x
x

Testimony & Public Comments

The Buckeye Institute Submits Comments to the ABA on Race-Based Law School Accreditation

December 20, 2024

“If a commitment to access for all is the ABA’s and the law schools’ goal, then the standards should reflect a commitment to true access for all, not only members of the ABA’s preferred groups. The ABA and law schools can avoid further legal action by simply assuring access to the legal profession to all persons. Therefore, the Council should reconsider the proposed changes and adopt The Buckeye Institute’s proposed standard.”

The Buckeye Institute Testifies on Important Criminal Justice Bill

Greg R. Lawson December 11, 2024

The Buckeye Institute submitted testimony to the Ohio House Homeland Security Committee on the policies in Ohio Senate Bill 37, which would ensure that the suspension of driver’s licenses is related to driving offenses. Millions of Ohioans have their licenses suspended, many for offenses unrelated to dangerous driving. The serious ramifications of these suspensions include “difficulty obtaining and retaining meaningful employment, and [a smaller] pool of available workers for Ohio businesses...”

The Buckeye Institute: Policies in Ohio SB 198 Help Safely Reintegrate Formerly Incarcerated Ohioans Back into Society

Greg R. Lawson December 10, 2024

The Buckeye Institute submitted testimony to the Ohio House State and Local Government Committee on the policies in Ohio Senate Bill 198, which help formerly incarcerated Ohioans obtain the documents they need to secure stable housing and employment. By requiring Ohio’s departments of Rehabilitation and Correction and Youth Services to provide soon-to-be-released inmates with identification documents needed for employment, Senate Bill 198 “further promote[s] the state’s interest in a safer, more just society.”

The Buckeye Institute: Occupational License Reform Will Opens Doors for Ohio’s Workers

Greg R. Lawson December 04, 2024

The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio Senate Government Oversight Committee on the policies in Ohio House Bill 238, which would make it easier for Ohioans to earn a living by eliminating or reducing occupational licensing requirements. In his testimony, Greg R. Lawson, a research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, praised the bill’s sponsors, saying, “Occupational licensing rules may not make news headlines, but they do make a difference in the lives of workers looking to start or extend their careers.”

The Buckeye Institute Cautions Lawmakers on Policies in HB 505

Rea S. Hederman Jr. November 20, 2024

The Buckeye Institute submitted written testimony to the Ohio House Insurance Committee on the policies in Ohio House Bill 505, urging lawmakers to adopt “sound, market-based reforms that will lower regulatory barriers to healthcare, encourage drug innovation, help maintain drug affordability, and improve patient health.” In his testimony, Rea S. Hederman Jr., vice president of policy at The Buckeye Institute, noted that some policies in House Bill 505 will “likely raise consumer prices at the pharmacy rather than lower them.” 

The Buckeye Institute: Policies in SB 275 Help Ohio Meet its Growing Energy Demands

Greg R. Lawson November 19, 2024

The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee on the policies in Ohio Senate Bill 275, which will help Ohio meet its growing energy demands. In his testimony, Greg R. Lawson, a research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, noted that while “Senate Bill 275 does not address every energy issue the state faces,” it does “take several strides in the right direction.”

The Buckeye Institute Proposes Improvements to Ohio Supreme Court Practice Rule 7.06

October 11, 2024

In a letter to Ohio Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy, The Buckeye Institute proposed changes to the Ohio Supreme Court’s practice rule 7.06 to extend the for filing amicus briefs supporting jurisdiction for a case before the court from no later than one day to no later than 30 days after the appellant’s deadline for filing a memorandum in support of jurisdiction. “The proposed amendment will benefit the court in deciding which cases are of public or great general interest to Ohioans.”

The Buckeye Institute: Streamlining Local Government Will Ease Property Tax Burden

Greg R. Lawson May 22, 2024

The Buckeye Institute testified before the Joint Committee on Property Tax Review and Reform and offered lawmakers several recommendations to ease the property tax burden on Ohioans. In the testimony, Buckeye pointed out that with 924 cities and villages, 1,308 townships, more than 600 school districts, 88 counties, and hundreds of other special taxing districts, Ohio has an “over-supply of local government reflects” that has “saddled Ohio with the 12th highest local tax burden as a percentage of income in the country.”

Ohio HB 331 Advances Commonsense Local Government Reforms Championed by The Buckeye Institute

Greg R. Lawson May 07, 2024

The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee on the policies in Ohio House Bill 331, which ensures that village governments unable to provide core services to their residents are held accountable. The bill also makes it easier for village residents to vote on whether to dissolve their local government. The policies in House Bill 331 advance commonsense Buckeye Institute-championed reforms by establishing a “process to determine whether Ohio villages meet the needs of their taxpaying constituents.”

The Buckeye Institute: Policies in Ohio HB 50 Address Challenges that Lead to Recidivism

Greg R. Lawson April 09, 2024

The Buckeye Institute testified before the Ohio Senate Community Revitalization Committee on the policies in Ohio House Bill 50, which will help formerly incarcerated Ohioans reintegrate into society while keeping our communities safe. Greg R. Lawson, a research fellow at The Buckeye Institute, applauded lawmakers for looking for ways to help formerly incarcerated people “secure stable housing in addition to stable employment.”