Welcome to the April edition of our A&A e-newsletter. Currently, our legislature is on a two-week hiatus for Spring Break. Upon their return, the budget (HB 49) will remain the top priority until its passage, slated for the end of June. Another priority bill for the Ohio Chamber is HB 2, legislation that would bring balance and predictability to Ohio's employment discrimination laws by harmonizing state law with federal law. To view the list of bills our government affairs team is following, click here.

Action Alert - Repealing Burdensome Laws and Regulations to Ensure a Positive Business Climate
Recently, leaders in the Ohio legislature have made repealing laws and regulations that stand in the way of economic success a priority. Instead of just passing new laws and adding to the Ohio Revised Code, they want to take steps to reduce the size of Ohio's laws. And they're looking for your help. Tell us a burdensome regulation or one unnecessary state law that you think should be repealed.
Legislative Meet & Greet: Chamber Day and Annual Meeting
The 2017 Chamber Day and Annual Meeting is only 18 days away. If you haven't registered yet, click here to do so. Time is running out!

As part of the day's events, we would like to offer local chambers of commerce the opportunity to interact with their elected officials and staff while here in Columbus. If your group is interested in setting up a meeting, please contact me at 614-629-0923 or at [email protected].

New Website Provides Non-Partisan Election Information for Employers & Employees
No election has ever turned the political world on its head quite like the 2016 campaign cycle. News outlets, social media, commercials, the water cooler, and dinner tables; no matter where you went you couldn't escape politics. With such an overload of information, many voters received conflicting information regarding candidates and their positions on issues.

Did you know that employers rank as the most credible source of information on political and public policy issues? According to polling put out by our non-partisan partners over at the Business-Industry Political Action Committee, or BIPAC, employers are seen as more credible than political parties, labor unions, and the news media. In that same poll, employees, by a 2-to-1 margin, want their employer to share important policy information with them.

This is why, through the Ohio Chamber's partnership with BIPAC, we are launching " Ohio P2" - a new website designed to empower employers and employees alike. On Ohio P2, visitors can view issue specific information on our Top Issues page, find their polling place, register to vote, find out who their legislators are, write their legislators on important business related issues, and view side by side candidate comparisons as we get closer to 2018.

Sincerely,

Rich Thompson
Director, Political Programs