LEGISLATIVE ACTION |
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/
To learn about Ohio vaccine laws, please see | To learn more about the legislative process, please see |
133rd General Assembly, 2019-2020 - Ohio
A legislative session lasts two years in Ohio. Any bill introduced has to pass through the House, the Senate and be signed into law by the Governor by the end of December 2020.
We have very little time to make a BIG difference, which is why your voice matters! We are busy working behind the scenes, but rest assured coming soon we will feature legislation related to health freedom in Ohio and announce time sensitive calls to action. Please check back often or follow us on Facebook for updates.
Legislative ACTION Updates
This morning SB311 was vetoed by the Governor. It is imperative that we keep the pressure on our legislators to support a veto override. The Assembly has session days scheduled next week for both Senate and House on December 8 and 9.
Please continue to call and email the Senate President, Speaker of the House, your Ohio House and Senate legislator, and State Representative Dave Greenspan.
As you know, SB311 will provide some much needed checks and balances on the power of the Ohio Department of Health Director, you can read the bill analysis here:
https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/download?key=14574&format=pdf
Sample call:
"Hello my name is _______, I am a concerned Ohio resident. I am calling today to ask Representative/Senator ______ to support a veto override of SB311. I have been adversely affected by the current restrictions from the DeWine administration in the following ways..."
Be kind and respectful but firm. Your voice matters and can truly make a difference. Thank you.
House Speaker Cupp
614-466-9624
rep04@ohiohouse.gov
Senate President Obhof
614-466-7505
obhof@ohiosenate.gov
State Representative Dave Greenspan
Phone (614) 466-0961
Rep16@ohiohouse.gov
FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS
Have your zip+4 (can be found on many pieces of mail) ready. Enter information here:
https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/
OTHER LEGISLATORS
Ohio House:
http://www.ohiohouse.gov/members/member-directory
Ohio Senate:
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/public/130/senstaff.pdf
Ohio Legislator Email List.pdf
We also want to update you on the status of Sub. SB1. Unfortunately, the Conference Committee convened and removed all of the language the Ohio House amended limiting the Health Director’s powers.
We are deeply appreciative of all of your hard work moving these bills forward. Together we truly can make a difference.
For more information about the legislative process, please visit the advocacy portal here:
https://healthfreedomohio.org/Advocacy-Portal
If you have any questions or require any assistance, please email us at info@healthfreedomohio.org.
Sincerely,
Health Freedom Ohio Crew
HB 102 - Support |
Sponsored by Representative Scott Lipps (R- District 62), this legislation seeks to expand chiropractic services as a covered benefit for Medicaid recipients. You can read the full bill here. If you value chiropractic services, please contact members of the House Health Committee and your House Representative and ask them to vote "Yes" on HB102. If you have a personal story of how chiropractic care has benefited you please share it with them. |
HB 132 - Support |
HB132 was introduced to the Primary and Secondary Education Committee on Wednesday 4/2/2019 by State Representative Don Manning. It requires school districts to notify parents of vaccine requirements AS WELL AS exemptions to vaccination as provided by current Ohio law ORC 3313.671. This common sense piece of legislation is pro-transparency, pro-informed consent, and pro-parental rights. You can read the full bill here: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA133-HB-132 Please contact members of the Primary and Secondary Education Committee and your House Representative and ask them to vote "Yes" on HB132. If you have a personal story of how schools have withheld or otherwise led you to believe exemptions were not available please share it with them. Committee members need to hear from you! Contact Primary and Secondary Education Committee |
HB 165 - Oppose |
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. 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. Health Freedom Ohio Opposition Testimony here. Please contact members of the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee and ask them to vote "No" on HB165. |
HB 268 - Support |
The Medical Consumer Protection Act (HB268) prohibits an employer taking adverse action against individuals refusing to be vaccinated against any illness or disease because of a medical contraindication or for reasons of conscience, including religious beliefs. This proposed bill puts medical decision making back into the hands of the individual where it belongs. Please call the Chair of the House Commerce and Labor Committee and ask for a hearing on this bill. If you have a personal story about why this bill matters to you, please share it. Gayle Manning (Chair) Phone (614) 644-5076 Fax (614) 719-3957 |
HB 618 - Support |
To amend sections 161.09, 3701.13, 3701.14, 3707.04, 3707.05, 3707.26, 3709.20, and 3709.21 and to enact section 107.22 of the Revised Code to limit the authority of the Governor and the Department of Health to issue orders regarding contagious or infectious diseases, to prohibit any order from affecting the conduct of an election, to designate its provisions as the "Need Ohio Working (NOW) Act," and to declare an emergency. Bill analysis here: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/download?key=14083&format=pdf Link to bill language: http://search-prod.lis.state.oh.us/solarapi/v1/general_assembly_133/bills/hb618/IN/00?format=pdf Please contact members of the State and Local Government Committee and ask them to vote "yes" on this bill. Contact State and Local Government Committee |
HB 624 - Support |
To require the reporting and release of certain COVID-19 testing and related information and to declare an emergency. Link to bill analysis: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/download?key=14225&format=pdf Link to bill language: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-summary?id=GA133-HB-624 Link to prior testimony: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/legislation-committee-documents?id=GA133-HB-624 Please call members of the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee and ask them to vote "yes" on this bill. Contact members of the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee |
SB 121 - Oppose |
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
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.
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