Local legislators have been busy this spring, advocating for a variety of bills addressing everything from Black maternal health to water quality in the Great Lakes.
Bills brought forth from March 15 - April 30
Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) announced March 19 that she is cosponsoring the reintroduced Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act, including 14 bills to address the United State’s maternal health crisis.
“By addressing critical issues such as maternal healthcare, affordable childcare, paid family leave, and economic empowerment for women, the Momnibus Act not only recognizes the invaluable role mothers play in our society but also takes meaningful steps to ensure their well-being and success,” Sykes said in a press release.
Sykes and Lateefah Simon (D-CA-12) introduced the Crime Survivor Support and Stability Act April 21, which would strengthen the response to violent crime by affirming survivors’ rights and funding community assistance.
“Too many survivors are forced to navigate not only the trauma of violence, but also the financial and legal barriers that follow,” Sykes said in a press release. “This legislation helps ensure survivors can access immediate financial support, keep their housing and jobs, and get the services they need to rebuild their lives. It’s about meeting people where they are and giving them a real path to stability and healing.”
Sykes and Nikema Williams (GA-05) reintroduced H.R. 8459, the Water Infrastructure Sustainability and Efficiency (WISE) Act April 22, which would permanently set aside 20% of the Clean Water State Revolving Fund for sustainable water infrastructure projects. The Clean Water State Revolving Fund provides states with funds for water quality projects. The bill is supported by organizations such as American Rivers, the Alliance for Water Efficiency and the National Association of Clean Water Agencies.
“All Ohioans deserve access to clean water, but our aging infrastructure threatens the health and safety of our communities,” Sykes said in a press release.
Sykes also introduced H.R. 8639, the Critical Operation Oversight of Law Enforcement Intervention and Training (COOL IT) Act, April 30. The legislation would modernize immigration officer training through annual scenario-based instruction of crisis intervention, officer safety and de-escalation.
“In high-pressure situations, proper training can make all the difference,” Sykes said in a press release. “The COOL IT Act ensures immigration officers have the tools they need to make sound decisions, protect public safety, and engage with communities professionally and responsibly.
Sen. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson) introduced S.B. 379 with Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) March 16, which would require the attorney general to establish a camera footage registry system statewide to impose requirements on gaming platform developers, require public schools to provide groping awareness and prevention instruction and to name the act Hailey’s Law.
The bill was referred to the General Government Senate Committee.
Gov. Mike DeWine signed Roegner and Sen. Jane Timken’s (R-Jackson Township) S.B. 244 March 31, which designates Aug. 26 as Abbey Gate Remembrance Day. The bill honors the families of the fallen American service men and women on the final days of the war in Afghanistan and will be in effect as of June 30.
The Ohio Senate passed Roegner’s S.B. 320 April 15, which would enter Ohio into the Athletic Trainer Compact.
"This legislation removes unnecessary licensing hurdles, allowing qualified athletic trainers to more easily practice across state lines while maintaining strong professional standards,” Roegner said in a press release. “The result is greater access to timely, high-quality care for Ohio’s schools, teams, and patients.”
The bill has been introduced to the House.
Rep. Dave Joyce (R-Bainbridge Township) introduced the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI) Reauthorization Act and the Beaches Environmental Assessment and Coastal Health (BEACH) Act as part of the American Water Stewardship Act, a larger legislative package that passed the House March 24.
The GLRI Reauthorization Act would reauthorize funding set to expire at the end of fiscal year 2026 for conserving the Great Lakes. The BEACH Act would provide funding to state and local governments to help test, monitor and identify contamination in waters such as the Great Lakes.
“Growing up on Lake Erie, I’ve always had a deep appreciation for what the Great Lakes provide for the communities that surround them,” Joyce said in a press release. “Both of these bills drive critical funding to programs that have been protecting and preserving the Great Lakes for decades, and I am incredibly proud to see them advance through the House.”
The Fiscal Year 2027 House Appropriations Financial Services and General Government bill was released on April 16. The bill provides $25.3 billion in total discretionary funding allocation.
“This bill builds upon our work in fiscal year 2026 to cut government spending, leverage technology, strengthen national security, and crack down on waste, fraud, abuse, and improper payments in the federal government,” Joyce said in a press release.
The House Republican Conference selected Joyce to serve on the House Committee on Homeland Security April 21. He previously served as chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security in the 118th Congress.
“I look forward to working to maintain a secure border, stop the flow of fentanyl and other deadly narcotics into our communities, and ensure every American is protected at home and abroad,” Joyce said in a press release.
In addition, he voted in favor of the Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2026, which would reopen and fully fund the Department of Homeland Security through May 22.
“The Department of Homeland Security has gone without funding for roughly half of Fiscal Year 2026, an unacceptable amount of time as we face threats at home and abroad,” Joyce said in a press release. “This is yet another shutdown caused by my colleagues across the aisle, who have refused to fund DHS despite having reached a funding agreement in January.”
Rep. Steve Demetriou (R-Bainbridge Twp.) did not introduce any new bills this month, but the Ohio House passed Demetriou and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.) H.B. 84 to enact the Innocence Act March 18. The bill would protect Ohio children from accessing obscene or harmful materials online.
“Ohio families are tired of watching big tech and porn companies operate like the rules do not apply to them. This bill says the rules do apply. It says children matter. It says victims matter. And it says Ohio is not going to sit back while this garbage is pushed on our kids,” Demetriou said in a press release.
The bill is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Rep. Heidi Workman (R-Rootstown) did not introduce any new bills this month, but the House passed her H.B. 220 regarding health insurance and Medicaid authorization March 25. The bill would reduce delays in patient care and improve the prior authorization process by requiring insurers and Medicaid to honor existing approvals for prescription medications.
“House Bill 220 is about putting patients back at the center of health care,” Workman said in a press release. “This bill brings common-sense reforms by ensuring approvals are honored, strengthening clinical review standards, and reducing bureaucratic barriers so Ohioans can get the care they need, when they need it.”
How they’ve voted
Demetriou and Workman voted yes on H.B. 347 to enact the Share the Health and Empower With Informed Notices (SHE WINS) Act, which would require providers to meet with patients at least 24 hours before an abortion to provide consent statements regarding the procedure.
The bill passed the House (64-32) and is currently in the Senate Health Committee.
Both also voted yes on H.B. 249 to enact the Indecent Exposure Modernization Act, which would prohibit drag and other cabaret performances outside of designated locations.
The bill passed the House (63-32) and is currently in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Sykes again voted yes on H. Con. Res. 40, which would remove U.S. forces not authorized by Congress from hostilities in Iran, and Joyce voted no.
“The American people deserve a say before we are pulled further into another war. Instead, families back home are paying the price, with gas prices rising and costs going up across the board,” Sykes said in a press release. “We should be focused on lowering costs and keeping Americans safe, not writing a blank check for another endless conflict.”
The resolution did not pass the House (213-214).
She also voted yes on H.R. 1689, which would require the Department of Homeland Security to designate Haiti for Temporary Protected Status until Jan. 20, 2029, and Joyce voted no.
“Haitian families are an important part of our communities, and they deserve stability while their home country faces ongoing violence and instability,” Sykes said in a press release. “At a time when President Trump continues his attacks on Haitian immigrants and his administration shows a troubling lack of empathy, this bipartisan vote is about doing what’s right.
The resolution passed the House (224-204) and is currently in the Senate for consideration.
She voted no on S. Con. Res. 33, the Republican Fiscal Year 2026 budget resolution. Sykes said it advances immigration enforcement without accountability or safeguards. Although it does not directly appropriate funding, Sykes said it lays groundwork for a reconciliation package expected to increase ICE and Customs and Border Protection funding.
“It strengthens agencies that have repeatedly operated without accountability and caused harm in communities without meaningful recourse, while giving this administration broader tools that risk being used for political purposes rather than public safety,” Sykes said in a press release. “In a district as diverse as Ohio’s 13th, this means real families could face increased targeting, heightened scrutiny, and a greater risk of unfair enforcement actions and family separation.”
The bill passed the House (215-211).
Community activity and social media
Demetriou was awarded Ohio’s 2025 Legislator of the Year recognized by the American Legion, which advocates for veterans and active-duty personnel.
“Supporting our veterans and their families remains a top priority, and I will continue working to ensure they receive the recognition, resources, and care they deserve, ” Demetriou said in a press release.
Roegner received legislator of the year award from ABC of Ohio.
Joyce also posted about his endorsement from Ashtabula, Lake and Portage County GOPs and attended the Ashtabula County Young Republicans Lincoln Day Dinner April 23.
Sykes announced April 22 NeighborWorks America will award $254,000 to the East Akron Neighborhood Development Corporation for the Fiscal Year 2026.
NeighborWorks America supports a nationwide network of organizations to build and sustain safe and affordable communities. In Sykes’ district, many families continue to face limited access to affordable housing.