Your voice and action matters...

Health Freedom Ohio advocates often meet and build genuine relationships with legislators and testify before committees on key legislation to proactively preserve our fundamental right to health freedom.

The willingness and passion to educate, combined with the humility of knowing that advocating for what is right is a learning experience deserving of mutual respect and recognition, are key to successful engagements with those who have the capability to impact current and future legislation. 

You also have the power to make such impact by showing up in truth and letting your voice be heard. Contact us today if you are interested in becoming an active voice in preserving health freedom. Find your Legislator here: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislators/district-maps

Below you will find current legislation we are supporting or opposing.

Please consider joining us by becoming a member to receive special newsletters, calls to action, and event announcements. You can also connect with us on facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/hfo4you/

Wednesday the Ohio House passed amended Senate Bills 1 and 55. 

Sub SB 1 would limit health orders to 14 days before a review by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR), but it’s likely to be amended into irrelevance or not even be heard without public pressure. SB 55 removes the penalties and reduces fines for violating ODH orders to $100. That would make it easier for businesses and individuals to decide their own risks/benefits, as has been verbalized by Governor DeWine on several occasions.

Senate President Larry Obhof has indicated he will just not hear either bill on the Senate floor. So we need to put on the pressure!

Sub SB1:

“(C)(1) No order of the department shall be effective for a period exceeding fourteen days, except with the approval of the joint committee on agency rule review, as described in section 101.36 of the Revised Code. For purposes of this division, an order is considered to be effective for a period exceeding fourteen days if the order includes an effective period that exceeds fourteen days or if the substance of the order is contained in multiple subsequently issued orders whose combined effective period exceeds fourteen days.”

“(2) The department may adopt rules under this section only in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, and the department shall not adopt an emergency rule, make an emergency amendment to a rule, or rescind a rule on an emergency basis under this section, as described in that chapter.”

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA133-SB-1

Sub SB55:

“(D) Whoever violates any rule adopted or order issued by the director of health or department of health as described in section 3701.352 of the Revised Code that relates to a pandemic shall receive a warning on a first offense and on each subsequent offense shall be fined in an amount not to exceed the maximum amount specified in section 2929.28 of the Revised Code for a minor misdemeanor.”

“(C) In the event the board of health of a city or general health district adopts a rule or issues an order under Chapter 3707. of the Revised Code that relates to a pandemic, whoever violates the rule or order shall receive a warning on a first offense and on each subsequent offense shall be fined in an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars.”

“(C) In the event the board of health of a city or general health district adopts a rule or issues an order under section 3709.20, 3709.21, or 3709.22 of the Revised Code that relates to a pandemic, whoever violates the rule or order shall receive a warning for a first offense and for each subsequent offense shall be fined in an amount not to exceed one hundred dollars.”

https://www.ohiosenate.gov/legislation/GA133-SB-55

WHAT YOU CAN DO 

Please contact your Senate President Larry Obhof to request that he give Sub SB1 and Sub SB 55 a hearing on the floor. Also contact your state senator to request that he or she support the bill as amended. 

Talking points and story ideas:

— It appears there are no checks and balances within the ORC granting the director of health the authority to make arbitrary and unilateral decisions that define a public health threat, the measures necessary to contain such threat, abatement of the measures, and how to return life to normal as much as possible. In particular, it seems our legislature can be rendered mute and impotent in matters that need considerable oversight and input to gauge their fairness and impact.

— There is already a severe burden on Ohioans and Ohio businesses. To enact harsh penalties in the midst of all that is going on, especially when due process seems to be suspended, is just too much! Excessive penalties may also discriminate against economically disadvantaged citizens, businesses without excess cash flow or savings, and minority groups (e.g., people whose primary language isn’t English).

Add your own brief story or use one of the following points to enhance the need for reduced penalties from the orders:

— FAPE/special ed services being denied (therapies starting with stringent masking requirements etc.)

— Invisible enemy versus the very visible impact

— Due process is being delayed or denied

— Convention center hospitals empty, other hospitals closing, medical staff furloughed 

— Testing center emptiness versus food bank lines 

— Big Box Businesses given preferential treatment as “essential”

— Missed medical/dental care

SAMPLE TELEPHONE CALL 

Be polite and have something handy in case you need to take notes. If you’re nervous, print out a script or bullet points.

“This is ______. [If you are a constituent, let them know!] I want [Senator Obhof or your Senator] ______ to know that I am very concerned with the powers granted to the Ohio director of health in revised code. Also, the penalties imposed by the coronavirus response via health department orders are harsh and unfair. [Tell your personal story or point of concern.] I ask that you hear both Sub Senate Bill 1 and Senate Bill 55 on the floor and support them both as currently amended and passed by the Ohio House.

[Consider adding:] When will these measures end? When and how will life get back to a modicum of normal? Why are the critical needs of Ohioans being relegated to the war against an invisible enemy? Can you tell me what [Senator] ___ is doing to address the issues of an unelected bureaucrat being able to suspend constitutional rights of Ohio citizens indefinitely and what can be done to save the economy, small business, and even the lives and wellbeing of all Ohio citizens?”

[Wait for answer. You may have an opportunity to have further exchanges or even answer their questions.]

Close with a genuine thanks for their time and registering your feedback.

LETTER/EMAIL TEMPLATE

Use a similar format to above but begin with “Dear Honorable [Senator] _______” and end with a closing (sincerely etc.) and your name and contact information. 

Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Medina) 

Statehouse

1 Capitol Square

2nd Floor

Columbus, OH 43215

(614) 466-7505

sd22@ohiosenate.gov

@LarryObhof

FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS

Have your zip+4 (can be found on many pieces of mail) ready. Enter information here:

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/

Ohio Senate:

http://www.gongwer-oh.com/public/130/senstaff.pdf

The bill would require Ohio’s Board of Education to adopt health standards based on the existing CDC Healthy Schools National Health Education Standards and implement these standards by July 1st, 2020. The bill repeals current law that prohibits the State Board of Education from adopting or revising any standards or curriculum in the area of health unless the standards, curriculum, or revisions are approved by both houses of the General Assembly through a concurrent resolution, except for venereal diseases. Additionally, the bill repeals a provision that requires both the House and Senate education committees to conduct at least one public hearing on the standards, curriculum, or revisions prior to voting on the concurrent resolution.  

Link to National Health Standards, highly recommend you review them:

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/sher/standards/index.htm

SB121 Bill analysis

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/download?key=11718&format=pdf&fbclid=IwAR1VGJC59gW0OYhDbkdUbhq4oa6EHsSWtE4W-CmwWiba9EQFPLixKajnEUk

Talking Points:

• Removes Public Involvement (except for venereal diseases) -The bill repeals current law that prohibits the State Board of Education from adopting or revising any standards or curriculum in the area of health unless the standards, curriculum, or revisions are approved by both houses of the General Assembly through a concurrent resolution. Additionally, the bill repeals a provision that requires both the House and Senate education committees to conduct at least one public hearing on the standards, curriculum, or revisions prior to voting on the concurrent resolution. 
• Extra legislation, No Need for the Bill –  Currently Ohio law (ORC 3313.60) requires local school districts to establish health education curriculum including nutrition, drug abuse, venereal diseases, personal safety, healthy relationships, etc.
• Special Interest Group Influence - Special interests have an open door to influencing health standards when the public and legislative body are removed from the process. This includes comprehensive sexual education which has repeatedly failed in the legislature.
• Government Overreach –School Districts should continue to decide and implement health standards. Parents are and will continue to be the most influential people in a child’s life and must maintain an active role in establishing health standards for their children.
• Lack of Evidence/Presumed Health Outcomes – Proponent testimony of SB121 did not provide evidence that state established health standards reduced incidence of childhood obesity, pre-diabetes, or improved health outcomes in any of the other 49 states with established health standards. The support testimony just assumed that state established health standards would translate to better health outcomes in Ohio students. 
• Fails to address real health concerns, such as low-quality food served by schools - Standards will not establish better health outcomes (decrease obesity, pre-diabetes, etc) without improving better access to nutrition/lunches.
• Share your school’s lunch menu - This will illustrate the chemical laden foods provided by the schools, trading fresh healthy foods for highly processed long shelf life products. 
• Unrealistic Expectations – Simply establishing state health standards will not address complex healthcare, socioeconomic, and food industry issues (i.e. obesity, pre-diabetes, access to nutritious foods, etc.)

This bill is currently in the Senate Education Committee. Consider viewing proponent testimony here (begins at 26 minute mark): https://ohiochannel.org/collections/ohio-senate-education-committee

Please contact members of the Senate Education Committee and ask them to vote "No" on this bill.

Contact Senate Education Committee