Issues

On January 6th, our nation endured a horrifying attack on democracy. From claiming that the 2020 election was stolen, to attacking the Capitol, to certifying fake electors, and more – our democracy has endured continuous attacks since that day. Ohio has not been spared from these attacks, in fact, we have been front and center. Thankfully, on August 8th, Ohioans fought back and said no to Issue 1 – an issue that would have diminished the voice of Ohio voters by changing the requirements for constitutional amendments. These attacks on democracy and the will of the people prevailing are expected to continue. It is imperative that we have legislators in our Statehouse that will fight back. I will fight to ensure that Ohioans have representation that fights for the people.

Access to high quality public education is the most important factor of economic security. Children are our best hope for a brighter future. Fully funded public education is the best step we can take to provide a better future for ourselves, and generations to come. When people are educated, societies thrive. Ideas flow. Inventions are created. Sectors of the economy are born. Dreams are realized. Communities are connected. The return on this investment is infinite. We MUST invest in our youth. We are seeing attacks on education in an attempt to dismiss racism, censor teachers, ban books, diminish the experiences of our diverse population, and more. Our children must be prepared to engage the world around them. They deserve the opportunity to receive an honest education that affirms, celebrates, and reflects the diversity of Ohio’s students.

When it comes to starting a family, there is much to think about. The COVID-19 pandemic decimated the childcare industry throughout Ohio. A number of childcare centers closed, and many that remained open decreased the number of children they could accommodate. Procuring a spot in a center-based child care program remains difficult, and the cost of quality child care is more than many families can afford. Due to these barriers, parents are making impossible economic decisions to ensure their children are taken care of – economic decisions that will have a negative long term impact on the financial security of the family. Women are especially affected by these circumstances, as we continue to see women dropping out of paid employment to provide care to their children at a higher rate than their male counterparts.

Energy affordability is one of the most pressing issues facing Ohio families today, and it must be at the heart of how we approach climate and economic policy. As utility bills continue to climb and the demands on our power grid grow, we have an opportunity to address energy costs, climate change, and economic development all at once. By investing in clean, affordable energy and modernizing our grid, we can lower costs for working families while boosting the economy through good-paying jobs in new industries. We can engage and retrain workers left behind by outsourcing, develop best practices, and lead the country in creating new manufacturing jobs—jobs that benefit Ohioans.
At the same time, we must ensure that the rapid expansion of data centers and other large energy consumers in Ohio is never carried out at the expense of the public. Ratepayers should not be forced to subsidize the energy demands of massive corporate facilities through higher bills or degraded service. Data center development must be held to strict standards that protect consumers, prioritize grid reliability, and require these companies to pay their fair share for the infrastructure they use. Ohio can welcome innovation and investment without sacrificing affordability, fairness, or the well-being of its residents.

One of the most frustrating parts of reducing gun violence is that there are so many good proposals on the table of how to do so – very few that have been enacted into law. In Ohio, there has been a push to increase gun presence in schools and even in daycare facilities. We know, the answer to decreasing gun violence is not in increasing the number of guns present in our state. Arming teachers and daycare workers would only provide increased opportunity for death and injury. What we can do is pass Red Flag Laws – permitting law enforcement and family members to petition courts in order to have firearms removed if a person becomes a threat to themselves or others. We can hold gun owners accountable for what happens with their firearm by requiring gun owners to carry insurance and making them liable for any crime that is committed with their weapon. We can better track when firearms fall into the hands of those who are not permitted to use them.

On Election Day, in 2023, Ohioans voted overwhelmingly to support abortion rights. Soon after Ohioans took to the ballot box and expressed their desire for reproductive rights and freedom, Republicans at the Ohio Statehouse vowed they would do anything they could to overturn the will of the people they swore to represent and serve. I am proudly pro-choice and firmly believe that fighting for abortion rights is paramount to ensure healthy, thriving communities. I will continue to unabashedly fight for reproductive freedom at the Ohio Statehouse.