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Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Lawmakers clash over Ohio bill to ban therapy for minors without parent consent
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — An Ohio lawmaker said a bill that would prohibit counseling and healthcare services to minors without guardian consent would solidify parental rights, while other legislators argue the measure could stifle youth experiencing abuse at home. Introduced by Rep. Johnathan Newman (R-Troy) in March, House Bill 172 reiterates regulations set by Ohio's 'Parents' Bill of Rights' law requiring schools to notify a parent of a student's change in counseling services, emotional or physical health, or well-being. Educators also must provide parents the opportunity to review instructional material that includes 'sexuality content.' Watch a previous NBC4 report on the 'Parents' Bill of Rights' in the video player above. H.B. 172 additionally bans a mental health professional from treating a minor who 'presents for the diagnosis or treatment of a gender-related condition' without first obtaining consent from a parent. Ohio bill that would require free feminine hygiene products in prisons moves forward During H.B. 172's first hearing on May 21 in the Ohio House Health Committee, Newman said the legislation is needed, given that part of Ohio's Revised Code is not in compliance with the 'Parents' Bill of Rights,' which went into effect in April. Should the state's revised code remain as is, Newman said it could cause confusion in Ohio schools and make 'them think they should or could promote children keeping the knowledge of mental health treatment from their parents.' 'We all should want to see students who suffer with mental health issues receive the help they need,' Newman said during the hearing. 'This bill seeks to do that, maintaining that the students' parents cannot be left out of the picture because the parents are the child's authority and most important and essential part of the student's recovery.' However, Rep. Anita Somani (D-Dublin) voiced concern for how H.B. 172 might impact a student facing abuse from a parent or relative. Somani argued 'there is not safe space for that child' if they need to get permission before seeking help, and asked how a teacher is expected to identify abuse without communicating with the student. Newman said he expects a student would seek counseling services after reporting an abusive parent, not the other way around. The lawmaker noted H.B. 172 would not interfere with school employees' obligation to report to law enforcement if there's evidence of a child suffering a crime of abuse or neglect. Ohio lawmakers push for stricter rules on 'obscene' drag queens, indecent exposure Rep. Karen Brownlee (D-Symmes Township) said she has worked through such situations as a clinical social worker in Cincinnati. Brownlee said there were many times parents weren't readily available when she, or other school staff, had to send a student to the hospital for a medical emergency. 'Are you suggesting that we do not get them that immediate care because of this parental consent need?' Brownlee asked. Newman reiterated that many of these provisions are already law because of the 'Parents' Bill of Rights' and said that if a child needs help and a school employee is aware, then 'parents must absolutely be notified and informed.' If there's a crisis at the school and parents cannot be reached, 'certainly we address the emergency,' Newman said. 'This bill seeks to uphold what the law currently says, that if there are mental health services to be provided, parents are to be notified. Parents can't be written out of the mental health or behavioral care of their children,' Newman said. 'Parents must be a part of the solution for care.' Brownlee also said 'it would completely go against, not only code of ethics, but would impede the safety of the child' for a social worker or educator to discern a 'gender-related condition' or any diagnostic or mental health issue, before that student received treatment. Pilot program testing tasers in Ohio's prisons; may expand statewide H.B. 172's provision banning mental health professionals from treating minors who 'present for the diagnosis or treatment of a gender-related condition' is one of several reasons the proposal has been condemned by Ohio LGBTQ+ advocacy groups. Equality Ohio argued in March that both H.B. 172 and the 'Parents' Bill of Rights' will cut off 'a crucial lifeline' for LGBTQ+ youth who live in unsupportive homes and confide in their therapist or school counselor. Dwayne Steward, Equality Ohio's executive director, said H.B. 172 continues the Ohio Statehouse's trend of 'anti-LGBTQ+' legislation and that the measure would force youth out of the closet 'in very, very dangerous situations where they're already experiencing crisis.' 'The bill would remove the confidentiality of a trans student who was experiencing mental health needs, and it could delay or keep a child from going and getting the mental health care that they need,' Steward said. 'It's extremely dangerous and another way in which our legislature is failing trans students.' H.B. 172 could receive additional hearings in the Ohio House Health Committee, which would be open for public testimony. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
As of Friday, 728 people have voted in person at county board of elections
JEFFERSON — The Ashtabula County Board of Elections has been see some early voting before the special election Tuesday. All county precincts will be open because of the state wide issue on the ballot, which would permit the continued issuance of bonds to fund to public infrastructure in Ohio, if passed. According to the county board of election's website, 728 people have voted early in-person at the board of elections, as of Friday afternoon. 'Early voting has been slow, but steady,' Board of Elections Director John Mead said. Mead said special elections after general elections are usually slower. 'It has picked up as we get close to election day,' he said. Early voting will continue today from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and Sunday from 1-5 p.m. at the Board of Election's office at 8 W. Walnut Street in Jefferson. Precincts will be open Tuesday from 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Almost all county precincts will stay the same as the last election, the exception is Saybrook Township precincts 2, 4 and 8, which were moved to Lakeside Junior High School because of the Lakeside High School roof collapse. Along with the state-wide issue, there are 11 levies, both county-wide and local. All candidates on the ballot are unopposed. According to the board of election's website, 373 people have requested an absentee ballot by mail. The deadline for requesting an absentee ballot has passed, Mead said. 'That deadline was the 28th of April,' he said. Mead said absentee ballots need to be mailed by Monday in order to be accepted by the board of election's office. The board of elections has sent out 214 absentee ballots to nursing homes, according to its website. Mead said the board of elections reaches out to county nursing homes to accommodate seniors. Most of those have come back by now, he said. Mead said 14 people have come by the board of election's office to request an absentee ballot to take home and fill out. The board of elections has sent out three UOCAVA emails that accommodate soldiers serving overseas. There have also been three curbside votes collected. Mead said these voters are in the board of election's parking lot, and cannot come into the building because of medical issues. 'We do everything to accommodate voters within [Ohio] Revised Code,' he said. The board of election sends poll worker staff of each major party to work with them, Mead said.
Yahoo
16-03-2025
- Yahoo
Former Ohio sheriff's deputy who had sex with inmate won't be charged
A former Ohio sheriff's deputy who was fired for having sex with an inmate won't be facing any charges. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] In October of 2022, then-deputy April Woodside was fired from the Summit County Sheriff's Office for having sex with inmate Jordan Schwertner, CBS affiliate WOIO-19 reported. TRENDING STORIES: Firefighters respond to structure fire in Oakwood Strong winds partially pull roof off area Great Clips, cause damage across Miami Valley Ohio man wins $1M top prize with scratch-off ticket Woodside was also suspected of smuggling drugs into the jail, but no charges have been filed against her. The Summit County Sheriff's Office originally closed the case in December of 2022, but reopened it in November of 2024, WOIO-19 reported. Woodside admitted to detectives during an internal affairs investigation that she and Schertner had sex within his cell. Records obtained by WOIO-19 showed that the two texted each other more than 750 time in a one month period, as well has speaking on the phone. Schwertner used his jail-issued tablet to communicate with her. Woodside even sent Schwertner dozens of risqué photos of herself, according to investigators. Schwertner said he filed a federal rape complaint known as a PREA (Prison Rape Elimination Act) in June of 2023, WOIO-19 reported. He said that as an inmate he could not have consented to sex. According to the final report submitted by Lead Investigator Kirk Hostetler, Schertner later admitted to having a sexual encounter with Woodside in his cell. Schwertner told WOIO-19 that he and Woodside had essentially been dating while he was serving time in Summit County, The report from the sheriff's office shows the Woodside was also suspected of smuggling drugs into the jail. Woodside admitted to providing Schertner with contraband, such as cigarettes but denied giving him any drugs, WOIO-19 reported. Schwertner said that after Woodside was fired, his cell was raided, and deputies found some of the drugs she had given him. He claims that Woodside gave him a wide variety of narcotics. Ohio's Revised Code § Chapter 2907 and § Chapter 2921.36 both state it's a third-degree felony for a law enforcement officer to have sex with ― or provide drugs to ― an inmate. The final report from the sheriff's office does not mention was happened with the suspected narcotics that were seized, WOIO-19 reported. According to SCSO's policy regarding Investigations Section 7.3.1 - IV, 'All controlled substances…will be submitted directly to the Summit County Drug Unit, who will then coordinate the submission to BCI.' The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation was unable to locate any records related to the name 'Woodside' or the case number listed on the report, WOIO-19 reported. The Summit County Prosecutor's office was asked to review the case for criminal charges, but Chief Criminal Assistant Prosecutor Brian LoPrinzi declined to take it to a grand jury. in a Feb. 25 letter to Sheriff Kandy Fatheree, LoPrinzi stated that due to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Garrity v. New Jersey ― which protects public employees from self-incrimination ― Woodside's admission to detectives couldn't be used against her in court, WOIO-19 reported. If detectives discover additional evidence, prosecutors will re-evaluate the case, according to the letter. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
