By Lauren Cohen

Throughout November and December, U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes voted on multiple House resolutions.

Notably, she voted yes on H.R. 4405, the Epstein Files Transparency Act.

The act became public law on Nov. 19, and it required the Department of Justice to publish all records related to Jeffrey Epstein’s investigation.

“I voted yes today because survivors deserve the truth and to know that their voices matter,” Sykes said in a press release. “Powerful men have long used their connections to avoid accountability. This is the beginning of the end of these harmful tactics.”

Ohio Sen. Casey Weinstein (D-Hudson) introduced S.B. 317 on Nov. 5 alongside Ohio Sen. Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster). If passed, it would create the Pediatric Cancer Research Fund in the state treasury to “support hospitals conducting pediatric cancer research and to authorize voluntary contributions to the fund,” according to the bill’s page on the Ohio Senate website.

It currently sits in the Senate Finance Committee.

Ohio Sen. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson) introduced S.B. 320 on Nov. 10, which would enter Ohio into the Athletic Trainer Compact, which is “a legislatively enacted contract among states providing an efficient process for licensed athletic trainers to establish multistate practice,” according to its website.

It currently sits in the Senate Health Committee.

Ohio State Rep. Jack K. Daniels (R-New Franklin) brought forth two bills in November.

H.B. 569 was introduced on Nov. 4 alongside Ohio State Rep. Jim Hoops (R-Napoleon). The bill would amend Ohio law related to abandoned manufactured homes. It currently sits in the House Local Government Committee.

H.B. 574 was introduced on Nov. 5 alongside Ohio State Rep. Mike Dovilla (R-Berea). It would appropriate money for and create a Political Subdivision Consolidation Incentive Grant Pilot Program. It also currently sits in the House Local Government Committee.

Sykes introduced House Resolution 918 on Dec. 1, which would commemorate 200 years of “historic contributions to American culture” made by Akron, according to its bill page on Congress.gov. It currently sits in the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and Sykes gave introductory remarks on Dec. 2.

She introduced H.R. 6820 on Dec. 17, which would require the issuance of airline passenger flight compensation regulations. It currently sits in the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.

She also introduced H.R. 6898 on Dec. 18, which would promote advancements in aeronautical research and technology. It currently sits in the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

Ohio State Rep. Bill Roemer (R-Richfield), Ohio State Rep. Veronica Sims (D-Akron) and Ohio State Rep. Derrick Hall (D-Akron) were not the primary sponsors of any bills in this time frame.

Daniels, Hall, Sims, Roemer, Roegner and Weinstein voted on multiple bills throughout November and December that were passed in both the House and Senate and sent to Gov. Mike DeWine on Dec. 19.

All six legislators voted yes on H.B. 114, which creates consistent statewide age requirements for kindergarten admission.

They also all voted yes on H.B. 184, which creates limitations on college athlete name, image and likeness contracts.

All but Weinstein voted yes on H.B. 129, which amends the law to “generally include fixed-sum levies in the calculation of a school district's millage floor and to authorize, with limitations, school district fixed-sum levies,” according to its bill page on the Ohio House of Representatives website.

All but Sims voted yes on H.B. 186, which designates a cap on property tax revenue growth for homeowners.

Daniels, Roemer and Roegner voted yes on H.B. 309, while Hall, Sims and Weinstein voted no. The bill modifies the law surrounding county budget commissions and property taxation.

Daniels, Roemer and Roegner voted yes on H.B. 335, while Hall, Sims and Weinstein voted no. The bill “limits revenue increases from inside millage levies occurring due to a reappraisal or update,” according to its bill page on the Ohio House of Representatives website.

Daniels, Roemer and Roegner voted yes on S.B. 293, while Hall, Sims and Weinstein voted no. The bill changes the deadline to return absentee voter ballots.

Daniels, Hall, Sims and Roemer voted on five other bills. All voted yes on H.B. 251, H.B. 377, H.B. 188 and H.B. 386.

H.B. 251 would create requirements for using unmanned drones or aerial vehicles by law enforcement. It passed in the House and was referred to the Senate Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee on Nov. 19.

H.B. 377 would remove certain regulations for using light-based medical devices for hair removal. It passed in the House and was referred to the Senate Health Committee on Nov. 19.

H.B. 188 would create the Ohio-Israel Trade and Innovation Partnership, which would advance innovation, trade and investment between Ohio and Israel, according to a press release by one of its primary sponsors, Ohio State Rep. Thomas Hall (R-Madison Twp.).

It passed in the House and was referred to the Senate Finance Committee on Nov. 18.

H.B. 386 would require photo identification to apply for a marriage license. It passed in the House and was referred to the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee on Nov. 18.

Daniels and Roemer voted yes on S.B. 50, while Hall and Sims voted no. The bill would allow 14 and 15-year-olds to work until 9 p.m. year-round. It passed in the Senate and House, but DeWine vetoed the bill on Dec. 3.

Roegner and Weinstein voted on five bills in this time frame, including S.B. 219, S.B. 273, S.B. 34, H.B. 124 and S.B. 295.

Roegner voted yes, while Weinstein voted no on S.B. 219, which would revise the law around oil and gas wells. The bill passed in the Senate and was introduced in the House on Nov. 25.

Both voted yes on S.B. 273, the Keep Them Safe Act, which would create guidelines for the voluntary storage of firearms. It passed in the Senate and was introduced in the House on Nov. 25.

Roegner voted yes, while Weinstein voted no on S.B. 34, the Display of Founding Documents of Historic Significance Act, which would require public schools to display certain historical documents. It passed in the Senate and was introduced in the House on Nov. 25.

Both voted yes on H.B. 124, which would change the process of valuing property in Ohio during revaluation cycles. It was signed by DeWine on Dec. 19.

Both voted yes on S.B. 295, which would extend the timeline for restoring defendant mental competency in criminal cases. It passed in the Senate and was referred to the House Judiciary Committee on Nov. 19.

Though the House was on winter break, Hall posted on Facebook that he was taking that time to meet with constituents, business groups and agencies to “develop budget and legislative priorities for next year.”

He met with members of the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park alongside Roemer, Sims and Weinstein to discuss budget items.

He attended the “Glow with Stow” event on Dec. 6 alongside Sykes. He also posted that he attended DeWine’s holiday reception at the governor’s mansion in December.

“I view events like these as opportunities to spend time with fellow members of the Democratic caucus and also to engage with 'the other side' in a way that can open doors to find areas of agreement on things that will help Ohioans,” he wrote on Facebook.

In December, he advocated for citizens to tell DeWine to veto S.B. 56, which would revise marijuana laws. It was signed into law on Dec. 19 with a line-item veto on Dec. 23.

Sims posted that she read to third-grade students at the Portage Path Community Learning Center on Dec. 15.

“Their questions and ideas were so sincere and insightful. They actually had an election recently, complete with all the campaigning, posters, and stump speeches. As a result, Portage Paths CLC 3rd grade class now has a Madam President Porter,” she wrote on Instagram.

Roegner attended multiple holiday parties in December, including the Republican Party of Cuyahoga County’s Christmas party. She also hosted a dinner with the Greater Cleveland Young Republicans.

“You guys are amazing, and the future of our party is indeed bright!” she wrote on Facebook.

She also posted that she received multiple endorsements for state treasurer, including from Moms for Liberty.

Sykes hosted a naturalization ceremony in Akron on Dec. 8, where 46 new American citizens from 30 different countries became citizens.

“Congratulations to America’s newest citizens on this monumental achievement,” she wrote in a press release. “I am proud to now call them my fellow citizens, and I look forward to serving everyone in my district in the years ahead.”