Latest news with #HouseBill240
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawmakers weigh changes to Ohio vicious dog laws
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio lawmakers are looking to change vicious dog laws, which have not changed in years. 'Story after story after story of sad situations where folks were seriously, seriously injured and/or killed,' Rep. Kevin Miller (R-Newark) said. Miller is sponsoring House Bill 247, which makes several changes to the law, but he said one major portion of it allows a dog who attacks someone to be seized immediately by the dog warden. Franklin County deputy attacked by dog in traffic stop 'So, in many cases, those dogs that maybe bit a neighbor, they remained in the community because the dog warden couldn't remove them,' he said. Some members of the Ohio House Public Safety Committee raised concerns about these dogs being immediately removed from a home. 'When [animal shelters] are full, they don't take dogs,' Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) said. 'That's why people are quarantining them at home.' 'You're taking them out of the home without due process or going through the hearing process,' Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) said. Ohio again ranks among worst states in country in list by U.S. News & World Report But Miller said that the provision acts in the best interest of the victim of the attack. Under the bill, once the dog is seized, there is a ten-day period in which the case must be heard; then if the dog is deemed vicious, the court will decide whether the dog must be humanely put down. 'The responsibility is on the owner,' Miller said. 'However, if they've done such an egregious thing, I feel that the dog should be euthanized.' The bill also increases legal penalties, but not in all cases of attacks. 'If my dog has been a loving animal, no issues of any aggression, but one day it happens to lash out, this bill doesn't change the penalties for that,' Miller said. 'It keeps those the exact same. The increased penalties in this bill are for the repeat offenders.' Ohio's power grid operator warns of potential power shortages this summer This is not the only bill being worked on — there are two Democrat-led bills, House Bill 240 and 241, and a Senate bill also being worked on. Lawmakers hope this helps fast track some sort of action. 'Bottom line is what we're trying to do is come up with something that we all can agree on that makes sense,' Rep. Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati) said. The House bills are being heard in the House Public Safety Committee. Those three bills all had sponsor testimony on Tuesday and now await both proponent and opponent testimony. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Bill to eliminate one test for school bus drivers heads to Senate
(WTAJ) — Legislation that would reduce the redundancy in the required testing for school bus drivers, by eliminating one test altogether is headed to the Pennsylvania Senate for consideration. House Bill 240, which passed unanimously in the House, would eliminate multiple hearing aid tests for school bus drivers. Under current regulations, a school bus driver with a hearing aid must pass two types of hearing tests. The first test is a standard hearing test while wearing a hearing aid. The second requires that the hearing aid itself undergo an electroacoustic analysis test to ensure that the hearing aid is functioning according to the manufacturer's standards. The bill eliminates the need for the second test. 'There is simply no need to take this additional test as the driver's hearing aid obviously works if he or she passes the original exam,' state Rep. Kerry Benninghoff (R-Centre/Mifflin) said. 'In addition, hearing aid technology continues to evolve, and not all audiologists have the necessary equipment to perform the second test.' If you have a question about this or any state government issue you can direct them to Benninghoff's Bellefonte district office at 814-355-1300 or his Reedsville district office at 717-667-1175. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
