Fri Sep 10 2010
COLUMBUS -- The traditional "lame duck" session saw several important pieces of legislation passed. All of them required plenty of work ahead of time, but I believe their passage will help improve how Ohio works.
Ohio, like all other states, has a "safe haven" law to allow parents to drop off newborns at designated "safe havens" (hospitals, etc.) without fear of punishment. This law has saved at least 54 newborns in its six years in existence. However, 34 states allow newborns to be dropped off beyond Ohio's current 72-hour limit. I proudly co-sponsored Senate Bill 304, which extends the window in which a parent can give up their child to 30 days after birth. It makes sense to expand this successful program that will save more newborns from possible harm from an unwilling parent. I voted "yes" on the bill, and it will soon become law.
I also voted "yes" on legislation that creates a new division of public safety officers within Ohio's Public Employee Retirement System (OPERS). Senate Bill 267 adds family members of agents at the Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCII) to the list of eligible recipients of death benefits. This bill will also soon become law.
The following bills also passed the House with my "yes" vote and now await action by Governor Strickland:
* I co-sponsored Senate Bill 129, which allows local law enforcement agencies and fire departments to remove vehicles from the road after an accident. This bill was amended to include the renewal of a funding mechanism for wireless 911 service in every Ohio county. A nominal monthly fee on every cell phone line in Ohio has paid for wireless 911. The fee through 2008 was 32 cents. Senate Bill 129 reduces the fee to 28 cents starting in January, 2009. This revenue is especially important in rural counties, where alternate sources of funding are not readily available to provide emergency services for cell phone users. This bill allocates $90,000 a year to every county in the state regardless of size.
* Senate Bill 248 does several important things: 1) Exempts active duty military personnel from jury duty; 2) Establishes a criminal penalty for exploiting a deceased military person's persona or likeness for commercial purposes; 3) Creates the Ohio Military Medal of Distinction; 4) Grants in-state tuition for those stationed in Ohio as well as their families; and 5) Exempts certain armed forces discharge notices from inspection or copying as a public record for 75 years.
* Two bills give two of the state's largest areas further tools to tackle the impacts of the housing and foreclosure crises. Senate Bill 277 creates a new cause of action for foreclosure in the environmental division of the Franklin County Municipal Court to help deal with blighted properties, and Senate Bill 353 allows Cuyahoga County to form a land reutilization corporation (a so-called "land bank") to promote development and allow for the rehabilitation and reutilization of vacant, abandoned and tax-foreclosed property.
* Senate Bill 372 deals with environmental audits. Existing law grants immunity for the owner of a facility that conducts its own environmental audit if he/she discloses information concerning alleged violations of environmental laws. The immunity applies only to information in environmental audits completed before Jan. 1, 2009. SB 372 extends the time by five years, to Jan. 1, 2014. These internal audits are typically performed by responsible companies which take a proactive approach to solving the environmental problems they create.
* Senate Bill 386 allows for better coordination between the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Natural Resources during the permitting process for coal mining operations. The bill streamlines permitting and allows both agencies to work together to decrease the amount of time it takes to process these applications.
* Finally, Senate Bill 269 prohibits anyone from advertising or conducting a musical performance in Ohio using a false, deceptive, or misleading association between themselves and an established recording group. This means cover bands cannot mislead fans into thinking they are paying to see the real thing.
You can reach Jennifer Garrison at her Columbus office at (614) 644-8728, in the district at 373-2414 or by e-mail at jennifer@jennifergarrison.com. Her Web site is www.jennifergarrison.com.
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