September 2021 News & Updates

Message from Rep. Kristin Boggs

Over the past month, I have had the pleasure of hosting several town halls across the county to talk about the new ways Ohio legislative and congressional districts are being drawn. Many Franklin County residents showed up to discuss the importance of drawing new maps that reflect Ohio's partisan make up and create competitive districts.

Unfortunately, the Ohio Redistricting Commission did not file a state legislative map that earned the support of the Democratic members on the Commission. Without the full approval, this map will only be upheld for 4 years instead of 10 years. In addition, several groups have filed law suits against the Commission in the Ohio Supreme Court because the maps are unconstitutional.

While the Court is determining if the state legislative map will stand, the Ohio Legislature will now focus on the Congressional district map. The deadline for this map submission is due on Sept. 30. The map needs support from 60% of lawmakers in the House and Senate, including half of the Democrats.

Kristin

Rep. Boggs, Rep. Leland, and Rep. Jarrells at a Grove City Redistricting Town Hall on September 7th.

In The Media

This month, Rep. Boggs was featured in the Columbus Dispatch where she discussed her bill that would remove the cap on damages awarded to sexual abuse survivors, HB 199. This bill would include employer's and supervisors in liability claims, including the Catholic Church in regards to abuse conducted by priests.

Rep. Boggs spoke on the importance of ensuring survivors receive the full compensation that a jury deems appropriate by removing the $250,000 damage cap, "It is mind-blowing to me that ... our statutes are going to say you are not entitled to the justice that they determined was appropriate."

You can find the rest of the article by following this link.

Equality Ohio License Plate Bill Introduced

Last month, Rep. Boggs and Rep. Kent Smith introduced HB 404 to establish a license plate for Equality Ohio, which is a nonprofit organization that advocates and educates to achieve fair treatment and equal opportunity for all Ohioans regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression.

The funds raised from the purchase of this license plate will go toward advancing Equality Ohio’s mission, including LGBTQ+ visibility and education. For more information on Equality Ohio, go to: https://equalityohio.org/

Hispanic Heritage Month

Every year, September 15 to October 15 marks National Hispanic American Heritage Month.

Hispanic Americans account for four percent of Ohio’s total population.

This month, House Democrats are proud to celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of Hispanic and Latinx Americans!

Suicide Prevention Month

September is Suicide Prevention Month. We can all help to prevent suicide and remove the stigma surrounding mental health.

Help is available: call or text the Franklin County Suicide Prevention Hotline at 614-221-5445, or visit https://adamhfranklin.org/find-help/suicide-prevention/ .

The Redistricting Process Continues