Throughout the week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted provided updates on Ohio's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other state initiatives.
On Monday,?Governor DeWine was joined by Lt. Governor Husted, Representative Rick Carfagna, Ohio Development Services Agency Director Lydia Mihalik, and Ohio Department of Education Superintendent Paolo DeMaria at Amanda Elementary in Middletown, Ohio, to sign House Bill 2.
House Bill 2, sponsored by Representative Rick Carfagna and Representative Brian Stewart, creates the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program under the Ohio Development Services Agency to support the financing of broadband expansion projects in communities across the state.
Numerous statements of support for House Bill 2 can be found at governor.ohio.gov.
Ohio's order reflects the CDC's recommendation that everyone wear masks when in a healthcare setting, when traveling on public transportation (including airplanes), and when at a business or employer that chooses to require masks.
The CDC recommendations make clear that businesses will be able to choose for themselves whether they continue to require masks in their premises. If a business chooses to require masking for employees and customers, that is permitted under the CDC guidance and Ohio's order. If a business chooses not to require masks and leave that choice to customers and employees, that is also permitted in the CDC guidance and Ohio's order.
As advised by the CDC, Ohio's order also continues to require masking in congregate settings, such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, and in settings with large numbers of unvaccinated individuals, such as schools and daycare centers.
YOUTH VACCINATION FAQs
The Ohio Department of Health has created a new Frequently Asked Questions document?to answer common questions from parents, guardians, and youth about COVID-19 vaccines.
The document shares information about the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, parental consent, where children can be vaccinated, and more.
Just like adults, youth can be vaccinated at many locations across the state that are offering the Pfizer vaccine. This vaccine is available at Children?s Hospitals, as well as a number of regular hospitals, local health departments, retail pharmacies, community health centers, primary care physicians, and some pediatricians.
Parents who would like their child to be vaccinated at their pediatrician's office are encouraged to call the office first and ask if they are administering the Pfizer vaccine. Pediatricians that are not yet registered to be vaccine providers are encouraged to sign up. Pediatricians and other potential vaccine providers can find more information at odh.ohio.gov.
VAX-A-MILLION UPDATE
Governor DeWine announced that the Ohio Vax-a-Million drawing will be an opt-in program. Ohioans can register for the drawings by visiting OhioVaxaMillion.com or by calling the Ohio Department of Health at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.
Detailed information about the drawings are available in this press release from the Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Lottery.
RESOURCES FOR OHIO EMPLOYERS
As Ohio?s economy recovers, businesses continue to experience difficulty filling open positions. Lt. Governor Husted outlined the process for employers to report work refusals on the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) website. This includes jfs.ohio.gov, unemployment.ohio.gov, and OhioMeansJobs.com.
Because of the wide availability of both jobs and the vaccine in the state, ODJFS now has several buttons featured prominently on their websites for employers to report former employees who are receiving unemployment, but have refused offers of suitable work.
Individuals can visit OhioMeansJobs.com?or contact their local OhioMeansJobs center to find and apply for job openings, take skill and career interest assessments, create or improve their resume, or practice interviewing.
OhioMeansJobs.com?currently lists more than 180,000 job openings, and nearly 95,000 of them pay more than $50,000 per year.
To find contact information for your nearest OhioMeansJobs center, visit OhioMeansJobs.com and select ?FIND A JOB CENTER? at the bottom of the page or call 1-888-296-7541.
Also on Monday, Governor DeWine was joined by Lt. Governor Husted and several members of the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate to sign two coronavirus pandemic relief bills.
Senate Bill 108, sponsored by Senator Steve Huffman and Senator Mark Romanchuk, provides funding relief through Development Services Agency to bars, restaurants, and hotels that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Senate Bill 109, sponsored by Senator Nathan Manning and Senator Michael Rulli, provides funding for businesses and child care providers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as funding for local fairs and Ohio Veterans Homes.
Additionally, Governor DeWine signed following bills in private.
House Bill 7, sponsored by Representative Diane Grendell and Representative Brian Stewart, revises Probate Law, Guardianship Law, and Ohio Trust Code.
House Bill 8, sponsored by Representative Thomas West and Representative Phil Plummer, revises electronic recording of custodial interrogations.
House Bill 87, sponsored by Representative Jason Stephens, and Representative Marilyn John, exempts certain utility supply contracts from a 10-year maximum.
On Tuesday,?Governor DeWine authorized the use of the State Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) to provide Gallia and Lawrence counties with funding to offset costs associated with severe ice storms that impacted southern Ohio earlier this year.
The February ice storms caused dangerous and damaging conditions that brought down trees and caused widespread?power outages in both counties. At the time, Governor DeWine declared a state of emergency and activated members of the Ohio National Guard?to assist with the removal of downed trees that were interfering with work to restore power and obstructing ditches, creeks, and streams.?
The SDRP reimbursement program is available for use in instances where storm damage amounts do not meet the threshold for federal assistance. The program is intended to provide supplemental state assistance to local governments and eligible non-profit organizations for costs associated with debris removal, emergency protective measures, and permanent work.?
Governor DeWine's authorization allows the Ohio Emergency Management Agency to request the funding from the Ohio Controlling Board.
On Wednesday,?Lt. Governor Husted traveled to the Cleveland area to promote the state's efforts to champion career, technical, and vocational education. He heard from students at Max S. Hayes High School about their career pathways and toured their CAD, Welding, Precision Machining, Building & Construction, and Auto Tech labs.
The Lt. Governor also had the chance to talk to students from Auburn Career Center at Cornerstone IT. Auburn was chosen as one of the 12 pilot sites for the High School Tech Internship Pilot Program in which Cornerstone plans to participate.
On Thursday,?Governor DeWine announced that Laurel Dawson, his current Chief of Staff, has assumed the role of Counselor to the Governor, and that that Policy Director Michael Hall has taken over the role of Chief of Staff.? Ann O?Donnell, Chief Advisor to the Governor, will remain in her current role.
?Laurel Dawson has been a trusted advisor of mine since I first ran for the U.S. House of Representatives.? She has served my administration exceedingly well as Chief of Staff, and I am grateful that she will be taking on this role,? said Governor Mike DeWine.?? ?I am equally pleased that Michael Hall has agreed to serve as Chief of Staff.? His in-depth knowledge of our administration will allow for a seamless transition. Michael and Laurel are part of an established senior leadership structure that includes Ann O?Donnell as Chief Advisor, a position she has held since the beginning of our administration.?
Dawson will remain part of the Governor?s senior leadership team in her new role as Counselor to the Governor and will continue to serve as a senior advisor.? Dawson will focus on collaborating with organizations, businesses, and state and local government throughout Ohio to help further key DeWine administration initiatives such as growing Ohio?s economy, enhancing job training efforts, expanding broadband, and H2Ohio. She will continue to help implement Governor DeWine?s vision for the future by harnessing the talent within state government and outside state government, working with businesses and non-profits to drive these projects.
Michael Hall, who has taken over the role of Chief of Staff, had been serving as Director of Policy to the Governor since January 14, 2019. Prior to that, he was the Policy Director for the DeWine-Husted for Ohio Campaign.? And before that, Hall was a partner with Ice Miller, LLP in their government affairs practice group. He also served in the office of then-U.S. Senator Mike DeWine.
On Friday, Governor DeWine and First Lady Fran DeWine visited a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at the Cincinnati African American Chamber of Commerce.?
As of Friday, there have been 1,095,746 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Ohio. Additionally, 19,709 confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths have occurred. A total of 58,501 people have been hospitalized, including 8,041 admissions to intensive care units.
For more information on Ohio's response to COVID-19, visit?coronavirus.ohio.gov?or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH.
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