An Update from State Representative Gary Click
Dear Fellow Ohioans and Friends,
Things have been “Clicking” in Columbus this week! Representative Gary Click had a very active week as the Ohio House approaches summer break. Several important bills he’s sponsoring or supporting are making progress. Here's a quick look at what’s been going on!
Senate Bill 147
Senate Bill 147 has passed both the House and Senate to the great pleasure of residents in Seneca county. This bill allows small rural counties like ours to leave regional waste districts if they believe those districts no longer serve their best interests, granting greater local control to affected communities.
The America First Act
Representative Click gave sponsor testimony on The America First Act (H.B. 200) in the House Public Safety Committee. This bill responds to the growing issue of illegal immigration. It simply aligns state law with federal law by codifying that it is unlawful for anyone who is unlawfully present in the United States to be present in Ohio. House Bill 200 was crafted with input from local law enforcement, legal immigrants, and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
House Bill 162
Representative Click’s House Bill 162 is moving quickly through the House Health Committee, receiving proponent testimony this week. Otherwise known as 'My Child My Chart', H.B. 162 ensures that parents have digital access to their child’s medical charts to the greatest extent possible under federal HIPPA laws. Too many parents are discovering the hard way that they don’t have access.
Keith's Law
Keith’s Law (H.B.144) moves to the Senate after receiving a nearly unanimous vote in the House. This bill would create a voluntary special needs database for first responders, giving them important information when answering emergency calls. It helps ensure that individuals with disabilities get the care they need in emergencies. Due to the Senate’s consideration of the budget, proponent testimony was delayed more than two and a half hours. However, James Kimmerle was undeterred and waited them out. You can watch his testimony here.
There was no testimony provided this week on House Bill 252, which applies common sense to our burglary laws. Prosectors in Ohio requested this change removing the requirement for “stealth, deceit or force” from the definition. One Ohio man had his conviction vacated because he stole an item in plain sight from an open garage which did not meet these requirements even though the homeowner was still deprived of his property. We are hopeful to see this bill voted out of committee soon.
Representative Click, along with his joint sponsor Mark Johnson, met with Public Safety Committee Chair Cindy Abrams this week to collaborate on amendments to improve House Bill 82 and move it forward in committee. The need for this bill was brought to Representative Click by Jack Zimmerman and the American Traffic Safety Services Association. Representative Click remains in constant contact and spoke to them recently at an association meeting on Put-In-Bay.
“The men and women in hardhats on our highways and byways deserve every ounce of protection that we can provide them as they maintain our roads and infrastructure so that industry can move throughout Ohio at the speed of progress,” Click stated.
Wednesday was one of the busiest days in the legislature for Rep. Click with all six of these bills finding positive momentum, not to mention a few other bills making progress in the background. We will have great news about new initiatives in next week's newsletter.
As always, feel free to reach out to our office with any questions or concerns.
For more information or if you have any questions please reach out to Rep. Click at Rep88@ohiohouse.gov
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