Rep. Don Jones

Maddy summaryHR 651 is a commemorative resolution honoring Senator J. Kirk Schuring following his death. The bill expresses the House of Representatives' sympathies to his family and acknowledges his thirty-one years of service in the Ohio legislature, including his roles as acting speaker and president pro tempore. It also highlights his community involvement and directs the Clerk to send a copy of the resolution to his family. This measure serves as a formal tribute rather than establishing new laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill is a commemorative resolution honoring the memory of Dan Ramos, a late Ohio state representative and the first Latino to hold a legislative leadership position in either party. It formally recognizes his contributions to the community and his career, which included serving as a page, aide, and policy analyst before his election to the House. The resolution expresses the House's condolences to his family and directs the Clerk to send an official copy of the tribute to them. This measure is purely symbolic and does not alter any laws or policies.

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes the New African Immigrants Grant and Gift Fund within the state treasury to manage financial contributions specifically designated for new African immigrants. The fund will be financed through grants, gifts, and legislative appropriations, with any investment earnings automatically added to the balance. The New African Immigrants Commission is authorized to use these resources to support its official duties and operations.

Maddy summaryHB 265 amends the state's Public Records Law to explicitly exempt certain sensitive categories of information from mandatory public disclosure. The bill directly affects state agencies and public officials by clarifying that they are solely responsible for their own records and are not automatically considered parties in legal litigation unless they choose to intervene or are specifically named. It expands the list of confidential records to include detailed residential and familial information for designated public service workers, alongside existing protections for medical, law enforcement, and other private data. By codifying these exemptions, the legislation ensures that personal details of specific workers and various other confidential files remain shielded from public access under the state's open records statutes.

Maddy summaryHB 37 amends Ohio law to increase penalties for operating a vehicle or watercraft while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The bill specifically raises the legal blood alcohol concentration limit for drivers under twenty-one years old and establishes specific thresholds for various controlled substances, including marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine, that constitute impairment. These changes directly affect individuals who operate vehicles or watercraft while impaired, subjecting them to stricter legal consequences if they exceed the new limits. By defining precise chemical concentrations for different substances, the legislation aims to clarify what constitutes a violation for law enforcement and the courts.

Maddy summaryHB 29 amends state laws to give municipal, mayor's, and county courts more flexibility in handling fines and costs for people found guilty of offenses. When a defendant cannot pay a fine immediately, the court can now order them to perform community service instead or set up a payment plan. The bill also updates the process for suspending vehicle registration if someone fails to pay fines or court costs, requiring courts to send specific forms to the motor vehicle registrar to trigger the suspension. Once the outstanding fines are paid in full, the court must notify the registrar to lift the suspension and allow vehicle registration or transfer applications to resume.

Maddy summaryHB 173 requires hospitals to publish detailed price information for all their items and services in a digital format that computers can easily read. This rule mandates that hospitals list specific costs, such as the highest and lowest negotiated rates with insurance companies, as well as the price for patients paying with cash. The bill also establishes "Ohio Black Media Week" and "Older Ohioans Month" to recognize contributions to the state. Additionally, the legislation includes definitions for terms related to hospital pricing and data privacy to support these transparency requirements.

Maddy summaryHB 206 amends Ohio law to clarify and expand the procedures for suspending and expelling public school students who bring dangerous items to campus. The bill requires school officials to provide written notice and an informal hearing before issuing an out-of-school suspension, while also mandating that students complete missed assignments without receiving failing grades solely due to the suspension. It establishes specific expulsion terms, such as a one-year ban for bringing a firearm to school or an interscholastic event, and allows school boards to adopt resolutions permitting expulsions for bringing certain knives. Additionally, the legislation outlines how remaining suspension or expulsion time should be handled if the school year ends before the full period is served, offering community service as an alternative to carrying over the penalty.

Maddy summaryHB 315 amends Ohio laws to regulate how newspapers charge for publishing legal notices and establishes a new program to help clean up contaminated industrial sites. The bill requires newspapers to offer a special, capped rate for government-mandated legal advertisements and mandates that these notices be posted online alongside their print versions. It also allows agencies to publish abbreviated summaries of repeated notices online to reduce costs, provided the full text remains accessible on an official public notice website. Additionally, the legislation creates a brownfield remediation program that provides grants to counties and other entities for cleaning up abandoned properties with hazardous substances to encourage redevelopment.

Maddy summaryHB 331 modifies how legal notices, such as those related to village dissolution, must be published by requiring them to be posted on an official public notice website in addition to appearing in newspapers. The bill mandates that the publisher of the newspaper hosting the official public notice site cannot charge state agencies or political subdivisions for this online posting. Furthermore, the legislation allows for abbreviated versions of these notices to be posted online after the initial full publication in a newspaper, provided the summary clearly describes the notice's purpose and includes contact information.