Larry Obhof

It's been more than six weeks since Gov. Mike DeWine unveiled a 17-point approach to reducing gun violence, which included expanded background checks and a version of the red flag confiscation law. But so far lawmakers have yet to see those specific plans in the form of proposed legislation. 

Finally, Ohio has a new two-year operating budget. Gov. Mike DeWine signed it into law this morning.

FirstEnergy Solutions says it will continue its plans to deactivate and decommission Ohio's two nuclear power plants since lawmakers were not able to pass a bail out measure before the June 30 deadline. However, the energy company says there’s still time to reverse course.

Ohio lawmakers failed to reach a state budget agreement by the midnight deadline, missing the mark for a spending deal for the new two-year cycle. Because the House and Senate couldn’t reach a compromise, both chambers passed a temporary budget extension to keep the government running. 

Among the changes the Senate made to the House version of the budget was a $5 million boost to a program that funds centers that counsel pregnant women against abortion.

State lawmakers have been advised by their economic researchers to cut the spending in Gov. Mike DeWine’s budget. And they may try to add something into the House version of the budget set to be released on Wednesday that DeWine deliberately left out.

It’s taken eight years and many hours of testimony, but the so-called “Heartbeat Bill” has been signed into law. Gov. Mike DeWine delivered on his campaign promise to sign the controversial legislation that bans abortion after a fetal heartbeat is detected. But where does it go from here?

For the third time, a bill that bans abortion from the point a fetal heartbeat is detected has passed the Ohio House and Senate.  But this time will likely be the last for what's been called the "Heartbeat Bill", because Gov. Mike DeWine says he’ll sign it into law. 

The deadline for a new state transportation budget with a gas tax hike came and went at midnight – without a new spending plan being signed. Lawmakers are coming back to the Statehouse this week hoping to work it out.

As lawmakers are working out differences in their transportation budgets, there’s one thing in the Senate’s version that doesn’t seem to have anything to do with transportation – a change in a tax credit designed for low-income people. But it’s being tied to the increase in the gas tax.

The president of the Ohio Senate doesn’t think lawmakers infringed on cities’ rights with legislation that supersedes local gun ordinances and gives citizens the right to challenge those local laws in court. 

Gov. Mike DeWine’s proposed 18-cent hike in the gas tax is still before state lawmakers. They would have to approve it as part of the transportation budget, which must be signed into law by March 31.

State lawmakers are now considering Gov. Mike DeWine’s 18-cent gas tax increase, to plug a hole of more than a billion dollars in the Department of Transportation’s budget. But one legislative leader says they’re also looking for ways to cut taxes – again.

The so-called Heartbeat Bill abortion ban is on its fifth try through the legislature, after being passed and vetoed in the lame duck session.

The leader of the Ohio Senate says the so-called Heartbeat Bill, which would ban abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected, is one of his chamber’s priorities, but that it’s not at the top of the list. 

Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Medina) said he's open to discussing two high-profile gun laws when the General Assembly returns next year, the "Stand Your Ground" bill and the "red flag law." These two issues caused a rift among members of the House and Senate, along with Gov. John Kasich.

As state lawmakers race toward the end of this lame duck legislative session, they’ve been considering two bills that Gov. John Kasich opposes – the six-week “Heartbeat Bill” abortion ban and the “Stand Your Ground” self-defense bill.  And if he vetoes them as promised, lawmakers would have to come back to vote on them again during the holiday break.

The Ohio House and Senate are preparing for a busy week of legislating in Columbus with a couple of controversial measures up for debate.

This week lawmakers are returning for a lame duck session, with hearings set on a so-called right to work bill and a Republican-backed bill on free speech on college campuses.  Republican legislative leaders are talking about other priorities but suggesting action on controversial measures is possible.

Leaders of the Ohio Legislature say it’s time to look at changing the methods citizens groups are using to try to change the state’s constitution. 

The Republican leader of the Ohio Senate says while he and many others didn’t support Issue 1, the criminal sentencing and drug treatment reform plan that failed Tuesday. But he suggests there is a will to make the issue a top priority in the newly elected Senate next year. 

Republican leaders in the Ohio House and Senate are criticizing Democrat Rich Cordray and his campaign for governor. GOP lawmakers who control the Legislature say Cordray is making expensive promises.

The Republican leader of the state Senate says he’s confident that new central Ohio Congressman Troy Balderson will win in November, even as he’s announcing that Balderson’s replacement in the Senate won’t be picked until after the election.

Gov. John Kasich has been urging lawmakers to pass a bill that would put a red flag law in place to prevent people deemed dangerous by a court from buying guns. It would also ban bump stock attachments for guns and make other reforms. But it appears it won’t be easy to get it passed.

The Republican leader of Ohio’s Senate says the short term goals of his caucus have been accomplished. But some lawmakers disagree.

Gov. John Kasich has put out a package of gun law changes he hopes to get through the Republican-dominated state legislature. This comes after several weeks of talking about a private group he convened to discuss gun laws, and after a very public pivot on gun regulations after the Florida high school shooting on Valentine’s Day.

The leader of Republicans in the Senate says he thinks a “stand your ground” bill that Gov. John Kasich said he wouldn’t sign will pass anyway.

There are 22 pieces of legislation related to guns pending in the Ohio Legislature right now. It’s hard to predict what might happen to them after the deadly Florida school shooting last week and Gov. John Kasich’s new apparent willingness to embrace some gun regulations.

State Senators have taken the first step toward removing Ohio Supreme Court justice Bill O’Neill, who has announced he’s a Democratic candidate for governor and has picked a running mate but hasn’t officially filed paperwork to run. But the move seems to be at a dead stop in the legislature for now.