[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6255274,"mediaKeyId","3166548-f1f5545c9dcb095047a5399901284a71","parentId",3166548,"title","Committee advances several memorial highway namings; refers two bills to rules committee","audioSeconds",195,"startMs",1434480,"endMs",1630190,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3166548-f1f5545c9dcb095047a5399901284a71&start=1434&end=1630","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3166548-f1f5545c9dcb095047a5399901284a71/thumbnail_1434480.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6255274/Ohio/Committee-advances-several-memorial-highway-namings-refers-two-bills-to-rules-committee","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6255274-cd1ffe18cd50e4d3b3d87f3780f2e0c1/orig.mp4?Expires=1773676201&Signature=QHPv~2wBcw8zyNuFHaHUoiRHHoLffPqEAuQQf8D6V3L2hRHchpfdR2445L8WavZJqqAbfk9H2npMDnP47VwXYhwnBepB1ydOjdWrJRmLaRuqTGtLqxOdB2aCVTV4SG0g3J8-0C3NCc3~thnMgbhIWEuchY4BN1PetmVAOoOXnOWZAFdV4CracII~iCK2uT696qPtnaDCIxbNS2NtP1NowRjNQ~5KN3FboE11OWHhh4tMEN2SuEkXP6qYHqMtkAZf5z1ElWAnTaro-NXQLiMdhHnCe-iVAYrIkeTNU~Ec95GbBP-lVvN3gHKfDzha89rHWvZw37yM8LUOx1owJ3i8zw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Ohio Legislature","date","2025-04-30T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Transportation Committee took testimony on multiple measures to designate portions of roadways as memorial highways and took formal committee action to report two bills to the committee on rules and reference.

Naming bills and testimony:
- Senator Andrew Brenner presented sponsor testimony on Senate Bill 119 to designate portions of U.S. 36 and State Route 37 as \"Freedom Parkway,\" citing the Ohio Fallen Heroes Memorial near Sunbury and urging the committee’s support.

- Denny Sellers testified in support of Senate Bill 148, asking the committee to name a portion of State Route 2 as the Specialist Lloyd Andrew Sellers Memorial Highway in Lake County and describing his father's military service and honors. Denny Sellers said he had worked with Senator Cerino's office to advance the initiative.

- Representatives Kings and Klopfenstein presented sponsor testimony on House Bill 51 to name a portion of U.S. Route 33 in memory of Highway Patrol Lieutenant James Kuykendall. Representative King and Representative Klopfenstein described Kuykendall’s service and the location tied to his line-of-duty death.

- Representative King presented sponsor testimony on House Bill 50 to designate a portion of State Route 47 in Darke County as Private First Class John Wayne Richard Memorial Highway and described Richard’s service in Vietnam and the purpose of the memorial.

Committee actions and roll-call votes:
- Senator Schaeffer moved to report Senate Bill 148 to the committee on rules and reference; the clerk called the roll. The roll call in the transcript shows Chair Patton, Vice Chair Schaeffer, Ranking Member Antonio, Senator Chavez, Senator Reineke, Senator Smith and Senator Timken each voting \"Yes.\" The motion carried and the committee referred Senate Bill 148 to Rules and Reference.

- Senator Schaeffer then moved to report Senate Bill 95 to the committee on rules and reference. The clerk called the roll and the transcript records the same members voting \"Yes.\" The motion carried and the committee referred Senate Bill 95 to Rules and Reference.

Administrative note: At the start of the session the committee approved minutes from 03/26/2025 with no objections.

Why it matters: Naming highways after fallen service members and local figures is a routine legislative action that memorializes service and sacrifices; the committee advanced two bills to the rules committee by recorded roll-call votes.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Ohio Senate Transportation Committee - 4-30-2025 ","oneSentenceSummary","The committee heard multiple road- and highway-naming measures and formally reported Senate Bill 148 and Senate Bill 95 to the committee on rules and reference (roll-call votes recorded).","taxTitle","Transportation, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Ohio","taxId",37401,"location","Ohio","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6255277,"Sponsor says bill would let state contract with private vendor to modernize specialty license plates",474,772075,1246950,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3166548-f1f5545c9dcb095047a5399901284a71&start=772&end=1246","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3166548-f1f5545c9dcb095047a5399901284a71/thumbnail_772075.jpg","/articles/6255277/Ohio/Sponsor-says-bill-would-let-state-contract-with-private-vendor-to-modernize-specialty-license-plates","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6255277-e046fda66918dc1aec74b5aa04fc60a9/orig.mp4?Expires=1773676201&Signature=Ka8iyMxOGnRSiWMfLPAQcjf2cCk6XQ6DaLShYjlJgZuUHr1jadcWnCfpG83BUu7~-5ZwoU-y23-XDK4QEi1CfVGsIEVb9eZRCsiqYT5gBjQH06b9dBOzo6sCUc0EkVCQS-WP60XAduykLnZCyuXuVVd9EnY5A3J8LIKw9z2LvyaOAzCbP~qvZ2SoYX8hWgWQBVQ1ILr9DBwRw2cAW9DyhpV2bT4N8NCoOV7FlB3TAlyxmRVumzW3fug1lBu4pGIv~jUydrbbowI4G9t0lOvCgjKTFg2Qn0eK2i-ORN7QQn8tWUIcCWnbc~xGnSw6ZdZem7eJ47TFECzNnl59Y3jTfw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Cattrona provided sponsor testimony on Senate Bill 91, which would authorize the registrar of motor vehicles to use a competitively selected private vendor to operate a specialty license plate program alongside the current statutory process.

“To modernize the specialty plate ordering system while simultaneously enhancing consumer service and choice,” Senator Cattrona told Chair Patton and members of the committee, the bill would allow a vendor to market and manage specialty and personalized plates and return revenue to the state. The sponsor pointed to Texas as an example, saying vendors there have sold more than 850,000 specialty and personalized plates and generated more than $200 million; the senator said the program would direct revenue to the state’s drug-law enforcement fund unless the legislature chooses otherwise.

Committee members asked whether the proposal would privatize an existing state function and whether it would change the destination of funds now directed by statute to nonprofit or other recipients. Senator Smith asked whether the bill “change the amount of money, or rather, is this gonna change the destination of money that we would normally be getting, through, you know, these specialty license plates?” Cattrona replied that the arrangement is a third-party contract and said the state would likely see increased revenue and that legislative authority to create plates would remain intact. Ranking Member Antonio asked whether the state was adding a private middleman; the sponsor said the third-party vendor would market plates and improve user experience while the controlling board and legislature would retain oversight.

Why it matters: The bill would alter the administrative process for specialty plates by enabling a private vendor to operate a parallel ordering channel; sponsors said the change could increase sales and revenue directed to a specified fund but said the legislature would retain approval authority over plate designs.

The committee recorded a first hearing and requested further clarification on revenue flows and oversight in subsequent testimony.

","Senate Bill 91 would authorize the Registrar to contract with a private vendor to manage a specialty license-plate program alongside the statutory process; sponsor said the change is intended to increase sales and revenue for a designated fund and to preserve legislative control over plate approvals.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6255280,"Sponsors urge Congress to pass rail-safety \"Veil Act\" after East Palestine derailment",256,288760,545310,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3166548-f1f5545c9dcb095047a5399901284a71&start=288&end=545","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3166548-f1f5545c9dcb095047a5399901284a71/thumbnail_288760.jpg","/articles/6255280/Ohio/Sponsors-urge-Congress-to-pass-rail-safety-Veil-Act-after-East-Palestine-derailment","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6255280-00ad8f1d1413433648353a5545341980/orig.mp4?Expires=1773676201&Signature=fuDw78sPSwJFCANpM~qG5-KvWpNlnVVat97c5FG-ue5l8dTJcLvIlHJcyKpZ~CQMCzRVMNuWT3zP67qJ9y6xsGzd6oqQLcwZJboCS22RmgAt2dYT93yS8-MRrfVpuEtglZGcc49G5bIpQYzv6Sxygr702Ck4MC5EYWESQ8oel7TzvuEMNsSXD7Na5g9BpDShiCc3WlFKFF9tfyeRFwvWFSosRZmh3~NUxAeV64yy-8ZYzfJ9-SAB5uiswWuEukEpVyqDydoEZ-XukONzRWwK4pO877Zrynl-jXsSQh0gvWpI2PoEwP0un91gaKaBrt-aPSFPkKwsgFAtfcnNYgHbnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senators sponsoring Senate Concurrent Resolution 8 told the Senate Transportation Committee the measure urges Congress to pass the federal bill referred to in testimony as the Rail Act or \"Veil Act,\" which would aim to tighten safety standards for trains carrying hazardous materials.

One sponsor said the East Palestine derailment on Feb. 3, 2023, had “devastated” communities and that state lawmakers should urge Congress to act. \"When that derailment occurred, hazardous materials were leaked out. Communities were devastated,\" the sponsor told Chair Patton and committee members.

A second sponsor described the bill’s provisions in more detail: it “would require all class 1 freight and passenger trains to operate with a minimum of 2 person crews,” strengthen inspection standards for trains carrying hazardous materials, improve notification to state and local emergency responders about hazardous shipments and “improve the visibility and accuracy of safety placards” for first responders. The sponsor also said the bill would address mechanical vulnerabilities such as wheel bearing failures, increase penalties for safety violations, provide funding for hazardous-materials training for first responders and direct the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to implement new safety rules based on NTSB findings.

Ranking Member Antonio and other committee members pressed sponsors on whether the federal bill requires disclosure of hazardous-material contents to local responders; a sponsor answered that the act “requires disclosures when there are hazardous materials going through a community,” and that they would provide more granular details if requested. Senator Timken asked about the bill’s status in Congress; a sponsor said they would follow up with Congressman Ruley and make that information available to the committee.

Why it matters: Sponsors framed the measure as bipartisan and a direct response to the East Palestine derailment, seeking federal action to improve rail safety and emergency response. The committee recorded a first hearing; sponsors offered to provide follow-up details on disclosure provisions and federal progress.

","Sponsors presented Senate Concurrent Resolution 8 urging Congress to pass the federal Rail Act (referred to in testimony as the \"Veil Act\") to require two-person train crews, stronger inspection standards and better hazardous-material disclosure to communities; committee held a first hearing.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6255282,"Committee hears bill to double fines for drivers who fail to yield to funeral processions",155,49975,205040,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3166548-f1f5545c9dcb095047a5399901284a71&start=49&end=205","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3166548-f1f5545c9dcb095047a5399901284a71/thumbnail_49975.jpg","/articles/6255282/Ohio/Committee-hears-bill-to-double-fines-for-drivers-who-fail-to-yield-to-funeral-processions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6255282-930b14298c550fef41a6714a8b56dd00/orig.mp4?Expires=1773676201&Signature=YEUPq25wP48C88TdvYJyBcSO7HpRY4kzuODkiMcivhAd1YJI0BMpseHW0xvKlucxSSJYQ7VTxDZaM1LYK-iAj-x3GY0wexPvQCpqRd0tryOSBEpZWYULCta4pGpJU8fC3xiemQN5243~vsMsBnCwqK6k0101vFwTaBPYQiGlIyCzjvwos8n5aFeIUAHBd2gZRU2UHG-FS-zqiHzQQfo9ZHa2JAOSYsZZPbdojgzdt9ITISZCO1iRoo4ozMrkqNz6xdUre05JzWfzxfQJH3Osh-~Pn47KDng1uuNRlrcgpFHNSxmZxrieS9yzMQzqtAQRgw9RxbrscbAbXsHKaLWd3w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senator Craig, sponsor of Senate Bill 97, told the Senate Transportation Committee that the bill would double fines for drivers who fail to yield to funeral processions.

“This legislation increases the penalty for drivers who do not allow traffic law do not follow traffic laws during a funeral procession,” Senator Craig said in sponsor testimony to Chair Patton, Vice Chair Schaeffer and other committee members. Craig said participants in a funeral procession “must have their headlights on and display a purple or white or orange, and white pendant attached to each vehicle to alert drivers of the funeral procession.”

In testimony, Craig said some drivers “do not obey this law and interrupt the procession,” causing disruption and potential harm. He cited a 2012 AAA report referenced in his testimony that, he said, found two people killed and 23 injured in funeral procession accidents nationwide; he also referenced a March 2018 set of accidents in Indiana that injured bystanders and motorcycle police escorts.

Ranking Member Antonio asked whether SB 97 had been introduced previously; Craig replied it was a reintroduction and that sponsors wanted to \"get ahead of this\" because of its importance. There was no committee vote during the hearing; Craig closed by offering to answer questions and thanking the committee for the opportunity to present sponsor testimony.

Why it matters: The bill targets drivers’ conduct around funeral processions, which sponsors described as a safety and dignity concern for families and first responders. The committee recorded the first hearing on SB 97 and left further action for a later date.

Minutes/administrative note: The committee approved minutes from 03/26/2025 at the start of the session with no objections.

","Senator Craig sponsored Senate Bill 97 to increase penalties for drivers who do not yield to funeral processions, citing safety concerns and AAA data; committee took testimony and did not vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee advances several memorial highway namings; refers two bills to rules committee

Sponsor says bill would let state contract with private vendor to modernize specialty license plates

Sponsors urge Congress to pass rail-safety "Veil Act" after East Palestine derailment

Committee hears bill to double fines for drivers who fail to yield to funeral processions