Week in Review – 04/19/19

Week in Review > Week in Review – 04/19/19

Posted by BASA on April 20th, 2019

CENSUS

Gov. Mike DeWine Monday issued Executive Order 2019-13D creating a 51-member Census 2020 Complete Count Commission to “develop recommendations and assist in the administration of the decennial census to facilitate the most complete and accurate census countin the year 2020, including implementing strategies to reach hard-to-count populations and hard-to enumerate areas.” Members, to be appointed by the governor, will include a Democrat and Republican from both houses of the General Assembly as well as representatives of state and local government, business, academia, community and nonprofit organizations, ethnic and faith-based communities, elected and appointed officials and the Ohio Development Services Agency (DSA).

EDUCATION

The Joint Education Oversight Committee (JEOC) Thursday heard two presentations from education research firms on district report cards — one focusing on quantitative data obtained from parents through an online survey, and another with qualitative feedback from parents who participated in focus groups.

A new opinion from Attorney General Dave Yost’s office offers guidance to schools with policies allowing student release time for religious instruction, including when and how students, school staff and others can promote the instruction. The Wyandot County Prosecutor’s Office requested a formal opinion on behalf of Upper Sandusky Exempted Village Schools for implementation of the district’s release-time policy.

ENERGY

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear a challenge to nuclear energy subsidies that was filed by a trade association representing natural gas-fired power plants and other generation facilities. The Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA) contested price supports for nuclear plants in New York and Illinois, though the group points to a larger industry movement encompassing, to date, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. EPSA says the trend could reduce demand for natural gas in states with nuclear plants.

GAMING/GAMBLING

Total revenue generated by Ohio’s four casinos suffered a slight drop in March 2019 as compared to 2018, according to the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC). However, total revenue collected by video lottery terminals (VLT) at the state’s seven racinos increased significantly, according to the Ohio Lottery Commission (OLC). The casinos grossed $81.1 million in March 2019, down from $81.7 million in March 2018.

The Ohio Casino Control Commission received an update on two different proposals addressing sports betting in the state of Ohio during the commission’s monthly meeting Wednesday. HB194 (Greenspan-Kelly) would authorize the Ohio Lottery Commission to administer sports gambling in Ohio, while SB111(Eklund-O’Brien) would give that authority to the Casino Control Commission.