Home About Us Actions & Events Membership 2008 Platform/Current Issues
A.B.L.E.  Ohio Forum Blogs Employment & Internship Opportunities Resources
Statewide Issues

Actions & Events

Regional Issues

Calendar of Events

Contact Us

 

Statewide Issues

Call Your State Senator Today for Pay Day Lending Bill

      In a major victory for consumers, the Ohio House passed HB 545 on April 30, which would place a cap on the interest rate for pay day loans from 391% to  28%.  Although this bill was passed in the House, there is still much work to be done to get it through the Senate

    The Payday Industry is currently doing all they can to stop this progressive piece of legislation from moving forward. Their activities are ranging from buying time on local television to giving payday employees a day off to hold a rally in Columbus.

    On May 7th at 2:30 pm the Senate Finance Committee Hearing will hold a hearing on the legislation. The Senate needs to hear from supporters of the legislation. Please take a moment and call your Ohio Senator and express your support for H.B. 545 as passed by the House of Representatives. For contact info on your Senator, go to  http://www.senate.state.oh.us/senators/. For more information on the legislation go to  www.ohiodebttrap.org.  

 

 

 

 

 


   Call Senator Voinovich to reverse the recession

      Congress will take up a supplemental spending bill this week. Congress will take up a supplemental spending bill this week. They plan to attach an amendment that will provide money to fund growing domestic needs. There have been reports of a small number that are important to vulnerable populations included that proposal, such as extending unemployment benefits and stopping harmful Medicaid regulations.

       Sen. Voinovich is key to passing these important provisions. It is up to us to make sure Sen. Voinovich supports proposals that include more help that will really work to reverse the impact of the recession for ordinary Americans.

   Please contact your Senator Voinovich on Wednesday, May 7 to request necessary recession relief for those who need it most. DIAL 888-460-0813 to be connected with Senator Voinovich. Give him this message:

I am calling to urge Sen. Voinovich to vote for recession relief for low-to-moderate income people that could be attached to a supplemental spending bill. To really boost the economy, we need to help the unemployed, including youth; provide Food Stamps and other nutrition and home energy assistance (LIHEAP); and prevent cuts in Medicaid, Head Start, child support, and schools from dragging down the economy still further.

   For further information go to  http://www.chn.org/recession08.html#audio.  

 

 

 

 


    Problems with Ohio Senate Special Education Bill

   Contact members of the Ohio Senate Education Committee to express your opposition, to SB 57, Special Education Vouchers. SB 57 creates a new voucher program for students with special needs. The bill provides public funds to pay for services for eligible students with disabilities --services identified on the students' Individual Education Plans and to be provided by alternative public or private providers "registered" with the Superintendent of Public Instruction.  Among the problems with the bill include:

1. Distributes public funds to private schools and "entities" that are not required to meet all state education standards, including academic, performance, and operating standards, or meet the minimum statutory requirements for the Education of Children with Disabilities;
2. Sets up a separate education system for certain students, which violates the Ohio Constitution's requirement of a "common system" of public schools;
3. Distributes public funds to schools and programs that are not accountable to an elected board of education.

4. Lacks an ongoing evaluation component to ensure that (a) students participating in the program are actually receiving the services included on their Individual Education Plans from the alternative providers; (b) the goals of the Individual Education Plan of a student are being met by the private providers; and (c) the services provided are leading to improved student achievement.

    Please contact members of the Senate Education Committee to express your opposition, to SB 57, Special Education Vouchers.  The members and contact information are as follows:

 

 

 

 

Senator Joy Padgett, Chair 614-466-8076 740-622-1527 sd20@mailr.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Gary Cates, Vice Chair 614-466-8072 513-779-0487 sd04@mailr.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Tom Roberts 614-466-6247 937-854-3088 troberts@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Senator John A. Carey, Jr. 614-466-8156 740-384-6604 sd17@mailr.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Jeff Jacobson 614-466-4538 937-890-4771 jjacobso@mailr.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Susan Morano 614-644-7613 440-242-2732 senatormorano@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Tom Sawyer 614-466-7041 330-923-7699 senatorsawyer@maild.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Larry Mumper 614-466-8049 740-389-4329 SD26@mailr.sen.state.oh.us
Senator Tom Niehaus 614-466-8082 513-553-6569 sd14@mailr.sen.state.oh.us

 

       Call you State Legislator to Oppose Firearms Bills

   Two pieces of legislation are making their way through the Ohio Legislature which will effect public safety.

  SB 184 which has passed the Senate and is now in the House will do the following:

    * presume self defense in one's Castle (which can include a college dorm or a tent) and a vehicle of any kind but would put the burden of proof on the prosecutor instead of the defendant and make it more difficult for prosecutors to enforce the law.
    * a defendant would no longer have to present evidence to prove that he or she was not at fault or believed there was a danger that made such force necessary

   SB 318 which is no in the Senate will continue to whittle away the restrictions in the original law to allow carrying of concealed weapons.  It will allow weapons to be carried in

 

    * PLACES OF WORSHIP (PEACE)
    * DAY CARE CENTERS (with our children)
    * PLACES OF HIGHER EDUCATION (on our College Campuses)
    * GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS (does not include the ones used for a primary government function )
    * DROP OFF AND PICK UP ZONES OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

 

   Call your State Representative to oppose SB 184 and you State Senator to oppose SB 318.

Call your state legislator to demand consideration of Ohio Paid Sick Days Bill

    Over 2 million workers in Ohio cannot earn a single paid sick day and more than 3.5 million working Ohioans cannot take a paid sick day to care for a sick child. Moreover, 670,000 food and public accommodation workers are denied even one single paid sick day.  This means that workers are often forced to work sick, or to lose pay--or even to lose their jobs.

    Right now the Ohio legislature is considering a bill, The Ohio Healthy Families Act, which will allow employees in businesses with 25 or more employees to earn paid sick days.  The legislature received the bill after over 270,000 Ohioans petitioned for the proposed law's consideration. Today the legislature is exactly one month away from their 4 month deadline to consider the bill. You can help push this issue forward by calling your legislator urging the to support legislation that will ensure that all Ohioans receive paid sick days like they enjoy. Over 200 organizations and community leaders are with you to ensure that when you work hard in Ohio, you will earn the right to take care of yourself and your family when you are sick. For more information visit www.sickdaysohio.org

 

 

 

 

 

      Help end racial and ethnic disparities in health care

    Immigrants and communities of color continue to face inferior access to health care, lower quality medical treatment, and poorer health outcomes than their citizen and white counterparts. These disparities especially hurt minority children, seniors, persons with disabilities, and workers who are uninsured and underinsured.  It's time to ask every Member of Congress to address these disparities and create greater equity in the American health care system.

    The only bill pending in Congress to comprehensively address health disparities in the U.S. is H.R. 3014, the Health Equity and Accountability Act.  With many important provisions addressing gaps in health care, this bill also addresses major barriers faced by immigrants.  H.R. 3014 includes the Immigrant Children's Health Improvement Act (ICHIA), to provide states with an option to cover lawfully residing immigrant children and pregnant women with federal Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance Program funds without any five-year waiting period.  The bill also includes provisions that will enhance language access to health care, minority community health care outreach, and health care workforce diversity. A summary of the legislation can be read by clicking here.

    There are over 100 co-sponsors, only two of whom are from Ohio, Stephanie Tubbs Jones and Dennis Kucinich.  You are urged to contact your Congressperson and ask him/her to be a co-sponsor to the legislation.

    An organizational sign on letter has been written endorsing the legislation and urging Congress to begin holding hearings on addressing health disparities.   To sign your organization's name to the letter, please send the following information to Jennifer Edwards of the National Council of La Raza, at jedwards@nclr.org -  Name: Position: Organization: City, State: Type of Organization (state, local, or national): E-mail.


 Policy Matters Report on Foreclosure Filings in Ohio

An annual study issued by Policy Matters Ohio finds that there were 84,751 foreclosure filings in Ohio last year, up 6.7 percent from the year before. Cuyahoga County led the state once again in foreclosure filings per person, followed by Montgomery, Summit and Lucas counties. Filings grew by double-digit rates in 39 of Ohio's 88 counties. The study includes those in state courts and in Ohio’s federal district courts. It is available at http://www.policymattersohio.org/ForeclosureGrowthOhio2008.htm

 

 

 

 

 

The Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA)

  Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) is co-sponsoring The Preservation of Antibiotics for Medical Treatment Act (PAMTA), which aims to restrict the use of critical human antibiotics in animal agriculture. Around 70% of the HUMAN antibiotics used in the United States are given to farm animals through their feed in order to promote growth and prevent disease. Because of the consistent exposure to the antibiotics, the resistant strains of bacteria may pass from animals (and animal products) to humans. One example is Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) which has bee nlinked to 20% of human infections in Europe and Canada. This strand can cause abscesses, skin ulcers, pneumonia, and heart damage in humans. To ensure that we are protected from such risks, please send Senator Brown a letter, e-mail, or phone call encouraging him to do his part in making sure this legislation is passed. For e-mail contacts please visit: http://brown.senate.gov/contact/ or to call by phone, (202) 224-2315.

Endorsers Sought for OEC Kinship Care Campaign

The Ohio Empowerment Coalition’s Safe and Stable Families Campaign is working for policies for families to be stable and safe including support for kinship care families.  The OEC is seeking organizational  and individual endorsers for the campaign and its primary principles:

-Provide financial assistance to keep children with birth parents if the reason for removal from home is poverty conditions  (ex. rent, utility assistance)

·Increase “preferential status” for children to be placed with relatives if removed from parents

· I ncrease supports to Kinship care providers: child care voucher eligibility, transportation assistance, clothing & food assistance, mental health services for stress management & respite care for providers

·Increase financial assistance to Kinship care providers (Ohio Works First-child only cases) to be more equal to foster care payments

Please send the endorsement to  the Contact Center , 1227 Vine St. , Cincinnati , OH   45202 or fax it to 513-381-4022.  Call 1-877-862-5179 for more information.