Rep. Juanita Brent

Maddy summaryHB 691, the Community and Police Protection Act, requires law enforcement officers (including federal officers) to remove masks during public interactions while performing duties, except for medical masks (like N95s), safety masks (for smoke/environmental hazards), or SWAT team gear. It mandates officers to display their name and badge number visibly at all times during public contact. Violating these rules is a misdemeanor, with exemptions for undercover operations. The bill directly affects all state and federal officers interacting with the public, aiming to increase transparency in police-citizen encounters.

Maddy summaryHB 699 requires health insurance plans sold in Ohio to cover all prescription drugs approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a patient's specific condition, provided the drug is recognized by an approved medical reference or peer-reviewed literature. It mandates coverage for all medically necessary services related to administering the drug, prohibits denials based solely on a drug's legal status, and exempts experimental drugs not FDA-approved for the condition or drugs contraindicated by the FDA. This directly affects health insurance issuers and policyholders by ensuring access to covered prescription drugs for diagnosed conditions. The bill does not require coverage for drugs not approved by the FDA or those deemed unsafe for the condition.

To enact section 4113.87 of the Revised Code to prohibit private employers from including on an employment application any question concerning the criminal background of the applicant.

Maddy summaryHB 685 requires bars and clubs with specific permits to offer free or low-cost drink testing devices that detect date rape drugs like GHB, ketamine, and flunitrazepam within five minutes. The bill mandates businesses to post clear notices about the testing service and ensure devices are not expired. It establishes an anonymous, voluntary reporting system for positive test results, with data aggregated and made public for safety analysis - but not used for enforcement actions against businesses. This directly affects hospitality venues and their patrons seeking to verify drink safety.

To honor the 50th anniversary of the original enactment of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and to urge the U.S. Congress to enact the IDEA Full Funding Act.

To amend sections 1329.29 and 1329.99 and to enact sections 341.03, 753.022, 1329.291, 3313.8110, 3722.20, 5119.335, and 5120.101 of the Revised Code to require the provision of religious dietary food options in school districts, hospitals, and correctional facilities and to prohibit the misrepresentation of halal foods.

Maddy summaryHB 610 dissolves all existing academic distress commissions overseeing struggling school districts. It repeals the law that allowed for the creation of new commissions, ending the process of designating schools for this oversight. The bill directly affects school districts previously placed under academic distress, removing a state-level intervention mechanism. This change takes effect immediately as the bill declares an emergency.

Maddy summaryHB 616 requires the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) to translate the Digest of Motor Vehicle Laws into additional languages. This bill directly affects the BMV by mandating the translation of this document, which summarizes Ohio's motor vehicle laws. The key provision creates a new requirement for the BMV to produce these translations, making the document accessible in multiple languages for the public.

To amend sections 9.15, 313.12, 759.01, 1713.36, 1721.06, 1721.18, 1721.21, 2108.15, 2108.70, 2108.72, 2108.75, 2108.82, 2108.83, 2108.84, 2108.85, 2108.86, 2108.87, 2111.13, 2743.51, 2925.01, 3705.01, 3705.17, 3705.18, 3705.19, 3705.20, 4511.451, 4717.01, 4717.03, 4717.04, 4717.06, 4717.07, 4717.08, 4717.11, 4717.13, 4717.14, 4717.15, 4717.20, 4717.21, 4717.22, 4717.23, 4717.24, 4717.25, 4717.26, 4717.27, 4717.28, 4717.29, 4717.30, 4717.36, 4717.41, 4767.05, 5120.45, 5121.11, 5121.53, 5901.25, 5901.26, 5901.27, 5901.29, and 5901.32 and to enact section 4717.052 of the Revised Code to authorize the use of natural organic reduction as a form of disposition.

Maddy summaryHR 227 urges the U.S. Department of Justice to prioritize connecting the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database - which tracks crime records - and the NamUs (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System) database. This non-binding resolution does not create new laws but calls on the DOJ to accelerate efforts to integrate these systems. The goal is to help law enforcement more quickly match missing persons reports with unidentified remains stored in NamUs. It directly affects law enforcement agencies and families of missing persons by improving access to critical case information.