In The Media
- House Bill 473
Source: Article from Representative Pillich Published: 06/25/2010 -
Most children are much more technologically astute than their parents. And in today’s world of constant bombardment with images and innuendo, teenagers are using technology to tread on some dangerous ground.
In recent years, a significant number of teens have sent or posted sexually suggestive photos of themselves. Thirty-three percent (33%) of teens surveyed by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy have engaged in the exchange of nude or semi-nude images. While teens say these images are most often directed towards a boyfriend or girlfriend, they also said that in some cases these materials are exchanged with people they barely know or whom they meet online.
Moreover, once transmitted, these photos are no longer private. Nearly 40 percent of the young adults have had sexually suggestive material -- that was meant for someone else -- shared with them. This has potentially damaging consequences, especially given the increasing popularity of smart phones and social networking sites. Such wide distribution causes humiliation and often leads to aggressive bullying and other forms of harassment.
Current law does not contemplate this behavior. Frustrated prosecutors have the option of charging teens with child pornography, a high level felony that could lead to life long registration as a sex offender.
Is this behavior bad? Yes. Does it warrant lifelong registration as a sex offender? No.
For this reason, I introduce House Bill 473, which creates the new offense of “sexting”. HB 473, which applies only to minors, classifies sending a nude photo of oneself as an unruly act and sending a photo of another as a misdemeanor. Its purpose is to discourage the behavior and to protect minors from the damaging effects of having such photos distributed beyond their intended audience. The bill provides appropriate punishment while protecting children from the life-long sentence of being labeled as a sex offender.
HB 473 will go a long way in addressing an issue that has caused pain and loss on school campuses in Ohio. We need to make sure we’re protecting our teenagers and educating them on the dangers of sending messages or photos containing sensitive content in today’s increasingly connected world. Unfortunately, most teens don’t think through the consequences of their actions. I hope my bill will direct attention to this issue and stop teens before they hit the send button.
House Bill 473 passed with strong bipartisan support. It now goes to the Ohio Senate for their consideration. It has been assigned to the Judiciary - Criminal Justice Committee.
State Representative Connie Pillich can be reached at 614-466-8120 or district28@ohr.state.oh.us. Visit her website at www.conniepillich.com.
- My Week on Capitol Square: Veterans Update
Source: Article from Representative Pillich Published: 04/30/2010 -
My Week on Capitol Square: Veterans Update
The brave men and women who fight for our nation in the Armed Services deserve recognition for their sacrifices as well as policies to address the unique challenges they and their families face. When I was elected to the Ohio House in 2008, I pledged to make veterans a top priority. I am pleased to report that we have made significant progress toward helping our veterans receive the help and support they deserve.
Last year, I co-sponsored and Governor Strickland signed a bill designating August as “Ohio Military Family Month.” This legislation represents our gratitude to military families and reminds them that the support they provide to Ohio’s military men and women is neither forgotten nor taken for granted.
Dating back to the Civil War, Ohio has provided bonuses and benefits to veterans upon their return home. I carried legislation in the House to continue this tradition by extending a bonus to Ohio veterans who have returned or are returning from the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and Iraq Conflicts. Last November, voters overwhelmingly approved this Veterans’ Bonus Program.
This year, I introduced legislation to implement the mechanisms to enable the state to award these small tokens of gratitude. This was folded into another bill to create an income tax deduction for the bonuses, thus ensuring our veterans receive the full amount of the award.
This bill also protects the votes of Ohio military members voting overseas by including provisions of the federal MOVE Act. These provisions make absentee ballots available sooner so military and overseas voters have a better chance of getting their ballots back on time. Military members can also request absentee ballots electronically under the MOVE Act, thus circumventing the time-consuming process of requesting a ballot via mail.
To protect our military men and women when they deploy or receive a change of station, I introduced and the House passed the “Military Lease Bill.” It allows members of the active duty military, National Guard, and reserves to terminate their housing lease if they must move for service. The bill, which mirrors the Federal Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, applies to all service members, whether active duty, reserve or National Guard.
As deployment nears, military families require time together, to both strengthen family bonds and ensure an orderly transition as they take on new roles. I co-sponsored the Ohio Family Medical Leave Act, passed by the House and signed into law last year, to help family members cope with the deployment or injury of a loved one by affording up to two weeks leave for the spouse and immediate family members of military personnel called to active duty. The terms of leave also apply if a service member is injured, wounded or hospitalized while serving in a combat zone.
We owe a debt of gratitude to our veterans. These new policies are a few ways we can support and give back to those who have given so much for us.
State Representative Connie Pillich represents Ohio’s 28th House District in the General Assembly. Reach her by phone (614) 466-8120, email district28@ohr.state.oh.us, or on the web at www.conniepillich.com.
- My Week on Capitol Square: Health and Wellness are Topics at State House
Source: Article from Representative Pillich Published: 04/16/2010 -
My Week on Capitol Square: Health and Wellness are Topics at State House
If there’s one thing that I’ve learned from talking with my constituents, it’s that we share a common desire to provide and care for our families. In the State House, we have been quietly working to improve the lives and health of our constituents.
The Ohio House has moved a number of initiatives designed to improve access to and management of health care, reduce costs and red tape, and improve overall health, as well as to provide a healthier environment in which to live, work, and play.
We recently passed a Comprehensive Nursing Education Bill, Senate Bill 89, to address the critical shortage of nursing educators. The lack of nursing educators is compounding an already dangerous nursing shortage. Just last year, 88,000 qualified nursing applicants across the country were denied admission to nursing school because of the shortage of faculty. SB 89 directs aid to the nursing education programs with the greatest need; institutes mentoring and mediation programs for nursing students, nurses, and hospitals; and makes it easier for experienced Advanced Practice Nurses to move to Ohio and get their Ohio license, including continuing their prescriptive authority. I voted Yes and Governor Strickland signed this measure into law.
A number of other proposals have passed the House but await action in the Senate. We promote establishing a medical home (HB 198) to provide better care and reduce emergency room costs. HB 398 will allow more elderly to stay in their homes by receiving long-term care at home. HB 314 permits nurses to pronounce death and HB 190 expands the practice of dental hygienists. Insurance companies would have new requirements to cover those with diabetes (HB 81) and autism (HB 8), follow appropriate standards for publishing physician designations (HB 122), and refrain from unilateral changes to contracts with their physicians (HB 185). Wellness would be improved by restricting the calories of the snacks vended to K-12 students at school (HB 60) and creating mosquito abatement zones (HB 35). These initiatives, which I supported with my Yes vote, are not yet law. They are now being considered in the Ohio Senate.
Health and wellness are extremely important aspects of life here in Ohio. At the State House, we take that seriously. Hopefully, these initiatives will enhance that quality of life for all Ohioans.
State Representative Connie Pillich represents Ohio’s 28th House District in the General Assembly. Reach her by phone (614) 466-8120, email district28@ohr.state.oh.us, or on the web at www.conniepillich.com.
- My Week On Capitol Square: The Telecom Bill
Source: Article from Representative Pillich Published: 04/09/2010 -
My Week On Capitol Square: The Telecom Bill
9 April 2010
The most significant change to the telecommunications field in our state has passed the Ohio House. House Bill 276 will remove archaic rules and regulations, protect consumers, create jobs, and provide a level playing field for the many different participants in the telecommunications industry.
Telephone service has long been deemed a necessity by government and individuals alike. Having a telephone is our connection to the world. We need it to call for help, visit with family and friends, and connect with job opportunities.
But phones have changed at a remarkably fast pace over the last decade. More and more people rely on their cell phones. Cell and home phones do much more than place calls. We can bundle, talk over the internet, send photos, and put people on hold. New uses for phones are developed almost daily.
In this dynamic landscape, HB 276 brings our old telephone rules and regulations into the 21st Century.
HB 276 provides a truly competitive marketplace for telecommunications. Our current industry has been operating under archaic and obsolete laws that hindered competition. By removing some and updating others, we make it more attractive for these companies to work in Ohio.
We also expanded consumer protections. We provided for automatic credits for unrestored service, maximum deposits, tight reconnection times, and extended payment due dates to a minimum of 14 days.
The Warm Line, a safety measure, retains 911 access for 14 days after regular service is disconnected for nonpayment.
For the poor, the Life Line service is still available and prohibits any rate increase through the end of 2011. It also requires future Life Line rate increases to be reviewed by the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.
Basic Service, the low rate simple telephone service, is also protected.
One of the most innovative provisions is the statewide Community Voice Mail. Aimed to serve our most vulnerable – the homeless, victims of fire and domestic violence, displaced and returning veterans, etc. – the Community Voice Mail helps people searching for work or housing by giving them a phone number to leave on an application. It connects them to the world.
By recognizing the enormous impact that competitive market forces have and will continue to have on the telecommunications industry, HB 276 promotes the investment and expansion of this vital industry. It enhances our telecomm infrastructure and provides the incentive to retain and create high-tech jobs for the future. And, it retains and expands important consumer protections.
After seven committee hearings, numerous one-on-one stakeholder discussions, and countless hours of study over six months, the densely worded 136-page bill was finally passed by the Ohio House.
I was pleased to be an original co-sponsor and give it my Yes vote. It is now being considered by the Ohio Senate.
State Representative Connie Pillich represents Ohio’s 28th House District in the General Assembly. Reach her by phone (614) 466-8120, email district28@ohr.state.oh.us, or on the web at www.conniepillich.com.
- My Week on Capitol Square: The Ballot Integrity Act
Source: Articel from Representative Pillich Published: 04/02/2010 -
My Week on Capitol Square: The Ballot Integrity Act2 April 2010
Years ago, the court appointed me to represent a woman accused of elections fraud. In her sixties and poor, she needed the $50 offered for circulating a ballot initiative petition. But instead of collecting real signatures, she and three other women were given a list of names and addresses to copy onto their petitions. They forged the signatures.
The judge, although sympathetic that the women really didn’t know the law, nevertheless sent them each to jail. The integrity of our elections process demanded it. But the ringleader escaped justice: the women, mere day laborers, didn’t know who ran the operation.
In 2007, over a thousand fraudulent signatures appeared on ballot initiative petitions in Cincinnati. Only two people were indicted. Again, no organizer was penalized.
These cases, and many others across the state, illustrate the serious need to preserve the integrity of the ballot initiative.
The ballot initiative permits individual Ohioans to propose a new state law or amendment to the state constitution. Supporters must collect a certain number of signatures to get the measure on the ballot. Similarly, referendum power permits the people to revoke a law. Many municipalities also permit local initiative and referendum.
For a statewide effort, promoters must submit over one hundred thousand signatures – an arduous task. Too often, petitions are circulated not by devoted volunteers, but instead by corporations that pay circulators for each petition or even for each signature submitted. As we’ve seen, this can lead to fraud. And that can invalidate signatures, possibly obstructing a ballot initiative from getting on the ballot.
The Ohio House moved to prevent this fraud with House Bill 377, the Ballot Integrity Act. Under HB 377, entities that pay petition circulators – with other than minimal refreshments – must be licensed with the Secretary of State, much like any other corporation wishing to do business in Ohio. That license can be temporarily revoked for intentional fraud or forgery.
All petition circulators must register their name and address with the Secretary of State. They or their supervisors must receive training (from the Secretary of State) about the petition circulation laws. Violations can lead to a fine.
Petitions cannot be circulated by anyone with a criminal history of identity theft, fraud, or forgery. Only one issue can be presented on each petition, and its title must appear on every page of the petition – preventing a voter from being tricked into signing something else.
It is unfortunate that this important citizen’s right has been subverted so often. By teaching petition circulators the law and holding accountable the entities that pay circulators, HB 377 confronts fraudulent activity and promotes the integrity of the ballot initiative process.
HB 377, introduced last November, is supported by a variety of groups such as the League of Women Voters and Ohio Citizen Action. No one testified against it in committee hearings. I co-sponsored the bill and voted Yes. Because it has yet to be considered by the Ohio Senate, it cannot protect any ballot initiatives this year.
State Representative Connie Pillich represents Ohio’s 28th House District. (614) 466-8120. District28@ohr.state.oh.us.
- My Week on Capitol Square: DNA Testing Bill Passes
Source: Article from Representative Pillich Published: 03/26/2010 -
Senate Bill 77: The Most Significant Piece of Legislation to Affect the Criminal Justice System in Decades
Can you imagine going to prison for a crime you did not commit?
We have come a long way since the days when the king decided all criminal issues, the only evidence was an accusation, and the trial was a brutal test of physical pain and endurance.
Our U.S. Congress, state legislatures, and courts gave us a Bill of Rights, laws, and decisions that have shaped our legal system over time. They gave us the right to have legal counsel. Receive due process. Remain silent. Face our accuser. Compel the testimony of witnesses.
The prevailing goal of this evolution: protect the innocent from wrongful conviction.
Technological advancements such as fingerprinting have helped. More recently, DNA analysis is being used as a conviction tool. We need to expand that tool: DNA can not only pinpoint guilt, but it can also exonerate the innocent.
According to the Innocence Project, 251 people in the USA have been imprisoned for violent crimes they did not commit. In Ohio, there have been eight. Collectively these eight Ohioans spent over 110 years in prison for crimes they did not commit. Post-conviction DNA testing exonerated all of them.
Technology finally caught up with these men. They were fortunate enough to be able to avail themselves of it and to successfully assert their innocence after all. But not everyone is so fortunate. The Ohio legislature passed Senate Bill 77 to change that.
By incorporating the most modern scientific tests into Ohio’s criminal justice system, Senate Bill 77 protects the rights of the accused as well as the public. New procedures will require officers to collect DNA, preserve biological evidence from crime scenes, and videotape interrogations of the accused. Live and photo line-ups will be more reliable. And those wrongly convicted will have the right to seek exoneration through DNA testing. All of these things will help ensure that the right person gets convicted and the innocent remains free.
As an attorney, I am proud to be an officer of the court. I believe in our legal system. I have represented both the accused and the accuser; defendants and victims. And I believe that our criminal justice system should aspire to achieve truth. Truth is not a matter of persuasion, theater, or technicality. It is not best served by faded memories or psychological tricks. One of the best ways to reach the truth is through science. Senate Bill 77 relies on our best science.
This bill is perhaps the most significant piece of legislation to affect our criminal justice system in decades. I was proud to vote Yes and cosponsor it as it passed the House with overwhelming bipartisan support. This new law helps us keep pace with technological advances by making science and technology available to more of our citizens.
Convicting an innocent person is terribly wrong. We have now taken a momentous step to avoid that.
Connie Pillich represents Ohio’s 28 th House District in the State House.
- My Week on Capitol Square: Who in Ohio’s history stands out the most?
Source: Article from Representative Pillich Published: 03/25/2010 -
My Week On Capitol SquareWho in Ohio’s history stands out the most?In 1864, Congress created National Statuary Hall in the US Capitol to display
statues of two prominent citizens from each state. Ohio’s statues of President
James Garfield and Governor William Allen arrived in 1886 and 1887,
respectively. But in 2006, the Ohio legislature decided to replace the pro-slavery Governor Allen with someone whose talents, character, and contributions more positively represent Ohio. I have been appointed to the Ohio National Statuary Collection Study Committee, which will choose Governor Allen’s replacement.
How do we make the selection?
Ohioans from across the state have sent us their nominations, appeared before
the Committee to testify, and invited us to special presentations about their
nominee. The Committee traveled to different cities and historical sites across
the state to learn about nominees. I did independent research as well.
It has been a fantastic education about Ohio history and people. Ohio has
been tremendously important to the development of our nation, the creation of
civil rights, the industrial revolution, and the age of invention and innovation.
The choice is a daunting task. After all, the person we select will represent Ohio
to the 3-5 million people who visit the Capitol each year, perhaps for centuries to come.
In February, the Committee selected ten finalists:
- James M. Ashley: abolitionist, steamboat worker, railroad tycoon
- Thomas Edison: inventor of the light bulb and much more
- James M. Ashley: abolitionist, steamboat worker, railroad tycoon
- Thomas Edison: inventor of the light bulb and much more
- Ulysses S. Grant: US Civil War general, president
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Jesse Owens: America’s greatest track and field athlete
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Judith Resnick: astronaut
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Albert Sabin: medical researcher, developed polio vaccine
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Harriet Beecher Stowe: author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, abolitionist
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Harriet Taylor Upton: suffragette, member of Republican National Committee
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Orville & Wilbur Wright: inventors of the airplane (Note: Federal law requires that the statue depict only one person)
Who would you choose?
From March 20 – June 12, you can tell us!
Ohioans can voice their preference by visiting historic sites all across the state. Locally, you can find ballot boxes at:
▪
▪ Harriet Beecher Stowe House,
▪
After public voting, the Committee will reconvene in to make our final recommendation to the General Assembly. A separate non-profit foundation will raise private funds to commission the statue, and remove and replace Governor Allen in
Visit www.LegacyForOhio.org to learn more about each of the finalists and see the other 32 voting locations. Also, www.OhioHistoryCentral.org is another source for historical information.
You are only allowed to cast one ballot! So do your homework. Learn about the nominees. Visit an historical site. And vote.
Connie Pillich represents
- Addressing Domestic Violence
Source: Article from Representative Pillich Published: 01/15/2010 -
It is truly unfortunate that domestic violence is still such a terrible problem in our culture. This crime occurs in every income bracket, neighborhood, and racial community. As a citizen, I protested against domestic violence and lobbied my lawmakers for stiff laws, mandatory arrest policies, and tough penalties. Now as a legislator, I am continuing the effort to protect Ohioans from this terrible crime.
In Ohio and across the country, there is an alarming trend of escalating violence in dating relationships among teens. In recent years, Ohio teens have brutally beaten, shot, and murdered their teen girlfriends. Ohio has received a failing grade in protecting teens from dating violence.
But we are changing that.
The Ohio House recently passed two bills designed to protect teens from and educate them about dating violence. Adolescents are rarely equipped to recognize abusive characteristics or to protect themselves from abuse. It is our duty to provide them with the tools they need to have healthy relationships, free from violence. House Bill 19 requires schools to adopt a dating violence prevention policy and include age appropriate dating violence education within the health education curriculum during grades 7-12. Model curriculum is already available free of charge to schools.
I was proud to co-sponsor this legislation and give it my Yes vote. It has also passed the Ohio Senate, and the Governor signed it into law.
House Bill 10 also helps protect teens by allowing the Juvenile Court to issue civil protection orders against minors who have committed violent acts. This improves the court’s ability to monitor violent offenders and protect their victims. If the Court chooses, it can appoint an attorney for the offender. It can also review the case for possible expungement when the offender turns 18. HB 10 blends important safety protections with the Constitutional rights to counsel and due process. I co-sponsored this legislation and gave it my Yes vote. It passed out of the Senate committee last month. Hopefully it will receive the full support of the Senate soon.
A third domestic violence measure, House Bill 167, gives some new legal protections at home and work to victims of domestic violence. HB 167 allows unpaid leave for medical or legal purposes caused by the domestic violence. It gives reasonable accommodations at work, such as changing parking spaces or phone numbers, and alerting office security about potential threats. And it allows domestic violence victims to change the apartment door lock or to terminate a housing lease with only 90 days notice. I co-sponsored this legislation as well, and voted Yes. It is now in the Senate.
These laws will help keep Ohioans safe from the insidious crime of domestic violence that so plagues our families, communities, court rooms, and jails.
Connie Pillich is the State Representative for Ohio’s 28th House District. You can reach Connie at her Columbus office at (614) 466-8120 or toll free at 1-800-282-0253. Or contact her via email at district28@ohr.state.oh.us. Her web site is www.conniepillich.com. - Energy is a Hot Topic in the General Assembly
Source: Article from Representative Pillich Published: 01/08/2010 -
Energy bills go up in the winter as we crank up the heat to combat the cold outside. Energy cost is a bread and butter issue for Ohio families businesses. And where there is a need, there is an opportunity: In the State House, we are taking that to heart.
Green energy, technology, and products present gigantic new research and manufacturing markets for the 21st Century. The Ohio Legislature is driving policy to make Ohio the national leader in these markets and to capitalize on the enormous opportunity they present. This is a boon to the economy as well as a protective measure for our environment.
Two initiatives in the Ohio House place our State in the lead in the green energy area.
I introduced House Bill 7 to require green building standards for any building that is constructed using funds from the state capital budget. It also encourages the use of Ohio products and materials, mandates highly efficient heating and air conditioning systems, and requires environmentally sustainable building techniques.
HB 7 allows flexibility when going green. The LEED building standard is the pre-eminent national green building standard in the United States. But we also allow the Green Globes program (common in Canada) or an equivalent (to provide for future technology advancements).
When drafting HB 7, I incorporated suggestions from a broad coalition of groups such as the Sierra Club, the Ohio Chemistry Technology Council, US Green Building Council, American Institute of Architects, the League of Women Voters, and BASF.
LEED certified buildings operate comfortably with 25-30% less energy. They use less water, enhance the local economy, protect the environment, and encourage the redevelopment of our cities, towns, and urban cores. Many public and private institutions are going green. We are seeing LEED certified hospitals, museums, universities, schools, stores, court houses, military installations, and federal agencies.
HB 7 will spur the growth of green collar jobs, products, technologies, and industries: this is a HUGE market and Ohio is poised to be the national leader by approving this bill. I voted Yes. It awaits consideration by the Ohio Senate.
House Bill 87 creates the Ohio Energy Resource Center at Ohio University’s Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Affairs. The Energy Resource Center will be a knowledge hub for clean and advanced energy efficiency projects. The Center will maintain data on research and development projects on energy efficiency, provide technical assistance to state and local governments in the Appalachian counties, and supply both private and public entities in the energy field with information on financial and technical assistance. This one-stop-shop approach will welcome the development of a variety of energy-related products, technology, and markets. I voted Yes. It awaits consideration in the Ohio Senate.
To learn more about green energy initiatives in Ohio, come to my Town Hall Meeting on this subject on Monday, January 25, 2010 at 7 pm at the Blue Ash City Hall, 4343 Cooper Road.
Connie Pillich is the State Representative for Ohio’s 28th House District. Her district includes Arlington Heights, Blue Ash, Evendale, Forest Park, Glendale, Lincoln Heights, Lockland, Montgomery, Pleasant Run Farm, Reading, Sharonville, Springdale, Sycamore Township, Woodlawn, and Wyoming. You can reach Connie at her Columbus office at (614) 466-8120 or toll free at 1-800-282-0253. Or contact her via email at district28@ohr.state.oh.us. Her web site is www.conniepillich.com.
- Blue Ash Plant Creates 250 Jobs
Source: Channel 9 News WCPO.com Published: 12/02/2009 -
Click here to read an article about State Rep. Connie Pillich's announcement that the State Controlling Board will release $6.4 million in Ohio Enterprise Bond Fund loans to create jobs in Southwest Ohio.
