Rep. Tex Fischer

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Ohio General Assembly from holding regular legislative sessions after the general election in even-numbered years. The change aims to limit the timing of regular legislative business while explicitly preserving the governor's and assembly's power to call special sessions when necessary. By restricting only the post-election regular session, the law does not alter the ability of lawmakers to address urgent issues outside the standard legislative calendar.

To amend sections 149.43 and 5149.10 and to enact section 5149.102 of the Revised Code to require electronic recordings to be made of all parole board hearings and to make electronic recordings of full parole board hearings public records.

Maddy summaryOhio House Bill 993 establishes legal requirements for surrogacy agreements by defining key terms such as gestational and traditional surrogates, as well as assisted reproduction methods. The bill mandates that all parties involved must be at least eighteen years old and requires them to sign a formal agreement before proceeding with the arrangement. It specifically prohibits entering into these agreements if any intended parent or surrogate is a citizen or resident of a foreign country designated as a country of concern under state law. Any surrogacy contract that fails to meet these statutory requirements is declared void and unenforceable.

To enact section 9.71 of the Revised Code to disallow companies associated with certain foreign countries from receiving state or local economic incentives and to name this act the Ohio Business Investment Act.

Maddy summaryHB 292 proposes to establish the Ohio Defense Commission by enacting new sections of the Revised Code. This bill creates a new state entity focused on defense-related matters within Ohio. The commission's primary purpose will be to address issues concerning military installations and defense activities across the state.

To amend sections 4561.01 and 4561.11 and to enact sections 4561.60, 4561.61, 4561.62, 4561.63, and 4561.64 of the Revised Code to establish requirements related to the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle by law enforcement and to expressly incorporate additional aviation facilities into the Aeronautics Law.

Maddy summaryHB 268 amends Ohio Revised Code Section 2953.25 to change the timing for filing a petition for a certificate of qualification for employment. This bill directly affects individuals seeking this certificate, which is required for certain professional roles. The official abstract states the amendment modifies "when a person may file" the petition but does not specify the exact change in filing timing or new requirements. Without additional details on the specific modification (e.g., extending or restricting the filing window), the key mechanisms cannot be described. The summary is limited to the abstract's stated purpose as no further specifics are provided.

To amend section 5502.522 of the Revised Code to clarify the statewide emergency alert system in cases of missing autistic or developmentally disabled children and to name the alert the Joshua Alert.

To urge the Congress of the United States to enact the Ohio River Restoration Program Act to bring clean water, enhanced fish and aquatic wildlife, economic benefits, expanded recreation opportunities, and public health protections to Ohio.

Maddy summaryHCR 35 is a non-binding resolution passed by Ohio's legislature urging Congress to reform federal permitting processes for energy infrastructure. It specifically cites excessive delays under laws like the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) as barriers to building new transmission lines, pipelines, and energy projects, noting reviews now take up to 4.5 years. The resolution requests faster approvals without weakening environmental protections, aiming to support grid reliability and domestic energy production. As a resolution, it does not enact changes but formally asks Congress to act on these permitting reforms.