Rep. Bernie Willis

Maddy summaryThis bill formally recognizes Jodi Whitted for her distinguished service as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. It designates her as an esteemed representative and directs the House Clerk to send an official copy of this resolution to her. The measure serves as a commemorative gesture to honor her legislative career and contributions to the state.

Maddy summaryThis bill formally recognizes Richard D. Brown for his exemplary service as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. It honors his long tenure, legal background, and leadership on various committees such as Veterans Affairs and Criminal Justice. The resolution commends his dedication to his constituents and directs the House Clerk to send an official copy of the document to him.

Maddy summaryThis bill formally honors Casey Weinstein, a former member of the Ohio House of Representatives, for his service to the state and his constituents in Summit County. The resolution recognizes his background as a United States Air Force Academy graduate and his work on various committees, including those focused on veterans' affairs and technology. It expresses the legislative body's appreciation for his dedication and directs the House Clerk to send an official copy of the commendation to him.

Maddy summaryThis bill formally recognizes Jena Powell for her service as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. It directs the Clerk of the House to send an official copy of the resolution to her as a gesture of appreciation. The measure does not change any laws or policies but serves as a commemorative acknowledgment of her legislative work and leadership in Miami and Darke Counties.

Maddy summaryThis bill formally recognizes Elliot Forhan for his distinguished service as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. It designates him as an esteemed representative and directs the House Clerk to send an official copy of the resolution to him. The measure serves as a commemorative gesture honoring his legislative work and community leadership rather than enacting new laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill formally recognizes Mike Loychik for his distinguished service as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives. It honors his background as a U.S. Air Force veteran, business owner, and community leader who served constituents in Trumbull, Ashtabula, and Knox counties. The resolution commends his work on various committees and his leadership roles, including co-chairing the Sportsmen's Caucus for Ohio. Finally, it directs the House Clerk to send an official copy of this commendation to Loychik.

Maddy summaryHB 602 exempts home education learning pods from county and township zoning restrictions that would otherwise limit where they can be located. The bill prevents local zoning boards from imposing extra rules specifically targeting these groups, though it maintains the requirement that properties must still meet general zoning standards applicable to all buildings. Additionally, the legislation updates definitions within child care regulations to clarify terms such as "child care," "child day camp," and "chartered nonpublic school." These changes directly affect families organizing home education pods and local governments responsible for zoning and child care oversight.

Maddy summaryThis bill increases the legal penalties for repeat offenders convicted of voyeurism. It specifically targets individuals who secretly record others in private settings, such as through cameras or phones, to view their private areas or undergarments. Under the new provisions, a person caught spying on someone for the second or third time would face felony charges instead of the current misdemeanor penalties. The law also maintains stricter punishments for recording minors and filming through clothing, ensuring these actions remain serious offenses.

Maddy summaryHB 671, titled the America First Act, amends Ohio's criminal sentencing laws to allow judges to impose community control sanctions on individuals convicted of certain driving under the influence offenses. This bill affects courts, probation departments, and offenders facing fourth-degree or higher felony OVI charges by giving judges the option to add community control to mandatory prison time or fines. Under the new provisions, offenders must adhere to strict conditions such as random drug testing, staying within the state, and avoiding drug use, with supervision provided by county probation departments or the adult parole authority. The legislation also establishes a reporting system where program administrators must notify courts or probation officers immediately if an offender violates any conditions or leaves the jurisdiction without permission.

Maddy summaryHB 349 creates a program called EnergizeOhio to encourage the development of natural gas pipelines and related infrastructure by offering two main types of support to local governments and development organizations. First, it allows municipalities and counties to request that specific areas be designated as incentive zones, which would exempt up to 75% of qualifying property within those zones from certain taxes if the director determines that a lack of natural gas infrastructure is hurting local economic growth. Second, the bill establishes a loan fund that can provide interest-free loans for up to five years to help eligible entities purchase or lease land easements for building these pipelines, with the expectation that the loans will be repaid using revenue from selling or leasing those easements. Local governments must apply for these designations and loans, and the director of development is responsible for reviewing applications, making decisions, and managing the fund.