哥伦布、匹兹堡及各地消息

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine Week in Review

For the week ending July 9, 2021

Governor DeWine holds up SB 126 after signing on Tuesday.
   On Tuesday, Governor DeWine signed Senate Bill 126 into law, also known as Collin's Law. Collin's Law is Ohio's Anti Hazing Act, enacting a number of changes intended to end hazing and any cultural issues that allow hazing to persist.
   "Simply put - we cannot tolerate hazing," said Governor DeWine in his remarks before signing the bill. "I believe Collin's Law will help change the culture surrounding hazing and save lives."
Collin's Law makes a number of changes, including but not limited to:
* Expands the definition of hazing and specifies that hazing may include “coercing another to consume alcohol or a drug of abuse."
* Increases the penalty for hazing to a 2nd degree misdemeanor.
* Expands the list of officials required to report hazing.
* Widens the scope of those who can be punished for participating in or permitting hazing. (A violation that results in serious harm is a 3rd degree felony.)
* Requires that those aware of hazing report it to authorities, with penalties up to a 1st degree misdemeanor for failing to do so.
* Requires the Ohio Department of Higher Education to implement a statewide anti-hazing plan.
* Requires staff and volunteers at colleges and universities to undergo training on hazing awareness and prevention.

   Governor DeWine was joined at the bill signing by the parents and family of both Collin Wiant, for whom the bill is named, and Stone Foltz. Wiant and Foltz both died as the result of hazing at seperate incidents at Ohio universities.
Collin's Law will be effective in 90 days.
   Also on Tuesday, Governor DeWine and Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Director Dorothy Pelanda announced that H2Ohio's farmer incentive program is expanding into 10 additional counties in the Western Lake Erie Basin.
   The program, which offers funding to farmers who implement proven conservation practices that limit agricultural phosphorus runoff from fertilizer, is now open to farmers in Seneca, Huron, Erie, Wyandot, Richland, Shelby, Sandusky, Marion, Ottawa, and Crawford counties, bringing the total number of counties eligible for the program to 24. Phosphorus runoff is the primary factor behind algal blooms on Lake Erie.
   "Our food growers and producers in the Western Lake Erie Basin want to be part of the solution, as evidenced by the 1,800 farmers who participated in the program's first year," said Governor DeWine. "By expanding H2Ohio's farmer incentive program into more counties in the area, we'll continue to slow phosphorus runoff, which will ultimately contribute to a reduction in Lake Erie algal blooms over the long term."
   Ohio's new bipartisan operating budget, passed by the Ohio General Assembly and signed by Governor DeWine last week, provides $120 million over the next two years to continue and expand funding to farmers who work to reduce phosphorus runoff.
   Farmers in the original 14 participating counties, including Williams, Fulton, Lucas, Defiance, Henry, Wood, Paulding, Putnam, Hancock, Van Wert, Allen, Hardin, Mercer, and Auglaize, will continue receiving incentives during the program's second year and have already enrolled more than one million acres of cropland in the program.
   “We are excited to not only move forward with these important conservation practices in our original target area of the Western Lake Erie Basin but also be able to incorporate these practices into an even greater area,” said ODA Director Dorothy Pelanda “Interest is incredibly strong and ODA is committed to working with our farmers to help them navigate the process of conserving their water and land resources while advancing water quality in our state.”
   Virtual meetings will be held later this month for farmers in the newly eligible counties to provide more information on H2Ohio's conservation programs. More information on these meetings is available at h2.ohio.gov.
   On Wednesday, Governor DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine visited the Toledo Museum of Art for the unveiling of the “Baby Dragon,” a new portable glassblowing tool. The Toledo Museum of Art will use the tool for demonstrations at the museum and out in the community.
Also on Wednesday, Governor DeWine and Ohio EPA Director Laurie A. Stevenson announced that two dozen communities will receive a total of $9 million in H2Ohio funding for projects to improve the quality of drinking water and to repair or replace aging water, wastewater, and sewage infrastructure.
   "These projects will improve the quality of life for thousands of Ohioans by giving them reliable access to clean water and by addressing failing wastewater and home sewage treatment systems which are also a threat to public health and the environment," said Governor DeWine. "All of our communities deserve to have strong water infrastructure, and I am committed to helping our local partners with these costly improvement projects."

Water Infrastructure Projects - $7.4 Million
   Thirteen H2Ohio drinking water and wastewater infrastructure projects, identified on the map below, will receive a total of $7.4 million to improve water service for thousands of residents across the state.
   Projects include the construction of a new water treatment plant, the replacement of aging water lines, and the installation of new water lines and water mains. New wastewater infrastructure projects will solve sewer system backups, extend sanitary sewers, and replace failing household sewage treatment systems with new sewers. Projects were selected based on the community’s economic needs and project readiness.
   “Governor DeWine’s H2Ohio initiative enables Ohio EPA to extend available funding to help communities across the state address their water and wastewater needs and replace failing home sewage treatment systems,” said Director Stevenson. “We are using H2Ohio funding to make a difference in these communities and in the lives of Ohioans.”
   Home Sewage Treatment System Replacement Projects - $1.6 Million
   It is estimated that approximately 31 percent of all household sewage treatment systems in Ohio are experiencing some degree of failure and are discharging untreated sewage that potentially exposes citizens to harmful bacteria and pathogens.
   A total of $1.6 million in H2Ohio funding will go to the counties listed below to help low- to moderate-income households repair and replace failing home sewage treatment systems. Each county will receive $150,000 for the projects.
   The $9 million in H2Ohio grant funding announced today is in addition to a new water and sewer program announced by Governor DeWine last week. More details about the new program, which will be funded with $250 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, are forthcoming.
   On Thursday, Governor DeWine announced today that more than two dozen local drug task forces in Ohio will receive RecoveryOhio grant funding to support efforts that disrupt the drug trade and promote substance use awareness, prevention, and recovery.
A total of $2 million in grants from Governor DeWine’s RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund will be awarded among 27 existing drug task forces to intensify their efforts to identify high-level drug traffickers, dismantle large drug trafficking organizations, interrupt the flow of money and drugs from international cartels, and prevent the sale of illegal narcotics to those suffering from substance use disorder.
   Grant funding will also be used to support the mission of Governor DeWine’s RecoveryOhio initiative which aims to increase substance use and mental health awareness, implement age-appropriate prevention education in schools, connect those who need help with treatment, and promote recovery.
“Local drug task forces are the first line of defense against the traffickers who are putting drugs into the hands of those battling addiction," said Governor DeWine. "This funding will provide vital tools in the area of drug use prevention, education, and treatment that will promote effective strategies to reduce the prevalence of substance use disorders and overdoses."
   Examples of programs that will be created or expanded with RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund grants include:
* Central Ohio Drug Enforcement Task Force ($35,859.30) in Licking, Coshocton, Knox, Guernsey, Muskingum, and Perry counties will use funds to reduce the availability of illegal narcotics in the six-county region and to provide professional training and information-sharing opportunities for the task force and community partners in addiction and recovery.
* Hamilton County Heroin Task Force ($230,577.81) will use funds to expand services offered by its Quick Response Team (QRT) of social workers and counselors to include overdose hotspot outreach partnerships and programs with social service agencies.
* Lawrence Drug & Major Crimes Task Force ($60,568.94) will use funds to increase efforts in drug prevention and education as well as treatment for substance abuse disorders.
* Multi-Area Narcotics (MAN) Unit ($18,371.25) in Defiance, Fulton, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, and Williams counties will use funds to provide training by MAN Unit officers for area law enforcement, schools, county workers, retail personnel, community administrators, and public agencies for awareness of local drug trends, heroin abuse, and overdose and meth components.
* Westshore Enforcement Bureau ($42,981.62) in Cuyahoga County will use funds to support the retention of a youth prevention specialist and continue annual contracts with two separate prevention/education agencies that provide training throughout the school year on subjects such as leadership, anti-bullying, suicide, and drug addiction prevention.
   Governor DeWine established the RecoveryOhio Law Enforcement Fund to provide existing drug task forces with additional resources to intercept illegal drugs and enhance their role in substance use awareness, prevention, and recovery. Funding for these grants was awarded as part of the biennium budget approved by the Ohio General Assembly for 2020-2021. The continuance of the fund was among Governor DeWine's priority budget items for the new biennium, and the Ohio General Assembly dedicated $5 million to the program over the 2022-2023 budget year.
A full list of award recipients can be found at www.governor.ohio.gov.
The program is being administered by the Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services.

Governor DeWine out fishing with several family members at the 41st Fish Ohio Day.
Also on Thursday, Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted highlighted the importance of protecting Lake Erie and the lake’s fishery during the 41st Governor’s Fish Ohio Day. Governor DeWine and Lt. Governor Husted were joined by Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Director Mary Mertz and other leaders from the conservation community to commemorate the annual event.
The event is co-sponsored by the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association, Lake Erie Shores & Islands, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Division of Wildlife. Participants in the day’s festivities enjoyed walleye fishing on Ohio’s Great Lake thanks to 19 licensed charter boat captains who donated their boats for use during the event.
   “Fish Ohio Day provides a great opportunity to experience the world-class fishing on Lake Erie,” said Governor DeWine. “This also gives us a chance to highlight the excellent work and partnerships that are needed to keep Lake Erie healthy and its fish populations bountiful.”
   Lake Erie is a premier outdoor recreation destination. Ohio’s portion of Lake Erie boasts the best walleye fishing in the country and has an estimated population of 95.5 million walleye aged 2 or older.
   The health of Lake Erie is a top priority for Governor DeWine’s administration through the H2Ohio initiative which aims to develop long-term, sustainable solutions to improve water quality in Lake Erie and its tributaries.
   Fish Ohio Day began in 1979 by Governor James A. Rhodes. The event’s focus has remained about conservation and management of the Lake Erie fishery. More information about Lake Erie fishing is available at wildohio.gov.

Lt. Governor Husted speaks to a crowd at Fish Ohio Day.
　

   Lt. Governor Husted cuts the ribbon at the Statement of Support Ceremony hosted by ESGR.
   On Friday, Lt. Governor Husted provided remarks at the Statement of Support Ceremony, hosted by Employers in Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), at Columbus City Hall, which was followed by a march to the National Veterans Memorial and Museum. The Statement of Support is a program designed to encourage employers to act as advocates for employee participation in the military

   The ceremony was followed by a march to the National Veterans Memorial and Museum.
   Also on Friday, Governor DeWine signed House Bill 191 which names an Ohio bridge in honor of the late Don Manning who served as state representative from the 59th district. The Don Manning Memorial Bridge is located on State Route 164 and spans Route 680 in Mahoning County. The bill was sponsored by State Representative Al Cutrona (R-Canfield) who was appointed to Rep. Manning’s vacant seat after his death.

   Governor DeWine signs House Bill 191 naming an Ohio bridge in honor of late State Representative Don Manning.
   Additionally, on Friday, Governor DeWine vetoed Senate Bill 113, which would have made changes regarding Ohio fireworks safety laws. The following is the text of the Governor's veto message:
"Pursuant to Article II, Section 16, of the Ohio Constitution, which states that the Governor may disapprove of any bill, I hereby disapprove of Substitute Senate Bill 113 and set forth the following reasons for so doing as it is not in the best interest of Ohioans.
   "Substitute Senate Bill 113 (SB 113) would allow the discharge, by nonprofessionals, of fireworks, including bottle rockets, firecrackers, and aerial fireworks, at all hours of the day (twenty-four hours per day) on a minimum of twenty-five (25) separate holidays in a calendar year (if certain holidays fall on a Sunday then two days would be allowed for that holiday increasing the number of allowable days).
   "The bill doubles the allowable square footage of fireworks stores, increasing them from 5,000 sq. feet to 10,000 sq. feet, without requiring adequate safety features in those stores with enhanced square footage.
   "Since the Scottown, Ohio, (Lawrence County) fireworks store tragedy in 1996, there have been 2 major studies, one by Battelle Labs in 2000 and another study by Southwest Research Institute in 2008 (produced for the fireworks industry) to help find better ways to build and operate fireworks stores. SB 113 does not require compliance with the safety measures outlined in these studies but nevertheless doubles the square footage of stores that are selling these devices to the public.
   "SB 113 would be a dramatic change in Ohio law, which would make Ohio one of the least restrictive states in regard to fireworks laws.
  "For these reasons, this veto is in the public interest."
* Senate Bill 113 Veto Message (signed document)
As of Friday, there have been 1,113,737 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Ohio. Additionally, 20,380 confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths have occurred. A total of 60,894 people have been hospitalized, including 8,353 admissions to intensive care units.
CASE DATA/VACCINE INFORMATION
   In-depth COVID-19 data for Ohio: coronavirus.ohio.gov.
Ohio's central scheduling system: gettheshot.coronavirus.ohio.gov
Ohio mass vaccination information: coronavirus.ohio.gov/massvaccinationclinics
All vaccine providers: vaccine.coronavirus.ohio.gov
More vaccine information: coronavirus.ohio.gov/vaccine
For more information on Ohio's response to COVID-19, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.