Sarah Grace, a Democratic candidate running for the 94th House District, has endorsed the new "Focus on the Future" economic agenda from Ohio Democratic lawmakers.
Ohio Democratic legislators revealed a new economic agenda Wednesday called "Focus on the Future," and one Ohio statehouse hopeful has already endorsed it.
Sarah Grace, candidate for the 94th House District in Ohio, announced Wednesday she supports the economic agenda.
"It's really for ... college students, working families, focusing on raising wages and protecting family medical leave," Grace said.
The agenda encompasses eight different pieces of legislation, all in various degrees of becoming Ohio law, half of which are still being drafted.
Mike Rowe, a spokesman for the Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus, said though some of the legislation was introduced last year, the agenda itself has been in the works for a couple months.
"The Democratic Senate and House think we need to get the focus back on core economic issues," Rowe said. "That's why they put together this list of legislation."
Rowe said the hearing on House Bill 48 is an example of needing to refocus the general assembly, now in its second year.
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House Bill 48 would give universities in Ohio the choice to allow concealed handguns on campus. It would also grant immunity to universities from civil liability involving someone who is properly licensed to conceal carry.
"We spent a lot of time in this general assembly yesterday talking about issues that don't really affect peoples' jobs and pocketbooks," Rowe said.
Senate Bill 25, named Raise the Bar for Wages, is a piece of legislation included in the agenda and certainly would affect pocketbooks in Ohio. The legislation would increase the minimum wage in Ohio to $10.10, which is $2 higher than it is currently.
Sen. Lou Gentile, D-Steubenville, is a co-sponsor for the legislation.
Another state legislator representing Athens in Columbus, Rep. Debbie Phillips, D-Albany, will be drafting one of the pieces of legislation titled Paycheck Freedom.
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