Latest news with #Blackshear
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ohio lawmakers introduce bill that would allow counties to test gas station fuel quality
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – If an Ohio bill is signed into law, local counties may begin testing the quality of motor fuel at gas stations. Senate Bill 80, sponsored by Sens. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati) and Willis Blackshear Jr. (D-Dayton), would enable county auditors to implement programs for testing the quality of motor fuel at gas stations. The legislation would permit inspectors to test for octane levels, as well as sediment and water in fuel. 'This bill represents an essential step toward protecting Ohio's consumers, promoting environmental sustainability, and ensuring the integrity of the motor fuels used by our residents every day,' Ingram said at an introductory hearing for the bill in February. While Ohio law already presents the opportunity for the state Director of Agriculture to establish a statewide motor fuel quality testing program, one has not yet been created. Ohio is one of only three states that does not have a statewide program for fuel quality testing, according to the lawmakers. In other states, inspections are typically conducted annually, while some opt to test whenever there are customer complaints. Currently, Ohio law does not allow for a quality testing program at the county level. County auditors have inspectors who visit gas stations to test for the quantity of fuel, but not quality. Low-quality fuel can lead to engine damage, reduced fuel efficiency and increased air pollution, Ingram said. Repairs needed after fueling with contaminated gas can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the severity of the damage. 'When consumers are putting gas into their car, they want to be assured that the product they are putting into their vehicle is safe, and that they are not being 'sold short,'' Blackshear said at the February hearing. 'By allowing our county auditors to implement this program they can give local consumers an enhanced peace of mind knowing that the fuel they are using has been checked and is accurate.' The bill would require fuel inspectors to relay data collected from testing programs to the Director of Agriculture, who would then compile that information and make it accessible to the public online. It would also allow each county auditor to make their own decision on if implementing a program is feasible, Blackshear said. Multiple similar bills have been introduced in past general assemblies, but have not made it through a legislative session. The most recent was introduced by Ingram in May 2024, which did not progress to the point of receiving a hearing. Currently, only Summit County operates a motor fuel quality testing program in Ohio, as it is a charter county and has certain home rule powers most other counties do not. Cuyahoga is the only other charter county in Ohio. SB 80 was assigned to the Senate's Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, where it awaits proponent and opponent testimony. Sen. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) is cosponsoring the bill. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ohio bill would create county-overseen fuel testing programs to protect against bad gas
Apr. 24—Ohio is among three states in the nation that don't have fuel quality testing programs, and one Dayton lawmaker said such a program would protect consumers and businesses alike. "Without regular testing, there is no way of knowing if fuel Ohioans buy contains water, sediments or other contaminants that can cause damage to their car," said state Sen. Willis Blackshear Jr. "In this economy, the last thing people want to be focused on is costly car repairs. Ohioans have the right to know what they're putting into their cars." Blackshear, D-Dayton, is one of Senate Bill 80's sponsors. The bill would authorize county auditors to implement a motor fuel quality testing program. It also would require gas station owners and other fuel retail dealers to allow fuel inspectors to perform various tests on motor fuel pumps and storage tanks. "This legislation is a low-cost way to keep drivers safe. Fuel quality testing should be a no-brainer," Blackshear said. The legislation revives past bipartisan efforts that fizzled out in the Ohio House. Blackshear joined Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith during a Wednesday press conference. Keith said that just last week, his office received complaints from customers at gas stations in West Carrollton and Farmersville. One customer fueled their car and only traveled a mile down the road before breaking down. An inspector from the auditor's office found water 10 inches deep in an underground gasoline tank at one of the gas stations. Since then, that station has shut down the affected pumps. Keith said that fuel testing protects the consumers, but also businesses — aside from needing to pay for the repair costs of impacted customers, shutting down fuel pumps for a week limits revenue. In the past year, tainted fuel has plagued motorists in Hamilton, Lucas, Lorain and Brown counties. Repairs needed after fueling up with contaminated gas can be costly, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars. The bill would allow inspectors to test motor fuel quality for octane level, sediment and water in the fuel. County auditors have weights and measures inspectors who visit gas stations to test the quantity of fuel. However, they do not have the authority to test the quality of that fuel. Keith said that because the same inspectors could draw samples to test fuel quality, the cost of implementing a statewide fuel quality program in this manner would be minimal. Keith said consumers who believe they have been sold bad gasoline should contact the gas station and report the incident at or by calling his office's consumer protection hotline at 937-225-6309.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Buying soda with food stamps would be banned under Ohio House-passed bill
Apr. 24—The Ohio Senate is preparing to deliberate a House-passed measure to prohibit Ohioans from using food stamps on "sugar-sweetened beverages" when the higher chamber takes up state budget considerations later this month. "I don't think we should have a policy in this state where we're essentially subsidizing diabetes in children by buying pop with food stamps," Ohio House Finance Chair Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, told reporters earlier this month. The House provision defines "sugar-sweetened beverages" as any beverage that contains more than five grams of added sugar, excluding any beverage that contains milk, milk products, soy, rice or other milk substitutes or any beverage that contains 50% or more of vegetable or fruit juice by volume. If the GOP-controlled Senate concurs with the Republican House, Ohio would need final approval from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which broadly funds the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) administered by the states. In recent months, the USDA has seen a growing number of states look to cut out unhealthy options from food stamp eligibility. State Sen. Willis Blackshear, Jr., D-Dayton, told this outlet that he opposed food stamp restrictions. "This House Budget provision treats SNAP users as if they can't be trusted to make their own personal choices, and would cause them to not have the same rights in making food choices as everyone else," Blackshear said. Stewart, meanwhile, argued that concerns of personal freedom shouldn't be applied to personal decisions made with public dollars. "I think if people are using their own money, they have the freedom to do whatever they want with that money," Stewart said. "When you're using the taxpayer's money to buy your food, I think taxpayers have an ability to say, 'We're not going to buy junk food.'" Blackshear told this outlet he's concerned about over-regulating peoples' diets. "We shouldn't be trying to micromanage or punish SNAP users, instead we need to be focusing on other solutions instead of restrictions," he said. According to federal regulations, food stamps can be used to buy fruits and vegetables; meat, poultry and fish; dairy products; breads and cereals; snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages; and seeds and plants. But there are various restrictions on what SNAP beneficiaries can buy, including bans on beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes and tobacco. ------ For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It's free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Local leaders propose fuel testing bill following ‘bad gas' claims
DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) — One Ohio senator is stepping in after drivers say they got a bad batch of gas from stations here in the Miami Valley. Senator Willis Blackshear announced on Wednesday that he will be rolling out a new bill that would start fuel quality testing in Ohio. The bill, properly known as Senate Bill 80, isn't a bill yet, but it's been brought up in past legislative session without making it across the finish line. This time, Senator Blackshear and Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith are confident it will pass. 'I don't think it's the only gas station in America doing this,' said >>> Residents are becoming vocal after learning that some drivers who filled up at gas stations in West Carrollton and Farmersville last week experienced costly car issues. 'We sent out of our inspectors out to check to see what the situation was, and he did determine at least in one of the underground storage tanks, there was more than 10 inches of water in that tank,' said Karl Keith, Montgomery County auditor. 'How it got there, we don't know. We know that we've had a lot of rain.' Water-tainted gasoline can cause cars to break down. Blackshear says fuel consumers need more protection. 'Ohio is one of three states with no program in place to test fuel quality for contaminants,' said Blackshear. 'Without regular testing, there is no way of knowing if fuel Ohioans buy will be tainted by water, sediments, or other contaminants that can cause damage to their car.' The proposed bill would give county auditors the option to start testing for fuel contamination. Currently, they're only allow to test the quantity of fuel, not the quality. Blackshear says the cost to implement the program would be minimal. 'County auditors will be able to use their existing weights and measures, inspectors that already test for fuel quantity will perform the quality inspections,' said Blackshear. Though gas station owners have rejected the proposal in the past, the county auditor says it will benefit them, too. 'But it's also to protect the station owners. When our inspector got to these stations, the station managers had already taken their pumps out of service after they got complaints from people,' said Keith. The Montgomery County Auditor's Office is keeping track of local gas contamination incidents. If you think you've been sold bad gasoline, you can report it to their office by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dayton-area lawmakers in political spat over violence, crime at downtown RTA hub
Mar. 31—As Ohio's governor prepares to sign a new transportation budget, an argument is playing out locally over a provision that specifically requires the Greater Dayton RTA to contract law enforcement to provide security at its downtown transportation hub. The provision at question singles out the Greater Dayton RTA in all but name. It specifies that any centralized transportation hub in Ohio with six or more service lines, within counties with populations between 535,000 and 540,000 people, must "enter into and maintain a contract with one or more local law enforcement entities to enforce laws and ensure safety at or in the vicinity of the hub." The provision, backed by former Montgomery County sheriff and current state Rep. Phil Plummer, R-Butler Twp., is meant to clamp down on violence and illegal activities that he said have long occurred at the Greater Dayton RTA hub downtown. The problem, Dayton Democratic lawmakers argue, is that the Greater Dayton RTA already contracts security with the Dayton Police Department, thus making the provision "duplicative." That's the central point of a letter Dayton Democratic lawmakers Sen. Willis Blackshear, Jr., and Rep. Desiree Tims wrote to Gov. Mike DeWine, urging the Republican to line-item veto the provision. "The Montgomery County RTA has indicated to me that it currently contracts with the Dayton Police Department to provide safety services at its transportation transfer hubs. Because the Montgomery County RTA already has a contract with local law enforcement, it is unclear what the inclusion of this language would actually address," the letter reads. In an interview with this outlet, Blackshear said he sees police at the RTA hub frequently. For Plummer, whatever solution the Greater Dayton RTA has worked out with police is not done enough to quell the frustrations he hears from downtown businesses. He said there are about 25 entrepreneurs who have come to him for help. "(Democrats) say they have contracts. Well, I don't see the cops," Plummer said in an interview with the Dayton Daily News. "I was just down there the other day, and the business community is complaining." "The business community is very frustrated," Plummer said. "Caveat is, RTA does contract with Dayton, but every time I go down there, I don't see a cop." Neither Blackshear nor Plummer have the actual contract that the RTA supposedly has with Dayton Police Department. This news outlet reached out to both the RTA and police department for details but did not hear back before publication. It's unclear what immediate impact the provision would have if it became law. Both Plummer and Blackshear noted that it seems as though the Greater Dayton RTA is already engaging in a contract that would meet the specifications of the provision. But Plummer framed the provision as a tool to up the pressure after being rebuffed by city leaders. "They're going to say, 'We do it.' Well, I'm gonna say, 'You don't do it enough,'" Plummer told this outlet. "So I'm getting their attention. If I have to amend it into this (forthcoming operating) budget for specific amounts, we can, because it's just not working." Plummer said the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office used to have a contract with the RTA "years ago" when he was sheriff. He said he'd place the same officers in the vicinity of the hub so that they could build rapport and familiarity with the situation. "We had the same officers there every day who knew the troublemakers," Plummer said. "...(Without that), they just don't know who belongs there and who doesn't; who's selling dope down there every day to our kids." Blackshear questioned the purpose of the provision and called it unhelpful. "I've heard from businesses, of course, who are frustrated about some of the things that are happening at the hub," Blackshear said. "I just feel like, if the issue is that what's currently going on right now isn't working, let's put together a plan besides essentially having RTA's back against the wall." Both Plummer and Blackshear said they intend to argue their case to DeWine, who has 10 business days to make his veto decisions. The bill was sent to the governor on March 25. ------ For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It's free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
