateful that the approved budget (HB 33) included a number of items which we advocated for to invest in pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable Ohioans.

See How the Catholic Church in Ohio Supports Women in Need to learn more about the Catholic ministries that help women, children, and families in Ohio and the CCO's advocacy for structural support for women in need. 

Click "Read More" to view and download the flyer. 

School Choice Expansion

Ohio's Educational Choice (EdChoice) Scholarship Program, advocated for by CCO, is now available to ALL Ohioans after Governor DeWine signed the State budget into law on July 3! Students can use an EdChoice Scholarship at one of Ohio's hundreds of Catholic or other eligible schools. 

Click "Read More" for details on how to Apply Today!

 

CCO Statement on the FY24-25 State Budget

Executive Director of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, Brian Hickey, issued the following statement commending the expansion of school choice and increased support of pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable Ohioans in the FY24-25 State Budget.

“Ohio's FY24-25 State Budget puts parents and children first in their educational decisions by providing the largest expansion of school choice in Ohio's history. For decades, the Catholic Church in Ohio and nationwide has consistently advocated for public policy that enables children of all backgrounds, no matter their income or zip code, to meaningfully access a school of their choice. The Catholic Conference of Ohio thanks Governor Mike DeWine, Senate President Matt Huffman, and Speaker Jason Stephens for their leadership in allowing every student to receive an EdChoice Scholarship for use at one of Ohio's hundreds of Catholic or other eligible schools.

Additionally, the CCO is grateful for budget items that invest in pregnant women, children, and other vulnerable Ohioans. These include expanding the eligibility of the Ohio Works First cash assistance for a woman's entire pregnancy, eliminating sales tax for baby products, an essential provision to stabilize non-profit senior affordable housing, and a boost in pay for direct-care professionals. We look forward to supporting more policies that express closer solidarity with mothers, families, and vulnerable Ohioans, furthering a culture of life and civilization of love."

Click "Read more" for additional details.

CCO Advocates for Prioritizing Families and Women and Children in Need in HB33

CCO Executive Director, Brian Hickey, sent a letter to members of the HB33 FY24-25 operating budget conference committee advocating for the rights of parents to choose the educational option that best fits their children and for addressing the needs of pregnant women, seniors, and children. Click “Read more” to view the full letter. 

CCO Statement on Passage of the Ohio Senate Budget

The following statement is from Catholic Conference of Ohio Executive Director Brian Hickey on the passage of the Ohio Senate budget:

“The historic school choice expansion in the Ohio Senate budget would allow every student in Ohio to receive a scholarship to attend a school of their choice, including one of Ohio’s hundreds of Catholic schools. This expansion adheres to the Catholic Church’s teaching that parents, as the primary educators, have a fundamental right to choose a school for their children, and public authorities have the duty to guarantee this right. Ohio’s Catholic school community is grateful for the Senate leadership’s support in putting Ohio families and children first in their educational decisions.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio will ask the Conferencing Committee to keep these education provisions in the final budget and maintain provisions in the House version that address the needs of vulnerable populations, including pregnant women, seniors, and children. Public policy must promote the common good and allow all people to develop holistically, especially those needing assistance.”

CCO Testifies in Support of Fairness in Sports and House's Budget Bill

The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified this week in support of two bills. HB6 would ensure fairness in sports by requiring schools to designate separate teams for participants according to their biological sex. CCO affirmed the bill’s alignment with the Church’s teaching about the equality of men and women and the need to create equitable opportunities for biological females to compete in sports. The Conference also expressed that harassment or unjust discrimination of those experiencing gender identity discordance is unequivocally wrong. In addition, CCO delivered a second round of proponent testimony on HB33 to expand the threshold for a family to receive an Ed Choice Income-Based Scholarship to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. Catholic schools represent the largest system of nonpublic schools in Ohio. CCO again stressed the need to address issues in school transportation as well as necessary increases to auxiliary service funds, nonpublic administrative cost reimbursement, funding levels in the categories of disabilities, and tax credit for giving to scholarship granting organizations.

CCO Testifies in Support of House's Budget Bill

Advocating for Catholic Schools

The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified this week on HB33, affirming the Governor’s proposal to expand the threshold for a family to receive an Ed Choice Income-Based Scholarship to 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. As a long-standing champion for school choice and advocate for the largest system of nonpublic schools in Ohio with 374 Catholic schools and over 109,000 students, CCO stressed the need to address issues in school transportation as well as necessary increases to auxiliary service funds, nonpublic administrative cost reimbursement, funding levels in the categories of disabilities, and tax credit for giving to scholarship granting organizations.

CCO Commends Governor DeWine for Proposed Significant Investments in Children and Families

The Governor Released His Executive Budget on January 31, 2023

The Catholic Conference of Ohio commends Governor DeWine for proposing significant investments in Ohio’s children and families through his Executive Budget. The budget proposes a $2,500 per child state tax deduction. For several years, the CCO and USCCB have advocated for a child tax credit on the state and national levels. Further, Governor DeWine’s proposal eliminates the state sales tax for vital infant supplies, such as diapers, strollers, and car seats. In education, the budget calls for expanding Ohio’s EdChoice scholarship program to families at or below 400% of the federal poverty level. If enacted, more Ohio families can access the school of their choice, including Catholic schools. The budget also provides funding for school safety resource officers and increases past budget line items for public and private school students. Other measures that the CCO supports include the expansion of Ohio’s Bold Beginning Initiative and incentives to create more affordable housing options.

With these proposals, the Governor’s budget affirms the Catholic Church’s teaching that the family must be supported and strengthened through just public policies. The Catholic Conference of Ohio looks forward to advocating for these proposals in the months ahead, along with other measures that assist families with children in Catholic schools and programs that help poor and vulnerable Ohioans. 

Ohio Legislature Passes State Budget

Adds further school choice provisions and provisions helpful to children and families.

The Ohio legislature passed a bipartisan supported budget bill (HB 110).  The Catholic Conference of Ohio commends the diligent and thoughtful efforts by the administration and the General Assembly.  

The bill provides unprecedented support for both public and private school students.  Many Catholic school students, parents and administrators will receive needed assistance due to increases in voucher payments, supportive services, and the ability to participate in the newly created After-School Child Enrichment Savings Account Program to name just a few.

The bill strengthened the Governor's budget proposals that focused on children, families and persons in need.  Special funding for multi-system youth and the OhioRise program was maintained. Provisions were removed that could have hindered access to the SNAP program, other public assistance programs, and affordable housing.

Increased funding was provided for the Parenting and Pregnancy Program which provides funding for pregnancy centers.  Provisions further protecting conscience rights, and provisions addressing transfer agreements for abortion clinics also were passed.

Catholic Conference Advocates on the State Budget Bill

Senate school choice provisions especially helpful to Catholic school students and families.

In a letter sent to public officials regarding the state budget bill, HB 110, the Catholic Conference of Ohio offered areas of support and concern. It states:

"Thank you for your careful consideration of this important legislation. We appreciate how each version of this bill built upon the excellent frameworks of the others. Overall, we find the versions before you to be child-friendly and family-friendly. We especially appreciate the additions in the Senate that enhance care for both the unborn and newly born, provide further conscience protections, and incorporate school choice provisions within the broader framework of school funding reforms. 

We offer several recommendations to the Conference Committee..."