The Ohio House and Ohio Senate wrapped up long voting sessions with the House even going into the early morning hours on Friday. Although lawmakers passed dozens of bills in the process, there are several issues still on the table.
Lawmakers passed a variety of bills including provisions that allow a person to carry a concealed knife, permits people to set off fireworks in July, and expands the opportunity for people who commit a non-violent crime to get treatment for substance abuse.
The late-night House session saw a heated debate over the so-called "Stand Your Ground" bill which removes the duty to retreat before using lethal force in self-defense.
And Republicans voted to close debate on a bill that bans telemedicine for the use of abortion medications, denying opponents an opportunity to speak.
The House also approved the conference committee report of SB310, the capital appropriations bill. The legislation appropriates more than $2.1B for projects, such as $1.25M for the Ohio Theatre Restoration, $16M for FC Cincinnati, $800,000 for the Toledo Zoo, and $2.1M for the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in London.
Lawmakers are still discussing what to do with the nuclear power plant bailout which is linked to a racketeering investigation. A measure to delay the subsidies for nuclear plants for one year is still on the table, other opponents have sought a full repeal of the law created through HB6.
