DOCSLIB.ORG

December 19, 2008 Legislature Wraps up 127Th General

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
December 19, 2008 Legislature Wraps up 127Th General DECEMBER 19, 2008 LEGISLATURE WRAPS UP 127 TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY Members of the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate wrapped up their business this week, just in time for the holiday season. Much of their work will proceed to Governor Strickland for his consideration. Below are highlights of various bills impacting county government that moved (or did not pass) during the past few days: • 9-1-1 Wireless Fee . The continuation of the fee on cell phones for wireless emergency 9-1-1 operations was continued at the lower rate of 28 cents through December 2012. This provision was included in Senate Bill 129, which originally addressed the removal of auto crashes blocking roadways. ( See separate story in this edition of the Statehouse Report for more details.) • Dog Legislation . Representative Webster’s House Bill 446, which was the long focus of the Ohio County Dog Warden Association, unexpectedly died in the Ohio Senate. Senators received pressure from hunters and the National Rifle Association to remove mandatory rabies-prevention provisions in the bill. While a floor amendment was prepared to eliminate that language, support for the remainder of the bill waned as some legislators viewed it largely as a fee increase bill. • Cuyahoga County Government Structural Reforms . The House and Senate had dueling bills with different approaches in how to reform Cuyahoga County Government. Neither proposal, though, was supported by the other chamber. As a result, both approaches died. House Bill 650, sponsored by Representative Dolan, called for the implementation of the Cuyahoga County Government Commission’s recommendations. This includes “super- sizing” one of the three commissioners with additional “executive” powers and converting certain elected county offices into appointed positions. House Democrats largely opposed HB 650 as they claimed the proposal unfairly singled out Cuyahoga County and its large numbers of minority and Democratic residents. Senator Grendell’s more restrained proposal (Senate Bill 391) provided clarity to existing provisions in Ohio Revised Section 302 for an “alternative form” of county government 1 by stating that a county could have county commissioners elected in districts and countywide. He also would allow in Cuyahoga County the voters to elect a president of the board of county commissioners, similar to the concept of electing a chief justice for the Supreme Court. • Elections . Senate Bill 380, sponsored by Senator Seitz, passed through the legislature with much partisan wrangling. The bill eliminates the “golden week” in which voters this year could register to vote and cast a ballot as well as other provisions. ( See separate story in this edition of the Statehouse Report for more details.) • Law Libraries . The county commissioners’ obligation relative to law libraries was adjusted in House Bill 420. ( See separate story in this edition of the Statehouse Report for more details.) • Adoption . House Bill 7, for which PCSAO was the driving proponent force, was adopted by the both the House and Senate and streamlines Ohio’s adoption laws. CCAO, OJFSDA, and OCDA all formally supported the measure as well. • Coroner’s Reforms . House Bill 471 made it past the finish line, but was trimmed down along the way. Language that would have provided coroners in certain large counties a pay supplement for performing autopsies from several other counties was removed from the bill. • Joe the Plumber/Data Base Searches . House Bill 648 prohibits and provides penalties for state government officials who access citizens’ private information without cause. (See separate story in this edition of the Statehouse Report for more details.) • Health Boards . House Bill 327, sponsored by Rep. Jim McGregor, did not get all the way through the process and will have to start over in January. This bill would have provided more autonomy and authority to boards of health. • Booster Seats . House Bill 320 did get to the finish line. This legislation, sponsored by Representative Jones, would require certain children who are between four and eight years of age to be secured in a booster seat. • Workers Comp . House Bill 79, sponsored by Representative Batchelder, was changed extensively from its original version by the Senate, and provides for the continuation of the Bureau of Workers Comp’s group-rating program in light of a recent lawsuit. • Veteran Bonuses . This measure would provide compensation to veterans of the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and Iraq conflicts. The debate surrounding House Bill 649 was how the payments would be financed given Ohio’s current and future budget constraints. The legislation, largely backed by Republicans, would finance the stipends with up to $200 million in state reserve funds, but the Administration and democrat legislators prefer a bond-back plan. While the measure passed both the House and Senate, the Governor is expected to veto the bill. • Land Bank . Senate Bill 353, sponsored by Senator Patton, allows the creation of land reutilization corporations that are authorized to reclaim, rehabilitate, and reuse foreclosed and other abandoned properties in Cuyahoga County. The bill is intended to help with the county’s growing foreclosure problem. The measure is time-limited for two years, at which time the Ohio Legislature will review the pilot project. In the meantime, 2 legislators are expected to consider expanding the measure to more counties next year in the state budget bill. Cuyahoga County Treasurer Jim Rokakis spearheaded the effort in gaining overwhelming bi-partisan support for the proposal. • Witness Fees for Mileage Rate Reimbursement . Language was included in House Bill 525 to permit a board of county commissioners to set the mileage reimbursement rate for witnesses in civil and criminal cases in common pleas and county courts at a rate not to exceed fifty and one-half cents per mile. The bill also sets the mileage reimbursement rate for witnesses in other courts of record and state adjudication hearings at fifty and one-half cents per mile. • Christmas Tree Bill. One of the more loaded up measures (House Bill 420) started in the House merely as Rep. Brinkman’s plan to increase transparency in state government contracting with additional disclosure requirements. But, it ended up as a vehicle for all sorts of add-ons, including language relating to Tax Increment Finance law changes. It also included the law library provision, noted earlier. Not making it through the entire legislative process includes: • CAFO’s . Among those left behind were bills involving a transfer of concentrated animal feeding operation enforcement (HB 635) and updating laws regarding animal control (HB 446). Both proposals appeared poised for passage earlier in the week. • Lodging Tax for Montgomery County . The Senate informally passed and took no action on a measure (SB 306) that picked up what was believed to be a controversial lodging tax for Montgomery County. Senate leadership was not aware until it was too late that agreement had been reached with local officials. By that time, the plan could not be resurrected as the House already had adjourned.] • No Pay Bill . Given no support among key leaders, there was no pay bill put forth and acted upon. Hence, there are no raises or salary adjustments for county elected officials, state legislators, statewide officeholders, township officials, and board of elections members in 2009 calendar year. This is not an exhaustive list, and next year CCAO policy staff will put together a listing of bills passed by the Legislature during the 127 th General Assembly. If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact the staff toll free at 1-888-757-1904. 9-1-1 FUNDING - ON TO THE GOVERNOR !! Tuesday night a House Committee took the provisions of HB 550 and, with some changes, amended them into SB 129. The House passed SB 129 on Wednesday on a vote of 79 to 14, and the Senate concurred in the House amendments on Thursday by a vote of 32 to 1. The bill now will be forwarded to the Governor for his signature and should become law prior to the end of the year, thus continuing for an additional 4 years a monthly surcharge on wireless phones to support wireless 9-1-1 systems in Ohio. The 9-1-1 legislation does all of the following: • Reduces the monthly surcharge on wireless cell phones from 32 cents to 28 cents. As the increasing number of cell phones has generated more revenue, some legislators 3 wanted the fee reduced to return the level of funding back closer to the funding level initially projected at the time the surcharge was adopted. The 28-cent amount was accepted to ease some concerns and gain more legislative support for continuing the surcharge. • Extends the sunset provision for another 4 years. The surcharge now will expire on December 31, 2012. • Increases the minimum annual amount that each county receives from $25,000 to $90,000. • Limits to five, beginning March 1, 2009, the number of wireless PSAPs per county that counties can fund with surcharge revenue. • Allows a county to use up to $25,000 annually to utilize technology that helps identify for emergency responders for those callers who may have a mental or physical disability. HOUSE, SENATE PASS ELECTION BILL, GOVERNOR CONTEMPLATES VETO Compiled in part from Gongwer and The Columbus Dispatch A divided Senate Wednesday night sent Gov. Ted Strickland a controversial bill that makes a handful of election-related changes, likely setting up a confrontation between the Republican- controlled legislature and the Democratic chief executive. The 19-12 vote on House amendments to the legislation (SB 380) came near the end of a session that spanned more than 11 hours and concluded at about 1 am Thursday. In taking the action on the election measure, the majority Republicans signaled their desire to end a period in which Ohioans could register and vote on the same day, increase standards for the verification of absentee ballots, and direct the Secretary of State to advise local election boards of mismatches between registration information and motor vehicle records.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Congressional Directory OHIO
    202 Congressional Directory OHIO OHIO (Population 2000, 11,353,140) SENATORS MIKE DEWINE, Republican, of Columbus, OH; born in Springfield, OH, January 5, 1947; Yellow Springs High School; B.S., Miami University, Oxford, OH, 1969; graudated, J.D., Ohio Northern University, 1972; attorney, admitted to the Ohio State bar, 1972; Greene County as- sistant and prosecuting attorney, 1976–80; Ohio State Senator, 1980–82; U.S. Representative, 1983–91; Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, 1991–95; married the former Frances Struewing, 1967; eight children: Patrick, Jill, Becky, John, Brian, Alice, Mark, and Anna; committees: Appropria- tions; Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; Judiciary; Select Committee on Intelligence; elected to the U.S. Senate on November 8, 1994; reelected to each succeeding Senate term. Office Listings http://dewine.senate.gov 140 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510 .................................... (202) 224–2315 Chief of Staff.—Laurel Dawson. FAX: 224–6519 Communications Director.—Mike Dawson. Legislative Director.—Paul Palagyi. Press Secretary.—Amanda Flaig. 312 Walnut Street, Room 2030, Cincinnati, OH 45202 .............................................. (513) 763–8260 Regional Director.—Shannon Jones. 600 Superior Avenue East, Room 2450, Cleveland, OH 44114 ................................. (216) 522–7272 Regional Director.—Michelle Gillcrest. 37 West Broad Street, Room 300, Columbus, OH 43215 .......................................... (614) 469–5186 Regional Director.—Scott Corbitt. 121 Putnam Street,
    [Show full text]
  • Good Government Fund Contributions to Candidates and Political Committees January 1 ‐ December 31, 2018
    GOOD GOVERNMENT FUND CONTRIBUTIONS TO CANDIDATES AND POLITICAL COMMITTEES JANUARY 1 ‐ DECEMBER 31, 2018 STATE RECIPIENT OF GGF FUNDS AMOUNT DATE ELECTION OFFICE OR COMMITTEE TYPE CA Jeff Denham, Jeff PAC $5,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 Federal Leadership PAC DC Association of American Railroads PAC $5,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 Federal Trade Assn PAC FL Bill Nelson, Moving America Forward PAC $5,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 Federal Leadership PAC GA David Perdue, One Georgia PAC $5,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 Federal Leadership PAC GA Johnny Isakson, 21st Century Majority Fund Fed $5,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 Federal Leadership PAC MO Roy Blunt, ROYB Fund $5,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 Federal Leadership PAC NE Deb Fischer, Nebraska Sandhills PAC $5,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 Federal Leadership PAC OR Peter Defazio, Progressive Americans for Democracy $5,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 Federal Leadership PAC SC Jim Clyburn, BRIDGE PAC $5,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 Federal Leadership PAC SD John Thune, Heartland Values PAC $5,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 Federal Leadership PAC US Dem Cong Camp Cmte (DCCC) ‐ Federal Acct $15,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 National Party Cmte‐Fed Acct US Natl Rep Cong Cmte (NRCC) ‐ Federal Acct $15,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 National Party Cmte‐Fed Acct US Dem Sen Camp Cmte (DSCC) ‐ Federal Acct $15,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 National Party Cmte‐Fed Acct US Natl Rep Sen Cmte (NRSC) ‐ Federal Acct $15,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 National Party Cmte‐Fed Acct VA Mark Warner, Forward Together PAC $5,000 01/18/2018 N/A 2018 Federal Leadership PAC VA Tim Kaine, Common
    [Show full text]
  • Final Results Template
    Kids Voting Central Ohio November 2, 2010 2010 General Election Ballot Results Governor/Lt. Governor Name Party Votes Pct Ted Strickland / Yvette McGee Brown Democratic 20,996 42.56% John Kasich / Mary Taylor Republican 19,529 39.59% Ken Matesz / Margaret Ann Leech Libertarian 4,506 9.13% Dennis Spisak / Anita Rios Green 4,303 8.72% Total Votes Cast 49,334 Attorney General Name Party Votes Pct Richard Cordray Democratic 10,531 44.80% Mike DeWine Republican 8,699 37.01% Robert Owens Constitution 2,467 10.50% Marc Allan Feldman Libertarian 1,809 7.70% Total Votes Cast 23,506 Auditor of State Name Party Votes Pct David Pepper Democratic 12,813 55.30% David Yost Republican 7,315 31.57% L. Michael Howard Libertarian 3,042 13.13% Total Votes Cast 23,170 Secretary of State Name Party Votes Pct Maryellen O'Shaughnessy Democratic 11,611 50.15% Jon Husted Republican 8,386 36.22% Charles R. Earl Libertarian 3,157 13.63% Total Votes Cast 23,154 Treasurer of State Name Party Votes Pct Kevin L. Boyce Democratic 11,233 48.63% Josh Mandel Republican 8,815 38.16% Matthew P. Cantrell Libertarian 3,050 13.20% Total Votes Cast 23,098 U.S. Senator Name Party Votes Pct Lee Fisher Democratic 15,517 40.53% Rob Portman Republican 11,614 30.34% Daniel LaBotz Socialist 4,309 11.26% Michael L. Pryce n/a 3,961 10.35% Eric W. Deaton Constitution 2,882 7.53% Total Votes Cast 38,283 Supreme Court Chief Justice Name Party Votes Pct Eric Brown n/a 5,742 58.32% Maureen O'Connor n/a 4,104 41.68% Total Votes Cast 9,846 Supreme Court Justice Name Party Votes Pct Mary Jane Trapp n/a 5,565 57.09% Judith Lanzinger n/a 4,182 42.91% Total Votes Cast 9,747 Page 1 of 4 Kids Voting Central Ohio November 2, 2010 Franklin County Commissioner Name Party Votes Pct Marilyn Brown Democratic 12,136 58.38% Julie Hubler Republican 8,653 41.62% Total Votes Cast 20,789 Franklin County Auditor Name Party Votes Pct Terry J.
    [Show full text]
  • RESOLUTION NO.: 50-2007 OFFERED BY: Mayor Ursu and All of Council
    RESOLUTION NO.: 50-2007 OFFERED BY: Mayor Ursu and All of Council A RESOLUTION OPPOSING OHIO SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 117 AND SUPPORTING THE LOCAL CABLE FRANCHISING PROCESS; AND DECLARING AN EMERGENCY WHEREAS, Substitute Senate Bill (“Sub. SB”) 117 was passed in the Ohio Senate on May 9, 2007 and the bill was immediately forwarded to the Ohio House of Representatives where it is being reviewed by the House Public Utilities Committee in which Sponsor’s introduction and proponents' hearing is expected to commence on May 23, 2007 with opponents' hearing to follow; and WHEREAS, in its present form, Sub. SB 117 continues to provide for the elimination of local franchise authority over cable and other video service providers that must use the City’s rights-of-way to provide service and would replace that authority with only the most minimal oversight and enforcement powers by the Ohio Director of Commerce; and WHEREAS, Sub. SB 117 would permit cable operators to unilaterally abrogate and abandon existing cable/video contracts with municipalities even if no new competitive video service is offered in those communities and would outlaw the extension of any current franchise agreement thereby abrogating the City's current franchise agreement with Time Warner Cable which was negotiated in good faith; and WHEREAS, Sub. SB 117 will continue to reduce the franchise fees paid to the City by cable operators and/or other video service providers in exchange for using the City’s rights-of- way, and would severely impair the City’s ability to audit cable and competitive video service providers’ franchise fee payments; and WHEREAS, Sub.
    [Show full text]
  • The Republican Sweep: Report on the 2010 Election Results in Ohio
    Mapping the Republican Sweep: The 2010 Election Results in Ohio This report maps the results of the 2010 election for state-wide offices in Ohio as well as voter turnout. The data for this report was taken from the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office and indicate official results. Clearly, the 2010 election saw a sea change in Ohio politics, and dramatic contrast with the 2006 election: 2010 was a Republican sweep, while 2006 saw a near Democratic sweep of state-wide contests. The Overall Election Picture in Ohio In 2010, prior to the November election, all state-wide offices up for election were in the hands of Democrats, except for the open Senate seat and the state auditor. These offices included the governor, secretary of state, attorney general, and state treasurer. Republican challengers were able to defeat every one of these Democratic incumbents and to also hold the Senate seat. Some of the Republican victories were narrow, but some were fairly resounding. With a poorly performing state economy and with a strong sense of anti-incumbent anger brewing in the state, Democrats saw their fortunes turn negative across the board. Map 1 is a depiction of the distribution of Republican votes for the average of all of the state-wide races in Ohio in 2010. Map 1 There are several geographic patterns in Map 1. First, we see that there is an urban-rural split in the distribution of Republican votes. For the most part, counties with large cities in them such as Cuyahoga (Cleveland), Franklin (Columbus), Lucas (Toledo), and Summit (Akron) leaned Democratic while more rural counties leaned Republican.
    [Show full text]
  • Ohio Senate Journal
    JOURNALS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OHIO SENATE JOURNAL TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2011 SENATE JOURNAL, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 27, 2011 1621 NINETY-SEVENTH DAY Senate Chamber, Columbus, Ohio Tuesday, September 27, 2011, 1:30 p.m. The Senate met pursuant to adjournment. Prayer was offered by Father Michael Lumpe, St. Catharine's Church, Bexley, Ohio, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. The journal of the last legislative day was read and approved. REPORTS OF REFERENCE AND BILLS FOR SECOND CONSIDERATION Senator Niehaus reports for the Standing Committee on Rules and Reference, recommending that the following bills, standing in order for second consideration, be referred to committee as recommended: Am. H. B. No. 212-Representative Grossman, et al. To amend section 5103.16 of the Revised Code to extend to legal custodians the exemption from certain adoptive placement requirements. To the Committee on Judiciary. Am. H. B. No. 285-Representatives Yuko, Roegner, et al. To enact sections 5.2267 and 5.2268 of the Revised Code to designate September as "Mesothelioma Month" and November as "Lung Cancer Awareness Month." To the Committee on Health, Human Services and Aging. S. B. No. 228-Senator Burke, et al. To amend sections 4723.43, 4723.44, 4729.01, and 4761.17 of the Revised Code to authorize certified registered nurse anesthetists to issue medication orders for the administration of drugs to patients during certain phases of patient care and to specify the circumstances in which such nurses may perform clinical support functions. To the Committee on Health, Human Services and Aging.
    [Show full text]
  • IN the SUPREME COURT of OHIO the Ohio Manufacturers
    Supreme Court of Ohio Clerk of Court - Filed June 22, 2016 - Case No. 2016-0313 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF OHIO The Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, et al., : Case No: 2016-0313 : Relators, : Original Action under Section 1g, : Article II of the Ohio Constitution v. : : Ohioans for Drug Price Relief Act, et al. : : Respondents. : EVIDENCE OF PETITION RESPONDENTS – VOLUME I Kurtis A. Tunnell (0038569) Donald J. McTigue (0022849) Counsel Of Record Counsel Of Record Anne Marie Sferra (0030855) J. Corey Colombo (0072398) Nelson M. Reid (0068434) Derek S. Clinger (0092075) James P. Schuck (0072356) McTigue & Colombo LLC Bricker & Eckler LLP 545 E. Town Street 100 South Third Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 Columbus, Ohio 43215 Tel: 614-263-7000 | Fax: 614-263-7078 Tel: 614-227-2300 | Fax: 614-227-2390 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Counsel for Respondents William S. Booth, Daniel L. Darland, Tracy L. Counsel for Relators Jones, and Latonya D. Thurman Michael DeWine (0009181) Ohio Attorney General Steven T. Voigt (0092879) Senior Assistant Attorney General BRODI J. CONOVER (0092082) Assistant Attorney General 30 East Broad Street, 16th Floor Columbus, Ohio 43215 Tel: 614-466-2872 | Fax: 614-728-7592 [email protected] [email protected] Counsel for Respondent Secretary Husted EVIDENCE OF PETITION RESPONDENTS – VOLUME I Petition Respondents hereby file Volume I of their Evidence in the instant case: Exhibit No. Secretary of State’s Responses to Petition Respondents’ Interrogatories and Requests for Production of Documents……………………………………… 1 December 23, 2015 Email from PhRMA to Secretary of State Staff…………………………….
    [Show full text]
  • Ohio Senate Journal
    JOURNALS OF THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OHIO SENATE JOURNAL TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012 1890 SENATE JOURNAL, TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2012 ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-SEVENTH DAY Senate Chamber, Columbus, Ohio Tuesday, January 24, 2012, 1:30 p.m. The Senate met pursuant to adjournment. Prayer was offered by Reverend Thomas Wise, Valleyview Church, Dayton, Ohio, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag. The journal of the last legislative day was read and approved. REPORTS OF REFERENCE AND BILLS FOR SECOND CONSIDERATION Senator Niehaus reports for the Standing Committee on Rules and Reference, recommending that the following bill, standing in order for second consideration, be referred to committee as recommended: S. B. No. 283-Senator Turner, et al. To amend section 2907.29 and to enact sections 3727.60, 3727.601, and 3727.602 of the Revised Code to establish the Compassionate Assistance for Rape Emergencies Act regarding hospital services provided to victims of sexual assault. To the Committee on Health, Human Services and Aging. YES - 7: THOMAS E. NIEHAUS, KEITH L. FABER, TOM PATTON, SHANNON JONES, SCOTT OELSLAGER, JOSEPH SCHIAVONI, EDNA BROWN. NO - 0. The question being, "Shall the report of the committee be accepted?" The report of the committee was accepted. Said bill was considered a second time and referred to committee as recommended. REPORTS OF STANDING AND SELECT COMMITTEES Senator Niehaus submitted the following report: Pursuant to Senate Rule No. 37, the standing committee on Rules and Reference recommends that S. B. No. 281-Senator Beagle et al., having been referred to the standing committee on Finance, be re-referred to the standing committee on Financial Institutions.
    [Show full text]
  • 2021 NLGA Members Bio Book
    ALABAMA Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth Lieutenant Governor Will Ainsworth is a father, husband, and small business owner from Marshall County. Prior to entering public service, he worked as a youth pastor at Albertville’s Grace Fellowship Church and was a co-founder of Dream Ranch, one of the most recognized hunting and fishing lodges in the United States. He currently operates the annual Tennessee Valley Hunting and Fishing Expo, which draws more than 20,000 attendees each year. In 2014, Lt. Gov. Ainsworth felt the call to serve his community through elected office and won a seat in the Alabama House of Representatives, where he was a champion of public education, farming, and family values issues. Keeping a self-imposed legislative term limit promise, Ainsworth declared his candidacy for lieutenant governor in 2018 and received the most votes of any candidate for constitutional office on the general election ballot. Ainsworth, who is committed to providing quality public education to Alabama’s schoolchildren, is a strong supporter of the state’s nationally-recognized “First Class” prekindergarten program, which provides young learners with the skills and foundational knowledge necessary to excel in their K – 12 education. Focusing his efforts as lieutenant governor on improving workforce development so that Alabamians may fill and retain long-lasting, well-paying, 21st Century jobs, he also works to promote policies that allow both new and existing industries to expand in Alabama. Ainsworth was elected as national chairman of the Aerospace States Association and is a member of the Alabama Workforce Council. He also heads the Lieutenant Governor’s Small Business Commission and the Lieutenant Governor’s Commission on a 21st Century Workforce.
    [Show full text]
  • Political Contributions & Related Activity Report
    Political Contributions & Related Activity Report 2010 CARTER BECK JOHN JESSER DAVID KRETSCHMER SVP & Counsel VP, Provider Engagement & COC SVP, Treasurer & Chief Investment Officer ANDREW LANG LISA LATTS SVP, Chief Information Officer Staff VP, Public Health Policy MIKE MELLOH VP, Human Resources DEB MOESSNER ANDREW MORRISON 2010 WellPAC President & General Manager KY SVP, Public Affairs BRIAN SASSI WellPAC Chairman EVP, Strategy & Marketing, Board of Directors BRIAN SWEET President & CEO Consumer VP, Chief Clinical Pharmacy Officer JOHN WILLEY Director, Government Relations TRACY WINN ALAN ALBRIGHT WellPAC Treasurer Manager, Public Affairs Legal Counsel to WellPAC WellPAC Assistant Treasurer & Executive Director 1 from the Chairman Recognizing the impact that public policy decisions have on our stakeholders, WellPoint has made a commitment to be involved in the political process. Our efforts include policy development, direct advocacy, lawful corporate contributions and the sponsorship of WellPAC, the non- partisan political action committee of WellPoint associates. WellPAC’s purpose is to help elect candidates for federal and state office who share our mission of making health care reform work for our customers, our associates, our investors and the communities we serve. WellPoint pays the PAC’s administrative costs as allowed by law, but all WellPAC contributions are funded through the voluntary support of eligible WellPoint associates. In 2010, WellPAC contributed $596,999 to federal candidates, political parties and committees, and $192,581 to candidates and committees at the state and local levels. In total, WellPoint made more than $2.8 million in corporate political contributions. Additionally, our public affairs team actively engaged with lawmakers and candidates at the federal level, and in our 14 core business states.
    [Show full text]
  • Energy Efficiency Resolution
    RESOLUTION NO. _________ -2013 EXPRESSING the support of the Council for the state of Ohio’s Energy Efficiency Resource Standard. WHEREAS, Cincinnati residents and businesses are challenged daily with uncertain economic conditions and rising energy costs; and WHEREAS, energy efficiency is one of the cleanest and cheapest ways to address our energy needs, and is still the lowest-cost electric system resource, even in a time of very low natural gas prices; and WHEREAS, broad based energy efficiency programs are crucial in helping consumers to make educated choices when it comes to their energy consumption; and WHEREAS, energy efficiency is a labor-intensive industry that directly addresses economic challenges by putting money back into consumers’ pockets, lowering business costs, stimulating production, and creating jobs; and WHEREAS, Ohio has more than 5,400 organizations and businesses in the energy efficiency sector, generating $2.1 billion annually, a significant portion of which is generated in Southwest Ohio; and WHEREAS, investments in energy efficiency not only reduce overall expenditures on energy, but provide important environmental and health benefits to the community, including reductions to toxic air pollutants such as methane, nitrous oxide, nitrogen oxide, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, particulate matter, lead, and mercury; and WHEREAS, the City of Cincinnati has undertaken upgrades to more than 69 of our municipal facilities, savings more than $1 million on annual operating costs; and WHEREAS, on April 23, 2008, Ohio passed
    [Show full text]
  • Clean Energy Coming to Ohio Ohio 26Th State to Pass Clean Energy Standard
    Summer Report Big win: More clean energy coming to Ohio Ohio 26th state to pass clean energy standard On May 1, Gov. Ted Strickland signed SB 221, making Ohio the 26th state to enact a renewable energy standard. Environ- mental groups, wind and solar businesses, labor organizations, manufacturers and many others applauded the work of Gov. Strickland and Ohio’s legislative leaders, most notably Speaker Jon Husted, for mak- ing this investment in Ohio’s future. The bill will ensure that 12.5 percent of Ohio’s energy will come from clean, renewable sources by 2025, and reduce overall energy consumption by 22 percent. “Ohio is now on the map for clean energy Environment Ohio staff members thank Gov. Strickland for his leadership on clean energy. development that will reduce pollution, eliminate the need for expensive new coal-fi red power plants, and take advan- in clean energy because of its extensive economic development. tage of a booming new green economy manufacturing base and skilled workforce. that will create jobs,” stated Erin Bowser, “As a developer of wind energy projects in Director of Environment Ohio. Environment Ohio and a coalition of many states across the country, we know partners, including business leaders, how important it is for a state to have a More than half of the states in the U.S. clean energy developers and many others, renewable energy standard in place that now have renewable energy standards. worked to ensure that an effective policy actually establishes a market for clean en- Other Midwestern states, including Illinois, was put into place that would allow Ohio ergy from day one,” stated Beth O’Brien, Wisconsin and Minnesota, have also put to receive all of the benefi ts of clean representative of Babcock & Brown, a renewable energy standards into place and energy, including reduced pollution and major investor in clean energy.
    [Show full text]