News

New bill regulates farmers and stops algae from blooming

The New Political

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A bill aimed at preventing more algae from contaminating water in Lake Erie was passed Wednesday after being considered by the Ohio House for a month.

Senate Bill 1, which would regulate farmers’ use of fertilizer, manure and other substances and practices that have contributed to harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie, is expected to be signed into law by Gov. John Kasich and will go into effect 90 days later.

The bill forbids surface fertilizer application by anyone in the western basin when the ground is covered in snow or when the top two inches of soil are saturated by precipitation. However, there are some exceptions; this is permitted if the manure is injected into the ground or if it is applied to a growing crop.

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Distracted drivers may have to refocus if new regulations are passed

The New Political

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A proposed bill could redefine distracted driving and create new strategies to prevent it in the future.

House Bill 86, first proposed to the Ohio House on February 25 by Rep. Cheryl Grossman, R-Grove City, would outlaw any action that would impair a driver’s ability to operate a motor vehicle, as well as any use of an electronic wireless communications device. If passed, the bill would also create a driver education fund in the state treasury.

The proposed definition of distracted driving is more broad than the current law.  Although a new version of the Ohio Revised Code, which goes into effect today, provides details on what qualifies as texting while driving and ways in which someone can use a “handheld electronic wireless communications device” without being charged with a minor misdemeanor, Grossman’s proposed bill would add additional regulations to this part of the law.

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Ohio HOR introduces bill to change charter school funding

The New Political

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An education bill currently being considered by the Ohio House could clear up some controversy surrounding charter schools and their funding.

House Bill 2,  a piece of legislation that was introduced to the Ohio House of Representatives by Reps. Mike Dovilla, R-Berea, and Kristina Roegner, R-Hudson, details proposed changes in how community and charter schools are funded as well as how their progress and standards are measured.

Charter schools are unique because, like public school districts, they receive government funding from tax dollars but are often privately owned and receive additional funding from sponsors. According to William Phillis, executive director of the Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding, this has left them in a largely unregulated state since charter schools became legal in Ohio in 1997.

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Taxpayers test their memories to prevent crime

The New Political

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Some taxpayers may have to take a quiz to prove their identity to receive a tax return as part of a new screening system implemented by The Ohio Department of Taxation.

The four-question multiple choice quiz is the most noticeable of the changes made to cut down on tax return fraud and identity theft, according to Ohio Department of Taxation Communications Director Gary Gudmundson.

“We felt that we really had to take these extra measures to protect taxpayer dollars,” Gudmundson said. “[This] doubles the assurances that refunds are going out to the right people and not criminals.”

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Kasich plans to focus on funding colleges in new budget

The New Political

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The state government will dedicate a total of about $5.1 billion to higher education programs over the next two years, according to Gov. John Kasich’s 2016-17 budget proposal, Blueprint for a New Ohio.

The budget would increase funding for certain financial aid sources and create a new debt reduction program, but it would also erase other programs, such as the Co-Op Internship Program.

The largest increase in higher education funding is seen in Program Series 4: Student Access, which has a proposed increase of 25.7 percent in 2016. This program funds direct student aid including grants and institutional subsidies “that help certain campuses maintain lower, more affordable tuition rates,” according to the budget.

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