Susan Jagers, Director of the Ohio Poverty Law Center, testified as a proponent of H.B. 55 on behalf of Advocates for Ohio’s Future, in front of the Ohio House Government Oversight Committee today. H.B. 55, sponsored by Representative Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati), would allow the General Assembly to conduct session and committee hearings, including accepting virtual witness testimony, during a period of emergency declared by the Governor.
In the second hearing for H.B. 55 on Thursday, five witnesses testified in person in support of the bill, and an additional 49 witnesses submitted written proponent testimony to the committee. In addition to AOF’s testimony, a number of AOF member organizations submitted testimony, including the Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, The Center for Community Solutions, the Ohio Association of Area Agencies on Aging, the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, and the Ohio Poverty Law Center. View all H.B. 55 testimony HERE.
In our testimony to the committee, AOF outlined the barriers most Ohioans face to appearing in person at committee hearings, such as taking time off work, finding child care or dependent care, securing transportation, and being exposed to COVID-19 by leaving their homes. While written testimony submission remains an option for any interested party or individual, written testimony does not allow committee members to engage with the witness or ask questions, and does not carry the same weight as live testimony from witnesses.
“As you consider Ohio’s path forward towards an equitable recovery, we ask that you elevate our state’s
greatest resource — our people — in the decision-making process. ”
AOF also urged legislators to make virtual committee testimony a permanent option for Ohioans to participate in the legislative process, which would also open new pathways for older Ohioans or Ohioans with disabilities to engage more deeply with legislation that impacts their lives.
Read AOF’s full proponent testimony HERE.
Susan Jagers, Director of the Ohio Poverty Law Center, testifies on behalf of AOF.
Tracy Nájera, Executive Director of Children's Defense Fund-Ohio, testifies in support of H.B. 55.
by: Sarah Hudacek, AOF Policy Assistant