Ohio Senate

Some major proposed changes are coming to a bill that passed the Ohio House overwhelmingly earlier this month cracking down on the payday lending industry in Ohio.

On today's show we discuss the consequences of the enormous amount of plastic disgarded everyday, alternative options available for use, and a bill that is currently making its way through the Ohio Senate concerning the issue.

The House and Senate are working on moving bills through their chambers through the next two weeks before going on summer break. This is a critical time for bills lawmakers want to pass, assuming that they’re next chance won’t be till after the November election. 

Today we take a look at the results of Ohio's primary races, and what the outcomes could mean for the general election come November.

Gov. John Kasich has been urging lawmakers to pass a bill that would put a red flag law in place to prevent people deemed dangerous by a court from buying guns.

It would also ban bump stock attachments for guns and make other reforms. But it appears it won’t be easy to get it passed.

Ohio’s medical marijuana program is supposed to be fully operational on September 8. But there are several court battles over problems with the process of choosing cultivators, and some fear it might delay the start of the program. 

County leaders are protesting the state’s strict boundary lines for wind turbines – saying the new law is forcing them to miss out on billions of dollars in economic development by thwarting any new wind farm projects. Opponents of the law still have a long journey toward changing it.

FirstEnergy says it’s starting the process of shutting down its two nuclear power plants in northern Ohio, saying it can’t compete with lower natural gas prices. The company says it’s willing to work with lawmakers to find ways to keep them operating.

Lawmakers are lining up their priorities for policymaking once they return from their spring break. Ohio's Senate leader expects to tackle the state's green energy standards when they come back.

The top leader in the Ohio Senate says he wants to hit the “reset” button on policymaking. The Republican lawmaker is using a new study to show that Ohio is leading most other states in regulatory restrictions.

The state auditor says he wants Medicaid providers to insure that they’ll do the work the state is paying them for by putting up some money to prove it. He’s backing a bill that he says will help the state recover money spent on fraudulent payments.

Ohio lawmakers are now weighing in with a proposed fix for problems with the process being used by the state commerce department in the medical marijuana program.

There are 22 pieces of legislation related to guns pending in the Ohio Legislature right now. It’s hard to predict what might happen to them after the deadly Florida school shooting last week and Gov. John Kasich’s new apparent willingness to embrace some gun regulations.