No. 2 January 13, 2006

PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS BULLETIN TO YOUR COUNCIL, DEPARTMENT HEADS & STAFF

House Committee to Ohio’s Cities and Villages: Forget Home Rule!

The House Local Government and Urban Revitalization Committee voted this week, by a margin of 14-2 in favor of SB 82, the anti-residency requirement bill. Despite their supposed concern for “urban revitalization”, the committee took this action following testimony from city officials from Youngstown, Toledo, Cleveland and the President of the Cuyahoga County Mayors and Managers Association that SB 82 would severely harm the vitality of their communities.

It was ironic, in a committee on urban revitalization, that part of the defense for SB 82, coming from committee members this week, was that city employees shouldn’t have to live in those cities because of the lack of public safety and good public schools. The answer to that problem in SB 82 is to allow all safety forces to move out of the city they are hired to protect and, by moving, no longer support that city’s public schools.

The bill is now in the House Rules Committee for a determination as to when and if the bill will go to the full House for a vote. That floor action could be as early as next week. It is critical that you talk to your member (s) of the House of either party as soon as possible about SB 82. Whether you have residency requirements in your city or village or not, this bill attempts to overturn court-tested provisions of charters across Ohio. The bill goes to the heart of Home Rule and says that neither the voters nor council can decide any matter of local self-government if the General Assembly thinks otherwise. If Home Rule in Ohio is to continue with any substance, SB 82 should be defeated. SB 82 is just another example of many members of the General Assembly once again saying, “I’m a great supporter of Home Rule, except on the issue of (fill in the last dodge you heard).”

Its not too early to contact the Governor expressing opposition to SB 82 and ask for a veto.

HOUSE LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT AND URBAN REVITALIZATION COMMITTEE 14 to 2 VOTE ON SB 82 (according to the Committee Office).

Republicans

Larry Woolpert, Chair (23) Y

Courtney Combs, V Chair (54) N/A

James Aslanides (94) N/A

Tom Brinkman (34) Y

Danny Bubp (88) Y

Thom Collier (90) Y

David Daniels (86) Y

Diana Fessler (79) N

Jim McGregor (20) Y

Joseph Uecker (66) Y

Jeff Wagener (89) N

Kathleen Walcher (58) Y

Democrats

Kathleen Chandler (68) Ranking Minority Member Y

John Domenick (98) Y

Lorraine Fende (62) Y

Mike Mitchell (26) Y

Brian Williams (41) Y

Kenny Yuko (7) Y

HB 347 CONCEAL-CARRY REVISIONS (Aslanides) To revise the laws regarding licenses to carry a concealed handgun and the authority to carry a concealed handgun under such a license; to limit journalist access to information regarding persons who have such a license and who assert reasonable cause to fear a criminal attack; to provide exemptions from certain carrying of firearms-related offenses for persons in compliance with the Ohio Peace Officer Training Commission's firearms requalification program; to specifically provide a self-defense affirmative defense to discharge of a firearm while in or on a vessel or motor vehicle-related offenses; to clarify when a firearm is loaded for purposes of offenses relating to possession of a loaded firearm while in or on a vessel or motor vehicle and carrying concealed weapons; to provide that the sealing or expungement of a conviction or delinquent child record is an affirmative defense to falsification based on the failure to report the record on an application for a concealed handgun license; and to identify, as a general law and matter of statewide concern, the right of any person, except as provided in the Revised Code, to own, possess, purchase, otherwise acquire, transport, carry, sell, or otherwise transfer a firearm, firearm component, or ammunition. (3rd Hearing-Proponent)

House Agriculture & Natural Resources, (Chr. Aslanides, 644-6014), B. Harrison Rm. (116), 8:30 a.m.

HB 443 DNR OPERATIONS (Uecker) To revise the statutes governing the Department of Natural Resources. (2nd Hearing-Proponent)

Ohio Retirement Study Council, (Chr. Schneider, 228-1346), Rm. (121), 8:30 a.m.

Senate State & Local Government & Veterans Affairs, (Chr. Cates, 466-8072), South Hearing Rm., 4 p.m.

SB 226 FIREFIGHTER TRAINING (Cates) To provide for the adoption of rules governing firefighter training. (3rd Hearing-All testimony)

HB 456 POUNDAGE FEES (Peterson) To allow a clerk of a municipal court, mayor's court, or county court to collect a five per cent poundage fee for receiving and disbursing certain fines or costs not established by the court. (1st Hearing-Sponsor)

House Local & Municipal Government & Urban Revitalization, (Chr. Wolpert, 466-9690), Rm. 018, 11 a.m.

HB 365 JOINT DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS (Setzer) To remove the limitation that only four types of municipal corporations and townships may create a joint economic development district under specified statutes. (4th Hearing-All testimony)