Thank you to those of you who were able to join us for yesterday’s Coffee with Common Cause!  We are glad that we had an opportunity to reflect on the No Kings rallies and to explore what is happening at the Ohio Statehouse. 

Click here for the slides and here for the recording. Below please find additional links to useful resources that we discussed during the meeting.

Ohio Budget is now in Conference Committee and they hope to wrap up next week. Your phone calls can make a difference 

The budget conference committee members:

• Senate Finance Chair — Jerry Cirino (R) (614) 644-7718
• Senate Finance Vice Chair — Brian Chavez (R) (614) 466-6508 
• Senate Finance Ranking Member — Paula Hicks-Hudson (D) (614) 466-5204
• House Finance Chair — Brian Stewart (R) (614) 466-1464
• House Finance Vice Chair — Mike Dovilla (R) (614) 466-4895
• House Finance Ranking Member — Bride Rose Sweeney (D) (614) 466-3350

These 6 legislators + House Speaker Matt Huffman (R) + Senate President Rob McColley (R) are the main people to contact about the budget now

Contact Gov DeWine’s office to start asking for budget vetoes: bit.ly/MikeDeWine

Learn more about what’s in the budget: Bit.ly/OhioBudget2025

Take Action Resources

• Tell lawmakers to invest in our future: Send an email
• Preserve the Ohio Elections Commission: Script
• Don’t pay for the Browns Stadium: More info

The People’s Promise – Holding Elected Officials Accountable

• Tell Congress: Deliver on the People’s Promise of a Government that Works for us All!
• Toolkit: Stop the Cuts

Keeping Our Eyes on Voting Rights

• Federal “SAVE Act 2.0“ introduced last session from Katie Britt would allow states to opt-in to a system of documentary proof of citizenship (DPOC) rather than requiring it. 
• Senate Bill 153: Fair Districts and We Are Ohio held a press conference last week to explain the sneaky attacks on direct democracy hidden in SB153 and HB233. Voter rights groups say Ohio GOP voting overhaul threatens the state’s citizen initiative process Ohio Capital Journal, June 10, 2025

Ways to Pushback: Post on social media – S.B. 153 Toolkit:  bit.ly/SB153Toolkit; Email your Reps. and Gov. DeWine; Log your call to your Ohio Senator; Sign up to testify or submit testimony (we’ll send alerts)

• Senate Bill 4 – Election Integrity Unit passed the Senate this week.
  • Mia Lewis testifies against SB4

Article V Convention Hearings

Ohio ‘state to watch’ for U.S. constitutional convention measures, concerned advocates say, Ohio Capital Journal, June 12, 2025

• Catherine Turcer testifies against Article V Convention
• Track all the Article V legislation 

Senate Bill 1 Referendum Collection Resources – deadline June 25

House Bill 6/First Energy PUCO Hearings

• Follow our timeline for new developments

House Bill 1 and Senate Bill 88

These bill would ban individuals and businesses from owning property within a 25-mile radius of “critical infrastructure” if national origin is linked to countries whose governments are listed as foreign adversaries by U.S. Secretary of State. The bills would target legal immigrants and restrict property rights and civil liberties.

• Current list includes: China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela 
• “Critical infrastructure” is so broad, it includes utilities (water/sewage, phone and electric)

Upcoming Events

• June 19 Happy Juneteenth!    
• June 24 at 10 am Rally Against HB1 & SB88, Statehouse
• June 25 at 1:30pm Rally for Ohio Kids, Statehouse 
• June 26 at 6pm Threats to Rule of Law & What You Can Do about It featuring civil rights attorney Subodh Chandra and Common Cause’s Omar Noureldin
• June 27 at noon Ohio Voter Rights Coalition meeting
• July 17 Good Trouble Lives On
• July 31 at 8:30 am Coffee with Common Cause Ohio
• August 13 at 6pm Fair Districts All Volunteer Huddle– Congressional Mapmaking Kickoff 
• Sept 20 from 10am-3pm The Second Annual In-Person Election Protection Summit