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First Hearing Tuesday For Racism As Public Health Crisis Resolution

Minority Leader Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) and Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) talk before House session on June 4, 2020, as protestors demonstrate outside the Statehouse. A few moments later, the House held a moment of silence for George Floyd.
Karen Kasler
Minority Leader Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) and Speaker Larry Householder (R-Glenford) talk before House session on June 4, 2020, as protestors demonstrate outside the Statehouse. A few moments later, the House held a moment of silence for George Floyd.

A resolution introduced last week to declare racism a public health crisis is getting its first hearing in the Republican-dominated Ohio Senate, where one member of the GOP has joined eight Democrats in sponsoring the measure.

Even though it wouldn’t have the same legal impact as a law, this proposal faces an uphill battle.

Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton) is the only Republican in the Ohio legislature to join in sponsoring this resolution, either in the House or Senate.

In the House, none of the 34 sponsors are Republicans. Majority Leader Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) said on Twitter that Republicans won’t be bullied into passing it without a hearing.

Sponsoring Democratic Rep. Stephanie Howse (D-Cleveland) said on "The State of Ohio" that her caucus is determined.

“Wearefocusedbeyondpolitics.We're focusinginonpeople," Howse said."Peoplewillhaveconversationswiththeirconstituents.Thepeoplewillalwayshavethe lastsay.Peopleareunderstandingwhetherthepowertrulyis. It'sinthepeople.”

Another reaction came from Rep. Nino Vitale (R-Urbana), who’s blasted the state’s COVID-19 policies and shutdowns. He suggested on Facebook that the resolution could bring similar actions to those he’s criticized.

Howse and Vitale have clashed over social media before, over her bill to create a pilot therapy program for Cleveland area kids and families at risk of trauma related to gun violence.

Vitale wrote on Facebook that Howse’s bill gives ODH Director Amy Acton "the power to create and control firearms and therapy programs for guns."

Howse replied, “It's either he did not read the bill or he can't comprehend.”

Copyright 2020 The Statehouse News Bureau. To see more, visit The Statehouse News Bureau.

Karen is a lifelong Ohioan who has served as news director at WCBE-FM, assignment editor/overnight anchor at WBNS-TV, and afternoon drive anchor/assignment editor in WTAM-AM in Cleveland. In addition to her daily reporting for Ohio’s public radio stations, she’s reported for NPR, the BBC, ABC Radio News and other news outlets. She hosts and produces the Statehouse News Bureau’s weekly TV show “The State of Ohio”, which airs on PBS stations statewide. She’s also a frequent guest on WOSU TV’s “Columbus on the Record”, a regular panelist on “The Sound of Ideas” on ideastream in Cleveland, appeared on the inaugural edition of “Face the State” on WBNS-TV and occasionally reports for “PBS Newshour”. She’s often called to moderate debates, including the Columbus Metropolitan Club’s Issue 3/legal marijuana debate and its pre-primary mayoral debate, and the City Club of Cleveland’s US Senate debate in 2012.
Karen Kasler
Contact Karen at 614/578-6375 or at kkasler@statehousenews.org.