Ohio’s Summer Advocacy Update!

Summer 2026 Ohio Legislative Update: Advocacy in Action

As the summer heats up, the Ohio General Assembly has wrapped up its major legislative business before heading into a summer and fall recess for the upcoming campaign season. Lawmakers are not expected to return for regular voting sessions until after the November 3, 2026, general election, where all 99 seats in the Ohio House, half of the Ohio Senate, and major statewide executive and judicial offices are on the ballot. Ohio will certainly have a new governor for the 137th General Assembly, although no major sea change is expected in the House or Senate make up.

Following the election, the legislature is widely expected to return for a post-election “lame duck” session in November or December to finalize lingering business. This is when we are looking to push some of these policy priorities over the finish line. Please act today on any bill listed below to sign up for alerts.

Our advocacy network has been hard at work championing health, safety, and workplace protections across several key bills. Here is where our current legislative priorities stand:

📍Priority Legislation: What We Support

• HB 364 – Sodium Warning Labels (Chain Restaurants): The House Agriculture Committee recently attached an American Heart Association-supported amendment to this bill (originally a food allergen bill) to require sodium warning labels in chain restaurants for meals containing more than 1,150 mg of sodium.
  • Why it matters: This aims to promote education and prevent costs associated with high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart disease and stroke that impacts over a third of Ohioans. Excessive sodium intake places a massive, preventable burden on our healthcare system and reduces workforce productivity.
  • Status: The bill has received four hearings in the House Agriculture Committee and is awaiting a committee vote.
  • Action: E-mail your legislator    or     Call your legislator

• HB 437 – Healthy Cardiac Monitoring Act: Introduced by Reps. Jean Schmidt and Tristan Rader, this bill ensures student athletes are assessed for heart conditions so they can be diagnosed, monitored, and treated as early as possible. It requires a pre-participation physical exam with targeted personal and family history and a physical examination conducted in accordance with nationally recognized guidelines.
  • Status: Approved by the House (87-2) on March 4 and is now awaiting Senate Committee hearings.
  • Action: E-mail your legislator    or     Call your legislator

• HB 687 – AEDs in Fitness Centers & School Emergency Action Plans (EAPs): Introduced by Rep. Jean Schmidt, this bill establishes a standardized, evidence-based approach to cardiac emergencies. It requires schools to adopt formal emergency action plans rooted in national standards and practice them quarterly, which can increase survival rates from sudden cardiac arrest by up to 70%.
  • Status: Voted out of the House Arts, Athletics, and Tourism Committee 11-0 on June 2, and is awaiting a House floor vote.

• SB 396 – Paid Family Medical Leave: A bipartisan bill introduced by Sens. Bill Blessing and Beth Liston to establish a state-managed Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program. It provides full- and part-time workers with up to 14 weeks of job-protected, paid time off annually to welcome a new child, care for a sick family member, or handle personal medical crises.
  • Status: Has had one hearing in the Senate Financial Institutions Committee. This would provide a vital safety net for nearly 4.4 million Ohioans currently lacking paid leave.
  • Action: Share your story here.

🛑 Priority Legislation: What We Oppose

• HB 549 – Cigar Bar Bill (Clean Indoor Air Threat): This legislation seeks to undermine the successful Ohio Smoke Free Workplace Act by permitting smoking in newly defined “cigar bars,” exposing workers and patrons to toxic secondhand smoke. Brief exposure damages blood vessels, elevates heart rate, and can immediately trigger a cardiac event.
  • Status: The bill has had one hearing in the House Ways & Means Committee, and the AHA has met with every committee member to voice strong opposition. We do not expect this bill to move forward.

• HB 849 – Vapor Product Registry: Introduced by Reps. Phil Plummer and Jodi Salvo, this “registry bill” tasks a state agency with maintaining a list of tobacco products allowed to be sold, without providing a funding source.
  • Why we oppose it: Pushed by major tobacco companies (Reynolds American, Altria, and JUUL), these bills are designed to increase market share, cut out smaller competitors, and divert attention from proven youth-prevention policies like flavor bans and tobacco retail licensure (TRL). While claiming to target illegal imports, state registries often end up listing thousands of illegal products.
  • Status: Received three hearings in committee and appears to be bogged down for now. Conversations on amendments will continue over the summer.

🏙️ Local & Regional Updates

• Columbus Complete Streets Policy: The City of Columbus recently passed a landmark Complete Streets policy to ensure safe and accessible infrastructure for everyone using city roadways, whether walking, riding a bicycle, using scooters or assistive devices, taking transit, or driving. This data-informed approach focuses on protecting vulnerable road users and reducing serious crashes across our neighborhoods.
• Springfield Tobacco Retail License Changes: The Springfield City Commission recently enacted critical updates to its tobacco retail license (TRL) policy. These proposed changes – adding a proximity clause for new retailers and additional layers to the existing penalty structure that includes license revocation – are essential steps toward strengthening local oversight of tobacco retailers, ensuring accountability, and protecting public health—particularly preventing youth access to dangerous tobacco and vapor products.

⚖️ Tobacco Preemption & Home Rule Lawsuit

Following local tobacco control policies passed by Columbus and over 20 other municipalities, the state legislature overrode a gubernatorial veto in 2024 to implement a statewide ban on local tobacco restrictions.

On June 9, 2026, the Ohio Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Columbus v. State to determine whether the state’s preemption law is constitutional.

• The Cities’ Argument: Representing 21 municipalities, attorneys argued that preemption violates the Home Rule Amendment of the Ohio Constitution (1912), which guarantees local communities the authority to pass laws addressing their distinct local needs.
• The State’s Argument: Contended that the preemption law is a uniform “general law” meant to avoid a confusing patchwork of varying local tobacco rules.

The statewide ban on local restrictions remains active for non-plaintiffs while the court deliberates, with a final ruling anticipated in the coming months.

Thank you for your continued dedication and advocacy!

Your voices are critical in moving these health and safety initiatives forward. Stay tuned for more updates as we approach the fall elections and the lame-duck session!