LIMA — A local legislator is making an appearance in Lima to discuss school choice legislation.
Ohio Senate
Sen. Matt Huffman, R-Lima: At 7 p.m. Monday, Huffman will be at Lima Central Catholic High School to hold an informational meeting on Senate Bill 85, the Ohio Opportunity Scholarship. Sponsored by Huffman, this bill would, if passed, give middle- and low-income families the chance to receive scholarships worth up to $5,000 for elementary school pupils and $7,500 for high school students to help cover tuition costs and private schools, according to a statement from Lima Central Catholic. Families with a household income at or below 400 percent of poverty level would be eligible for the program, meaning a family of four earning a household income of $98,400 would qualify.
To register for the meeting, go to https://tinyurl.com/SB85Lima. For information, contact Kayla Nocera at [email protected].
U.S. House of Representatives
Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green: On Wednesday, Latta visited the Transportation Research Center in East Liberty, the “largest multi-user automotive proving ground in North America,” according to Latta’s office. Latta toured the 4,500-acre facility and learned about new infrastructure projects, including a new testing area for autonomous vehicles. Latta also learned about the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s research into crash avoidance technology and cyber security measures.
“With more than 35,000 deaths a year on our nation’s roads, embracing cutting-edge innovation is the most effective way to save lives,” Latta said. “Ohio will play a significant role in developing this technology, and the state-of-the-art TRC facility is a major reason why our state is on the front lines of developing safer vehicles. Touring the facilities today showed me just how deep the commitment is to rolling out safer automobiles, and I look forward to working with my colleagues in developing the right legislative approach to supporting and implementing this new technology.”
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, will be taking U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao on a tour of the facility on Monday.
U.S. Senate
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio: Brown announced Wednesday that several law enforcement organizations, including the Ohio Fraternal Order of Police, the National Fraternal Order of Police, the Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association and the National Sheriff’s Association, among others, have endorsed the INTERDICT Act, a bill sponsored by Brown and Sen. Rob Portman, aiming to help the U.S. Customs and Border Protection keep fentanyl, a deadly additive in heroin, out of the country through advanced screening equipment and additional lab resources.
“Law enforcement agents know what works to keep fentanyl out of the U.S. and we need to give them the tools they need to get the job done safely and effectively,” Brown said. “I will continue working with law enforcement, Sen. Portman, and our colleagues in Congress to prevent deadly synthetic opioids from devastating Ohio communities.”
Brown’s bill would commit $15 million to the additional CBP resources.
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio: Both Portman and Brown expressed approval for an additional $26 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to combat the growing opioid epidemic, part of $485 million committed nationwide.
“This is good news for Ohio, and will help our efforts to combat the heroin and prescription drug epidemic gripping our state,” Portman said. “My visits to treatment and recovery facilities in Eaton and Massillon this week once again highlight the glaring need for additional resources to combat this epidemic.”
“The release of this funding is an important step, but we know that there is more work to be done,” Brown said. “Congress and the administration must continue to support federal treatment, prevention, and recovery efforts, and at the same time, recognize that any cuts to federal addiction resources will only set us back as we work to tackle the opioid epidemic in Ohio.”
