Making an Impact – An Advocacy Recap in Ohio

Here is a comprehensive recap of all our advocacy efforts have been able to accomplish in the past year in Ohio. This past year was unique, with legislative sessions overlapping fiscal years, requiring us to be agile and persistent.

A Major Win: AEDs in Schools (HB 47)

Last July, as the 24/25 fiscal year began, we were pushing hard for House Bill 47, requiring AEDs in schools. After over a year of dedicated work with sponsors and legislators, the bill was ultimately voted out right before the summer recess, sending it to Governor DeWine for his signature. This was truly welcome news!

The standing-room-only bill signing ceremony was held on July 15th at Worthington Kilbourne High School, a poignant location where student athlete Canen Dickman was saved from sudden cardiac arrest by his soccer coach, Jon Sprunger. It was an emotional, celebratory, and profoundly important day for all Ohio schools.

While HB 47 is now in effect, the Smart Heart Sports Coalition is already looking ahead, interested in amending the language to add further details to the required emergency action plan and cardiac emergency response plan. More updates on this will come when the legislature returns from its current summer recess, which began on June 27th.

Defending Against Harmful Legislation in the 135th General Assembly

The latter half of the 135th General Assembly (the first half of our 24/25 Fiscal Year) brought its own set of challenges. When legislators returned from summer recess in September, we spent two months educating members on the dangers of House Bill 530. This bill would have created a cigar bar exemption to Ohio’s 18-year-old indoor smoke-free law, allowing establishments to permit smoking if just 15% of their revenue came from cigar products. This was a significant concern, especially as it could have opened the door for bars with liquor permits to allow smoking.

Ultimately, through your tireless advocacy and calls to legislators, we successfully kept HB 530 from receiving more than two hearings, and it thankfully died when the General Assembly adjourned in December 2024.

We also actively fought against Senate Bill 240; a SNAP benefits restrictions bill sponsored by Senator Tim Schaffer. This bill would have created unnecessary bureaucracy and inefficiency for County Job and Family Services (CJFS) offices by requiring drug testing for individuals with drug felonies for three years post-release, at the county’s expense. It also unfairly penalized children by prohibiting SNAP benefits for individuals delinquent in childcare custody payments.

During our fight, we urged lawmakers to instead focus on improving CJFS office efficiency to ensure timely and accurate benefit processing, recognizing their critical role in supporting low-income Ohioans. Again, the tireless work of AHA volunteers and staff ensured this bill also received no more than two hearings and died in December 2024.

Navigating the New 136th General Assembly & The Operating Budget

January 2025 saw the seating of the 136th General Assembly, bringing new leadership in both the House (Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima) and Senate (President Rob McColley, R-Napoleon), along with over 30 new legislators. This presented a unique opportunity for the AHA, our State Advocacy Committee members, staff, and local volunteers to build new relationships and discuss our upcoming Operating Budget requests.

Leading up to the budget’s introduction in early February (Governor DeWine’s final budget as he is term-limited), we met extensively with new legislators and the Governor’s policy team. We advocated strongly for bold tobacco control measures, including a tobacco tax increase and a statewide vapor retailer registry for accountability. We hoped the Governor, in his final budget, would “go big” on tobacco – and he did!

His proposed budget bill included a $1.50/pack increase to the cigarette tax (which hasn’t been adjusted in 10 years and is below the national average), an increase on Other Tobacco Products (OTP) to match cigarette tax levels, a ban on the sale of flavored e-cigarettes (a leading cause of youth addiction), the AHA-requested vapor store registry, and a significant increase to the Tobacco Use Prevention Fund (from $7.5M/year to $20M/year).

However, upon the introduction of HB 96, House and Senate leadership quickly signaled to news outlets their intent to remove these provisions, setting the stage for a challenging year. Simultaneously, we were also advocating for Produce Perks, seeking an increase from $1M/year to $2M/year to expand this vital SNAP Double Up Food Bucks program.

Instead of backing down, we held strong. We continued to highlight the importance of tobacco tax increases, the revenue they could generate, and the medical savings they could achieve. Our advocacy included volunteer and staff testimonies, volunteer emails to House members, and a crucial Lobby Day in mid-March.

Our Lobby Day on March 18th was a testament to your dedication, with 27 stalwart volunteers and staff holding over 45 meetings in just over four hours. This was an all-hands-on-deck effort to shift Ohio’s health trajectory. While legislators often remained non-committal on tobacco, there was one ask that received universal acceptance and support: funding Produce Perks.

As the budget bill progressed, the Governor’s tobacco control items were removed by the House, which decreased funding for the Tobacco Use Prevention Fund by $1.5M/year. The Senate followed suit, not reinstating the tobacco items and even redirecting earned interest from the Tobacco Use Prevention Fund to the General Revenue Fund – an unanticipated setback that was, thankfully, line item vetoed by Governor DeWine, claiming his veto is in the public interest. Critically, Produce Perks funding was retained at $1M/year in both chambers.

After numerous discussions and finalizations in the Conference Committee, the Produce Perks funding remained intact in the final version. This resilient program, offering a $1-for-$1 match on fresh fruits and vegetables, will continue to benefit SNAP families, keep money circulating in local communities, and support farmers’ markets and independent grocers, all while promoting healthy eating habits.

Looking Forward

While we are certainly disappointed that the House and Senate removed the Governor’s comprehensive tobacco control provisions, our resolve to fight for the health of our state remains unyielding. We will continue to UNITE TO CHANGE THE FUTURE OF HEALTH.

My deepest thanks go out to all the volunteers who dedicated their time to testify, send emails, attend Lobby Day, and participate in legislative meetings throughout this seven-month process. Without you, none of our successes would have been possible. YOU are the WHY for me. You are the reason I believe we will remain hardy and buoyant, ready to bounce back from these challenges. As the Ohio Legislature prepares to come back from summer recess, know that you have a vital place here with the AHA, and we eagerly anticipate your continued partnership in all our advocacy campaigns. I hope you will stick with us.