Lawmaker supports 'Law and Order Act'
NORWALK — House Bill 109 was voted forward by the Ohio House earlier this month and is awaiting a state Senate vote. If approved, it will be with a partisan vote from the gerrymandered Ohio House and Senate Republican majorities.
Ohio Citizen Action, an advocacy group that lobbies in the interest of public health, the environment and protecting democracy and creating a sustainable future, also opposes House Bill 109.
"Public protest is baked-in to our history, rights and character as Americans. But our ability to protest in Ohio is under attack. House Bill 109 equates civil disobedience with terrorism and seeks to shut down and bankrupt organizations exercising free speech," the group said in a news release.
"The so-called Ohio Law and Order Act degrades the ability of Ohioans to peacefully protest and even creates higher fines and prison time for individuals involved in and organizations supporting a protest where action is subjectively deemed a 'riot.'"
"The goal of HB 109 is not protection, but suppression," according to Ohio Citizen Action.
— Matt Westerhold, Sandusky Register
https://sanduskyregister.com/news/372235/lawmaker-supports-law-and-order-act/