Greetings, Friends and Neighbors!
We hope you stayed safe and warm during this past weekend’s snowstorm! As the General Assembly prepares to resume session, let’s take a look at what’s ahead in the coming weeks.
Several House bills sponsored or supported by Representative Click are now awaiting hearings in the Ohio Senate, including H.B. 162 (My Child, My Chart), H.B. 268 (CQE Bill), H.B. 393 (Expanding Program to CBCF for Inmate IDs), and H.B. 486 (The Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act). Together, these bills address important issues in healthcare transparency, education, prison reform, and Certificates of Qualification for Employment.
Representative Click is encouraged by the momentum behind these bills and looks forward to seeing them advance in the Senate! Many of these bills listed above have been discussed on Rep Click’s Podcast. If you would like to stay informed or learn more about these bills, you may access them at the bottom of this newsletter.
Representative Click recently had a great discussion with Chair Abrams of the Public Safety Committee about House Bill 82, The Trenton Gallaway Work Zone Safety Act and House Bill 200, The America First Act.
H.B. 82 seeks to protect the lives of those in hardhats who work on our highways. This piece of legislation is named after Trenton Gallaway, a construction worker who lost his life while working on our roads. Since 2021, there have been 22,062 crashes in work zones on our highways. Out of the 22,062 crashes, 92 were fatal, resulting in 104 deaths. Representative Click believes this bill will better protect the lives of those who work tirelessly on our transit system. If you would like to read more about this bill, you may do so here: HB 82, Gallaway Memorial
H.B. 200 seeks to align Ohio law with Federal Immigration Policy. This bill would make it a state offense to be present in Ohio, if one is not legally present in the United States. It would also require state and local law enforcement agencies and detention facilities to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. Representative Click is happy to see these bills move forward.
H.B. 87 – also known as the The STORK Act – will soon receive its third hearing in the House Ways and Means Committee. The Strategic Tax Opportunities for Raising Kids (STORK) Act is designed to provide tax relief for expectant families by allowing parents to claim a child as a dependent on their Ohio income tax return beginning in the year of conception, rather than waiting until birth. This change aims to help offset the early costs associated with pregnancy and childbirth. Representative Click looks forward to seeing this important legislation move forward!
 H.B. 187 – The Moment of Silence Bill –is a bipartisan legislation that would provide each student with the opportunity to engage in a moment of silence and thoughtfulness to begin each day. Students often rush from classroom to classroom with no time to reflect. This bill would provide the students with a moment of intentionality during the school day. Rep. Click is excited to see this bill continue through the legislative process! Recently, Rep. Click got to sit down with Rabbi Areyah Kaltmann and discuss the importance of this legislation. This discussion will soon be released on Rep. Click's Podcast – “What’s Clickin’”.
H.B. 613 – This bill seeks to modernize and strengthen the state’s tax enforcement and appeals process. Many businesses wait an extended period of time to get a resolution when they appeal audits on their taxes. H.B. 613 aims to ensure a speedy resolution, granting greater financial stability to our local small businesses. Representative Click will be excited to see this bill move through committee.
This week on “What’s Clickin’ with State Representative Gary Click,” we hear from Pastor David Forbes and Bishop John T. Coates II, Ohio pastors who share thoughtful insight on faith and public policy. Representative Click was honored to host them and hear their perspectives on the recent invasion of a church service in Minnesota.
Listen to this week's episode on your favorite platform by clicking any of the links below.
Listen to 'What's Clickin? with Representative Click'
As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to our office at Rep88@ohiohouse.gov.
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