LEGISLATIVE
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FRESH FACES BRING OPTIMISM BY BARBARA SHANER
OAESA PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCE PRESENTER
T
he 133rd General Assembly convened in January. The Ohio House welcomed a relatively large freshman class of newly elected members. The new faces in the House make up about a third of the total membership. A new Speaker of the House was elected and committee assignments doled out. I should point out that the “new” Speaker is not really new–Speaker Larry Householder began a second run as a state representative two years ago. Term limits ended his first stint as Speaker back in 2004, so he comes back to the job with some experience. A challenge for lobbyists like me is getting to know all these new legislators. And it takes awhile for them to remember who we are and who we each represent. Typically, new members coming in aren’t given a leading role in the legislative process. But this time around, with so many new members and because of other factors tied to the election of the House Speaker, we’re seeing some new members taking on significant responsibilities. There are also differences in the assignments for returning members.
“It’s important that we stretch beyond the boundaries of the profession to enlighten those who are in a policymaking role.
For instance, Representative Louis W. Blessing, III (R – Cincinnati) will serve as the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee Chairman. Chairman Blessing is a professional engineer and has never served on the Education Committee. He
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freely admits he has a lot to learn. He has chaired committees on topics other than education since coming to the legislature, and most observers count him as a thoughtful, fair-minded, and effective leader. To prepare himself for the committee’s work, he has already reached out to stakeholders for help in getting up to speed on education issues. Even though Representative Don Jones (R – Freeport) was just elected to the House in November 2018, he has been appointed ViceChairman of the Primary and Secondary Education Committee. A former educator of 23 years, Representative Jones brings a fresh look to the legislature, and he comes with a good understanding of what it’s like to be where the rubber meets the road. He was an agriculture education teacher in eastern Ohio, and he’s an enthusiastic supporter of public education. He has already gained a reputation for being accessible and easy to talk with.
The Senate has several new members, too, but some have merely switched chambers (former House members, term limited and then elected to the Senate). Senator Peggy Lehner (R – Kettering) returns as chair of the Senate Education Committee. While there are some new committee members, only one is completely new to the legislature.
