Sen. Theresa Gavarone

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific stretch of Interstate 77 in Akron as the "American Gold Star Mothers, Inc. Memorial Highway" to honor mothers who lost children in military service. The law officially names the northbound and southbound lanes between Interstate 76 and Lovers Lane and authorizes the state transportation director to place markers along the road to display this new title. By changing the official name of this roadway, the legislation provides a permanent tribute to the organization without altering traffic rules or road infrastructure.

Maddy summaryThis bill designates a specific stretch of Interstate 90 in Cuyahoga County as the "Lance Corporal Jimmy Rizzo Memorial Highway" to honor a fallen service member. The law officially names the northeastbound and southwestbound lanes between East 55th and East 72nd Streets and authorizes transportation officials to install signs displaying this new title. This measure is a commemorative action that affects drivers and the public by formally recognizing the highway with a memorial name rather than changing any traffic rules or funding.

Maddy summarySB 330 amends state telemarketing laws to align them with federal regulations and clarify definitions for modern communication methods. The bill updates terminology to include voice over internet protocol services and expands the definition of text messages to cover multimedia content sent via phone numbers. It strengthens enforcement by allowing the attorney general to investigate violations and issue subpoenas for evidence, even when records are located outside the state. Additionally, the law specifies that voice service providers are not liable for assisting telemarketers unless they knowingly support illegal activities.

Maddy summarySB 329, known as the School Bus Safety Act, establishes a civil penalty system to fine drivers who illegally pass stopped school buses, even when those drivers cannot be identified. The bill creates a dedicated fund from these penalties that the state will use to grant money to school districts for upgrading bus safety features, such as cameras, warning lights, and seat belts. Additionally, the legislation designates August as School Bus Safety Awareness Month to increase public knowledge about the importance of stopping for school buses.

Maddy summaryThis bill proposes a mileage reimbursement for Al Cutrona and Shane Wilkin. It specifically authorizes a payment based on a certain number of round-trip miles. The measure is a procedural resolution that does not establish new general policies but rather addresses a specific financial request.

Maddy summarySB 302 amends Ohio Revised Code sections to clarify how municipal court judges can sit in different locations within their territorial jurisdictions, including specific assignments for courts in counties like Hamilton, Portage, and Miami. The bill also outlines procedures for judges to perform duties such as officiating marriages and collecting fees outside of active court cases, directing those fees to the appropriate city or county treasury. Additionally, it establishes rules for housing and environmental divisions to create their own procedural guidelines separate from general court rules. This legislation primarily affects municipal court judges, clerks, and the administrative structure of local courts across various Ohio counties.

Maddy summarySB 215 prohibits foreign nationals from making financial contributions or expenditures to support or oppose ballot issues in elections. The bill directly affects campaign committees, political parties, and other groups that raise funds for election-related activities by banning them from accepting money from non-citizens for these specific purposes. Key provisions define what counts as a contribution and expenditure while clarifying that voluntary services and personal expenses do not fall under this restriction. This measure aims to restrict foreign influence in ballot issue campaigns without addressing contributions to candidate races or other political entities.

Maddy summarySB 325 establishes a Missing Children Clearinghouse within the Office of the Attorney General to serve as a central repository for information regarding missing children. This new entity will coordinate with law enforcement and schools to provide resources such as toll-free reporting lines, educational materials for students, and assistance in fingerprinting programs. The bill also creates an educational program to help schools develop safety curricula and policies related to child abduction and missing children issues. By centralizing these efforts, the legislation aims to improve the availability of information and streamline the response to missing child cases across the state.

Maddy summarySB 173 classifies certain election officials as public service workers, which determines how their records are handled under state public records laws. The bill explicitly lists various types of confidential information, such as medical records, adoption files, and voter data, that are exempt from public disclosure. By designating these officials in this way, the legislation ensures that sensitive personal and operational details remain protected from public access. This change directly impacts how election offices manage and share information with the public and other government entities.

Maddy summarySB 226, titled the Ohio Property Protection Act, expands existing laws that restrict certain governments, businesses, and individuals from acquiring specific types of property in Ohio. The bill requires anyone transferring real estate or manufactured homes to submit a detailed statement declaring the property's value and affirming whether the transferor or transferee is legally prohibited from buying such land. If the property was previously used for agricultural purposes, the statement must also address potential tax recoupment charges that may apply when that status changes. Furthermore, the act mandates that county auditors refuse to process the transfer of protected property unless the required declarations are included, and it directs auditors to refer suspicious transactions to law enforcement for investigation.