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From the Desk of Rep. Dovilla

From the Desk of

Rep. Dovilla
At the Statehouse

Around the 7th

Upcoming Events

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124 Responses to
Constituents
88 - Proud New
Homeowners

Strongsville High
School Gymnastics
Team
Third place finish at
the 2015 State
Championship
Marc Carranza
All-Ohio Academic
third team
Berea Business and
Professional
Women

Dear 7th District Resident:

Spring has arrived in Ohio. While the Buckeye
trees have yet to blossom on the Statehouse lawn,
the legislative process is in full bloom with the
states biennial operating budget and a variety of
other bills moving through the Peoples House.
On March 26, the House concluded a busy
three month period with final passage of the
transportation budget and a comprehensive charter
school reform bill I have the privilege of sponsoring.
More details on these bills and the status of the
main budget are available in our At the Statehouse
section of this newsletter.
Winter weather did not prevent a robust
schedule of events in our communities with two
additional rounds of office hours and various other
constituent meetings, many of which were related to
the budget. As usual, this months Around the 7th
segment below includes details on these
engagements, as well as our calendar of upcoming
events.
It is an honor to serve you and your family in the
Ohio House of Representatives. Please engage with
our office on issues that are of interest to you by
calling 614-466-4895 or sending an email to
Rep07@ohiohouse.gov. We look forward to hearing
from you!
Sincerely,
State Representative Mike Dovilla

Seventieth Anniversary House Majority Whip

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At the Statehouse
The Ohio House is in the second week of a
two-week district work period around Easter,
following several weeks of robust legislative activity
that included the passage of three of the four
biennial budget bills and a number of other
measures.
On March 26, the House and Senate adopted
the conference committee report on House Bill 53,
the biennial transportation budget that will fund
Ohios highways, roads, and bridges for Fiscal Years
2016 and 2017. This legislation is always among the
first major bills to be enacted by the newly seated
legislature in order to allow the summer
construction season to begin on schedule. H.B. 53
appropriates approximately $7 billion for state

transportation and infrastructure, public safety,

public works, and development services over the
next two years. As noted last month, the bill
includes another $5 million for the Turnpike
Mitigation Program, an initiative I helped establish
in 2013 to assist our communities in managing the
impact of the toll road, which traverses every suburb
in the 7th District from Olmsted Township to North
Royalton. In addition to H.B. 53, the House passed
the budgets to fund the Bureau of Workers
Compensation and Industrial Commission, two other
measures that move separately through the
legislative process from the main operating budget.
As those three bills were advancing, the House
Finance Committee and its five subcommittees
continued their work on House Bill 64, the main
budget. The committees have received testimony
from hundreds of witnesses representing state
agencies, boards and commissions, interested
parties, and the public. On March 25 and 26, I was
pleased to welcome representatives of the
Strongsville and Berea schools, who came to the
Statehouse to offer testimony before the full Finance
Committee on the governors proposed school
funding formula. I have also met with Lieutenant
Governor Mary Taylor and various cabinet officers to
discuss my thoughts on several elements of the
executive budget. My colleagues and I are
continuing to have a robust dialogue on potential
changes to the proposal, particularly with regard to
its tax elements and school funding. During this
week and next, our House leadership team is
reviewing hundreds of budget amendments filed by
members last Friday, some of which will be included
in the substitute bill scheduled to be adopted on or
around April 14. Those changes will represent the
Houses first pass at the budget for FY 2016-2017,
which will remain a work in progress through the
end of June. Please continue to engage in
conversation with my office to share your thoughts
on this document, which is anticipated to
appropriate around $72 billion to fund state
programs over the next two years.
On March 26, the House passed my third bill

of this legislative session, House Bill 2. This

measure represents the first major reforms to Ohios
community (charter) schools since their
establishment in the late 1990s. I was pleased to be
asked by Speaker Rosenberger to carry this
signature legislation, which will increase
accountability, transparency, and responsibility with
respect to the approximately 400 community schools
that educate more than 120,000 Ohio children
(about seven percent of our states public school
population). As with any major bill, H.B. 2
underwent a rigorous vetting process. The House
Education Committee conducted nine hearings,
considered nearly 100 amendments, and received
testimony from scores of witnesses. Working in
conjunction with Auditor of State Dave Yost and a
wide range of interested parties, I believe the House
passed a strong bill that will improve Ohios charter
schools. I am particularly pleased that the
legislation received wide bipartisan support with a
vote of 75-20 on final passage. It was rewarding to
work across the political spectrum with members of
both parties who are genuinely interested in
effecting reform for this important educational
option for our states children. I look forward to
continuing the legislative process as H.B. 2 moves to
the Senate for further consideration.
The current status of my legislation for the
130th General Assembly is as follows:
House Bill 2 Community (charter) school
reforms pending in the Senate Education
Committee after passing the House by a vote
of 75-20
House Bill 22 George V. Voinovich Bridge
designation (I-90/Inner Belt in Cleveland)
pending in the Senate Transportation,
Commerce and Labor Committee after passing
the House by a vote of 89-4
House Bill 24 Ohio Elder Justice Act (Adult
Protective Services reforms) pending in the
Senate Health Committee after unanimously
passing the House by
House Bill 46 Open Ohio (government
expenditure transparency website)

unanimously reported by the House State

Government Committee and pending on the
House Calendar
The House is scheduled to hold its next voting
session on April 15.

Around the 7th

During the past month, I have maintained an active

schedule around our district, participating in the
following events:

On March 7, I hosted District Office Hours at

the Cuyahoga County Public Library in North
Royalton.
On March 9, I met with Greg Harris, CEO of
the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum,
to receive an update on the Halls first 20
years and upcoming projects.
On March 16, I participated in the monthly
meeting of the Ohio Turnpike and
Infrastructure Commission at OTIC HQ in
Berea.
On March 16, I joined faculty and staff at
Cleveland State University for a tour of their
ultra-conductive copper research facilities.
On March 16, we concluded our fifth annual
Legislator for a Day reading program for
elementary school students and collected
completed bookmarks from participating
schools and libraries. Winners will be
announced soon and invited to a program at
the Ohio Statehouse in early April.
On March 20, I met in Berea with
representatives of Northern Ohioans for
Budget Legislation Equality.
On March 20, I conducted a consumer fraud
seminar for senior citizens with a
representative of Ohio Attorney General Mike
DeWine at the Crystal Waters Retirement

Community in Strongsville.
On March 23, I met with representatives of
Bridges Rehabilitation Center in Middleburg
Heights.
On April 2, I participated in a news conference
on House Bill 24, the Ohio Elder Justice Act,
with Attorney General DeWine and our bills
joint sponsor, Rep. Wes Retherford, in
Hamilton, Ohio.
On April 4, I hosted District Office Hours at
the Cuyahoga County Public Library in
Strongsville.
On January 20, I attended the monthly
meeting of the Ohio Turnpike and
Infrastructure Commission in my capacity as
the House of Representatives non-voting
member.
On January 20, I presented House
commendations to award winners at Bereas
6th Annual Spirit of Community Banquet at St.
Marys Church.
On January 22, I was the guest speaker at the
Greater Cleveland Partnerships monthly
Morning Conversation.
On January 22, I met with Bill Ryan of the
Center for Health Affairs to discuss Medicaid
and other health care issues impacting our
regions medical systems.
On January 22, I met with Jim Irvine of
Buckeye Firearms Association to learn about
the organizations legislative priorities for the
new session.
On January 22, I attended the 15th Annual
Greater Cleveland Sports Commissions
Dinner Banquet at the Cleveland Renaissance
Hotel.
On January 26, I met with Kurt Richards of the
Cleveland Teachers Union to discuss education
policy and priorities.
Upcoming Events

Upcoming events of note on our official

calendar and in the communities of the 7th House
District include the following:

April 7: Rep. Dovilla will host students and

families for his 5th annual Legislator for a
Day program at the Ohio Statehouse.
April 10: 6th Annual Berea Kiwanis Empty
Bowl Soup Supper, Berea-Midpark High
School.
April 13: Rep. Dovilla will tour Manufacturing
Advocacy & Growth Network (MAGNET) in
Cleveland.
April 17: Rep. Dovilla will visit Strongsville
High School to talk with students on the Start
Talking Initiative and his work in the Ohio
House.
April 20: Standing monthly meeting, Ohio
Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission,
OTIC HQ, Berea

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!