Five things to know for Friday, Sept. 12

DeWine: Some kratom may be acceptable

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has changed his tune on kratom. Last month, the governor called on the Ohio Board of Pharmacy to designate kratom compounds, including natural and synthetic iterations, as illegal drugs, but now apparently wants some more “targeted” action.

“We’re getting input. We’re hearing from people,” DeWine said, State Affairs reported. “What we want to do is come up with something that is targeted, that deals with the problem and, frankly, something also that the Legislature will support.”

Cleveland attorney sues over vanity plate denials

A Cleveland attorney is suing the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles, saying the agency’s denial of vanity license plates violates free speech rights. The Columbus Dispatch reported that the bureau rejected a Lakewood man’s request for a plate that read “GAY” and a Strongsville man’s request for a plate reading “MUSLIM” prompting the federal lawsuit.

ACLU says Brewster is miscalculating body-worn camera footage cost

The ACLU of Ohio says the village of Brewster is incorrectly calculating the cost of public access to body-worn camera footage from law enforcement. According to the liberal-leaning civil rights group, Wavely News Media sought the production of all records about an incident with local police that occurred on May 10, which resulted in overcharging based on the village’s misinterpretation of Ohio’s Public Records Act and the recently enacted House Bill 315.

Republicans: Sykes, Landsman, Kaptur reject efforts to deter illegal immigration

Republicans are criticizing Democratic U.S. Reps. Emilia Sykes, Greg Landsman, and Marcy Kaptur, saying they are a threat to Ohioans because of their opposition to bolstering border security.

Their “reckless open-border agenda is a threat to Ohioans, who deserve a leader who protects American families, not criminal illegal immigrants,” National Republican Congressional Committee Spokesman Zach Bannon said in a statement.

House Rural Hospital Caucus formed

Ohio Reps. Kellie Deeter, R-Norwalk, and Meredith Craig, R-Smithville, recently formed the Ohio House Rural Hospital Caucus. The new caucus aims to bolster rural healthcare across the Buckeye State.

“Keeping healthcare in our communities is vital,” Deeter said in a release. “With new developments at the federal level and the creation of The Rural Health Fund, the time for the State of Ohio to act is now.”