Legislators making efforts to pass bills before year’s end

COLUMBUS — Ohio lawmakers have their eyes on multiple pieces of legislation as the year wraps up.

84th House District Rep. Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield) saw a bill she sponsored revising massage therapy law pass the House. The bill closes a loophole in Ohio law that permits non-licensed individuals to perform massages, as long as they do not specifically call it “massage therapy” or advertise their practices as “medical” or “therapeutic massage.” Manchester said the bill’s goal was to prevent human trafficking. That legislation is headed to the Ohio Senate.

She also is focused on overriding the veto on House Bill 311, authorizing counties to obtain a county inspector general. Manchester felt there is enough support in the House to override the veto.

82nd District Rep. Craig Riedel (R-Defiance) has felt similarly and is waiting on the Ohio Senate to move forward. He said he is frustrated with how Gov. Mike DeWine is handling legislation without the General Assembly. He said the legislation allows lawmakers to help the governor’s office.

Manchester has been following foster care reforms and felt the Transportation Committee recommendations were the result of “really productive conversation.”

She said she expects to be involved with related

legislation next year and promoted an effort to make foster care training more available.

Riedel is looking to pass H. B. 796 — a bill that would expand exceptions to current duty to retreat legislation — before the end of the year. The legislation would extend the rights of law abiding citizens to defend themselves anywhere they are legally allowed to be, as long as they are not involved in any unlawful activity and are not the original aggressor.  Riedel described the bill as a “pro second amendment bill.”

Ohio’s current law establishes the “Castle Doctrine,” which states there is no duty to retreat before using force if a person is lawfully within their residence, vehicle or a vehicle owned by an immediate family member. The proposed legislation would extend the laws within the Castle Doctrine to any place a person is lawfully allowed to be.

State Rep. Kyle Koehler (RSpring field) co-sponsored the bil

“My right to defend myself from serious bodily harm or death does not change just because I am outside the walls of my home,” he said. “My right to defend myself from serious bodily harm or death does not change if I am inside or outside my car. My right to defend myself from serious bodily harm or death should be extended to anywhere I am lawfully allowed to be.”

Another piece of legislation Riedel is focused on is stopping the implementation of House Bill 6, which was related was related to First Energy and the nuclear bailout.

House Bill 6 would slightly raise electricity bills if it is implemented.