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Joe
Uecker
State
Representative
3/12/06
Updating
legislation on Workers Compensation and the Ohio Firearm
Conceal Carry Law:
Last
week was a difficult week dealing mainly with two
controversial issues, workers compensation reform and
updates to the conceal/carry bill.
You often hear the phrase that “
Ohio
is a great place to live, work, and raise a family”.
This is often a very challenging task to make happen but
last week we worked on legislation that dealt directly
with improving the daily lives of most of our citizens.
Somewhat
contentious at times during the committee process as well
on the House floor during debate, Senate Bill 7 enacts
major reforms to the Ohio Bureau of Worker’s
Compensation program.
During committee testimony we heard horror stories
of workers made to wait weeks for checks with nothing to
live on. We
also heard stories of businesses being put out of business
due to exponential premium increases.
This is not what the creators of Workers
Compensation had envisioned.
I believe this new law strikes a balance between
good public policy and benefiting the daily lives of all
Ohioans. These
reforms make the claims process more fair and efficient
for both workers and businesses.
Many
important improvements were made to the legislation since
its introduction. Perhaps one of the most notable to
working Ohioans is the raise of our state’s minimum wage
to $5.15 – a rate equal to that of the federal
government. Other major benefits of the reform package
include comprehensive changes aimed at reducing the amount
of time an injured worker must wait to collect disability
payments, the number of weeks of “non-work wage loss”
benefits to match unemployment compensation and the
statute of limitations for Bureau of Workers’
Compensation claims. It is with
Ohio
workers and families in mind, that members of the House
drafted and enacted this landmark legislation. Through
Senate Bill 7, we have also enabled businesses across our
state to retain more employees and we have increased the
wages of more than 100,000 people in
Ohio
. Protecting a system that both businesses and workers
rely upon most has been a top priority of the past year
and will remain a priority for years to come.
Senate
Bill 7, which was passed by both the House and the Senate,
now awaits the governor’s signature.
Another
measure passed by the House in an effort to benefit and
simplify the lives of every-day Ohioans is a measure that
provides gun owners with a uniform law across the state.
House Bill 347 addresses several concerns that have come
to the surface since the state’s concealed carry law
went into effect in 2004.
Under
current law, a licensed gun owner who is driving must keep
the firearm in clear view in a holster or a case –
unless it is locked in a glove compartment. A number of
legislators determined the current requirements were too
cumbersome to comply with and set to work enacting
legislation that clarifies the law for those who wish to
carry a firearm and institutes common-sense reforms to
Ohio
’s concealed carry laws.
Of
utmost common sense, the bill removes the requirement that
individuals transporting a firearm have it in “plain
sight.” This legislation also allows off-duty law
enforcement officers to carry a concealed firearm 24 hours
a day, seven days a week and limits the period for county
sheriff offices to accept applications for concealed carry
permits to 15 hours each week.
Additionally,
House Bill 347 increases the penalties for drunk driving
with a loaded firearm in the car and for failing to inform
law enforcement of the presence of a firearm during a
routine traffic stop. Moreover, the bill also makes
illegal aliens ineligible to obtain a concealed carry
license. In passing this bill, members of the House have
reaffirmed an individual Ohioan’s right to bear arms
under both the
U.S.
and Ohio Constitutions.
Other
business addressed by the House that directly affects you
and your family was the updating of bicycle-related laws
including safety and signaling requirements. House Bill
38, sponsored by Representative Arlene Setzer
(R-Vandalia), brings bicycle laws in line with the rules
of the road. This legislation prevents those on bicycle
from being prohibited to ride on our state’s roadways
while ensuring that the top priority of any bicycle
regulations is the safety and well-being of riders.
As
we continue the second half of the 126th
General Assembly, we will continue to hear and enact many
additional pieces of legislation you have identified as
important to you, your community and our state. As I
consider each of these bills I will remain committed to
examining the impact on the lives and well-being of all
Ohioans.
Joe
Uecker
State
Representative
Ohio’s
66 District
Representing
Batavia, Goshen, Miami and Union Townships as well as the
Cities of Loveland and Milford and the Villages of Batavia
and Amelia.(614)
466-8134
District
Office (513)-248-2565
Website:
www.JoeUecker.com
Email:
Joe@JoeUecker.com |
