The Catholic Conference of Ohio (CCO) serves as the official voice of the Catholic Church in Ohio on matters of public policy and government relations. We are non-partisan and do not endorse any candidates.
Click "Read more" to signup for the the CCO monthly newsletter to stay informed on Ohio policy matters and to get involved as a faithful citizen.
CCO Statement on Preliminary Injunction on 24-hour Waiting Period
Brian Hickey, executive director of the Catholic Conference of Ohio, issued the following statement regarding the preliminary injunction for Ohio's mandatory 24-hour waiting period for women seeking an abortion.
"The decision to grant a preliminary injunction for Ohio’s 24-hour waiting law shows a callous disregard for the seriousness of a woman's situation who is considering an abortion. We know that most abortions, the intentional killing of a human being living in the womb, are unwanted or coerced. With this decision, women will be pressured into having an abortion against their will and without opportunities for coercion screening. It also cheats a woman in need of the opportunity to learn about the people available to accompany her and resources to assist her during her pregnancy and after the birth of her child. The Catholic Church throughout Ohio remains committed to providing the care and support pregnant women in need fear they will lack if they choose life."
As part of the "Year of Mission" during the National Eucharistic Revival, the Catholic Bishops of Ohio invite all the faithful to spend time with Jesus and pray for our nation, state, and government leaders in the Ohio Capitol building.
Eucharistic Adoration will take place:
Tuesday, October 1, 2024 from 10 am to 2 pm
Governor Thomas Worthington Center (inside the Ohio Statehouse - 1 Capitol Square, Columbus, Ohio, 43215)
Click "Read more" for details and to sign-up.
To mark this year of going out on mission during the National Eucharistic Revival, the Catholic Bishops of Ohio invite all the faithful to make a pilgrimage to Carey, Ohio, for the Vigil of the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Join the bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated religious, and lay faithful from across the state on Wednesday, August 14, beginning at 9 p.m. for a candlelight rosary procession with the Miraculous Statue of Our Lady of Consolation from the Basilica Shrine to the Shrine Park followed by Holy Mass at the outdoor Altar in the Shrine Park. Click "Read more" for details.
Governor DeWine Signs HB 50 into Law
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.”
Bishop Edward M. Lohse has received an additional appointment from Pope Francis as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Steubenville while he continues as bishop of the Diocese of Kalamazoo. Bishop Paul J. Bradley concludes his service as apostolic administrator of Steubenville as of June 14.
Click "Read more" for the full Diocese of Steubenville press release.
HB 7, the Strong Foundations Act, Passes the House
SB 198 Reported Out of Committee
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.
The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of Senate Bill 242 (SB 242) to expand the charitable use property tax exemption. The testimony highlights an inconsistency that SB 242 aims to correct, “The Revised Code contains an inexplicable gap with respect to property taxation when exempted entities, including Catholic parishes and charities, enter a lease agreement. Despite the exemption from property tax enjoyed when a charitable organization leases from another charitable organization, a political subdivision, or an educational institution, this exemption does not apply when a charity leases property from a religious institution. … This change more faithfully reflects the purpose of existing property tax policies and incentivizes wider cooperation between religious and charitable institutions, including those affiliated with the Catholic Church and other faith traditions.”
Click “Read more” for the full testimony.
The Catholic Conference of Ohio opposed House Bill 451 in testimony today. HB 451 would levy a remittance transfer fee on money transmissions to a person outside the United States while allowing an income tax credit based on the remittance transfer fees paid. Within the testimony, CCO notes that “HB 451 puts onerous restrictions on legal residents of Ohio and threatens their support of loved ones stuck in cycles of poverty and violence. …these small remittances of $200 to $300 are the difference between survival and starvation.” Ohio residents should not need to pay an additional fee for fulfilling a Christian obligation to provide charitable resources to people in other countries.
Click “Read more” for the full testimony.
And HB 50 Passed by the Senate
The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of House Bill 460, the Getting Rehabilitated Ohioans Working (GROW) Act, which would allow for the automatic sealing of certain criminal records. The Catholic Church calls for public policies that ensure justice while directing the criminal justice system to achieve its ends of rehabilitation and restoration. This bill does both without compromising the demands of reparation following a criminal conviction. Click “Read more” for the full testimony.
In addition, House Bill 50 to create a certificate of qualification for housing (CQH) for the formerly incarcerated, was passed by the Senate on Wednesday, May 8. The bill now goes to Governor DeWine for his approval as the Ohio House of Representatives passed HB 50 on May 24, 2023.