Columbus, Ohio USA
Return to Homepage www.shortnorth.comState Representative Michael Stinziano
Representative Michael Stinziano proudly serves the residents and businesses of the Short North. Michael is a pragmatic and innovative leader who works in a bipartisan manner to get results for his constituents. He serves as the ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee and on the House Insurance and House Public Utilities Committees. In addition, he serves as a board member of the Ohio Arts Council and the Ohio Tuition Trust Authority. Michael was born and grew up in the Short North where he lives with his wife Caroline and their son Cooper, along with two rescue pugs Wrigley and Fenway.
This is an Archive
Anti-discrimination ordinances and the LGBTQ community
Rep. Michael Stinziano represents the 18th House District including the great neighborhoods and businesses of the Short North
September/October 2015 IssueReturn to Auditor or Homepage
See Also: Stinziano Councilman
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
Earlier this year I introduced House Bill 262 with Rep. Greta Johnson (D-Akron) to expand the operating jurisdiction of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission to assist municipalities with more robust anti-discrimination ordinances than state law currently provides.
More than 30 cities and counties throughout our state have taken the initiative to add LGBTQ Ohioans to their lists of protected classes under anti-discrimination rules, while the State of Ohio continues to drag its feet in protecting these citizens from workplace and housing discrimination.
This year alone, thanks to the leadership of Councilperson Deneese Owen in Bexley and Councilperson Steve Gladman in Grandview Heights, our neighbors in Bexley and Grandview Heights voted in support of protecting LGBTQ Ohioans through municipal ordinances.
While large cities – like Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati – have the resources to enforce these new rules through the creation of citywide civil rights commissions, the costs of these commissions are sometimes restrictively high for smaller cities with limited resources.
House Bill 262 would provide smaller cities with the resources of the statewide Ohio Civil Rights Commission to investigate claims of discrimination against LGBTQ Ohioans and enforce any violations of their laws.
My bill would ensure that no Ohioan can be discriminated against while looking for housing or while in the workplace, and would serve as a tool for municipalities throughout our state until Ohio takes action to fully protect all of its citizens on a statewide level.
Equal access to housing and employment are one of the cornerstones of creating the best communities to work, live and raise a family.
G. Michael Payton, executive director of the Ohio Civil Rights Commission, has noted that extending anti-discrimination protections to the LGBTQ community “would provide a level playing field, so that all persons can enjoy the fruits of their labor.”
Currently, only 22 of the 50 states fully protect LGBTQ residents by making them a protected class under statewide anti-discrimination statutes. A protected class is a group with certain characteristics who cannot be legally discriminated against.
In 2009, legislation that would have prohibited discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in Ohio passed the House of Representatives but died in the Senate.
Civil rights commissions, like the Ohio Civil Rights Commission and the Community Relations Commission in Columbus, help protect the rights of LGBTQ citizens by investigating claims of discrimination and enforcing occurrences of discrimination with fines and penalties.
I want to give local governments the access to the Ohio Civil Rights Commission to allow them another tool in their toolbox to make their neighborhoods safer and welcome to all.
I welcome your thoughts about further protecting the rights of our friends, family and neighbors, and enjoy hearing from you. Remember, when you have a problem, question, concern, or anytime I can be of service, call me at 614-466-1896 or email me at rep18@ohiohouse.gov and I will do everything I can to help.
Also, please visit my Statehouse website often to learn more about my work to improve life in our community: www.ohiohouse.gov/michael-stinziano I’m at the Statehouse working for you.
JULY/AUGUST 2015
Ohio Senate Moves Paperless Online Voter Registration Forward
Rep. Michael Stinziano represents the 18th House District including the great neighborhoods and businesses of the Short North
July/August 2015 IssueThanks to support from the leadership of the Ohio Senate, legislation that I’ve sponsored for the past four years in the House of Representatives enacting online voter registration in Ohio is finally closer to becoming law.
We currently pay our bills online, manage our bank accounts online, and even file our tax returns online, yet we do not let our citizens register to vote online.
So far this year, Florida, Oklahoma, and New Mexico authorized online voter registration. When this common-sense approach to voter registration becomes law in Ohio, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, we will join 20 other states across the political spectrum, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Washington which offer paperless registration.
Another seven states, including Florida, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, West Virginia, and the District of Columbus have passed legislation to create online voter registration systems, but have not yet implemented them. Although several other states are considering legislation, some states may be proceeding to establish online voter registration through administrative channels rather than legislative action.
This legislation will require Ohio’s secretary of state to create a paperless online voter registration system that would allow qualified Ohio citizens to be able to register to vote or to change their voter registration information online and move Ohio’s voter registration system into the 21st century by allowing qualified citizens to register to vote and update their registration through a paperless online registration.
As the former director of the Franklin County Board of Elections, I know firsthand that online voter registration will be more convenient for voters, save taxpayer dollars, and improve the integrity of voting in Ohio. Providing Ohioans with an easier way to register to vote and update their registration information will significantly reduce the number of citizens who are required to cast a provisional ballot.
In 2012, the Secretary of State’s online change of address system allowed more than 106,000 Ohio voters to update their addresses between August 9 and the close of voter registration, but not to register to vote.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, Arizona first implemented paperless online voter registration in 2002 and has reported success with their program. The Arizona Secretary of State reports that over 70 percent of all voter registrations are now performed online and that the state saw an increase of 9.5 percent in voter registration from 2002 to 2004 with the implementation of online registration.
Arizona also reports cost savings by eliminating the data entry process for state and county employees that a paper-based system requires, as well as increased accuracy in its voter rolls. The costs associated with a paper registration were 83 cents per registration, while the cost of an online registration was only 3 cents according to a 2010 Arizona report. Other states have also experienced significant cost savings in processing registrations.
Paperless online voter registrations require a driver’s license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number, and the inclusion of this information in all online registration allows for quick and accurate checks for duplicate records. Of course, not everyone can or will want to register online. Voters who do not have driver’s licenses or identification cards, or any voters who care to, can still use a paper voter registration form.
I welcome your thoughts about online voter registration and enjoy hearing from you. Remember, when you have a problem, question, or concern, or anytime that I can be of service, call me at 614-466-1896 or e-mail me at Rep18@ohiohouse.gov and I will do everything I can to help.
Also, please visit my Statehouse website often to learn more about my work to improve life in our community: www.ohiohouse.gov/michael-stinziano I’m at the Statehouse working for you.
MAY/JUNE 2015
Health Care Under Attack
Rep. Michael Stinziano represents the 18th House District including the great neighborhoods and businesses of the Short North
May/June 2015 IssueResidents of the Short North who signed up for health insurance through the federally run health insurance exchange will have their premium assistance protected by legislation that I’ve introduced in the General Assembly along with Rep Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) to establish the Ohio Health Care Exchange.
As the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, I introduced this legislation in anticipation of an upcoming United States Supreme Court decision in King v. Burwell which will determine the legality of paying federal premium assistance to policyholders in states like Ohio which do not run a state health insurance exchange.
One way or another, the Supreme Court decision in Burwell is expected to be decided by one vote. It’s time for lawmakers in Ohio to prepare for a decision by the United States Supreme Court that potentially threatens the health care of more than 234,000 Ohioans. We cannot ignore the potentially devastating financial consequences for so many Ohioans if the Supreme Court rules that they are no longer eligible to receive federal assistance to help pay their health insurance premiums.
If you do the math using information provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, estimates are that low and moderate income Ohioans would lose federal subsidies in the amount of $50 million each month or $600 million a year if the Court rules that they cannot receive federal assistance to help pay for their health care.
While I hope the Supreme Court rules that providing assistance to Ohioans is legal, potentially Burwell puts Ohioans at risk. It’s time to consider again whether Ohioans wouldn’t be better served by a state run exchange.
According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, currently 234,507 Ohioans receive their health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act with nearly 85 percent of them qualifying for federal assistance averaging $247 each month.
No one should underestimate the difficulty of establishing a state-run exchange, but, if the Supreme Court rules against the legality of paying federal assistance to policyholders enrolled through the federal exchange, the General Assembly may have no choice but to act.
My legislation establishing an Ohio health care exchange will make certain that, no matter what the Supreme Court decides in Burwell, Ohioans who are receiving assistance under the Affordable Care Act will continue to do so.
Federal premium assistance is available to uninsured individuals with incomes up to 400 percent of the federal poverty level, which is $47,080 for a family of one and $97,000 for a family of four in 2015. Individuals eligible for these subsidies paid, on average, just $105 a month for coverage purchased through federal health insurance exchanges. Without these subsidies the average monthly premium would have been $374, according to a recently released U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report.
I co-sponsored similar legislation sponsored by Rep. Antonio and former Rep. John Patrick Carney (D-Columbus) in the 129th General Assembly, but we were unable to convince our colleagues in the General Assembly about the importance of setting up a state exchange.
As your elected representative, I pay close attention to problems that may affect you and welcome you to schedule time to meet me at the Statehouse to discuss questions or concerns.
Or, if you prefer, meet me during community office hours which I hold weekly. You can find out when I’ll be at a library, community center, or coffee house near you by visiting www.ohiohouse.gov/Michael-Stinziano. When you have a suggestion, problem, question, or concern, or anytime that I can be of service, call me at 614-466-1896 or email Rep18@ohiohouse.gov and I will do everything I can to help.
I’m at the Statehouse working for you. he General Assembly is considering legislation (HB 37) which I’m sponsoring along with my colleague Rep. Mike Duffey (R-Worthington) allowing visitors to the North Market to enjoy wine and beer throughout the market.
MARCH/APRIL 2015
Enhancing the North Market Experience
Rep. Michael Stinziano represents the 18th House District including the great neighborhoods and businesses of the Short North
March/April 2015 IssueThanks to a suggestion from Rick Harrison Wolfe, executive director of the North Market and other North Market business owners, the General Assembly is considering legislation (HB 37) which I’m sponsoring along with my colleague Rep. Mike Duffey (R-Worthington) allowing visitors to the North Market to enjoy wine and beer throughout the market.
The North Market is one of the jewels in the Short North, and we should do everything we can to promote the small business people working there. Our North Market truly “Showcases the Best of the Best” in entrepreneurship. I’m happy and excited to enhance the North Market experience for shoppers visiting there.
HB 37 will allow a person to possess beer, wine, or intoxicating liquor on the premises of the market, much like they can in many grocery chains throughout Ohio, if it has been purchased from a D liquor permit holder located in the market.
Our bi-partisan bill, promoting the success of small businesses in the North Market, is the latest example of the many common sense ideas that are being considered in the General Assembly or have already become law that constituents first suggested to me.
Another good example is Ohio’s new law helping protect our young athletes from sustaining head injuries because of returning to play too soon after sustaining a concussion.
I am particularly proud that several pieces of legislation which I sponsored last session to create jobs, support small business in our community, reduce infant deaths, fight Ohio’s growing heroin epidemic, and prevent skin cancer, are now law in Ohio.
Other bills that I’ve introduced previously that constituents first suggested include legislation establishing Start Up Zones in Ohio (HB 669); preventing infant deaths (HB448); reducing senior citizen falls (HB84); and increasing protection against domestic abuse (HB 243).
As your state representative, I pay close attention to your ideas and encourage you to call or meet with me about your concerns. Please contact me to offer suggestions for making our community a better place to live, work, raise a family, and grow a business. Serving you is what makes my job enjoyable and what drives me to do better each day, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Call me at 614-466-1896 or email me at Rep18@ohiohouse.gov and I will do everything I can to help.
Also, please visit my website often to learn more about my work to improve life for the residents and businesses of our community: www.ohiohouse.gov/Michael-Stinziano.
I’m at the Statehouse working for you.Join Representative Stinziano During SPRING TOWN HALL MEETINGS
Representative Stinziano is looking to initiate an open dialogue among neighborhood residents, businesses and elected officials to discuss the proposed biennial budget and other pertinent issues impacting our community.
Tuesday, March 24 at the Grandview Heights Public Library, 1685 W. First Ave. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday, March 31 at the Bexley Library, 2411 E. Main St. 6 - 7 p.m.
Thursday, April 2 at German Village Haus, 588 S. Third St. 6 -7 p.m.
Tuesday, April 7 at the Franklinton Library, 1061 West Town Street 6 to 7 p.m.© 2015 Short North Gazette, Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015
Common-sense bills to move Ohio forward
Rep. Michael Stinziano represents the 18th House District including the great neighborhoods and businesses of the Short North
January/February 2015 IssueReturn to Homepage
The new session of the Ohio General Assembly that is underway at the Statehouse promises to be challenging but productive for our community. In just a few short weeks, my colleagues will begin considering several pieces of important legislation which I will sponsor in 2015.
I remain dedicated to investing in all Ohioans by working to create more and better jobs, especially to help grow small businesses throughout our community, fund essential services to help local governments promote neighborhood safety, and support our schools.
During the four years in which I have proudly represented the residents and businesses of the Short North in the Ohio House, my colleagues and I introduced common-sense bills to move Ohio forward by addressing important problems that face Ohioans today. We championed legislation which I strongly support to create jobs, cut taxes for the middle class, and restore the homestead exemption for senior citizens.
I am particularly proud that several pieces of legislation which I sponsored last session to create jobs, support small business in our community, reduce infant deaths, fight Ohio’s growing heroin epidemic, and prevent skin cancer, are now law in Ohio.
Many of these ideas, including Ohio law which now protects young athletes from sustaining concussions and serious head injuries when participating in youth sports, were first suggested to me by constituents. As your elected representative, I pay close attention to your ideas.
Please contact me to offer ideas and suggestions for making our community a better place to live, work, and raise a family. Serving you is what makes my job enjoyable and what drives me to do better each day, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Remember, when you have a suggestion, problem, question, or concern, or anytime that I can be of service, call me at 614-466-1896 or email me at Rep18@ohiohouse.gov and I will do everything I can to help.
Also, please visit my website often to learn more about my work to improve life for the residents and businesses of our community: www.ohiohouse.gov/Michael-Stinziano. I’m at the Statehouse working for you.Join Representative Stinziano During Community Hours
The meetings offer the opportunity for citizens to tell Rep. Stinziano directly what is important to them and how he can help in his work at the statehouse.
Friday, January 9 at Stauf’s in German Village, 627 S. Third St. 10 - 11 a.m.
Monday, January 12 at the Grandview Heights Public Library, 1685 W. First Ave. 5 to 7 p.m.Friday, January 23 at the Panera on Lane, 300 W. Lane Ave. 10 to 11 a.m.
Monday, January 26 at the Bexley Starbucks, 2450 E. Main St. 5 - 7 p.m.Friday, February 6 at Spinelli’s Deli, 767 Neil Avenue 11 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Thursday, February 12 at the Bexley Starbucks, 2450 East Main Street 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Friday, February 13 at the Hilltop Library, 511 South Hague Avenue 10 to 11 a.m.
Thursday, February 19 at the Grandview Heights Public Library, 1685 West First Avenue 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, February 26 at the Franklinton Library, 1061 West Town Street 5 to 6 p.m.© 2015 Short North Gazette, Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved.
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2014
Cutting Taxes for Artists
Rep. Michael Stinziano represents the 18th House District including the great neighborhoods and businesses of the Short North
November/December 2014 IssueTo support the diverse arts community in Ohio and spur economic growth in our community, I am introducing legislation providing artists with an income tax deduction for any income derived from the sale of their works within designated “arts and entertainment” districts, including the Short North arts district.
My legislation will reduce the tax burden on Ohio’s creative artists who qualify as a “resident artist,” an individual who owns or rents residential property in our state, conducts business within any arts and entertainment district, and derives income from a sale or performance within those districts.
My proposal broadly defines musical compositions, plays, paintings, sculptures, photographs, dances, and traditional or fine crafts as “work.” Currently, Ohio offers a sales and use tax exemption for some artistic purposes, such as property sales for use in non-profit presentations of music, dramatics, the arts and related fields.
As a recently appointed member of the Ohio Arts Council Board, I’m convinced that by reducing the tax burden on artist entrepreneurs, Ohio will attract and retain a creative and vibrant artist community.
The Ohio Arts Council is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.
I believe that my legislation will cultivate creative and cultural enrichment, making Ohio more attractive and more competitive with other states that have larger metropolitan areas. We need to do more to retain our college graduates, attract young professionals and families, and support local artists that call Ohio home, and we need to strengthen Ohio’s cultural education opportunities.
Representing Columbus’ Short North arts district, the Columbus College of Art and Design, and several other creativity incubators, gives me a unique opportunity to champion legislation benefitting artists,
galleries, and art institutions.
By serving on the Ohio Arts Council Board and with the enactment of this legislation, I will continue to champion artistic experiences that enrich Ohio’s communities and bring new economic opportunities to artists throughout Ohio.
If adopted, my legislation will join similar efforts in Maryland and Rhode Island to create an incentive for statewide artistic creativity. However, the Maryland and Rhode Island tax deductions are more restricted and require more administrative corroboration from tax departments. Unlike legislation elsewhere, my proposal simply requires that artists be certified, rather than necessarily work in an arts district or have an official certificate that a sold piece is a piece of art, to apply for the deduction.
In this manner, my proposal offers a more streamlined process and poses less of an administrative burden for the State of Ohio.
I hope my colleagues stand with me in support of Ohio’s artists.
What do you think about my proposal? I’d love to hear from you about this or any other issue.
Remember, when you have a problem, question, or concern, or anytime that I can be of service, call me at 614-466-1896 or email me at Rep18@ohiohouse.gov and I will do everything I can to help.
I’m at the Statehouse working for you.Join Representative Stinziano During Community Hours
The meetings offer the opportunity for citizens to tell Rep. Stinziano directly what is important to them and how he can help in his work at the statehouse.
Thursday, November 6 at the Grandview Heights Public Library, 1685 West First Ave. 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 13 at the Bexley Starbucks, 2450 East Main St. 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Monday, November 17 at the Franklinton Library, 1061 West Town St. 10 to 11 a.m.
Monday, November 24 at Stauf’s in German Village, 627 S. Third St. 10 - 11 a.m.Friday, December 5 at Spinelli’s Deli, 767 Neil Ave. 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
Monday, December 8 at the Grandview Heights Public Library, 1685 West First Ave., 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Monday, December 15 at the Bexley Starbucks, 2450 East Main St., 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, December 30 at the Parsons Library, 845 Parsons Ave. 10 to 11 a.m.© 2014 Short North Gazette, Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved.
OCTOBER 2014
Your Ideas Matter!
October 2014 IssueAs a citizen, your ideas matter and, as your elected representative, I pay attention to your ideas.
A great example of a new law in Ohio that came from a constituent is the law that I sponsored along with Rep. Sean O’Brien, my colleague from Northeast Ohio, requiring that when a young athlete sustains a concussion during practice or a game and it’s discovered by an athletic trainer, then the athlete has to be cleared by a physician before returning to play.
A constituent first suggested the idea to me after seeing a news report in which a boy ended up in a wheelchair after returning to play too soon after a concussion.
So, we worked with that idea and now I’m proud to say that Ohio is among the more than 25 other states with a return-to-play law in place to help protect our young athletes from serious injury.
Again, your ideas matter.
Other bills that I’ve introduced in this session of the Legislature that constituents first suggested to me include:
• H.B. 84: Livable Homes: To authorize a Home Tax Credit for the purchase or construction of an accessible home, or for the renovation of a home to improve its accessibility and allow senior citizens and the disabled to safely stay in their homes longer.
• HB 243: Domestic Abuse Protection: To increase the penalty for committing cruelty to animals for a second or subsequent violation.
• HB 259 Economic Gardening: To create the Ohio Economic Gardening Pilot Program, which will connect small businesses to resources, encourage the development of essential infrastructure and provide entrepreneurs with needed market information.
• HB 448 Infant Death Education & Prevention: To provide for development of educational materials promoting infant safe-sleeping practices and for review of the materials with the parent, guardian, or caregiver of each newborn infant.
I will continue to introduce and promote legislation that will help make our community the best place to live, work, raise a family, and grow a business in Ohio.
Remember, when you have an idea, problem, question, or concern or anytime that I can be of service, call me at 614-466-1896 or email Rep18@ohiohouse.gov and I will do everything I can to help. I’m at the Statehouse working for you.Please visit my official Statehouse website often to learn more about my work at improving our community: www.ohiohouse.gov/michael-stinziano
Join Representative Stinziano During Community Hours
The meetings offer the opportunity for citizens to tell Rep. Stinziano directly what is important to them and how he can help in his work at the statehouse.
Friday, October 10 at the Franklinton Library, 1061 West Town St. 10 to 11 a.m.
Thursday, October 16 at Spinelli’s Deli, 767 Neil Ave. 9 to 10 a.m.
Thursday, October 23 at the Grandview Heights Public Library, 1685 West First Ave. 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday, October 28 at the Bexley Starbucks, 2450 East Main St. 5 to 6:30 p.m.© 2014-2015 Short North Gazette, Columbus, Ohio. All rights reserved.
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