OWA Action Fund April Updates
Our fight to get abortion on the ballot this November is in full swing, with volunteers and organizations across the state collecting thousands of signatures each day.
Below are opportunities to plug into the campaign, along with actions to take to protect our freedoms when it comes to abortion access and more. Together, we have the power to tell extremists at the Statehouse that will never stop fighting to create an Ohio where our communities can thrive!
Sign up to collect signatures
Do you have a few hours to spare to help OWA collect signatures to put reproductive freedom to a vote this November? Click to join our volunteer efforts! After signing up, you will receive a link to sign up for specific shifts. Together, we will with this campaign, and we need you to help us make it happen!
Legislative Updates
House Joint Resolution 1 & Senate Joint Resolution 2
These companion resolutions are extremist legislators’ direct attack on Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom’s campaign to get abortion on the ballot this November. This is a blatant power grabs by Ohio conservatives to ensure citizen-led ballot initiatives are more difficult to achieve. Learn more and take action with Ohio Voter Rights Coalition.
House Bill 84 & Senate Bill 53
These companion bills aim to lower the minimum age of police in Ohio. Take action with Ohio Families Unite for Political Action and Change.
House Bill 6
This is the latest attack on trans kids to prevent them from playing on single-gender athletic teams. Take action with Equality Ohio.
Senate Bill 1
This bill would transfer power from the Ohio Board of Education to Governor-appointed officials. Take action with Honesty 4 Ohio Education.
HB 458
In January 2023, Governor DeWine signed HB 458 into law, a massive overhaul of Ohio's elections that resulted in Ohio voters losing many important voting freedoms, including the freedom to vote with an alternate form of ID such as a utility bill, government document, or paycheck. Learn more from partners with Ohio Voter Rights Coalition.
Voter Registration Purge
In February, Ohio removed thousands of citizens from the state voter rolls due to inactivity. Ohio has mistakenly purged thousands of active voters in the past. Take a moment to search the list of removed voters, and if you see your name, please re-register!
OWA Action Fund Change Makers
Our inaugural cohort of Change Makers have been meeting monthly to engage in comprehensive training on Reproductive Justice advocacy at the Statehouse and beyond! So far, trainings have covered Reproductive Justice 101, Advocacy 101, the state budget, and more!
Later this month, our Change Makers will meet with key legislators to discuss how we can collaborate to create an Ohio where all people can truly thrive.
The cohort will continue to receive training through November, and they will be instrumental to our campaign to collect enough signatures to get abortion on the ballot!
State Budget 101
In addition to the many bills moving at the Statehouse, legislators are currently working on the state budget that will impact Ohioans’ quality of life for the next two years. Below is a rundown of the budget process.
What is the state budget?
Each year, Ohio passes a 2-year budget that impacts Ohioans’ quality of life.
State legislators decide what is in the budget, what is funded, and how much funding goes to public goods.
Click for a helpful State Budget 101 resource prepped by our partners at Policy Matters.
Why is the budget important?
The state budget can be used as a tool for equity, and the budget that legislators pass directly illustrates Ohio’s values.
The budget shows us and other states what Ohio values most— and least.
The budget is a direct reflection of the decisions legislators are making for every single Ohioan living in the state.
We deserve a budget that puts people first
This is our chance to tell our legislators that they need to invest in our communities
Wealthy individuals and corporations have benefited from tax cuts, tax loops, and tax dodging for years, and it’s time for them to pay their fair share
Legislators can not continue to cut public resources and expect positive change.
These are OUR tax dollars that legislators are deciding how to spend
In the past, Ohio has failed to invest in its people and communities, and we’re now dealing with the consequences:
Ohio now ranks among the worst states in the country for infant mortality, child poverty and food insecurity, and opioid-overdose death rate.
These rankings actively go against the pillars of Reproductive Justice
We take care of us. Because the state has failed to invest in our communities and take care of us, we take care of each other and will continue to as the state continues to fail us.
What is the budget timeline?
End of January: Governor proposed his budget to legislators
February through mid-April: House budget process
House Finance Committee hears testimony where state agencies share their feedback on the Governor’s proposal
House subcommittees hear testimony from Ohioans and report back to the Finance Committee
House Finance Committee creates its own version of the budget and take it to the House for a floor vote
Entire House votes and sends the agreed-upon budget to Senate
Late April through mid-June: Senate budget process
The Senate follows the same process as the House
When the entire Senate votes for their budget, both versions of the budget (House and Senate) go to the Conference Committee
Mid-June: Conference Committee
Three House legislators and three Senate legislators come together to create the Conference Committee which hashes out differences between the two versions of the budget to create one “Reconciled Budget”
The Reconciled Budget then goes to the Senate and House floors for full votes.
After the House and Senate agree to the Reconciled Budget, it will go to the Governor for review by June 28 (the end of the state’s fiscal year)
June 30: Deadline for the Governor to sign the budget into law
The Governor can veto specific line items before signing the budget into law.
Follow the budget experts over at PolicyMatters Ohio for the latest budget updates and ways you can get involved!
