A plan to overhaul education in Ohio was added to the state budget this week. Secretary of State Frank LaRose told conservatives that the August election is about abortion and that LGBTQ groups were more concerned about the parental rights bill.
We break down what it all means on this week’s episode of Ohio Politics Explained. A podcast from the USA TODAY Network’s Ohio Bureau that gets you up to speed on the state’s political news in 15 minutes or less.
This week, anchor Anna Staver was joined by reporter Laura Bischoff.
1) Great ideas on a budget
The state Senate unveiled its budget this week and proposed major changes to public education.
The 7,700-page document would restructure the Ohio Department of Education, make all K-12 students eligible for a voucher, tighten rules for transporting voucher children and fund a literacy program that would ban curricula that do not focus on phonics.
The budget also included a combined $1.5 billion tax cut for Ohio residents and business owners and a two-week tax sentence on most tangible property worth less than $500 in August of 2024.
2) 100% on abortion
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose has been pushing to make it difficult to amend the state constitution for months, saying it’s a matter of good government that transcends any issue.
But at a recent Lincoln Day dinner, LaRose emphasized one issue in particular as his reason for endorsing No. 1 this August.
“This is 100% about keeping a radical pro-abortion amendment out of our constitution,” LaRose said. “The left wants to put it there next November.”
Supporters of abortion access hope to bring a constitutional amendment to voters this fall. Currently, they must win a simple majority of 50% plus one. #1 would require them to get 60%.
3) Declaration of parents’ rights
LGBTQ groups have grown increasingly concerned as the parents’ bill of rights moves through the Ohio Legislature.
“It seems that the concerns of our community not only fell on deaf ears, but seemed to inspire (Republicans) to make the bill worse,” said Equality Ohio policy director Maria Bruno.
Bill 8 would require parents to be notified before teachers teach any lessons or conduct classroom discussions about “sexual content,” such as biological sex, gender identity or sexual orientation.
4) Caught on tape
Secret FBI tapes of former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder were made public this week, giving listeners an unvarnished and sometimes profanity-laced window into how the House ran state before Householder’s arrest.
“One thing I’ve noticed and you’re going to love this. In the last 12 years, the biggest thing I’ve noticed is how p—- everyone is,” Householder told former lobbyist Neil Clark during a January 2018. conversation.
Clark committed suicide in 2021 after being arrested along with Householder and three other men on federal racketeering charges. Two of the men pleaded guilty, and Householder was sentenced in March along with former Ohio GOP Chairman Matt Borges.
Listen to “Ohio Politics Explained” on Spotify, Apple, Google Podcasts and TuneIn Radio. The episode is also available by clicking the link in this article.
USA TODAY Network’s Ohio bureau serves The Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 affiliated news organizations throughout Ohio.
