Candidate for Ohio State Senate - District 16 in 2020 Ohio Primary Election.
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Get StartedI believe that Ohio needs to become a more inclusive and progressive state. Under current law, a person in our state can be fired, evicted or denied services for reasons of sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. The Ohio Fairness Act, which would protect against discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations, has languished in both houses of the legislature. This legislation is important not only to our sense of fairness but also to our ability to compete economically. As your State Senator, I will support legislation that better protects against discrimination so that everyone can thrive here and push Ohio forward. Learn more
Unfortunately, Ohio ranks 33rd in access to preschool and 38th in state spending per child. Childcare is expensive. By limiting eligibility for child care assistance to families making less than 130 percent of the federal poverty level, Ohio makes it more difficult than most states to access care. Meanwhile, the average child care worker makes only $9.86 an hour, leading to high turnover and disproportionately affecting women of color who make up the majority of early childhood professionals. I believe that we can do better. As your State Senator, I will push to increase eligibility for child care assistance and improve Ohio’s provider rates to ensure that workers are fairly paid and that barriers to care are removed. Learn more
Unfortunately, state funding is on the decline and continues to lag behind inflation. Voucher programs and irresponsible charter schools have siphoned away resources. Ohio’s school report cards more accurately measure a district’s demographics than its performance. As your State Senator, I will respect and listen to our teachers, fight for equitable state funding, push for more civics and financial education, and support a new method of performance assessment that is supported by educators. Learn more
I believe that our legislature does not accurately represent the will of the people. On August 5, 2019, Ohioans everywhere demanded that our lawmakers finally DO SOMETHING to improve gun safety in our state. That call has rung on deaf ears in the Republican-controlled legislature. Despite the fact that 90% of Ohioans support universal background checks, no real movement can be seen from the Republicans. As your State Senator, I will push for universal background checks and support legislation that raises the minimum age to purchase a firearm to 21, closes the gun show loophole and allows for the temporary removal of guns from people who pose an imminent danger to themselves or others. Learn more
Ohio ranks 46th in health value, meaning we are less healthy while spending more on health care than most other states. Addiction has impacted families throughout Ohio, including my own. We use too little of our resources on prevention, pushing expensive treatment costs down the road. We pay too little attention to the social determinants of health, such as race, education and socioeconomic status. Learn more
We have more work to do to ensure that everyone has access to the mental health care they need. Due to differences in state and federal law, insurers in Ohio can more strongly restrict access to mental health services than to treatment for physical health. Anyone who knows a veteran, first responder, teacher, health care professional or who suffers from a mental illness understands the need for equal access to mental health care. As your State Senator, I will stand up for fair access to mental health services so that nobody should have to suffer in silence. Learn more
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