Greetings, Friends and Neighbors!
It is now officially summer break for the Ohio House, which means more work in the district for Rep. Click! But this does not mean there is less work being done in the Statehouse. Monday of this week, the House was called back into session to override the Governor’s vetoes on property tax reform in the State Operating Budget.
 On June 30th, Governor Mike DeWine signed the Budget bill, but as part of his approval, vetoed 67 provisions passed by the legislature, including several that were intended to provide homeowners with immediate property tax relief in 2026.
The House voted in an overwhelming majority to override Item #66 veto of the budget on Monday, as submitted by Governor Mike DeWine.
Rep. Click said, “We understand that more is needed and that the taxpaying citizens of Ohio demand more. I am committed to advancing greater property tax reforms. Today was a down payment on that promise.”
Item #66 aims to prohibit school districts from increasing tax revenue by changing (or shifting) the purpose of their inside millage without a public meeting – reducing stealth tax hikes. This provision will also encourage levy transparency and treat school districts like other political subdivisions. Item #66 will ensure that school districts do not put new general expense tax levies on the ballot when the school district has over 100% of its fiscal year expenses in reserves, ensuring fiscal responsibility.
Now that the House has acted, for the provision to be enacted into law, the Senate must also override the Governor’s veto. We await the Senate to reconvene, to protect the best interests of Ohio’s citizens.
In other news, the SAFE Act continues to protect the interests of those most vulnerable: our children. The SAFE Act, which stands for “Saving Ohio Adolescents from Experimentation”, is one of the strictest state laws in the country that protects minors from experimentation through “transgender care”. This incredible piece of legislation will prohibit children from receiving puberty blockers, hormone therapy, or gender transition surgery. This will protect children, who are young and naïve to the life-changing effects of these medical experiments on their bodies. This piece of legislation also mandates that parents must be notified and provide written consent before a minor receives any counseling that relates to gender identity, or “gender-affirming care”.
Not only does this piece of legislation protect the most vulnerable, but it also protects sports teams from being taken advantage of by transgender women. Over the last 5 years, we have seen women’s sports taken over by biological men. Women had lost a space to compete with biological equals; instead, they were forced to compete with those who were not. Through this piece of legislation, women’s sports have been restored to their former glory.
The SAFE Act was passed in December 2023 but faced extreme resistance from Governor Mike DeWine. The Governor vetoed this piece of legislation on December 29th, trying to protect those who were taking advantage of our children’s vulnerabilities.
Although this was a setback for Rep. Click and those who supported this endeavor, the Legislature voted and overrode the veto in January 2024. Thus, this law was passed, and light prevailed against the darkness.
But, as of Tuesday of this week, Rep. Click got news that The SAFE Act has been taken up by the Ohio Supreme Court. It now awaits the decision of our judges.
Recently, Rep. Click wrote an article, going in depth on the unexpected struggles he faced in passing this incredible piece of legislation.
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