Policy Matters Ohio

Honored to be recognized by our friends at OFT!

Ohio’s funding priorities don’t reflect Ohioans’ transportation needs.

Learn more in our Ohio Transit Funding Update: policymattersohio.org/research/ohi...

How does Ohio stack up against other states when it comes to public transit funding? Pretty poorly.

Learn more about the latest numbers:

policymattersohio.org/research/ohi...

Valentine’s Day was Saturday but we’ve got enough love for public transportation to keep us going through #OhioLovesTransit week and beyond!

It’s Valentine’s Day as well as tax season and your tax return this year may not live up to the hype. Find out why “no tax on tips” and “no tax on overtime” are misleading and not adding up for working Ohioans.

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policymattersohio.org/research/no-...

Ohio legislators have allowed a child care crisis to fester for years, and rather than addressing that, they’ve decided to double down on actions that will deepen the crisis. Children, families, & providers deserve public policy that addresses real problems.

policymattersohio.org/research/chi...

We will experience fallout from the expansive, unpopular federal budget for years: reduced access to health insurance and food assistance, greatly diminished social services, increased red tape and higher costs that make it more difficult to make ends meet.

policymattersohio.org/research/fal...

Hannah Halbert on the State of Child Care Comments from Policy Matters Executive Director Hannah Halbert on threats and opportunities for Ohio legislators to address the ongoing child care crisis in our state. From the Columbus Metropolitan Club's Forum on February 11, 2026. Watch the full discussion here: https://www.youtube.com/live/j-SZpyjUaPw?si=0kyUSTqluZo5KKZt

Ohio has the resources to make high quality child care more accessible and affordable. We need leaders with the political will to do it. Hannah Halbert spoke at the Columbus Metropolitan Club's Forum on the State of Child Care. Here's one of the highlights. youtu.be/D4uprrb7RHE

In Ohio, access to high-quality education too often depends on a child’s race, family income, or zip code.The Fair School Funding Plan (FSFP) was designed to fix that decades-old, unconstitutional disparity.

Ohio’s legislature abandoned it.

policymattersohio.org/research/law...

Happy Valentine’s Week!

Make sure you and your Valentine are being paid properly by checking your paystub! PMO (lovingly) advocated for the Pay Stub Prevention Act to make sure all workers get paystubs to combat wage theft.
policymattersohio.org/news/2025/01...

How Ohio's massive tech tax breaks inflated electric bills | Editorial These data centers provide economic benefit, but are they worth the cost?

www.beaconjournal.com/story/opinio...

Opinion: Ohio senators should support workforce act Imagine working for decades to keep our country safe, only to have your contract torn up overnight. In March 2025, President Trump issued an executive order that unilaterally stripped the collective bargaining rights of more than one million workers. These workers — including a disproportionate number of veterans — were playing by the rules of contracts negotiated in good faith with the federal government.

"... it's imperative that we show support for our neighbors and reach out to Senators Moreno and Husted encouraging them to support the Protect America’s Workforce Act, basic workers’ rights, and above all, playing by the rules."

www.daytondailynews.com/local/opinio...

Tell Ohio Senators to Stand Up For Affordable Healthcare! Tell Ohio Senators to Stand Up For Affordable Healthcare!

Write your own letter or use our template here:
actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...

LAST CHANCE: If you want to write a letter to Senators Husted and Moreno urging them to vote for a clean 3-year extension of ACA Marketplace enhanced premium tax credits, you have until tomorrow morning to do so.

Letters will be delivered in person early tomorrow afternoon!

Join us to take action on Jan. 14 to keep #SocialSecurityStrong! The longest federal government shutdown only highlighted the long term problems at Social Security we have been facing every day for years. Living paycheck to paycheck on low pay, understaffing across...

ATTENTION: On January 14th, there will be a massive day of action to demand full funding for the Social Security Administration and end Trump’s sabotage of our earned benefits.

Find a rally near you here:

Columbus Protect Social Security and Health Care Solidarity Event · Ohio AFL-CIO Join Central Ohioans as we stand in Solidarity and support the Social Security Administration (SSA) workers and this critical program millions of Ohioans rely on while calling on Senators Husted and Moreno to support the Protect Americas Workforce Act. SSA offices are still drastically understaffed as staffing is at its lowest point in 50 years.  There is also the threat of another government shutdown at the beginning of February as the government's funding ends 1/31/26 under the current continuing resolution. At the end of our event we'll join partners at Policy Matters Ohio in delivering letters to Senators Husted and Moreno asking them to join bipartisan momentum to pass a clean 3-year extension of enhanced ACA tax credits. https://actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-ohio-senators-husted-and-moreno-to-join-bipartisan-actions-protecting-healthcare?source=direct_link&

This Wednesday, we'll be delivering your letters to Senators Husted and Moreno asking them to join bipartisan momentum to pass a clean 3-year extension of ACA Marketplace enhanced premium tax credits.

RSVP if you'd like to join us: www.mobilize.us/ohioaflcio/e...

Tell Ohio Senators to Stand Up For Affordable Healthcare! Tell Ohio Senators to Stand Up For Affordable Healthcare!

Thank you to the Ohio representatives who worked across the aisle to extend ACA enhanced premium tax credits.

Now it’s on the Senate to keep affordable coverage within reach for half a million Ohioans.

Urge Senators Husted and Moreno to finish the job:
actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...

Tell Ohio Senators to Stand Up For Affordable Healthcare! Tell Ohio Senators to Stand Up For Affordable Healthcare!

In a rare bipartisan move, Congress has moved forward on extending enhanced premium tax credits that help millions afford Marketplace health insurance.

We’ve made it easy for you to write both OH senators telling them to vote to extend these tax credits: actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...

Ohio’s child care system faces real challenges—but widespread fraud is not one of them.

Recent misleading claims circulating online and calls for investigations distract from the real work of improving child care.

Read our latest press release for more: policymattersohio.org/news/2026/01...

Please consider supporting our research by donating, subscribing to Saturday Stats, or following us on other platforms. Happy holidays!

Make a donation: policymattersohio.org/donate/

Subscribe to Saturday Stats: policymattersohio.org/saturday-sta...

If you have health insurance through ACA Marketplace, today is the last day to opt out of auto-reenrollment.

For more on why Marketplace costs are skyrocketing, check out the recording of our recent virtual town hall: policymattersohio.org/news/2025/12...

Tonight's Virtual Town Hall on skyrocketing Health Insurance Marketplace costs is all the more relevant given today's news. Register here: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

NEXT WEEK: Join the upcoming HB 29 info session.

Register here: www.jotform.com/form/2526757...

This Thursday: Alarmed by cost increases for '26 Health Insurance Marketplace plans?

Join PMO and @protectourcare.org to learn about why costs are increasing, steps you can take to protect your wallet, and ways to advocate for affordable coverage.

Register: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

DeWine vetoed SB 50, which would have extended working hours for young teens to 9pm on school nights, in violation of federal law.

This veto is good for kids, businesses, and workers. Thank you to everyone who signed our petition urging for this veto!

policymattersohio.org/news/2025/12...

For anyone alarmed by cost increases for '26 Health Insurance Marketplace plans:

Join PMO and @protectourcare.org to learn about why costs are increasing, steps you can take to protect your wallet, and ways to advocate for affordable coverage.

Register: us02web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Next week, show your support for Tanisha’s Law, which would create a non-police mental health crisis response in Cleveland.

Cleveland City Council meeting on Monday, December 1 at 7PM.

Details: www.naswoh.org/events/Event...

Ohio’s GOP lawmakers want more child labor. Will Gov. DeWine stop them? Ohio lawmakers are pushing a bill that would expand child labor by letting young teens work later for lower pay. Gov. Mike DeWine should veto it to protect kids from being exploited as a cheap fix for...

The threat is real – and potentially imminent in Ohio.

Governor DeWine has the opportunity to stop GOP lawmakers from putting more--and younger--children to work. @policymattersohio.bsky.social

The federal budget bill passed in July will cut health care, food assistance and more in exchange for tax cuts that most benefit the wealthy.

Our latest report outlines how (and when) H.R. 1 will impact Ohioans: policymattersohio.org/research/fal...

Just Say No to Child Labor in Ohio In March, the Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 30, which would allow employers to schedule children ages 14 and 15 for work as late as 9:00 p.m., beyond the 7:00 p.m. limit maintained by federal law. We expect the Ohio House to vote on and pass this bill in the coming days. Then it will go to Governor Dewine to be signed into law. The Governor says he has a commitment to Ohio children, and we need all hands on deck urging him to veto this bill. Not only is it in violation of the federal Fair Labor Standards Act, it's just plain wrong for our kids. Please sign on and share, we will be delivering the petition, with all our names, in person when the time comes for him to consider signing.

Last chance to sign the letter urging Gov. DeWine to VETO SB 50. We're delivering it to him this afternoon.

Child labor is not the solution to adult workforce issues. Add your signature now: actionnetwork.org/petitions/sa...