COLUMBUS — A bill meant to foster greater transparency when it comes to government credit card spending passed the Ohio House of Representatives this past week.
Ohio House of Representatives
On Thursday, the House passed House Bill 312, which would require local government entities to adhere to specific guidelines when using credit or debit cards.
According to a release from the House, Ohio law lacks a uniform policy when it comes to local governments’ use of credit and debit cards. This bill calls for a more uniform approach, including periodic reviews and the provision of itemized receipts for credit card use. Any rewards earned through credit card usage would have to be reported on an annual basis to the Ohio Auditor’s Office.
“House Bill 312 provides transparent, accountable, and practical safeguards to protect the integrity of our local communities, and the responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars is paramount to building and sustaining the public’s trust,” Rep. Dave Greenspan, R-Westlake, said.
The bill now moves to the Senate for consideration.
Ohio Senate
Sen. Rob McColley, R-Napoleon: McColley was sworn in to the Senate to represent its 1st District Tuesday, replacing former Sen. Cliff Hite, who resigned after a sexual harassment complaint.
McColley was in his second term in the House, serving as the majority whip prior to his appointment to the Senate. He will serve the remaining 12 months of Hite’s term before running for his own four-year term next year. McColley was chosen over five other candidates, including Rep. Craig Riedel, R-Defiance, and Ottawa businessman Frank Miller Jr.
A replacement for McColley in the Ohio House 81st District has not yet been named. Former Ohio Rep. Jim Hoops, Putnam County Republican Party Chairman Tom Liebrecht and Leipsic Village Administrator Justin Barnhart are all vying to be McColley’s replacement.
U.S. House of Representatives
Rep. Bob Latta, R-Bowling Green: Latta has requested the Food and Drug Administration to examine how the nation’s “Track and Trace” law, also known as the Safeguarding America’s Pharmaseuticals Act, can help keep opioids from being diverted out of the medical supply system and into the wrong hands.
The law requires the FDA to track prescription drugs through the supply chain to guard against counterfeit drugs. Latta is hoping that same system can track opioid medications not going where they are supposed to.
“I urge FDA to review ways to better prevent and identify both the diversion of prescription drugs, including opioids, from the U.S. drug supply chain and the introduction of illegitimate prescription drugs (e.g., counterfeit opioids) into the supply chain,” Latta wrote in a letter to the FDA.
U.S. Senate
Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio: On Wednesday, Brown highlighted how the Caring for Our Veterans Act of 2017, passed last week, included several provisions authored by Brown.
Those provisions include the creation of the Veterans Community Care Program, which would give veterans and their doctors the ability to decide whether to pursue treatment at VA facilities or in their community, expanded eligibility of the VA’s veteran caregivers program to include veterans from every generation and providing training to non-VA doctors on how to address veterans’ medical needs.
“Our service members and their families sacrifice so much to keep our country safe, and we need to ensure that when they return home, they have access to the best healthcare available,” said Brown. “While too much in Washington gets politicized, this is one area where we are still able to come together, roll up our sleeves, and get to work for our veterans and their families.”
Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio: On Wednesday, Portman was named as a conferee on the House-Senate Tax Reform Conference Committee, which will examine the tax reform bills passed by both chambers of Congress to marry the two bills together into one final package to send to President Donald Trump’s desk for signature.
“This effort is about giving Ohio families a better future with more jobs and higher wages, and I’m optimistic that the House and Senate will send a final bill to the president’s desk before Christmas,” he said.
