Five things to know for Wednesday, Dec. 3
DeWine signs measure to create the escaped convict alert program
Republican Gov. Mike DeWine has signed House Bill 23, which creates the Escaped Convict Alert Program.
The measure, sponsored by state Reps. Bill Roemer, R-Richfield, and State Representative Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Twp., aims to help track down anyone who escapes while incarcerated for or awaiting adjudication on a felony charge. It also allows the Secretary of State to appoint anyone the “prior parent company of a bank” designates to act as a police officer on the premises of a financial institution.
How vulnerable is Ohio? Ohio is the 46th most vulnerable state to identity theft and fraud, according to a new WalletHub study. The personal finance site compared all 50 states and the District of Columbia using 15 metrics and found that Florida was the most vulnerable state.
Help for Washington. As Ohio legislators examine how to fix the 340B drug pricing program, The Buckeye Institute has released a new policy brief. In The 340B Fix: Federal Bipartisan Effort Best Path to Reform, the Columbus-based think tank outlines how the program has failed to achieve its well-intentioned goals and urges Ohio policymakers to encourage their federal counterparts to consider reforms.
Taking a victory lap. Americans for Prosperity–Ohio is lauding its successes during the first half of the 136th General Assembly. “We helped advance a flat income tax, secured HB 15’s major energy reforms, pushed forward meaningful property tax transparency, and elevated school choice as a statewide priority,” AFP-OH State Director Donovan O’Neil released the following statement.
More money for crime reduction. State officials are awarding $3.4 million in tax dollars for violent crime-reduction strategy grants to law enforcement agencies across the state, the Office of Criminal Justice Services said. The program launched in 2021 and has awarded more than $84 million to roughly 200 law enforcement agencies.
