SOME LAWMAKERS WANT JUNE 26 VOTE ON SB 83

As we reported last week, a small group of lawmakers are trying to pressure House Speaker Jason Stephens to hold a vote on Senate Bill 83–The Higher Education Destruction Act–this Wednesday, June 26.

It could not be clearer that members of campus communities and the public at large oppose this bill. But some legislators care more about politics than they do policy; and make no mistake that if SB 83 becomes law, it will impose policies that take away job protections for all faculty, gut faculty collective bargaining rights, impinge upon academic freedom, and take away support mechanisms for students.

We are asking our members and allies to fight back once again and encourage the House of Representatives to reject SB 83!

Use this form to contact House members, and call Speaker Stephens to thank him for keeping SB 83 off of the House floor: 614-466-1366.

If you are able, it also would be very helpful to call these Representatives and ask them to reject SB 83:

Thomas Patton: 614-466-4895

Cindy Abrams: 614-466-9091

Sara Carruthers: 614-644-6721

Scott Oelslager: 614-752-2438

Brett Hillyer: 614-466-8035

Al Cutrona: 614-466-6107

Mike Loychik: 614-466-3488

Kevin Miller: 614-466-2500

Gail Pavliga: 614-466-2004

Jeff LaRe: 614-466-8100

Haraz Ghanbari: 614-466-8104

Monica Robb Blasdel: 614-466-8022

Jon Cross: 614-466-3819

Bob Peterson: 614-466-3506

Jay Edwards: 614-466-2158

Don Jones: 614-644-8728

Justin Pizzulli: 614-466-2124

Dave Dobos: 614-466-9690

Andrea White: 614-644-6008

Scott Lipps: 614-644-6023

Adam Mathews: 614-644-6027

Jamie Callender: 614-644-6074

Sharon Ray: 614-466-8140

Jim Hoops: 614-466-3760

Bill Roemer: 614-644-5085

The message to these Representatives is simple: Do not support SB 83. It is an anti-union, anti-free speech, big-government, bureaucratic bill that will make it difficult to keep and attract faculty and students. This will hurt Ohio’s economic competitiveness.

As a reminder, SB 83 passed the Ohio Senate in May 2023 and then passed the House Higher Education Committee in early December by an 8-7 vote. The bill has since lingered in the House Rules and Reference Committee, but Speaker Stephens has not brought it to the floor for a full vote of the House, citing that the bill lacks sufficient support.

Last week, two State Representatives began circulating a sign-on letter to show that SB 83 does have the support to pass, if brought to the floor. We have encouraged Representatives to decline to sign that letter and vote No if SB 83 is brought up for a full vote.

Use this form to email State Representatives to ask them to reject the bill and call Speaker Stephens (614-466-1366) to thank him for holding strong for unions and higher education.

THANK YOU for continuing to take action! The phone calls and emails are making a difference. Despite the odds against us, our collective activism has kept this bill at bay for more than a year, but we have to keep up the pressure through House session on Wednesday!