From the Desk of Rep.

Dovilla

From the Desk of Rep. Dovilla At the Statehouse Around the 7th Upcoming Events

Dear 7th District Resident: With the Indians home opener and warmer weather (we hope!) finally on the horizon, spring has arrived. So, too, have the midbiennium review of our states budget and the first capital appropriations bill in six years, both important measures that are advancing through the legislative process at the Statehouse. In other legislative action, I am pleased to report that our bill to crack down on public corruption has passed the Ohio House of Representatives. In addition, I have recently introduced four more bills and a resolution, two related to supporting Ohios veterans and military service members, two to continue spurring economic development, and another to help improve government transparency and accountability. Each of these pieces of legislation is described in our At the Statehouse segment. Here in the 7th District, our 4th Annual Representative for a Day reading program wrapped up and we welcomed a wonderful group of students and families to the Statehouse. In addition, I am continuing to visit with constituents during our spring round of district office hours and am pleased to be attending many Eagle Scout courts of honor and other events around our communities. You can read more on my activities closer to home in the Around the 7th section of our newsletter. I am honored to serve you and your family in the Ohio House of Representatives. If you wish to share your views on an issue or if I may be of assistance on a matter related to state government, please feel free to contact our office at 614-466-4895 or Rep07@ohiohouse.gov. We hope to hear from you soon. Sincerely, State Representative Mike Dovilla At the Statehouse

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56 Proud New Homeowners 282 Responses to Constituents

Thomas Hartline Troop 228 Eagle Scout Daniel Ambrose Mark Biley Grant Dorsey Christian Graber Russell Krofta Christopher Linne Nicholas Loveland Kyle Mares Ryan Moran Kurt Pickering Richard Poinsatte Harrison Stoneking Nicholas Trottnow

Cub Scout Pack 526 Arrow of Light awardees Jim Brown Berea Service Director (retirement after 14 years of service)

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A busy spring session is underway in the Peoples House, with the introduction of the Mid-Biennium Review (MBR) budget bill and the recent passage of the first capital appropriations act since 2008. The MBR, a 1,620-page bill presented to the legislature by Gov. Kasichs administration, represents the second such mid-budget measure during the past four years. Far more than a simple budget corrections act, it represents substantial policy recommendations designed to continue moving Ohio in the right direction. In order to give each component of the bill proper review, the House of Representatives has divided the measure into 14 separate bills, which have been referred to eleven of our 17 standing committees. I am pleased once again to be sponsoring the veterans portion of the MBR, which is described below. I am also pleased to report our action on a capital bill appropriating almost $2.4 billion for public building and infrastructure repairs, maintenance, and construction throughout our state. Cuyahoga County will receive nearly $65 million in funding for economic development initiatives, community projects, and arts, cultural, and educational improvements. This bill is the first capital measure enacted in six years, another sign of Ohios improving economic climate. The measure is estimated to generate 31,000 jobs, building on the more than 238,200 new private sector jobs created during the past three years, which have dropped the unemployment rate to 6.5 percent in March 2014 from 9.0 percent in January 2011. As indicated above, in recent weeks I have introduced four new bills and a resolution, all of which are elements of my main public policy priorities in the legislature: House Bill 439 is a government accountability measure that builds on my continuing efforts to improve transparency and root out corruption. The bill will provide protection for government employees who report criminal conduct to the Ohio Inspector General (IG) or complain about noncriminal conduct to their supervisors or the state internal audit office. A recent court ruling in Franklin County held that government employees who file a complaint with the Ohio IG must ensure the complaint is criminal in nature in order for whistleblower protection to apply. Such an onerous requirement could have a chilling effect on government employees doing the right thing by seeking to report instances of waste, fraud, and abuse. Our common sense bill, which I am cosponsoring with Rep. Bill Hayes of Licking County, would allow for the filing of noncriminal conduct complaints with the Ohio IGs office. This will encourage our states public employees to report those instances of unethical activity, regardless of whether it is criminal in nature. The following news article provides additional information on the public policy our bill is designed to correct: http://www.toledoblade.com/State/2014/01/19/Revisions-sought-toOhio-whistleblower-law-after-court-rules-employee-s-protectionslimited.html

House Bill 471, legislation to support our military personnel, will increase the criminal penalty for identity theft against active duty military members and their spouses. Nationally, we have seen a disturbing increase in the number of service members reporting identity theft. In Ohio alone, military identity fraud increased almost 20 percent from 2012 to 2013. In addition, this legislation will create a private right of action for all victims of identity fraud, allowing those who fall prey to this nefarious activity to pursue lawsuits against offenders and recover up to $5,000 for each violation, or three times the amount of actual damages, whichever is greater. The bill will also provide an opportunity for victims to obtain a journal entry formally finding them to be the victim of identity fraud. This entry could then be presented to creditors to assist in clearing the victims credit history in a more expeditious manner. House Bill 474, an economic development and agricultural measure, will authorize the creation of the Ohio State Beekeepers Association license plate. Agriculture is Ohios number one industry, and even our suburban district has a large number of farms, nurseries, greenhouses, and beekeepers. Honeybees have been recognized as playing a vital role in agriculture for more than 100 years. In fact, today our state has more than 4,390 registered beekeepers whose honeybees produce over 1,140,000 pounds of honey per year. More important than honey production, however, is the role of honeybees in crop pollination for many of the fruit and vegetable crops of our state. This legislation will permit the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to issue a license plate that generates a $15 fee from individuals electing to purchase the plate that would be used to assist in keeping the beekeeping industry and the future of Ohio agriculture strong. House Bill 488, the veterans/higher education portion of the MBR, will substantively revise the options available to Ohios veterans who seek college degrees or occupational licenses. The bill will create for the first time a uniform process for awarding college credits to veterans for military training. By establishing the Military Articulation and Transfer Assurance Guide, state institutions of higher education will have a baseline of standards for granting college credit for military experience. The bill will also require the states institutions of higher education to adopt a policy regarding veterans support and assistance, an important action to help our returning service members transition from military to civilian life in an academic environment. At a time when less than onehalf of one percent of the American population is standing up and volunteering to defend our liberties, I believe we have an obligation to return some small measure of that devotion and love of country. I am delighted that Gov. Kasich is working to advance a vision and culture of support for our military veterans, and it is an honor to join him in that endeavor as we offer this legislation. House Concurrent Resolution 44 is bipartisan legislation to support Ohios economy by urging the U.S. Congress to appropriate funds for the

construction of the U.S. Customs Plaza for the New International Trade Crossing (NITC) between the United States and Canada. The resolution, which I am cosponsoring with Rep. Teresa Fedor of Lucas County, is similar to a measure adopted in 2012. The NITC is a key link with our northern neighbor and is a project on which I have been working closely with my colleagues in state legislatures throughout the Midwest and the Canadian government. Canada remains the top destination for Ohios manufactured goods and agricultural products, totaling $19.7 billion in goods and supporting 301,100 Ohio jobs. In addition, the NITC would support Ohios growing travel and tourism industry, to which Canadians contribute each year with 557,000 visits and $115 million in spending during their trips to the Buckeye State. A state-of-the art trade crossing will continue to promote our trade relationship and Ohios economic recovery. Around the 7th We recently concluded our 4th Annual Representative for a Day reading contest. Once again this year, we were pleased with the strong participation of our elementary school students and gratified by our ongoing partnerships with the Cuyahoga County Public Library and all elementary schools in the four school districts that comprise our legislative district. More than 200 young people read over 1,600 books as a part of this program to promote Ohio history and the importance of reading. On March 24, we welcomed one student from each library and school, along with his or her parents, siblings, and other family members to Columbus for a personal tour of the historic Ohio Statehouse, a mock legislative session on the floor of the House of Representatives, and lunch. As always, I greatly appreciate the support of parents, students, teachers, administrators, and librarians in making this program such a big success. During the past month, I participated in the following events around the 7th House District: On March 1, I held district office hours at the Olmsted Falls branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. On March 8, I hosted district office hours at the Berea branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. On March 9, I presented commendations to Cub Scouts of Pack 526 at their annual Blue and Gold banquet. Congratulations to all of the boys who completed the program and are bridging to Boy Scouts! On March 19, I welcomed to Columbus during his spring break Dan Bower, a Strongsville constituent and third year law student who is considering career opportunities in Ohio state government. It was great to have Dan join me throughout a busy day in the halls of the Statehouse.

On March 20, I joined fellow community leaders for the State of the City address in Berea. I was pleased that our efforts to address Ohio Turnpike road abatement were recognized by Mayor Kleem. On March 20, I accompanied Berea City Councilman Jim Maxwell to Grindstone Elementary School, where we spoke with a class of 2nd grade students about our work in state and local government. It was wonderful over this past weekend to receive a package of thank you cards from the kids. On March 21, I visited Magnolia Clubhouse, a community-based center of psychosocial rehabilitation in University Circle that supports individuals experiencing mental illness with employment, education, and advocacy. I enjoyed a delicious Lenten lunch and the opportunity to visit with members, volunteers, and staff. On March 27, I attended the quarterly Strongsville Business Network breakfast, where we received updates on the citys ongoing economic development efforts and the important work of Clevelands office of the U.S. Small Business Administration and its local banking partners. On March 29, I held district office hours at the North Royalton branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library. On March 29, I presented a House commendation to Olmsted Falls constituent, Thomas Hartline, the newest Eagle Scout of Troop 228 at the United Methodist Church of Berea. On March 30, I dropped by a community open house at the Olmsted Falls city hall. On March 30, I appeared once again as a guest on The Advocate radio program with Nick Phillips, the host and a North Royalton constituent, on WHK 1420AM. Upcoming Events Upcoming dates of note on my official calendar and in our community include the following: April 18: Tour of Southwest General Health Center, Middleburg Heights April 22: Berea Chamber of Commerce Annual Grindstone Dinner honoring Sally King, Crowne Plaza Hotel, Middleburg Heights April 24: Berea City School District 22nd Annual Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame Dinner, Middleburg Heights Junior High School, Middleburg Heights April 25: Berea Kiwanis Empty Bowl Dinner, Berea-Midpark High

School, Berea April 26: District Office Hours, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Strongsville Branch April 26: Memorial Plaque Unveiling for Prof. Charles F. Burke, Baldwin Wallace University, Berea April 27: BSA Troop 201 Eagle Scout Court of Honor, St. Mary of the Falls, Olmsted Falls April 28: Tour of Brew Kettle Production Works and Restaurant, Strongsville

For more information on any event or to submit an event for inclusion in a future issue of the 7th District Newsletter, please email our office at Rep07@ohiohouse.gov. Thank you!