COLUMBUS – Lawmakers burned the midnight oil at the Statehouse Wednesday night before taking a break until after the Nov. 8 election.
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A bill headed to Gov. John Kasich for his signature would make way for online voter registration after Jan. 1, 2017. A measure the state’s top elections official says brings Ohio’s election process into the 21st Century.
“Online registration makes voting easier, more secure and saves tax dollars, helping meet the goal of making Ohio a place where it’s easy to vote and hard to cheat,” Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted said.
The House agreed with changes made by the Senate to a measure that would require CPR training for high school students entering 9th grade for the first time starting during the 2017-2018 school year. Students would have to get CPR training through the use of an automated external defibrillator and “hands on” training with a mannequin.
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House members also agreed to Senate changes to a bill that includes a plan for paying off Ohio’s unemployment compensation debt to the federal government, a move which supporters say will save Ohio businesses millions next year in unemployment taxes they would have paid toward the debt.
The bill also increases the state motion picture tax credit cap from $20 million a year to $40 million while eliminating the $5 million per project cap. It also provides funds for updating public records law.
The Senate approved a bill creating an address confidentiality program through the Husted’s office for victims of domestic violence, stalking and human trafficking. It allows victims to establish an address in a database within Husted’s office that means they can conduct business, like registering to vote, without their address becoming part of a public record.