The Fight to Stop Ohio House Bill 22 from Becoming Law Is Heating Up

Cleveland, Ohio – The Ohio Coalition to Stop House Bill 22 from Becoming the Law of Ohio held a town hall meeting at Second Ebenezer Baptist Church on Saturday, April 17. Present at the town hall meeting were Event Producer Charles E. Bibb Sr., Reverend Aaron Phillips, Pastor of Sure House Baptist Church, State Representative Juanita Brent, State Representative , State Representative Monique Smith, State Representative Jeff Crossman, Magistrate at Cuyahoga County Juvenile Court Retanio Rucker, mayoral candidate Zach Reed, Cleveland mayoral candidate Justin Bibb, 11th congressional district candidate Reverend Pamela Pickney-Butts, Councilwoman Sandra Nelson of Richmond Heights, East Cleveland school board member Dr. Mary E. Rice and former Euclid City councilwoman Kandice Jones, a Coalition Coordinator representing the Ohio 8th House District Black Caucus. Coalition Coordinator Jeff Mixon spoke on behalf of BLACK LIVES MATTER in Cuyahoga County while Coalition Coordinator Mike Seals spoke on behalf of the Cuyahoga County African-American Democratic Caucus. Both coalition members are candidates to represent Ward 7 on Cleveland City Council. Bishop B. L. Owens gave the opening prayer. Doctor A. L. Owens gave the closing prayer. Coalition members and state representatives explained why it was important to stop Ohio House Bill 22 from becoming law in Ohio. The bill criminalizes the act of videotaping a police officer engaged in police brutality and other forms of misconduct. They informed the audience that HB 22 was unconstitutional and encouraged them to write and email letters of opposition to members of the . The coalition also asked members of the audience to join them on a bus trip to Columbus on Thursday, April 22 to stage a protest during a meeting of the Criminal Justice Committee of the Ohio General Assembly. The bus is scheduled to depart from the parking lot of Sure House Baptist Church on Thursday at 8:00 AM. Sure House Baptist Church is located at 11318 Miles Avenue. The coalition discussed the role that the American Legislative Exchange Council played in creating the “model legislation” for Ohio House Bill 22 and other model legislation designed to oppress women and minorities: such as voter suppression laws, anti-immigration laws and Stand Your Ground laws. Backed by a slew of multi-national corporations, the American Legislative Exchange Council is dedicated to corporate domination of American politics. Their legislation is designed to divide and conquer. But thanks to the dedication of the men and women present at Second Ebenezer Baptist Church on Saturday, April 17 and to the dedication of the men and women traveling to Columbus on Thursday, April 22; the American Legislative Exchange Council has its work count out. Event Producer Charles E. Bibb Sr. put the Ohio Coalition to Stop House Bill 22 from Becoming the Law of Ohio together in record time. Members of the coalition will be traveling to Columbus to testify before the Criminal Justice Committee of the Ohio General Assembly to stop the bill from becoming law. I, Jeff Mixon, President of BLACK LIVES MATTER in Cuyahoga County, will testify at this hearing. The bill has yet to make it to a vote of the full House. But, there is much protesting and education to be done. Because police officers work for us, Ohio citizens must understand clearly that they have a constitutional right to videotape them whenever they are on the public dime. Otherwise, citizens might be confused or intimidated into not videotaping police brutality or intimidated into handing over their cell phones. Standing at the podium on either side of Event Producer Charles E. Bibb Sr., Cleveland mayoral candidates Zach Reed and Justin Bibb both pledged their support to the effort to stop Ohio House Bill 22 from becoming the law of Ohio. “Don’t sleep on this battle,” insisted Reverend Aaron Phillips, Pastor of Sure House Baptist Church. “It’s bigger than you might think! If this bill becomes law, it will set the civil rights movement back forty years!” After traveling to Columbus to testify before the Criminal Justice Committee of the Ohio General Assembly, the coalition will hold a second town hall meeting to explain what happened in Columbus and to begin planning next steps in this heated battle to stop Ohio House Bill 22 from becoming Ohio law. Please feel free to contact Kandice Jones, the Coalition Coordinator representing the Ohio 8th House District Black Caucus, for further information at 216-570-4738.