Senator Nina Turner | May 2013 E-newsletter

House GOP Moves to

Block Student Access to

the Ballot Box  

Columbus—Ohio House Republi-

cans have inserted a  provision in

the state's biennial budget that

requires universities to charge

in-state tuition for  any student who

is issued a utility bill by the school

that can be used to establish

residency for voting purposes. 

The GOP claims the language is

meant to lower tuition  costs in

the state, but the amendment

language creates a perverse

incentive whereby schools would

be forced to make a decision to

deny access to a utility bill, thereby

making it harder for their students

to vote, or lose millions in funding.

The Inter -University Council esti-

mates that this would cost Ohio

schools up to $370 million yearly. 

Sen. Turner on The ED Show  

“There are no throw-away

neighborhoods” 

In the wake of the grisly kidnappings

and rapes of  Gina DeJesus, Amanda

Berry, and Michelle Knight in Cleve-

land, Senator Turner connects the

importance of community policing with

adequate funding for local govern-

ments. 

The current budget proposal does not

increase local government funding

that could be used to increase policing

efforts across the state.

Ohio Works to Comply with

Source: San Hendren, WOSU 

Since the provision’s inclusion into

House Bill 59, numerous concerns

have been raised as to the consti-

tutionality of the proposal. The

1979 U.S.  Supreme Court

decision,  Symm v. United States,

ruled that measures designed to

hinder the ability of   college students to vote

with their campus address violates the 26th

 Amendment.

Ohio Works to Comply with

Federal Motor - Voter Law  

Columbus—Following multiple errors in

the timely transmission of voter regis-

tration updates between the Secretary

of State and Bureau of Motor Vehicles,

Senator Turner and Representative

Clyde are introducing legislation to

form a bipartisan legislative study

committee to analyze why Ohio is out

of compliance with state and federal

Motor Voter laws. 

The federal “Motor Voter” law requires

the BMV to send voter registration data

to election officials within 5 to 10 days

of acceptance. Ohio law requires regis-

trations to be transmitted from the BMV

to election officials within 5 days. 

The Study Committee would seek the

input of voters, advocates, county

election officials, the Secretary of 

State, and state and local BMVs to look

at how we can fix this critical error 

affecting thousands of Ohio voters and

to bring Ohio into compliance with this

important federal law. The legislation

also strengthens the training require-

ments for BMV workers related to their 

voter registration duties. 

Senator Turner Speaks Via Video

at “Keep the Promise” Event  

Cleveland —Created by   AIDS Healthcare

Foundation (AHF),  the “Keep the Promise”

campaign brought together local and national

advocates along with spiritual and political

leaders to remind elected officials that the

fight against HIV/AIDS is not yet won. The

event drew upwards of 1,200 supports for a

march and musical event. Senator Turner 

recorded this video to lend her support to the

cause of increased awareness and improved

treatment for HIV positive individuals. 

 Additional supporters of the Cleveland “Keep

Number of Voter Registrations

Processed Through BMVs 

fourth “Keep the Promise” rally and march. 

1 Capitol Square

Room 223

Columbus, Ohio 43215  

T: 614/466.4583 

F: 614/644.6164 

Toll-free: 800/282.0253 

[email protected] 

www.ohiosenate.gov