CCO Testified in Support of SB 341 on Legal Age to Marry
The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of Senate Bill 341 (D-DeMora | R-Blessing) to raise the legal age to marry from 17 to 18. CCO stated, "90% of children married in Ohio between 2000 and 2024 were girls married to adult men. Once a minor gets married, the child is legally emancipated from their parents, who no longer bear responsibility for caring for the child or providing financial support. This creates a vulnerable situation for young people seeking to flee violence and abuse as they often face hindrances to bringing a legal action in their own name and experience barriers to support, such as domestic violence shelters, due to being underage... The Church teaches that 'the consent [to marry] must be an act of the will of the contracting parties, free of coercion or grave external fear. No human power can substitute for this consent.' (CCC, 1628). Weighing the short time frame of one year before a minor can access adult rights and privileges against the risk that some will exploit the legal loophole to facilitate exploitation, it is fitting that the law aligns the age of marriage with the age at which individuals can legally consent to contractual obligations.”
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CCO Submitted Interested Party Testimony on HB 795
The Catholic Conference of Ohio submitted interested party testimony on HB 795, urging the House Medicaid Committee not to reverse the years-long policy of supporting family caregivers, and instead to seek targeted, proportional means to address bad actors committing fraud and abuse. CCO wrote, "Many family members forego other employment opportunities and struggle to make ends meet as they selflessly work to sustain the lives of their loved ones in need of this [life-sustaining] assistance. This is a clear, pro-family policy for those who need it most. [Family members] receiving payments for essential care should not lose the small benefits they receive because of bad actors who must be held accountable."
UPDATE: HB 795 has been amended to remove the ban on family members' ability to be paid by Medicaid for providing personal care services to relatives. We are grateful for this revision.
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CCO Testified in Support of HB 450 to Grant Accessible Parking to Pregnant Women
The Catholic Conference of Ohio provided testimony in support of House Bill 450 (R-Workman | R-Mathews), which would grant accessible parking privileges to pregnant and post-partum women. In the testimony, CCO cited the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, “[by] welcoming human life ... [families] provide essential and irreplaceable support for the development of society. For this reason, ‘the family has a right to assistance by society in the bearing and rearing of children.’” It continues, "This bill helps ensure this right is respected by providing helpful assistance during an especially vulnerable time for mothers. It also fosters a sense of communal solidarity with mothers and contributes to the safety and well-being of women as they welcome the next generation.”
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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.”
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CCO Comments on Governor DeWine's Executive Budget
In response to Governor Mike DeWine’s final executive budget, Brian Hickey, executive director for the Catholic Conference of Ohio, released the following statement:
“We commend Governor DeWine’s continued commitment to Ohio’s families and children through the Executive Budget, especially the proposed state child tax credit – a long-sought policy goal of the Catholic Conference for Ohio’s families. This would be a meaningful investment in recognizing Ohio’s families as the primary social institution of society and the foundation of Ohio’s future. We also commend the DeWine administration for identifying ways to use taxation for the common good, including recognizing the ongoing harms and addictive nature of sports gambling. Additionally, we thank Gov. DeWine for his commitment to educational options for Ohio’s families, and we look forward to sharing more about the life-changing difference Ohio’s school choice programs have had for children and parents in the budget deliberation process.”
Ohio Senate Passed HB 7 (White, Humphrey) to support Early Childhood and Maternal Health
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.
HB 5 to Modernize Adoption Law Passed the Ohio Senate
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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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.
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) and unanimously passed by both the Ohio Senate and Ohio House of Representatives. The law will go into effect 90 days from today, April 23, 2024.