Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announces child care vouchers in State of the State address

Gov. Mike DeWine called on Ohio lawmakers to invest in children during his State of the State address on Wednesday as he aims to shape his legacy during his second and final term in office.

DeWine's remarks came as he finds himself out of step with an evolving Ohio Republican Party. While the governor boasted about Ohio's achievements in certain areas, he cast his eye toward the future and advocated for programs to expand mental health care access, improve literacy rates and support new mothers.

"For all of us in Ohio − this now is our time in history − and we must act with great urgency to not squander this precious, finite window of opportunity when our children are growing up," he said before a room of state lawmakers, Ohio Supreme Court justices and cabinet officials.

During an hourlong speech on Wednesday, DeWine:

• Announced plans for a voucher program to make child care more affordable and spend $85 million in federal funding to upgrade and expand child care facilities.

• Urged universities to teach educators about reading programs that teach students to break down words and sounds, also known as the science of reading.

• Launched a pilot program in 11 counties that will periodically send nurses to visit new mothers to discuss community resources and provide guidance about breastfeeding and sleep safety. DeWine said he hopes to take the program statewide in the next budget.

• Called for a "strike force" to expand access to eyeglasses for children who need them.

• Pledged to expand mobile units that help youth experiencing mental health crises from 38 counties to all 88 counties.

• Reiterated his support for legislation that would require Ohio schools to minimize students' use of cell phones in the classroom.

• Asked the Legislature to add career planning requirements to existing rules for graduation plans.

House Minority Leader Allison Russo, D-Upper Arlington, said it was encouraging to hear DeWine’s child care voucher announcement, but she said the money is available through the Biden administration.

"We as a state underspent and underutilized in this space and we're now making up for the damage," Russo told reporters. "We can do better than that."

House Bill 6 case clouds DeWine's speech

DeWine delivered his address under the cloud of the state’s House Bill 6 scandal. Former Public Utilities Commission of Ohio Chairman Sam Randazzo – a DeWine appointee – died by suicide on Tuesday after he was accused of accepting a $4.3 million bribe from Akron-based FirstEnergy. Randazzo had pleaded not guilty to charges in state and federal court.

FirstEnergy also gave $1 million through a dark money group to back DeWine’s lieutenant governor, Jon Husted, when Husted ran for governor in 2017.

Wednesday’s speech also highlighted divisions between DeWine and conservative legislators, who opted to override two of his vetoes in the past four months. Lawmakers didn't want local governments to restrict the sale of flavored tobacco and they wanted to restrict medical care for transgender kids.

As DeWine delivered his remarks, Columbus and Cincinnati joined more than a dozen cities to sue over the tobacco law, saying it violates the Ohio Constitution's home rule provision.

"We have an obligation to protect Ohio children, and we have the ability to do that,” DeWine said. "I understand the desire for uniformity statewide, and so I am asking you to pass a uniform statewide law banning flavored vaping and flavored cigarettes."

DeWine renewed calls for lawmakers to clarify parts of Ohio’s new recreational marijuana law and crack down on delta-8 THC products. Voters legalized recreational marijuana in November, and the Division of Cannabis Control is currently crafting rules to regulate the program.

House Speaker Jason Stephens, R-Kitts Hill, and Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, applauded the governor's remarks on Wednesday but expressed concern about the cost of certain programs. GOP leaders also signaled that they aren't on board with some of DeWine's priorities, such as the statewide tobacco ban and legislation to make seat belt violations a primary offense.

"We know (marijuana) is bad for you," Huffman said. "It's now legal in the state of Ohio. Putting a ban on (flavored tobacco) products seems to be out of league with what the voters who voted in November of '23 just said."

Reporter Laura Bischoff contributed.

Erin Glynn and Haley BeMiller are reporters for the USA TODAY Network Ohio Bureau, which serves the Columbus Dispatch, Cincinnati Enquirer, Akron Beacon Journal and 18 other affiliated news organizations across Ohio.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Governor Mike DeWine gives State of the State address