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House committee holds first hearing on bill to designate John Rankin Day and commission statue
Summary
The House Government Oversight Committee heard sponsor testimony on House Bill 53 to designate Feb. 4 as John Rankin Day and commission a statue on Statehouse grounds; sponsors said the move would recognize Rankin’s role in the Underground Railroad. No vote was taken; the measure received questions about funding, placement and community outreach.
House Government Oversight Committee Chair Gregory Hall on Wednesday opened a first hearing on House Bill 53, which would designate Feb. 4 as John Rankin Day and authorize a commissioned statue of the 19th‑century abolitionist for placement on Statehouse grounds.
Sponsors Representative Pizzoli, who said he represents Ripley, Ohio, and Representative Fisher told the committee that Rankin’s work as an Underground Railroad conductor and his abolitionist writings warrant formal recognition. “Designating a day to honor John Rankin would just be an affirmation of the values he championed. Freedom,…
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