In preparation for his September release, former lobbyist John Raphael was moved from a federal prison in South Carolina to an undisclosed halfway house in Columbus.

He had been sentenced to 15 months in prison after pleading guilty to a count of extorting campaign contributions from a red-light-camera vendor to city officials. Despite the city doubling its number of cameras from 2005 to 2010 from said vendor, no city officials have been charged.

According to one of his attorneys, his post-release plans are “up in the air.”

The Ohio Drug Price Relief Act is expected to appear on the ballot in November, 2017.

The proposed initiated statute would prohibit the state from purchasing a prescription drug unless the net cost of the drug is equal to or less than the lowest price paid for the drug by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs (VA).

It could directly impact more than 4 million individuals served by state programs including those on Medicaid, individuals participating in state retirement programs, and those receiving care through other state programs such as the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) commissioned Vorys Health Care Advisors (VHCA) and Health Management Associates (HMA) to create an independent and objective analysis of the potential impact of the proposed act.

Results of the analysis show it is highly unlikely the proposed act could be effectively implemented; moreover, it is highly likely it would fail to achieve its purpose and negatively impact non-targeted entities via increased prescription drug costs and limited availability of certain medications.

Ohio state Rep. Greta Johnson announced her resignation this morning, effective at the end of the month.

She is stepping down to take a position as deputy law director for Summit County Executive Ilene Shapiro.

Johnson was elected in 2014 to represent District 35. Prior to serving in the Legislature, she served as a prosecutor in Mahoning County and Summit County, as well as with the city of Akron.

The House Democratic Caucus will soon announce the process for selecting her replacement.

The Ohio Secretary of State Campaign Finance Division recently released revised contribution limits. The new limits are effective February 25, 2017, through February 24, 2019.

Among the changes, the limit individuals, political action committees (PACs), and political contributing entities (PCEs) may give to statewide or state legislative candidates increased from $12,532.34 per election period to $12,707.79 per election period.

The secretary of state adjusts statutory contribution limits in each odd-numbered year based on the Consumer Price Index. 

Here is our December calendar. If you are attending any of these events, please say hello!

December 6-9   NCSL Capitol Forum, Washington, DC

December 6   SGAC Holiday Reception, Washington DC

December 7   Ohio Holiday Reception, Washington, DC

December 7   WGR Holiday Party, Washington, DC

December 8   DDC Advocacy Holiday Party, Washington, DC

December 11-14   COGEL Conference, New Orleans, Louisiana

The Summit County grand jury indicted Akron Councilman Bob Hoch on three first-degree misdemeanor charges. Hoch was accused more than a year ago of violating Ohio conflict of interest laws by voting on legislation and speaking on issues benefitting his sons, who are Akron firefighters.

The three counts pertain to actions taken in 2012, as well as an ongoing alleged conflict between 2014 and 2015.

Hoch previously denied a conflict of interest existed, as did City Council President Marilyn Keith. If convicted, Hoch could face up to 18 months in jail and lose his council seat.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther signed emergency legislation yesterday creating a City Council Ethics Policy. The ethics policy aligns with state ethics law as well as with an executive order signed by Ginther in May 2016.

Ginther’s executive order was immediately effective for executive branch public officials and employees. The new City Council policy has nearly identical provisions on prohibited conduct and financial disclosure, but is applicable to all public officials and city employees.

Effective immediately, public officials and employees may not solicit or accept gifts or employment from anyone doing business with the city. They also must wait at least one year after leaving public service before representing any person or entity before any city department or division with respect to a matter they personally participated in while serving with the city.

Designated officials and employees must also file financial disclosure statements each year. The statements must include a description of each gift, or aggregate of gifts, exceeding $75 from certain sources during the previous calendar year.

Photo of Mayor Andrew Ginther by David Paul on Wikimedia Commons.

Cleveland City Council approved a proposal this week to put a minimum wage increase before the voters in a 2017 special election.

If passed by the voters, the proposal would increase the city minimum wage to $12 per hour in January 2018 and increase the wage $1 annually thereafter for three additional years.

The issue will appear on the ballot on May 2, 2017.

Photo of the Cleveland skyline by Eric Drost in Wikimedia Commons.

Recently introduced legislation could eliminate unnecessary elections if only one person is on the ballot.

The special primary set for September 13, for example, will cost taxpayers $500,000 despite there being only one person on the ballot to become the Democratic nominee going into the November special general election.

Ohio Sen. Frank LaRose, who introduced Senate Bill 347, believes forcing county boards of elections to hold uncontested primary elections is a waste of both time and resources. His proposal would remove the requirement to hold a primary when only one candidate is certified and would allow the secretary of state to declare the lone candidate the party’s nominee.

A special primary election will be held on September 13, 2016, to fill a general election ballot vacancy for Ohio’s 8th Congressional District.

Democratic nominee Corey Foister withdrew from the race to pursue an out-of-state opportunity he said he couldn’t pass up.

Steven Fought, a former congressional staffer from Toledo, was the only Democrat to file for the special election ballot. In November, he will challenge recently elected Republican U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson for the seat in former House Speaker John Boehner’s district. Davidson won a June 7 special election to complete Boehner’s term and is seeking a full term in November.

Ohio Sen. Kris Jordan recently introduced a bill to eliminate special elections in February and August.

His proposal is the result of historically low voter turnout in Ohio special elections. Fewer than 10 percent of residents usually participate in any special election, and an election can cost the state $4 to $6 million.

The Cuyahoga County Council recently updated the county’s code of ethics to clarify the ethical rights, responsibilities, and prohibitions applicable to elected officials, employees, board members, contractors, and lobbyists.

New provisions include, but are not limited to, a new lobbyist registration threshold, a new lobbyist reporting requirement, updated gift rules with a presumption of influence standard, and a lower monetary contract threshold for contractor registration and ethics training.

A summary of the changes to the ethics laws and a copy of the ordinance are available for review on the county inspector general’s website. The ordinance became effective May 27.

Voters in six Ohio counties will decide today who will fill the congressional seat left vacant by former House Speaker John Boehner.

Republican Warren Davidson is facing off against Democrat Corey Foister and Green Party candidate Jim Condit Jr. The winner will complete Boehner’s term.

Low voter turnout is expected with no other races on the ballot.

State and Federal Communications, the sponsor of the 2016 Cherry Blossom Princess of The Ohio Society of Washington, D.C., introduced Ms. Jasmine Wyatt as this year’s Ohio winner at the National Conference of State Societies (NCSS) Cherry Blossom Premiere Event in Washington, D.C. on April 11.

State and Federal Communications President and CEO Elizabeth Bartz honored Ms. Wyatt at a dinner event at The Army and Navy Club, along with the other winners of their respective states and territories.

Since 1948, state and territorial societies, as well as the international embassy community, have selected more than 3,000 accomplished young women for their academic achievement, exceptional poise and appearance, leadership, interest in social, civic, community and world affairs, with a strong desire to serve others through community service, maturity and responsibility to represent their respective states as “Cherry Blossom Princess.”

The week-long National Cherry Blossom Festival allows the ladies to participate in a number of activities, community service, and cultural exchange events. The week culminates by selecting one Cherry Blossom Queen, who is then invited by the Japan Cherry Blossom Association (JCBA) to visit Japan.

Ms. Bartz explains, “The Cherry Blossom Princess program is a wonderful event that State and Federal Communications is so proud to sponsor. These young women have outstanding backgrounds and have already achieved much in their early careers. Our support empowers them to fuel their dreams of future leadership positions. We look forward to Ms. Wyatt representing The Ohio Society of Washington, D.C., at many events this season.”

Ms. Wyatt is a 2011 graduate of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, and a 2015 graduate of Harvard University where she majored in government and minored in South Asian studies. She currently works as a Staff Assistant for Senator Richard Durbin (IL). She began her career in D.C. in 2010 as a Congressional Page. Since then, Jasmine has interned in the Akron mayor’s office, interned with the Department of State, and was the Franklin Williams Fellow-Women & Foreign Policy at the Council on Foreign Relations.

On a more personal note, Ms. Wyatt has taught English to children in local hospitals in Lima, Peru and studied abroad at the School for International Training in Geneva, Switzerland.

Ms. Bartz adds, “Jasmine is an excellent representative for the State of Ohio in the Cherry Blossom Festival. It is a special bonus that she graduated from high school in Akron, Ohio, the same city that State and Federal Communications calls our home.”

For information on the event, visit: http://www.statesocieties.org/cherry-blossom-1/