Kasich Names DiOrio State Medical Director · PDF fileContent provided by The Center for Community Solutions from Hannah News' Capitol Monitor Gov. John R. Kasich announced Monday

Content provided by The Center for Community Solutions from Hannah News' Capitol Monitor

Gov. John R. Kasich announced Monday that Dr. Mary DiOrio has been named medical director at the Ohio Department of Health (ODH). DiOrio will serve with Director Richard Hodges in the department’s new management structure to oversee medical issues as Hodges applies his management and public health experience to lead the overall management of the agency. As medical director, DiOrio will be ODH’s lead scientist and oversee medical issues with the goal of developing and implementing public health policies that improve Ohioans’ health, help prevent the spread of infectious disease in Ohio, and respond to public health crises. DiOrio is a 13-year veteran of ODH and most recently served as state epidemiologist, where she helped oversee the state’s response to the Ebola incident in Northeast Ohio. According to ODH, she is board certified in preventive medicine and has multiple Incident Command System certifications in the Federal Emergency Management Agency National Incident Management System. She is author and editor of numerous manuals, publications and educational materials on topics such as infectious disease control, immunizations and general health advice. She was part of the Ohio Bordetella holmseii Investigation Team that, in 2012, received a CDC Commendation for Outstanding Performance in Investigating and Identifying a New Illness. DiOrio is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and received her Doctor of Medicine and master’s degree in public health from Ohio State University. She replaces Dr. Mary Applegate who was serving as interim medical director since August and who will return to her permanent duties as the medical director at the Department of Medicaid.

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VOLUME 130-2 Nov. 13, 2014 ISSUE 36

In This Issue:

Kasich Names DiOrio State Medical Director Panel on Budget Discusses Tax Cuts, Severance Tax, Medicaid Expansion Panel Discusses Health Care Reform, Medicaid Expansion, Human Service Innovations Lehner, Childhood Experts Look to Pre-K Expansion Study: Ohio, Nation See Drop in Health Care Uninsured Rates Happenings Notable Quotes around Capitol Square Statehouse News Bill Tracking News Clips

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Kasich Names DiOrio State Medical Director

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DiOrio’s appointment was applauded by both the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA) and the Ohio State Medical Association (OSMA). OHA’s President and CEO Mike Abrams said in a statement, “Gov. John Kasich selected an outstanding leader and advocate in Mary DiOrio, M.D., to be Ohio’s medical director. The ... OHA has worked with Dr. DiOrio on a variety of key initiatives during her 13 years with ... ODH, most recently on Ebola preparedness. As state epidemiologist, she provided exceptional leadership in dealing with Ebola’s unique threat and in working with Ohio’s hospitals to ensure the state’s preparedness to manage this and other population health issues. We congratulate Dr. DiOrio on her appointment and we look forward to working with her and the Department of Health to ensure a healthy Ohio.” OSMA President Dr. Mary J. Wall issued the following statement: “Dr. DiOrio is a well-regarded physician who most recently proved her worth in leading the Ohio Department of Health’s efforts at developing sound preparatory plans in the event of an Ebola virus outbreak in our state. Ohio’s physicians and hospitals are well-equipped to address the threat of any infectious disease outbreak thanks to the leadership Dr. DiOrio provided as our state epidemiologist. “The OSMA values strong ideas and policies that bring physicians together to offer high quality health care to patients while improving the overall health of the communities we live in. We believe that Dr. DiOrio and ODH Director Rick Hodges form a formidable leadership team at a vital state agency that will be a key partner with Ohio’s physician community.” The Ohio Department of Health partners with 124 local health districts to ensure access to health services, protect health and safety through regulation of health care delivery systems, coordinate the response to public health emergencies, and prevent disease and promote better health. Health provides leadership through the Governor’s Office of Health Transformation to incorporate population health priorities into all of Ohio’s health care regulatory and payment systems, with a goal of increasing the number of Ohioans who are healthy at every stage of life.

Impact Ohio Sessions Look Ahead Panel on Budget Discusses Tax Cuts, Severance Tax, Medicaid Expansion Sen. Bob Peterson (R-Sabina) told the opening session at the Thursday, Nov. 6 Impact Ohio Post Election Conference that deliberations around the municipal income tax bill HB5 (Grossman-Henne) have come together and it will pass the Senate in the lame duck session, which begins next week. Peterson, who has since been named chairman of the Senate Ways and Means Committee for the remainder of the 130th General Assembly (GA) -- a position he will likely keep in the 131st GA -- made the remarks amid a discussion around taxes and

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the next budget. In the same vein, however, he said discussion around the severance tax changes has “not coalesced” and predicted it will be dealt with in the context of the FY16-17 budget. That comment brought the observation from current and likely returning chairman of the House Finance and Appropriations Committee Rep. Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster) that the House had weighed in on the severance tax this session and if it is not settled this year, it “will fall to the Senate to take the lead next session.” Other members of the morning panel included Office of Budget and Management (OBM) Director Tim Keen and Rep. Jack Cera (D-Bellaire). Keen told the audience that the governor will continue to pursue tax reform issues in his second term, “redressing some weaknesses,” one of which Keen defined as a “too heavy reliance” on the taxation of income. He said the governor will continue to look to lower the rates of the state’s personal income tax. And that is one reason Keen cautioned the audience against looking to increase spending for a number of programs: “resources will be limited” in the FY16-17 budget. “We are not going to spend all we might generate in revenues as we look to continue to lower the tax burden of the income tax.” The focus on cutting income tax, however, prompted Cera to caution about that means about shifting the tax burden to local governments. Cera also took up the severance tax, making the case for much of the revenue to be kept in the areas of the state where fracking is a big business. “Local first responders need better equipment” and state departments are not prepared to respond, he said, supporting the need for the additional funds. Also discussed was what will happen with the issue of Medicaid expansion in the next budget. The authorization to spend funds on an expanded program expires with the end of this current fiscal year, and this time around it is expected the Legislature will need to address the question of expansion. Initially, in this biennium, the Controlling Board acted to authorize the spending of the federal funds on the program — much to the chagrin and ire of a number of legislators. Amstutz, however, commented that, “the General Assembly doesn’t have to act given the administrative responsibility to set eligibility for Medicaid. ... The General Assembly has never acted on eligibility and I doubt it will be put into law.” Rather, he said the issue revolves around helping people “get off dependency.” Keen deflected a number of questions seeking details about what the governor will propose regarding tax cuts, a Commercial Activity Tax (CAT) review and Medicaid expansion by saying those will be available on Monday, Feb. 2, 2015, when the governor’s budget is due to the General Assembly.

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Panel Discusses Health Care Reform, Medicaid Expansion, Human Services Innovations Office of Health Transformation Executive Director Greg Moody told the audience at the Impact Ohio forum on health care reform and human service innovations that they are beginning to gather data about the benefits of the state’s expanding Medicaid as a preliminary step to seeking re-upping of the program. He said they now have data on the number who have enrolled and the types of services they are receiving. He said they have found that there was a “pent up demand for services” and that there have been increases in the primary care, vision and dental services and a decline in emergency room and inpatient hospitalizations. “It is easier to make a case for continuing the Medicaid expansion with information and with its being implemented well,” Moody commented to reporters following the panel. And while he said the administration will not propose changing eligibility standards for the Medicaid program in the FY16-17 budget, there “will be lots of reforms” proposed. Regarding possible changes at the federal level to the Affordable Care Act, Moody said that at this time there is no need to speculate but if changes in the financial arrangements occur, then the administration will need to consider the effect on Ohio. Regarding comments of House Finance and Appropriations Committee Chair Rep. Ron Amstutz (R-Wooster) at the budget panel about the Legislature’s “not needing to act,” Moody said that they have never put eligibility criteria in statute, rather giving that authority to the administration. But, the Legislature does make the appropriation for the program — which would have to be done in the next budget anyway because the current appropriation authority expires with the end of the fiscal year as a matter of course. Other members of the panel included Ohio Department of Medicaid Director John McCarthy, who said he told colleagues that he is not “suffering from innovation fatigue.” Rather, he continues to be enthusiastic and optimistic about the changes that are planned for the program. Ohio Department of Job and Family Services Director Cynthia Dungey discussed the Office of Human Services Innovation, explaining that it is looking at the “disincentives in the system” to individuals’ taking jobs. She said as they look to automating more of the paperwork, the county workers can get back to working with the clients and moving them into independence. She also said it is important that those seeking assistance understand from the beginning that the assistance is temporary. Sen. Dave Burke (R-Marysville), chairman of the Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee, discussed the work of that group, saying that they are focusing on developing a baseline for Medicaid expenditures against which the Legislature will then be able to measure future proposals. He noted the group’s initial final report is due in January.

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He stressed that reducing poverty is “a long-term effort,” not “budget to budget” and likened assistance to a “social contract” where there are expectations on both sides. Also on the panel was Rep. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood), who said she finds the work on JMOC to be “refreshing” in it bipartisan and bicameral approach. “Sometimes it feels like the wall of China is between the House and Senate,” she explained. Asked by an audience member about the responsibility of employers in this effort to end dependency, Burke commented that when he first started in the Legislature, employers talked about job training. Then it turned to job training and substance abuse questions. Now, it is job training, substance abuse issues and the fact that government programs “are too rich” so people are “willfully not taking jobs.” He said government needs to be careful not to “suppress people’s God-given talents.”

Lehner, Childhood Experts Look to Pre-K Expansion Sen. Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) said Thursday it’s time for Ohio to become a national leader on early education, during an Impact Ohio panel discussion where she and other experts reviewed the predictive power of pre-kindergarten achievement to forecast a person’s future success. The Success Group’s Dan McCarthy moderated Thursday’s talk, which featured Lehner; Renuka Mayadev, head of the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio; Ohio State University (OSU) child development expert Laura Justice; and KidsOhio.org President Mark Real. Failure to expand opportunities for quality early education programs would mean children born to poverty are “doomed” to low-skill jobs that can’t support them, Lehner said. “The correlation between poverty and academic achievement is obvious,” she said. Lehner said the state’s development of the Step Up to Quality system lays the framework for a successful expansion of early childhood education. She said a pre-kindergarten focus is also a way to go straight to the source on a problem that much of the rest of the educational policy program — Ohio Teacher Evaluation System, third grade reading guarantee, assessments — is aimed at solving: the achievement gap. “It should be no surprise that we have a gap throughout our system when we have this gap at the beginning,” Lehner said. The senator also said others in education need to stop regarding early childhood programming as “superfluous” or akin to babysitting, saying some in the middle and upper class are dismissive of its value because they take for granted in their own

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children the type of readiness and “executive functioning skills” that early childhood programs can impart. “It is going to have to start with paying someone for the degree they have earned,” Lehner said, backing comments from Justice on the need to “professionalize” the pre-K teaching workforce. Justice, executive director of OSU’s Crane Center for Early Childhood Research and Policy, said there’s no debate in the scientific community about the benefits of early childhood education on “lifespan outcomes.” She said Ohio’s Kindergarten Readiness Assessment-Literacy (KRA-L) clearly demonstrates that, noting nearly 70 percent of children scoring in the lowest of three tiers on the KRA-L fail the third grade Ohio Achievement Assessment in reading. Those in the highest tier on the KRA-L, meanwhile, pass the reading test 82 percent of the time, she said. While the Ohio Department of Education is looking to evaluate a broader range of skills with a new readiness assessment, Justice lamented elimination of the KRA-L, saying it will take years to see if the new assessment has the same predictive value. Mayadev, who reviewed the statistics on Ohio children in poverty, now at 24 percent, supplemented the call for early childhood education programming with additional policy prescriptions: namely, better child care subsidies to bring stability to working parents; school discipline reform; and in-school mental health services and supports for children. Real discussed the need to address the academic challenges of older children, as well as the importance of addressing needs of special education students.

Study: Ohio, Nation See Drop in Health care Uninsured Rates A new study shows a drop in the uninsured rate across the country because of the Affordable Care Act, with Ohio’s rate of people without health insurance decreasing from 15 percent to 9 percent in the past year. Conducted by Enroll America and Civis Analytics, and reported in the New York Times, the study indicates lower uninsured rates, especially among young people, minority communities and rural populations, with data offering a clearer look at those now with insurance. Ten million people have signed up under the Affordable Care Act since last year. Groups and communities with the most significant improvements in coverage included those already with high rates of uninsured because there were larger populations to benefit from the health care law. Nationally, uninsured rates dropped from 21.6 percent to 14.2 percent for young people; 26.2 percent to 16.5 percent for Hispanics; 24.1

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percent to 16.1 percent in African-American communities; and from 20 percent to 13.3 percent in rural areas. Get Covered America, a nonprofit campaign of Enroll America, is working in Ohio and throughout the country to help those without health insurance understand their options and to enroll in coverage. “This data really will help us target our outreach better,” said Myles Bell, spokesperson for Get Covered America. “Having this data along with our experience on the ground and the partnerships working with the community really help guide our outreach — help reach as many people as possible in Ohio during the next enrollment period.” The second open enrollment period for health care coverage begins Saturday, Nov. 15, and Get Covered America says that is another chance for the still uninsured to learn about plans from the group’s trained experts. “One thing we hope to do in this enrollment period coming up will be an online scheduling tool to help connect consumers to in-person assistance in their area,” Bell said. “One thing we found during the last general enrollment period is that in-person assistance is really key to help people getting enrolled. People were about twice as likely to get covered after getting help from in-person assistor.” Enroll America says that while the remaining uninsured may be more difficult to reach, they are still open to the idea of enrolling in health coverage. A big obstacle the organization faces is the perception that people cannot afford the plans being offered through the Marketplace, Bell said. “Financial assistance is a motivating factor to help people get enrolled,” Bell said. “Many people are still unaware that financial assistance is available to them, when in fact 84 percent of Ohioans who signed up last enrollment period received financial help with their premium.” Ohioans who are already enrolled through the marketplace can renew their coverage online.

Happenings Weeks of Oct. 27/Nov. 3, 2014

Week of Oct. 27, 2014 2014 Elections Never mentioning his opponents and discussing many of the topics he has discussed prior to his re-election campaign, Gov. John Kasich completed the final candidate forum hosted by the Columbus Metropolitan Club (CMC) on Tuesday, where he touched on topics ranging from debates, to running for president, to what he would do in a second term. The forum, sponsored by the Ohio Farm Bureau Federation, Hannah News, and the Columbus Dispatch, saw a crowd about five times larger than those attending forums with Democratic gubernatorial nominee Ed FitzGerald and Green Party gubernatorial nominee Anita Rios.

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Secretary of State Jon Husted said Tuesday that more than 881,000 Ohioans have either cast or requested an absentee ballot to vote in the Nov. 4 election. Based on numbers from Ohio’s 88 county boards of elections, Husted said 816,739 voters had requested absentee ballots to vote by mail as of Friday, Oct. 24. Of those, he said 414,964 ballots have been cast. Another 61,724 Ohioans have cast an absentee ballot in person at the board of elections or designated early voting center. There have also been 2,850 military and overseas voters that have requested absentee ballots, and of those, 904 ballots have been cast. According to the Ohio Supreme Court, a total of 225 races for Ohio Supreme Court, common pleas courts, county courts and state appellate courts are on the Nov. 4 ballot. However, 155 of them (69 percent) are uncontested. General Assembly/Statehouse The Correctional Institution Inspection Committee (CIIC) published the inspection report of Northeast Ohio Correctional Center carried out on Aug. 22, 2014, after 250 Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) inmates refused to leave the recreation yard, resulting in a lockdown of the facility. Inmates told CIIC members and staff that a number of concerns influenced the protest, including food quality, medical care, recreation, laundry, commissary prices, grievances against staff and the library schedule. On Friday, Rep. Sandra Williams (Cleveland) pleaded no contest to two first-degree misdemeanor charges regarding campaign finance irregularities related to her purchase of Ohio State University football tickets. She is to be sentenced on Friday, Dec. 5. Former Rep. Carlton Weddington (D-Columbus) was granted an early release from prison on Thursday, more than two years after he was sentenced on charges of bribery, election falsification and filing a false ethics disclosure. Prosecutors had alleged that Weddington had accepted cash and trips to South Beach Miami, FL, and Napa Valley, CA, along with campaign contributions, in exchange for him introducing legislation. Executive Branch Ohio became the latest state Friday to issue stronger monitoring and quarantine protocols for travelers returning from West African nations that have experienced Ebola virus outbreaks. The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) said the new protocols are stronger than those recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Protection (CDC) “while still being respectful of travelers.” ODH said its new protocols are “informed by the latest medical considerations for risk and exposure.” The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) has warned the last remaining women’s clinic that performs abortions in the Cincinnati metropolitan area that it could be forced to close. In a letter to Planned Parenthood’s Elizabeth Campbell Surgical Center in Mount Auburn, ODH says the facility is out of compliance with a controversial state law that requires a transfer agreement with a local private hospital.

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The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) said a new rule approved by its Board of Directors will allow it to provide care to injured workers more quickly following an injury. Dubbed the “first fill rule,” it will ensure that injured workers receive necessary medications while the future of their claims is being determined. Ohio Supreme Court/Other Courts The Ohio Supreme Court released the results of the July 2014 Ohio Bar Examination, announcing that 902 of the 1,173 applicants received passing scores on the exam. The complete list can be viewed online. Franklin County Probate Judge Robert Montgomery announced that charter members of the Franklin County Guardianship Services Board have been appointed following its creation in the FY14-15 biennial budget. The board will seek to ensure the care and treatment of incompetent, mentally ill and other vulnerable indigent people. The three-member board includes Larry James, a partner in the Columbus firm of Crabbe Brown and James, LLP; attorney Jane Higgins Marx, a partner at Carlile Patchen & Murphy LLP in Columbus; and former Ohio Tax Commissioner William Wilkins. Federal Government U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Jeh Johnson announced an “enhanced presence” of the Federal Protective Service at U.S. government buildings, noting in a statement it is a “precautionary step to safeguard U.S. government personnel and facilities, and the visitors to those facilities.” Other Organizations Supporters of the Heartbeat Bill, which would ban abortions when a fetal heartbeat is detected, started running a 60-second television advertisement in the Columbus media market attacking Gov. John Kasich, Senate President Keith Faber (R-Celina), and Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) for failing to pass either HB248 (Wachtmann-C. Hagan) or SB297 (Jordan), the latest versions of the legislation.

Week of Nov. 3, 2014 2014 Elections Secretary of State Jon Husted’s office said that voters had requested nearly a million absentee ballots up to Monday, a lower number of absentee ballots than were cast in 2010. Gov. John Kasich easily won re-election Tuesday night as expected, with the race called within minutes of the polls’ closing. About an hour and a half later, he took the stage during the Ohio Republican Party’s celebration in downtown Columbus, dubbing the sweep by his party the “New Republican Party.” At election night headquarters Tuesday, Democrats issued a post-mortem on their disappointing performance in statewide races and the immediate future of the party leading up to 2016. Leaders of the political minority voiced some different conclusions

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about missed opportunities in 2014, and how to position themselves for success in two years. The House Republican Caucus was poised to earn the largest majority that either party has held since the chamber went to 99 seats, holding all 60 of its current seats and picking up at least five more, meaning a likely 65-34 split in the chamber. According to unofficial results from the secretary of state’s office, Democratic Reps. Nick Barborak (D-Lisbon) and Roland Winburn (D-Dayton) lost their re-election bids, and Republican candidates won open seats that were previously held by Democrats in the 28th and 55th House Districts. But the biggest surprise of the night came in the 89th House District, where Rep. Chris Redfern (D-Catawba Island), who is also the Ohio Democratic Party chairman, lost his re-election bid to Steven Kraus. Redfern resigned as Ohio Democratic Party chairman effective in December late Tuesday night. The Ohio Supreme Court will maintain an official party breakdown of six Republicans and one Democrat after Justices Judith French and Sharon Kennedy held off challengers Tuesday night. Kennedy secured the kind of overwhelming victory over Rep. Tom Letson (D-Warren) that has become routine for Republican Supreme Court races in Ohio, while French rebounded from a deficit in pre-election polls to outpace Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court Judge John O’Donnell by a respectable margin. There were a total of 51 local human service levies on the ballot Tuesday including a broad, human service levy in Montgomery County. A total of 45 of those levies passed, or 89 percent. All of the behavioral health levies, passed while two of the developmental disabilities failed; one senior services levy failed; and three children services levies failed. The Ohio Supreme Court reported Wednesday that Ohio voters decided 70 contested judicial races in the Nov. 4 election out of a total of 225 judgeship races on the ballot. All vote tallies are unofficial. Besides the wins by sitting Supreme Court Justices Sharon Kennedy and Judith French reported earlier, Ohio voters decided 68 other contested races. In those, eight incumbent judges lost their bids to retain their seats, including six gubernatorial appointees who were seeking election for the first time. General Assembly/Statehouse The Ohio House will be introducing legislation the week of Nov. 10 to address concerns about Ohio’s death penalty process that will allow the state to resume executions. House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) told attendees at the 2014 Impact Ohio Post Election Conference in an afternoon session that they will be passing the legislation by the end of the session. Sen. Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) said Thursday it’s time for Ohio to become a national leader on early education, during an Impact Ohio panel discussion where she and

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other experts reviewed the predictive power of pre-kindergarten achievement to forecast a person’s future success. The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CSRAB) unveiled a new exhibit at the Ohio Statehouse titled “Honoring Ohioans” on Monday, Nov. 10 in the Museum Gallery. This exhibit chronicles all Ohio Medal of Honor recipients and highlights the men and women of America’s armed forces. Sen. Bob Peterson (R-Sabina) told the opening session at Thursday’s Impact Ohio Post Election Conference that deliberations around the municipal income tax bill HB5 (Grossman-Henne) have come together and it will pass the Senate in the lame duck session, which begins Nov. 12. Executive Branch Ohio health officials are no longer actively monitoring or quarantining any Ohio residents in response to an exposure to a patient with the Ebola virus last month. As many as 164 Ohio residents had been under some form of monitoring by the state, including three in quarantine after Amber Vinson, a Texas nurse who had been caring for an Ebola patient, contracted the disease herself. Office of Health Transformation Executive Director Greg Moody told the audience at the Impact Ohio forum on health care reform and human service innovations that they are beginning to gather data about the benefits of the state’s expanding Medicaid as a preliminary step to seeking re-upping of the program. He said they now have data on the number who have enrolled and the types of services they are receiving. He said they have found that there was a “pent up demand for services” and that there have been increases in primary care, vision and dental services and a decline in emergency room and inpatient hospitalizations. “It is easier to make a case for continuing the Medicaid expansion with information and with its being implemented well,” Moody commented to reporters following the panel. The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) and insurance company State Farm unveiled a new fleet of safety patrol trucks on Thursday, Oct. 30 as part of a sponsorship agreement. The updated fleet, which officially rolled into service in Ohio’s six largest cities on Saturday, Nov. 1, sports a new look utilizing trucks instead of vans for the roadside assistance program, ODOT said. State revenues came in nearly 7 percent above estimates in October but are about half a percent behind where forecasters expected them to be for the year to date, according to preliminary figures released Thursday by the Office of Budget and Management (OBM). October saw overall revenues of $2.67 billion, $173 million ahead of forecasts, led by a $134 million jump over estimates in tax receipts, which were 8 percent ahead of expectations. The Ohio State University (OSU) held a ceremony Friday, Nov. 7 for the dedication of the James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute. U.S. Sen. Sherrod

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Brown (D-OH) spoke at the ceremony, noting that $100 million for the project came from the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) has announced that it will be allocating $10 million in funding to strengthening and expanding housing options for Ohioans recovering from addiction. In a news release, OhioMHAS said the funding consists of $5 million appropriated in the FY15-16 capital budget bill and $5 million in operating funds set aside in mid-biennium review bill HB483. It will expand the state’s recovery housing capacity by nearly 660 beds. Ohio Supreme Court/Other Courts The U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati on Thursday became the first federal court to uphold state prohibitions on same-sex marriage, including Ohio’s, meaning the ultimate decision on the constitutionality of the bans is likely headed to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of Ohio is moving forward with the hiring process for its next director of the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission (OCSC) — a liaison to the General Assembly who could eventually lead an expanded “criminal justice commission” if Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor’s plans proceed in 2015. The six finalists include the Supreme Court’s Domestic Violence Program manager and counsel, Diana Ramos-Reardon; Capital University law Prof. Scott Anderson who was staff attorney and juvenile coordinator for OCSC between 1997 and 2007; Roy Rauschenberg, a current member of the Ohio Parole Board and a former OCSC research coordinator; Sara Andrews, chief of the Ohio Adult Parole Authority (APA) and deputy director of the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction’s Division of Parole and Community Services; Corey Schaal, currently research analyst and assistant to the administrative director and Office of Judicial Services; and Erin Rosen, a former senior assistant attorney general and currently in private practice with Eric C. Deters & Partners. Federal Government The national unemployment dropped to 5.8 percent in October as the nation added 214,000 jobs over the month, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) said Friday. According to the BLS, employment increased in food services and drinking places, retail trade and health care. Other Organizations A new study shows a drop in the uninsured rate across the country because of the Affordable Care Act, with Ohio’s rate of people without health insurance decreasing from 15 percent to 9 percent in the past year. Conducted by Enroll America and Civis Analytics, and reported in the New York Times, the study indicates lower uninsured rates, especially among young people, minority communities and rural populations, with data offering a clearer look at those now with insurance.Ten million people have signed up under the Affordable Care Act since last year.

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Attendees of the 2014 Ohio Housing Conference in Columbus started the day Tuesday with a look at recent economic trends and what they portend for next year and beyond for the housing market, employment and the state’s growth. Cleveland State University dean and economist Edward Hill, Red Capital Group research chief Daniel Hogan and Beth Riley, senior vice president of George K. Baum & Co., presented at the conference’s annual state economic forecast session. The 2014 Impact Ohio Post Election Conference, held Thursday in Columbus and attended by approximately 700 lobbyists, legislators and administration officials, covered a variety of topics ranging from prognostications regarding the upcoming lame duck session, the state’s next budget and some major policy areas including Ohio’s energy future, early childhood education and health care. The group also honored outgoing Speaker of the House William Batchelder (R-Medina) and the Ohio Council of Retail Merchants’ John C. Mahaney Jr. Shared Hope International, a nonprofit advocacy organization against human trafficking, released its 2014 ratings of the “Protected Innocence Challenge” for state human trafficking laws. Ohio received a “C” grade of 78 out of 100 — five points up from the state’s 2013 rating.

Notable Quotes around Capitol Square “I look for us getting out of there. I think Christmas Eve is a good time. I hope all of you will be there with us.” — House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina), discussing the end of the lame duck agenda for the House.

+++ “Whatever we may think about Ohio’s energy future, I would submit to you that it is brighter than was Chris Redfern’s Tuesday.” — Sen. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati), taking a shot at Rep. Chris Redfern (D-Catawba Island), who unexpectedly lost his House seat to Republican Steven Kraus in Tuesday’s election. Redfern also announced his resignation as Ohio Democratic Party Chairman on Tuesday, effective mid-December.

+++ “I got a text from Chris Redfern, much of it I can’t tell you. However, he would like to know where you’re going to be at four o’clock this afternoon.” — Rep. Sean O’Brien (D-Hubbard), speaking to Seitz about his previous comment during the panel discussion on Ohio’s energy future.

+++ “Actually, you can find an economist who will tell you anything.” — Rep. Jack Cera (D-Bellaire) at the Impact Ohio panel on the FY16-17 budget, as he was discussing the domino effect of tax changes.

+++ “I don’t propose anything; the governor does, and he does it on Feb. 2.” — Office of Budget and Management (OBM) Director Tim Keen at the Impact Ohio panel on the FY16-17 budget, in answer to several questions about what will be included in the upcoming budget.

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+++ “And I wasn’t worried.” — Ohio Department of Medicaid Director John McCarthy commenting on attending a meeting of the National Association of Medicaid Directors on Election Day where a number of them were keeping an eye on the elections at the Impact Ohio panel on health care reform.

+++ “We don’t have siloes; we have cylinders of excellence.” — McCarthy, quoting another state Medicaid director at the Impact Ohio panel on health care reform.

+++ “Sometimes I feel like the wall of China is between the House and the Senate.” — Rep. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood), discussing why she likes working on the bipartisan/bicameral Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee (JMOC) at the Impact Ohio panel on health care reform.

+++ “I’ve embraced ‘extension.’ Say it with me.” — Antonio to the audience at the Impact Ohio panel on health care reform, discussing Medicaid expansion ... er, extension.

+++ “When I first started talking with employers [about the employability of workers] it was ‘job training.’ Then it was ‘job training and substance abuse issues.’ Now it’s ‘job training, substance abuse issues and too rich a government benefit package.’” — Sen. Dave Burke (R-Marysville) at the Ohio impact panel on health care reform and human services innovation, discussing employers’ responsibility and what and how much government should do to assist Ohioans.

+++ “Is that a ‘no’?” - Retired WSYX reporter Carol Luper, after hearing Gov. John Kasich’s long-response to a question over whether he plans to run for president in 2016, during a Columbus Metropolitan Club forum.

+++ “Why, you wanna buy some?” - Roger Synenberg, Rep. Sandra Williams’ (D-Cleveland) attorney, when answering a reporter’s question about whether Williams will be purchasing Ohio State University football tickets in the future after her current legal troubles related to improperly selling tickets.

Statehouse News Bill Tracking To keep up with human service legislation in both houses of the General Assembly, click here.

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News Clips Boehner: We'll pass Obamacare repeal Energized by the Republicans' resounding electoral victory, House Speaker John Boehner promised quick action on a GOP agenda in the next Congress and warned President Barack Obama not to "poison the well" by taking executive action on immigration. Cincinnati Enquirer - 11/6/14 Post-ballot Ohio Legislature to act fast As Ohio House Speaker William G. Batchelder heads into the final two months of his 38-year legislative career, he described the upcoming lame-duck session this way: "You never know what the hell is going to happen next." Columbus Dispatch - 11/9/14 Preterm birth rate remains unchanged in Ohio For the third consecutive year, the preterm birth rate in Ohio remained unchanged at 12.1 percent, leaving the state with a "C" grade on the March of Dimes' report card. Akron Beacon Journal - 11/10/14 House bill on adoption will create confusion for birth parents Molly Rampe Thomas of Choice Network in Columbus writes in opposition to HB307, which addresses adoption. Cleveland Plain Dealer - 11/9/14 House bill helps both birth, adoptive parents Mike Gonidakis of Ohio Right to Life writes in support of HB307. Cleveland Plain Dealer - 11/9/14