Message From the House: With the Majority

In Episode 57 of Message from the House, Representatives Beth Lear and Jonathan Newman discuss the Save Ohio Sports Act, HB 971 — legislation that would significantly reform how sports betting operates in Ohio.

In Episode 56 of Message from the House, Representatives Manning and Bird discuss their backgrounds as educators and the comprehensive educational reform within HB 455, now signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine. As joint sponsors of the bill, they walk through what the legislation does, from cutting outdated regulations and paperwork to strengthening consequences for educators convicted of serious offenses, and what it means for students, families, and schools across Ohio.

In Episode 55 of Message from the House, Representative Adam Bird discusses Issue 3, which will appear on Ohio's November ballot. As a joint sponsor of HJR 9, Rep. Bird explains why the Ohio General Assembly chose to take the photo ID requirement a step further by enshrining it into from state law into the Ohio Constitution, and what that would mean for the long-term integrity of Ohio elections.

In Episode 54 of Message from the House, Representatives Bob Peterson and Angie King following the Joint Legislative Agriculture Committee meeting at the Ohio State Fair. The conversation covers Ohio's $124 billion agriculture industry, legislative priorities for farmers including health insurance access and property tax relief, and their fair-food favorites. Both representatives bring personal farming backgrounds to the table as they reflect on what they took away from the day's committee meeting, what excites them about the next generation of Ohio farmers, and why protecting the family farm remains one of their top priorities in the Statehouse.

In Episode 53 of Message from the House, Representatives Haraz Ghanbari and Cindy Abrams discuss Sub House Bill 479 — now signed into law. The legislation creates the Ohio Post-Traumatic Stress Fund Commission, a landmark step toward ensuring that firefighters, EMTs, and law enforcement officers have access to the mental health support they need after traumatic events. Reps. Ghanbari and Abrams walk through what the commission does, what treatment and expenses are eligible for reimbursement, and what gaps in the current system this law is designed to close.

In Episode 52 of Message from the House, Representatives Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison) and Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) discuss three significant public safety bills moving through the Ohio General Assembly. The conversation begins with House Bill 667, the Reagan Tokes and Patrick Heringer Act — legislation inspired by two tragic cases that exposed critical gaps in Ohio's criminal sentencing system — and what new tools it would give judges when dealing with repeat or high-risk offenders.

In a special Take Your Child to Work Day edition of Message From the House, Representatives Adam Mathews and Monica Robb Blasdel bring their children to the Ohio Statehouse for a behind-the-scenes look.

Speaker Matt Huffman and House Finance Chair Brian Stewart discuss the capital budget and legislation addressing Ohio's projected $1.5 billion budget surplus in this episode of Message From the House.

The capital budget invests nearly $4 billion in tangible projects across all 88 counties — from K-12 school buildings and higher education facilities to fairgrounds, theaters, and parks.