Ohio House passes bill honoring OSHP inspector killed in 2019 crash on I-75 in Miami County

COLUMBUS — A new bill honoring the Ohio State Highway Patrol inspector killed in a crash in Troy almost three years ago has passed in the Ohio House.

House Bill 395 honors Kimra J. Skelton, a motor carrier enforcement inspector for the Piqua District of the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

Skelton was parked in a crossover on I-75 just north of State Route 41 around 6:45 a.m. Nov. 27, 2019, when a Ford F-250 driven by a Kettering man struck her vehicle. Skelton, 49, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash.

The crash report stated that Christopher Coorough, 44, of Kettering, tested positive for having amphetamine drugs in his system during the time of the crash on I-75 in Troy, but it was not clear if the drugs were prescribed medication or illegal.

The bill proposed designating a part of I-75, from State Route 41 to U.S. 36 in Miami County, as the “Ohio State Highway Patrol MCEI Kimra Skelton Memorial Highway.”

On Monday, State Rep. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) announced that the bill passed. It was passed as an amendment to House Bill 578, a bill to create and amend various license plates and designate memorial highways. HB 578 now heads to the Senate for consideration.

 

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Powell’s Save Women’s Sports Act passed

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Jena Powell’s (R-Arcanum) Save Women’s Sports Act was approved by the Ohio House on Wednesday. The legislation would prohibit biological males from competing in female-only sports within the state. Powell spoke to the legislation’s passage on the House Floor.

“The Save Women’s Sports Act is a fairness issue for women. Across our country, female athletes are currently losing championships, scholarship opportunities, medals, education and training opportunities, and more to discriminatory policies that allow biological males to compete in girls’ sports,” said Powell.

Powell’s Save Women’s Sports Act, which passed as an amendment to House Bill 151, would ensure that no school, interscholastic conference, or organization that regulates interscholastic athletics can allow biological males to compete in women’s sports.

“All these girls ask for is a fair shot, and to be given the chance to play and win by the rules in the sports that they love. The opportunity is being ripped from them by biological males,” Powell added.

Powell introduced her Save Women’s Sports Act legislation during the current and previous General Assemblies. The legislation first passed the House last summer.

After being approved by the House today, the legislation will head to the Senate for its consideration.

State Rep. Jena Powell is currently serving her second term as a state representative. She represents the 80th Ohio House District, which encompasses Miami County and a portion of Darke County.

For more information, contact Rep. Powell’s office at 614-466-8114 or Rep80@ohiohouse.gov.

Press Release: State Representative Jena Powell Runs for Reelection

For Immediate Release

01-11-2022

State Representative Jena Powell Runs for Reelection

TROY – State Representative Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) announced she is filing petitions to run for reelection as Ohio State Representative for the 80th District.

The 80th District encompasses all of Miami County and southern Darke County. Representative Powell is currently in her second term after winning the seat in 2018 with over 75 percent of the vote.

“I am honored to serve the people of Southwest Ohio in the Statehouse, and look forward to making great strides for our region. I want to thank the people for trusting me as their representative and I look forward to continuing to serve,” Powell said.

While in the legislature, Representative Powell has been a conservative champion and has worked tirelessly to reduce government overreach.

Co-sponsoring the Heartbeat Bill in her first term, Rep. Powell is now the founder of Ohio’s Pro-Life Caucus and sponsoring the 2363 Act to end abortion in Ohio. She has co-sponsored Constitutional Carry, and worked to cut taxes and reduce burdensome regulations.

Representative Powell currently serves on the House committees for:

  • Agriculture and Conservation Committee

  • Economic and Workforce Development Committee, Vice Chair

  • Financial Institutions Committee

  • Ways and Means Committee

Representative Powell is a proud small business owner. In her first term in the legislature, she was named to Forbes’ prestigious 30 Under 30 list for Law & Policy. She resides in Arcanum.

Church Leaders Letter

Dear Church leaders,
I hope this letter finds you well. The last year has been
quite eventful. Many of you changed the way you serve,
preach, and worship. But the beauty remains that we still
worship our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in good times
and bad.

In a world where lies are being spoken as truth, and evil
abounds – it’s all the more important to remain steadfast
in our faith.

For many people, this last year has been trial after trial.
Shutdowns and closures, loss of job, depression, suicide
and drug overdoses skyrocketing. It can feel dark and
hopeless for so many.

But the beauty of the Church is that we have a steadfast
Hope in our Savior.

I urge you to keep the faith (Isaiah 41:10), be the light to
a watching world (Matthew 5:14-16), and do not become
weary in doing good (Galatians 6:9).

Thank you for your hard work. It doesn’t go unnoticed,
although many times it may feel that way. God is working
through you to change the heart of our community.

In Columbus I’ve been working on conservative policy and
fighting to reopen Ohio. Some of the bills I’ve
sponsored or co-sponsored are:

HB 202: Removing the statewide mask mandate
HB 249: Authorizing a tax credit for donations to charitable organizations
HB 253: Prohibiting mandatory vaccine passports

If I can serve you in anyway, please feel free to reach out
at any time.

Sincerely,
State Rep. Jena Powell, District 80

Rep. Powell In The News!

The Daily Advocate: Powell, Schmidt introduce Prosecuting Trafficking Proceeds Act

Columbus Dispatch: Two Ohio bills would ban transgender girls from female sports

WKBN: Proposed law would not allow transgender girls to compete in women’s sports in Ohio

ABC 6/Fox 28: Ohio lawmakers push bill that bans transgender athletes from female sports teams

WLWT 5: 2 Ohio bills would ban transgender athletes from female sports

FOX 19: Bills would prevent transgender females in Ohio from competing in girls-only sports

NBC4: Bill in Ohio House and Senate to prevent transgender women from playing women’s high school sports

Breitbart: Two Ohio Bills Would Ban Trans Athletes from Girls’ Sports

The Daily Advocate: Darke County Park welcomes Bear’s Mill

PRESS RELEASE: Powell, Schmidt Introduce Prosecuting Trafficking Proceeds Act

COLUMBUS – State Reps. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) and Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland) last week introduced House Bill 276, legislation that aims to better target pimps and traffickers and aid in the fight against human sex trafficking in Ohio.

The bill prohibits an individual from knowingly receiving money or anything of value from a prostitute that was exchanged for sexual activity, making it a third degree felony or a second degree felony if the prostitute is a minor.

“Ohio has the fourth highest rate of suspected human trafficking in the United States,” said Powell. “Victims, often underage girls, are coerced and abused while their victimizer walks away with a profit.”

The bill sponsors noted that current law makes it difficult to charge pimps and trafficking because they are not physically present at the scene where prostitution is occurring.

“In order to push against the indignity and horror of sex trafficking we must bring these people out of the shadows,” said Schmidt. “The goal of this legislation is to serve as a new tool that will make it easier for law enforcement and prosecutors to tie traffickers and pimps to illegal activity and return convictions for these heinous crimes.”

The measure has the support of Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.

H.B. 276 now awaits referral to a committee.

 

State Representative Jena Powell is currently serving her second term as a state representative. She represents the 80th Ohio House District, which encompasses Miami County and a portion of Darke County.

State Representative Jean Schmidt is serving her first term in the Ohio House of Representatives. She represents the 65th house district, which includes northwestern Clermont County.

For more information, contact Rep. Powell’s office at 614-466-8114 or Rep80@ohiohouse.gov or contact Rep. Schmidt’s office at (614) 466-8134 or rep65@ohiohouse.gov.

Powell Cosponsors Legislation Prohibiting Vaccine Passports

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) recently cosponsored legislation that prohibits vaccine passports.

“We’ve witnessed unprecedented government overreach during the course of the pandemic, and vaccine passports are another extreme method of stripping Ohioans of their freedom,” said Powell. “Showing proof of COVID-19 vaccination is an invasion of privacy and prohibits individuals from exercising their everyday rights.”

Powell noted New York is the first state to announce a vaccine passport program titled “Excelsior Pass,” which plans to use QR code technology to allow vaccinated individuals into venues.

“In Ohio, we value personal liberty and I will continue fighting to stop radical government overreach on my constituents,” added Powell.

The measure is sponsored by State Rep. Al Cutrona (R-Canfield) and currently awaits a bill number.

State Representative Jena Powell is currently serving her second term as a state representative. She represents the 80th Ohio House District, which encompasses Miami County and a portion of Darke County.
For more information, contact Rep. Powell’s office at 614-466-8114 or Rep80@ohiohouse.gov.

Powell Gives Testimony on IVF Fraud Act

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) yesterday gave sponsor testimony on House Bill 64, legislation that combats fertility fraud in Ohio.

The bill creates the crime of fraudulent assisted reproduction, making it a third degree felony for a licensed health care professional to purposely or knowingly use human reproductive material from a donor without the patient’s consent.

Current Ohio law does not prohibit a doctor from using his own sperm to impregnate a patient without her consent and provides no legal recourse for women and their children who find out years later.

“Fertility fraud is a very real issue to Ohio families today,” said Powell. “There has been an alarming number of cases in which through DNA testing, fertility doctors were found to have used their own sperm for in vitro fertilization, rather than the sperm from an approved donor.”

H.B. 64 also allows the patient, her spouse, or their child born as a result of the procedure to take civil action against the fertility doctor.

The legislation awaits additional hearings in the House Criminal Justice Committee.

 

State Representative Jena Powell is currently serving her second term as a state representative. She represents the 80th Ohio House District, which encompasses Miami County and a portion of Darke County.

Powell supports ‘Promise to America’s Children’

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) on Monday signed her support to The Promise to America’s Children, a collaborative effort between the Family Policy Alliance, The Heritage Foundation, and Alliance Defending Freedom that outlines 10 guiding principles to protect children in America.

The goal of the initiative is to rally support for legislation that promotes pro-family and pro-religious freedom policy.

“In today’s age, our children are constantly exposed to explicit, adult content through social media, entertainment, cultural forces, and oftentimes, our own government,” said Powell. “We have a collective responsibility to protect the health, privacy, safety, and relationships of children in America.”

Below are the 10 guiding principles for The Promise to America’s Children:

1. Every child deserves to be protected from being used in or exposed to pornography, graphic sexual content or activities as well as from being exposed to it in media and on the Internet.

2. Every child deserves an education that is suited for their specific needs and development as guided by their parents, including free from graphic sexual curriculum or content, the promotion of abortion, and politicized ideas about sexual orientation and gender identity. To protect this right, all public school sexual education programs should be opt-in, voluntarily chosen by parents. A general opt-out should be provided for other sensitive topics that families do not believe is appropriate for their children. Parents should have the right to review all curriculum, reading materials, teacher’s guides, and computer programs or apps.

3. Every child deserves the right to free speech, to either speak or not speak and to affirm or not affirm messages or ideas that violate their beliefs or conscience.

4. Every child deserves the opportunity to be guided and supported in making the healthiest decisions for their current and future physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual health, including obtaining counseling that the parents determine is safe, appropriate, and in the child’s best interest, without government interference that excludes parents or exhibits a bias based on beliefs about sexuality, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

5. Every child deserves safety and privacy in sex-specific spaces such as locker rooms, showers, and restrooms at schools and other federally-funded public facilities.

6. Every child deserves the opportunity to participate in fair and safe athletic competitions. Female athletes should not be forced to compete against biological males who identify as female in sports competitions intended for females.

7. Every child deserves the opportunity to be affirmed and in their genetically-determined sex, and to be supported as they mature through puberty and other normal adolescent changes that shape their maturity and reproductive capacity. Gender reassignment medical treatments (including puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and sterilizing surgeries) are neither natural nor healthy, and should not be permitted on minors.

8. Every child deserves a “forever family.” Authorities should not limit or reduce the pool of foster or adoptive parents by forcing either child welfare agencies or prospective adoptive or foster care parents to violate their moral or religious beliefs, including the belief that every child deserves a mother and a father.

9. Every child deserves a relationship with their mother and father. No child should be taken from their parents over disagreements between their parents and the state about sexual orientation/gender identity counseling, therapy, or medical procedures.

10. Every child deserves to have their parents informed of and involved in important life decisions. Authority figures (including teachers, counselors, or medical professionals) should not withhold information about a child’s sexual activity, development, or identity from parents or take any action that undermines the parents’ role in guiding the child in these areas. Nor should authority figures encourage or coerce a child to withhold information about important life decisions from the parent

Solutions through policy, not violence

Growing up on our family farm, I didn’t go to the city much. We lived a joyful and contented childhood, playing in the woods and farming the land my ancestors farmed. I started reading books and learning about the heroic men and women of the past. I was enamored by historical figures who sacrificed for what they knew to be right. Not all of them were gracious and kind, but they were seeking the greater good when they devised our unique system of governance.

Time rolled by and I went to Washington D.C. for the first time. I remember walking into the Capitol, amazed at our form of government. After meeting some of our government officials and getting a tour, I went home to read more about leadership and our form of government. It was clear to me that although it wasn’t perfect, our system was the best in the world, and it enabled individuals to live in freedom.

The American experiment was working. Years rolled by, and God opened the doors for me to run for state office. The first day I walked into the State Capitol, I looked up and thought to myself, “Here in America we have something special, and I want to never forget that.”

After two years, I still feel the same way every time I enter the building. During my time I have encountered Republicans, Democrats, staff, community members, protesters, and everyone in between. We might not all agree, but the system works well, as it reflects Ohioans’ differing beliefs and passions. That’s the beauty of a Representative Democracy.

The genius of the American system is that our strong differences are resolved through discussion and debate —through policy not violence.

It deeply burdens me to see the bloodshed and terror that happened this summer.

It deeply burdened me to see the bloodshed and terror that happened Wednesday.

I ran for office because I know America is better than this. I wake up each day with renewed commitment to work on good policy, because I know our Representative Democracy works. It might be slow and painfully frustrating at times, but Americans’ voices are being heard. My community’s voice is being heard. Our beliefs are being drafted into bills every month. Those bills are moving through the legislature and made into laws. That’s the beauty of a Representative Democracy.

Speak your beliefs.

Write your thoughts.

Protest peacefully.

Raise your family well.

Worship God.

Serve your neighbor.

A Representative Democracy is the best form of government in the world, and together we can continue showing the world’s nations that a shining city on a hill still exists.

 

State Representative Jena Powell represents the 80th Ohio House District, which encompasses Miami County and a portion of Darke County. For more information, contact Rep. Powell’s office at 614-466-8114 or Rep80@ohiohouse.gov . Viewpoints expressed in the article are the work of the author. The Daily Advocate does not endorse these viewpoints or the independent activities of the author.