2016 RATINGS of OHIO TABLE OF CONTENTS. OH Senate Vote Descriptions. Letter from the Chairman. ACU & ACUF Board Members.

Transcription

1 2016 RATINGS of OHIO #ACURatings Conservative.org TABLE OF CONTENTS Letter from the Chairman 2 OH Senate Vote Descriptions 5 ACU & ACUF Board Members 3 OH Senate Scores 7 Selecting the 3 OH House Vote Descriptions Winners & Losers 4 OH House Scores 11

2 LETTER FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dear Fellow Conservatives, We are pleased to present the American Conservative Union Foundation s ratings for the 2016 meeting of the Ohio General Assembly. Like our Congressional Ratings, our State Ratings reflect how elected officials view the role of government in an individual's life. The Ohio legislators with the highest scores voted most consistently with the ideals articulated in the U.S. Constitution: limited and transparent government, individual rights, personal responsibility, and lasting cultural values. In 2015, ACU Foundation was proud to make history by being the first organization to rate every single state legislature across the full spectrum of issues, helping each voter understand how his or her state ranks among the rest. Ultimately, we are trying to help people understand what conservatism is and how it improves the lives of everyday Americans. Conservatism is the political philosophy that sovereignty resides in the person. We think that understanding this idea is essential if Americans are to successfully govern themselves again. Working with our policy centers and fellows, the ACU Foundation engages in deep policy analysis to help create our annual state scorecards. We have enhanced the vote descriptions this year to show this effort more clearly. By examining all 50 of our State Ratings, we can see which states have most effectively promoted conservative solutions and which have struggled. Our ratings also help identify legislators who have courageously fought against liberal majorities. We hope that this guide helps you learn how well, or poorly, your legislators work to preserve the values we share. Sincerely, Matt Schlapp Chairman American Conservative Union 2

3 ACU BOARD MEMBERS Matt Schlapp Chairman Charlie Gerow First Vice Chairman Carolyn D. Meadows Second Vice Chairman Bob Beauprez Treasuer Amy Frederick Secretary Thomas Winter Executive Committee Member Larry Beasley Kimberly Bellissimo Morton C. Blackwell John Bolton Jose Cardenas Ron Christie Muriel Coleman Kellyanne Conway Tom DeLay Becky Norton Dunlop ACU FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBERS John Eddy Luis Fortuno Alan M. Gotleib Van D. Hipp, Jr. Dr. M. Zuhdi Jasser James V. Lacy Michael R. Long Ed McFadden Grover G. Norquist Ron Robinson Mike Rose Ned Ryun Peter Samuelson Sabrina Schaeffer Fred L. Smith, Jr. Matt Smith Ed Yevoli SELECTING THE VOTES ACU researched and selected a range of bills before the Ohio General Assembly that determine a member s adherence to conservative principles. We selected bills that focus on Ronald Reagan s philosophy of the three-legged stool : 1) fiscal and economic: taxes, budgets, regulation, spending, healthcare, and property; 2) social and cultural: 2nd amendment, religion, life, welfare, and education; and 3) government integrity: voting, individual liberty, privacy, and transparency. This wide range of issues are designed to give citizens an accurate assessment that conveys which of Ohio s elected leaders best defend the principles of a free society: Life, Liberty and Property. Matt Schlapp Chairman Millie Hallow Vice Chairman Van D. Hipp, Jr. Treasurer Amy Frederick Secretary Kimberly Bellissimo Jose Cardenas Jonathan Garthwaite Charlie Gerow Colin Hanna Niger Innes Willes Lee Carolyn D. Meadows Randy Neugebauer Thomas Winter 1331 H Street NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC (202)

4 2016 WINNERS & LOSERS AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE EXCELLENCE <= 10 COALITION OF THE RADICAL LEFT SENATE HOUSE HOUSE SENATE HOUSE HOUSE n/a AMSTUTZ BRENNER HOOD HUFFMAN ROEGNER SPRAGUE ZELTWANGER AWARD FOR CONSERVATIVE ACHIEVEMENT Brown Sawyer Schiavoni Skindell Tavares Thomas Williams Ashford Boggs Boyce Celebrezze Clyde Craig Howse Johnson, G. Kuhns Leland Lepore-Hagan Phillips Ramos Smith, K. Sykes SENATE SENATE HOUSE HOUSE HOUSE BACON BALDERSON BURKE FABER HACKETT HOTTINGER HUGHES JONES JORDAN OBHOF OELSLAGER PETERSON SEITZ UECKER ANTANI BAKER BECKER BLESSING BOOSE BUCHY BURKLEY BUTLER GREEN HAGAN HALL HENNE HILL KOEHLER LANDIS LaTOURETTE ROMANCHUK ROSENBERGER RUHL RYAN SCHAFFER SCHERER SCHURING SMITH, R. CONDITT McCOLLEY TERHAR CUPP PELANDA THOMPSON DEAN PERALES VITALE DEVER REINEKE YOUNG GINTER RETHERFORD 4

5 OHIO SENATE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. HB 294 Taxpayer Funding of Abortions. This bill prohibits using state and some federal funds for contracting with any organization that performs abortions, such as Planned Parenthood. ACU Foundation s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on this issue, believes abortion is a human tragedy, and supports restrictions on the practice. ACU supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on January 27, 2016 by a vote of SB 296 Polling Hours. This bill sets specific standards a court must follow when ordering polling places to remain open for extended hours on election-day. It also provides that those who vote after hours will cast a provisional ballot. ACU opposes arbitrary court decisions, which allow some polling places to stay open later and others to close earlier, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 11, 2016 by a vote of SB 242 Auto Manufacturer Mandates. This bill expands government interference in agreements between automotive manufacturers and dealer franchisees by dictating labor rates and repair times for warranty and recall work. In addition, the bill makes it harder for a manufacturer to legally terminate an agreement with a low-performing dealership by requiring that manufacturers consider local market conditions. ACU opposes government mandates that interfere with contract arrangements between private companies, which drives up costs for consumers, and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on May 11, 2016 by a vote of SB 329 Government Reform. This bill sets up a review of all state agencies and requires the General Assembly to renew or eliminate them. Every two years, half of the state agencies would be up for review and their performance evaluated. After the agency makes its case to continue, the General Assembly must pass a bill for the agency s renewal or the department would expire. ACU supports government reform that holds government more accountable to the taxpayers and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on September 28, 2016 by a vote of HB 493 Abortion Restrictions Concerning Fetal Heartbeat. This bill prohibits abortions once the fetus s heart starts beating, if detected by external conditions. ACU believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on December 6, 2016 by a vote of 22-10, but it was vetoed by the governor. 6. HB 48 Concealed Carry Restrictions. This bill allows concealed handguns to be carried in previously off-limits locations such as libraries, city halls, and other government buildings that do not use metal detectors, among other provisions. ACU supports the Founders' belief in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on December 7, 2016 by a vote of SB 27 Worker s Compensation. This bill provides that firefighters who are disabled from contracting cancer are automatically assumed to qualify for worker s compensation unless it can be shown there is no connection between their work and the cancer. ACU believes that worker s compensation should be reserved for those who can show the connection between a disability and work and opposed this bill. The Senate passed the bill on December 7, 2016 by a vote of SB 331 Pet Store Regulations and Minimum Wage Changes. This bill combines two separate bills into one. One section prohibits cities from mandating where pet stores have to purchase puppies. Another section prohibits localities from setting their own minimum wage different from the state minimum wage. Expanding entrepreneurship promotes economic growth, which leads to greater family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation s Family Prosperity Index. ACU believes pet stores should make their own decisions on purchasing puppies, opposes artificial wages that hurt those who need employment the most, such as students and inexperienced workers and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on December 7, 2016 by a vote of HB 554 Renewable Energy Mandate. This bill extends for another two years a freeze in place for the state s renewable energy mandate. ACU supports all forms of energy, believes government should not support one form of energy over another, and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on December 8, 2016 by a vote of 18-13, but it was vetoed by the governor. 10. SB 127 Late-Term Abortion Restriction. This bill prohibits abortions when the probable age of the fetus is at least 20 weeks. ACU Foundation s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on this issue, believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice, and ACU supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on December 8, 2016 by a vote of

6 11. SB 199 Concealed Carry Permits. This bill provides that active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces do not need a license to carry a concealed firearm if they can show successful completion of specified firearms training. ACU supports the Founders' belief in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on December 8, 2016 by a vote of SB 3 Teacher Hiring Flexibility. This bill allows high-performing school districts to have more flexibility in filling teacher shortages by modifying teacher licensing requirements in certain subjects, among other provisions. ACU supports regulatory flexibility in hiring teachers and supported this bill. The Senate passed the bill on December 8, 2016 by a vote of HB 347 Asset Forfeiture Reform. This bill requires prosecutors to meet certain standards before taking a person s property. In most cases, the person must be charged with a crime and the burden of proof is on the government to show that the property is connected to a crime. The bill bars civil forfeiture for amounts under $15,000, and local prosecutors cannot utilize federal asset forfeiture laws for amounts under $100,000. ACU Foundation s Center for 21st Century Property Rights engages heavily on these issues and believes the government should not seize property absent a criminal conviction. ACU supported this bill as a step in the right direction toward property protection. The Senate passed the bill on December 8, 2016 by a vote of

7 OHIO SENATE SCORES OHIO SENATE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 62 REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 80 LOWEST REPUBLICANS GARDNER, LEHNER, MANNING 69 DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 10 HIGHEST DEMOCRAT GENTILE SPARKS OHIO SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 294 SB 296 SB 242 SB 329 HB 493 HB 48 SB 27 SB 331 HB 554 SB 127 SB 199 SB 3 HB 347 ACU BACON R BALDERSON R BEAGLE R Brown D 11 X X BURKE R Cafaro D X - X X X X X X X X 0 4 n/a n/a 23 COLEY R EKLUND R FABER R GARDNER R Gentile D HACKETT R 10 X HITE R HOTTINGER R HUGHES R X JONES R JORDAN R LaROSE R LEHNER R Cast LIFETIME AVG 7

8 OHIO SENATE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 294 SB 296 SB 242 SB 329 HB 493 HB 48 SB 27 SB 331 HB 554 SB 127 SB 199 SB 3 HB 347 ACU MANNING R OBHOF R OELSLAGER R PATTON R PETERSON R 17 X Sawyer D Schiavoni D X X SEITZ R Skindell D Tavares D 15 X Thomas D n/a 8 UECKER R WIDENER R 10 + X X X X X X X X X X X X 1 1 n/a Williams D X Yuko D X X X X X X X 0 6 n/a 0 0 Legislator did not vote on enough of the selected bills and as a result the 2016 percentage was not rated. Cast LIFETIME AVG 8

9 OHIO HOUSE VOTE DESCRIPTIONS 1. HB 294 Taxpayer Funding of Abortions. This bill prohibits using state and some federal funds for contracting with any organization that performs abortions, such as Planned Parenthood. ACU Foundation s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on this issue, believes abortion is a human tragedy, and supports restrictions on the practice. ACU supported this bill. The House passed the bill on February 10, 2016 by a vote of HB 425 Religious Freedom. This bill removes a provision in current law that permits a school district to limit a student s religious expression during lunch and other noninstructional periods. Furthermore, the bill grants students who wish to express their religion in group meetings the same rights and access to school facilities that secular student groups have. ACU supports the constitutional right to practice religion and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on April 13, 2016 by a vote of SB 152 Employer Mandate. This bill prohibits contracting authorities from requiring contractors to employ a percentage of employees from a specific area and negotiate with labor unions for a project labor agreement. ACU opposes these government mandates that drive up the cost of projects to the taxpayer and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on May 4, 2016 by a vote of HB 441 Student Participation in Extracurricular Activities. This bill provides the opportunity for students enrolled in a non-public school, such as a charter school, to participate in extracurricular activities offered by a public school that is located in the same school district as long as certain criteria are met. ACU supports expanding school choice and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on May 25, 2016 by a vote of HB 12 New Tax District Rules. This bill requires local governments to notify property owners when creating special taxing districts and allows property owners to opt-out of participating in a Tax Incentive District that increases their property assessments. ACU supports strengthening property owners rights when it comes to taxation and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on May 25, 2016 by a vote of SB 296 Polling Hours. This bill sets specific standards a court must follow when ordering polling places to remain open for extended hours on Election Day. It also provides that those who vote after hours will cast a provisional ballot. ACU opposes arbitrary court decisions, allow some polling places to stay open later and others to close earlier, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on May 25, 2016 by a vote of SB 242 Auto Manufacturer Mandates. This bill expands government interference in agreements between automotive manufacturers and dealer franchisees by dictating labor rates and repair times for warranty and recall work. In addition, the bill makes it harder for a manufacturer to legally terminate an agreement with a low-performing dealership by requiring that manufacturers consider local market conditions. ACU opposes government mandates that interfere with contract arrangements between private companies, which drives up costs for consumers, and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on May 25, 2016 by a vote of HB 554 Renewable Energy Mandate. This bill extends for another two years a freeze in place for the state s renewable energy mandate. ACU supports all forms of energy, believes government should not support one form of energy over another, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on December 6, 2016 by a vote of but it was vetoed by the governor. 9. HB 493 Abortion Restrictions Concerning Fetal Heartbeat. This bill prohibits abortions once the fetus s heart starts beating, if detected by external conditions. ACU believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on December 6, 2016 by a vote of 56-39, but it was vetoed by the governor. 10. SB 331 Pet Store Regulations and Minimum Wage Changes. This bill combines two separate bills into one. One section prohibits cities from mandating where pet stores have to purchase puppies. Another section prohibits localities from setting their own minimum wage different from the state minimum wage. Expanding entrepreneurship promotes economic growth, which leads to greater family prosperity, as illustrated by the ACU Foundation s Family Prosperity Index. ACU believes pet stores should make their own decisions about purchasing puppies, opposes artificial wages that hurt those who need employment the most, such as students and inexperienced workers, and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on December 7, 2016 by a vote of SB 27 Worker s Compensation. This bill provides that firefighters who are disabled from contracting cancer are automatically assumed to qualify for worker s compensation unless it can be shown there is no connection between their work and the cancer. ACU believes that worker s compensation should be reserved for those who can show the connection between a disability and work and opposed this bill. The House passed the bill on December 7, 2016 by a vote of

10 12. SB 127 Late-Term Abortion Restriction. This bill prohibits abortions when the probable age of the fetus is at least 20 weeks. ACU Foundation s Center for Human Dignity engages heavily on this issue, believes abortion is a human tragedy, supports restrictions on the practice, and ACU supported this bill. The House passed the bill on December 8, 2016 by a vote of SB 199 Concealed Carry Permits. This bill provides that active duty members of the U.S. Armed Forces do not need a license to carry a concealed firearm if they can show successful completion of specified firearms training. ACU supports the Founders' belief in the Second Amendment and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on December 8, 2016 by a vote of SB 3 Teacher Hiring Flexibility. This bill allows high-performing school districts to have more flexibility in filling teacher shortages by modifying teacher licensing requirements in certain subjects, among other provisions. ACU supports regulatory flexibility in hiring teachers and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on December 8, 2016 by a vote of HB 347 Asset Forfeiture Reform. This bill requires prosecutors to meet certain standards before taking a person s property. In most cases, the person must be charged with a crime, and the burden of proof is on the government to show that the property is connected to a crime. The bill bars civil forfeiture for amounts under $15,000, and local prosecutors cannot utilize federal asset forfeiture laws for amounts under $100,000. ACU Foundation s Center for 21st Century Property Rights engages heavily on these issues and believes the government should not seize property absent a criminal conviction. ACU supported this bill as a step in the right direction toward property protection. The House passed the bill on December 8, 2016 by a vote of SB 329 Government Reform. This bill sets up a review of all state agencies and requires the General Assembly to renew or eliminate them. Every two years, half of the state agencies would be up for review and their performance evaluated. After the agency makes its case to continue, the General Assembly must pass a bill for the agency's renewal or the department would expire. ACU supports government reform that holds government more accountable to the taxpayers and supported this bill. The House passed the bill on December 8, 2016 by a vote of

11 OHIO HOUSE SCORES OHIO HOUSE STATISTICS OVERALL AVERAGE 58 REPUBLICAN AVERAGE 84 LOWEST REPUBLICAN DUFFEY 56 DEMOCRAT AVERAGE 14 HIGHEST DEMOCRAT PATMON 40 OHIO HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 294 HB 425 SB 152 HB 441 HB 12 SB 296 SB 242 HB 554 HB 493 SB 331 SB 27 SB 127 SB 199 SB 3 HB 347 SB 329 AMSTUTZ R ANIELSKI R X ANTANI R Antonio D ARNDT R n/a 75 Ashford D X X X X X BAKER R Barnes D 12 X BECKER R Bishoff D X X X X X BLESSING R Boccieri D 59 X n/a 13 Boggs D n/a 6 BOOSE R Boyce D X X X X X Boyd D BRENNER R BRINKMAN R BROWN R X X X X X X X X X 6 7 n/a BUCHY R ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 11

12 OHIO HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 294 HB 425 SB 152 HB 441 HB 12 SB 296 SB 242 HB 554 HB 493 SB 331 SB 27 SB 127 SB 199 SB 3 HB 347 SB 329 BURKLEY R BUTLER R Celebrezze D Cera D Clyde D CONDITT R Craig D CUPP R Curtin D DEAN R 74 X n/a 87 DERICKSON R X X X X X X X X X 6 7 n/a DEVER R DeVITIS R DOVILLA R 7 + X X Driehaus D DUFFEY R Fedor D GAVARONE R 3 X X X X X X X n/a n/a n/a GINTER R GONZALES R X X + X GOODMAN R 87 X X X X X X X n/a n/a n/a GREEN R GROSSMAN R 23 X HAGAN R X HALL R HAMBLEY R HAYES R HENNE R HILL R HOOD R Howse D 11 X - - X X X X HUFFMAN R Johnson, G. D JOHNSON, T. R X X X X X X X X X 5 7 n/a KELLER R 53 X X X X X X X n/a n/a n/a KOEHLER R Kuhns D 32 - X X ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 12

13 OHIO HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 294 HB 425 SB 152 HB 441 HB 12 SB 296 SB 242 HB 554 HB 493 SB 331 SB 27 SB 127 SB 199 SB 3 HB 347 SB 329 KUNZE R LANDIS R LaTOURETTE R 76 + X Leland D X Lepore-Hagan D MAAG R 62 X + + X X X X + X n/a MANNING R McCLAIN R X X X X X X X X X 6 7 n/a McCOLLEY R MERRIN R 47 X X X X X X X n/a n/a n/a O'Brien, M. D O'Brien, S. D Patmon D X Patterson D PELANDA R PERALES R Phillips D Ramos D X X Reece D 33 - X REINEKE R X RETHERFORD R REZABEK R ROEGNER R Rogers D ROMANCHUK R ROSENBERGER R RUHL R RYAN R X X X X X SCHAFFER R SCHERER R X SCHURING R SEARS R X X X X X X X X X 6 7 n/a Sheehy D SLABY R X X X X X X 9 10 n/a Slesnick D X + + X X + X Smith, K. D SMITH, R. R ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 13

14 OHIO HOUSE VOTE DETAIL Party District HB 294 HB 425 SB 152 HB 441 HB 12 SB 296 SB 242 HB 554 HB 493 SB 331 SB 27 SB 127 SB 199 SB 3 HB 347 SB 329 SPRAGUE R Strahorn D Sweeney D Sykes D TERHAR R THOMPSON R VITALE R YOUNG R ZELTWANGER R Legislator did not vote on enough of the selected bills and as a result the 2016 percentage was not rated. ACU Cast LIFETIME AVG 14