Ohio House adopts Stillbirth Prevention Day, confirms Jim Tressel as lieutenant governor and approves rule changes

COLUMBUS — The Ohio House of Representatives on Feb. 12, 2025 approved several floor measures, including House Bill 4 to designate Sept. 19 as Ohio Stillbirth Prevention Day, adopted a concurrent resolution authorizing a joint convention to receive the governor’s State of the State address, confirmed the governor’s lieutenant governor nominee and adopted changes to the chamber’s rules after debate over notice to the public.

House Bill 4, sponsored by Rep. Tim Holmes and co-sponsored by Rep. Cecil Thomas, passed on a recorded vote of 95-0. Holmes said the designation aims to focus existing health-care resources and attention on stillbirth prevention, particularly for low-income mothers and communities with higher stillbirth and infant mortality rates. “We hope that raising awareness of stillbirth issues in Ohio will save the lives of mothers and babies,” Holmes said on the floor.

Rep. Cecil Thomas, a joint sponsor, told colleagues the bill is intended to “elevate the issue of stillbirth prevention and begin an ongoing vital dialogue on how we support Ohio families who have experienced or are grieving the unimaginable loss of a child.” The bill’s title was agreed to on the floor and the measure was passed and sent on as enacted by the House.

The chamber also adopted House Concurrent Resolution 5 by a vote of 95-0. HCR 5 authorizes a joint convention of the Ohio General Assembly to receive the governor’s message and directs a committee to wait on the governor for his State of the State address scheduled for Wednesday, March 12, 2025.

On a separate matter, the House considered House Resolution 25, a rules amendment that sponsors described as a correction to the final rules text members believed they had already approved. Rep. Stewart said the resolution “simply corrects and incorporates the final draft of those rules that everybody had expected to vote on.”

Rep. Russo offered Amendment 136-0089 to restore a longer public-notice standard for calendar items, saying the amendment “puts in place, and reestablishes a precedent ... that we give notice to the public about what is actually going to be debated on this floor.” The amendment proposed returning to the prior practice of providing notice the day before (previously a 24-hour standard), arguing it would increase transparency for the public.

Rep. Williams opposed reopening the rules vote, saying the chamber had already approved a change allowing Rules and Reference to set the calendar on the day of session and that both parties have representation on that committee. Williams urged colleagues to “respect the vote that we had earlier” and to table the amendment. The motion to lay the Russo amendment on the table passed 61-34. The House then adopted House Resolution 25 by a vote of 64-30.

Members also acted on a joint resolution to confirm the governor’s lieutenant governor nomination. Senate Joint Resolution 5 (confirmation) came to the House on a 71-23 procedural vote to consider it; the final confirmation vote in the House was 68-27.

Rep. Plummer urged approval, praising Jim Tressel’s leadership experience in higher education and athletics and saying Tressel “has the ability to build relationships and find solutions to the issues that matter to most Ohioans.” Rep. Brent asked members to withhold support, citing Tressel’s historic association with policy changes tied to House Bill 70 and the Academic Distress Commission and arguing those changes harmed some public school districts. Rep. Byrd spoke in favor, citing Tressel’s collaborative experience. The joint resolution to confirm the appointment was adopted 68-27.

Other floor business included the introduction of several bills (House Bills 97–101 and others listed by title on the floor); those bills were introduced and referred to committee and did not receive final action during the session. The speaker also directed the standing committee on general government to review occupational licensing boards (pursuant to Ohio Revised Code §101.63) and announced appointments to a legislative task force on redistricting, reapportionment and demographic research, naming Matt Huppin as co‑chair and Rep. Russo as a member and appointing Mike Ditto of Franklin County as the public member.

The House adjourned until Tuesday, Feb. 18, 2025, at 9 a.m.