HB 236 was SIGNED into LAW on 12-19-24 and will be effective 90 days from signing. After two long years of fighting to maintain the integrity of HB 236, we were able to see the “Never Alone Act” officially signed into law on Wednesday, December 12, 2024. Families across the state, can finally rest assured that during a pandemic they are guaranteed access to an advocate of their choice in the room at ALL times and with “every reasonable effort” during non-emergencies. Families and patients will receive notice of their visitation rights when they enter the hospital. Advocates who are unable to mask due to a medical or mental health condition WILL be allowed to be with their loved one with a note from a wide range of health providers. Advocates who are immediate family/ POA/ guardian etc.. can file for injunctive relief if at any time they are denied access to their loved one and if the facility is found in violation of the law, they will be reimbursed for their court fees. THANK YOU to our bill Sponsors Representatives Melanie Miller and Beth Lear. THANK YOU to the patients, families and health providers who came to give in person testimony, like Derek Caulkins, Julie Smith, Mary Malek, PhD Psychologist, and to the many advocates who submitted written testimony throughout this process. Together, we have successfully insured that no Ohioan will ever have to suffer with illness or die alone, because every patient deserves an advocate in the room. What Does HB 236 Do? HB 236 (The Never Alone Act - sponsors: M. Miller and Lear) is a bill that ensures every patient in a hospital, nursing home, or VA hospital has access to an on-site advocate, during a pandemic or public health orders and that during non-emergency times, “every reasonable effort” will be made to have an advocate present in the room. HB 236 has a provision to allow for injunctive relief so you can get in to see your loved one quickly if the facility is violating your advocate rights. If the facility is found to have violated your right to be present then they are responsible for your legal costs. Read the language and status for HB 236 here: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/135/hb236

HB73: “The Dave and Angie Patient and Health Provider Protection Act” HB 73 was essentially gutted by Senators Steve and Matt Huffman. An antithetical version of HB 73 was quickly passed out of committee and, just a few hours later, voted on the Senate floor with an 18 to 13 vote. This bait-and-switch version of HB 73 removed all provisions for expanding drug access in outpatient settings. Instead, it restricted access to hospital settings only during a public emergency and introduced a profoundly damaging provision granting pharmacists the legal right to refuse to fill a prescription—despite patient consent—based on a personal “scientific objection.” The Huffman version also limited healthcare providers’ free speech to discussions solely about off-label drugs. You can watch OAMF President Stephanie Stock provide an update on this version of the bill after the committee meeting here: The Senate-passed version was sent back to the House that evening, where the representatives refused to concur by a vote of 88 to 3 due to the bill being so severely altered. You can watch the floor speech of our champion bill sponsor here: HB 73 was supposed to go into a conference committee where Representative Gross, Chairman Steve Huffman, and other appointed committee members would negotiate an agreement on which parts of the bill could be reconsidered for a vote. Representative Gross requested that the portions of the bill unrelated to the filling of prescriptions be adhered to precisely as written prior to the Senate’s destruction of the bill’s original intent. However, Chairman Huffman and Senate President Matt Huffman would only agree to the following provisions: the free speech provision, the provision affirming that the World Health Organization has no jurisdiction, and the provision stating that hospitals must not deny food and nutrition. They were adamant in refusing to include protections for physician licensure related to off-label treatments. Instead of calling for a conference committee, Senate leadership inserted the only three provisions they would agree to into HB 215, a "Christmas tree" catch-all bill. Because this bill contained financial provisions, it allowed the governor to exercise a line-item veto on specific sections. Senate President Huffman delayed sending the bill to the Governor’s desk, preventing House and Senate members from reconvening for a veto override. Governor DeWine has since announced his intention to veto the “free medical speech” section of the bill. Because Matt Huffman did not promptly deliver HB 315 to the Governor’s desk, as Speaker Stephens did, there is now no hope for a veto override. Our last hope is to put pressure on Lt. Governor Jon Husted to make a public statement urging Governor DeWine not to veto the medical free speech provision. This provision aligns with the Trump-Vance administration’s policies and protects constitutional rights under both the Ohio and U.S. Constitutions. Call and email Lt. Governor Jon Husted and ask him to make a public statement urging Governor DeWine not to line-item veto medical free speech! CALL: (614) 644-0969 EMAIL: Hayley.Carducci@Governor.Ohio.Gov

HB617: “Un-Mask Ohio” HB 617 (Un-Mask Ohio - sponsor: Wiggam) prevents masks from being mandated in any school, college, or any government building or public transit, and in any place of public accommodation or where public services are rendered in the private sector. Find HB 617 language and status here: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/135/hb617 CURRENT CALL to ACTION for HB617 here: Contact House Public Health Services Committee Chair Adam Matthews and ask him to “Please re-schedule the proponent testimony that you cancelled in June for the first scheduled committee date on the return of the House this fall. This legislation is very important to me and my family.” Chairman Matthews 📫 rep56@ohiohouse.gov ☎️ (614) 644-6027

HB 319: “Conscientious, Right to Refuse” HB 319 Conscientious Right to Refuse Act has PASSED out of House Health Provider Services Committee! THANK YOU to Chairman DJ Swearingen for calling this important vote for the PEOPLE! HB 319 (Conscientious, Right to Refuse.- Sponsors: Gross & Wiggam)  is a bill that guarantees the right of any Ohioan, 18 and older to decline any vaccine, pharmaceutical, drug, or biologic, that they have a conscientious or religious objection to without suffering discrimination, retribution, financial penalty, loss of employment, or loss of access to public services. It has a provision to allow for litigation and recoup of legal costs, if discrimination occurs. (Note: this bill does not include children because daycares and K-12 schools already have conscientious, religious and medical exemptions available. See our K-12 exemption section for details.) Find HB 319 bill language and status here: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/135/hb319 Please thank the Representatives who voted YES on this vital legislation!! Rep. Swearingen Rep. Gross Rep. Barhorst Rep. Puzzulli Rep. M. Miller Rep. T. Young Rep. Callender Thank you to our champion bill Sponsors Rep. Gross & Rep. Wiggam! Because the House of Representatives and the Senate have convened for the remainder of the 135th assembly HB 319 will need to be re-introduced at the beginning of the year and we will continue the fight to move it forward again. Please check back in January to find out the new bill number and continue your advocacy.

For more information, visit: www.MedicalRight2Refuse.com

ISSUE 1 Re-districting:  Not accountable. Not elected. not “fair”. DON’T BUY THE LIES!   Here are the facts on issue 1 1) LED BY SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS & A CAREER POLITICIAN: Maureen O’Connor  has taken the lead on ISSUE 1 by joining with the ACLU and other SPECIAL INTEREST groups to manipulate maps to gain CONTROL of the statehouse, and insert the policy agendas of those groups, and  marketing it as a “citizens not politicians” initiative! 2 ) REMOVES ACCOUNTABILITY TO VOTERS- TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION: The tax-payer funded, “citizen commission” map drawers are NOT  ELECTED and they will be totally UNACCOUNTABLE to the VOTERS. Instead, they will subject to the lobbying of special interests and big money donors. Elected official are REQUIRED to DISCLOSE campaign and investment reports. The citizen commission is NOT. If voters feel the maps are unfair, there is NOTHING they can do. Voters DON’T HIRE them, so they CAN’T FIRE them! 3) REMOVES OVERSIGHT: Maps under Issue 1 WON’T be subject to REVIEW by the Ohio courts and can ONLY be CHALLENGED and reviewed BY APPOINTED “special masters”. 4) MANDATES GERRYMANDERING & CAN GIVE GOVERNOR ULTIMATE CONTROL : The “Citizen Commission” will be required under the amendment to gerrymander districts politically and racially to meet "proportionality." They will need to draw districts based on the total statewide votes each party receives over a period of time. This effectively determines the number of Republican and Democrat seats in the statehouse. When Republicans fall below 60 seats in the House or 20 in the Senate, it will be IMPOSSIBLE for them to have the numbers needed to pass a constitutional amendments like “Un-Mask Ohio” OR to OVERRIDE a VETO from the governor. This would leave the state POWERLESS against harmful “public heath” mandates during pandemics, or when the governor VETOS crucial medical freedom or child protection bills like we saw with SB 22 and HB 68 (The Safe Act)! 5) ELIMINATES EXISTING GERRYMANDING RESTRICTIONS: Issue 1 ELIMINATES the anti-gerrymander restrictions mandated by VOTERS in 2015 and 2018. Empower your community with the #Truth on Nov. ISSUE 1! Spread the word at local events and ensure every vote counts. Download your flyer now ⬇️ HELP SPREAD THE WORD! Order a “Vote NO on November Issue 1” T-shirt today and start having this conversation out in the community! It’s going to take an army of grassroots patriots to save Ohio from this disastrous amendment that is being spun as “citizen led”!   Please note: OAMF does NOT profit from the sale of Issue 1 shirts. We have donated the design because we care about the future of Ohio! ORDER MENS & WOMENS tee’s here ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

OhioAMF supports Ohio House Bill 248... To enact section 3792.02 of the Revised Code to authorize an individual to decline a vaccination and to name this act the Vaccine Choice and Anti-Discrimination Act. Protect Vaccine Choice Protect Privacy Prohibit Vaccine "Passport"/Registry/etc Provide Transparency & Reinforce that Schools must Honor Exemptions Prohibit Discrimination Protect Businesses Following the Law Ensure this New Law Prevails in Future Public Emergencies Provide Legal Recourse for Violations For more information about this piece of legislation.

Bill to prohibit public schools from requiring students to wear a mask or other facial covering on school premises or a school bus and to declare an emergency. Read more about the bill.

Bill to prohibit the state from conducting a lottery dependent on an individual's COVID-19 vaccination status, to name the act the "Taxpayer Protection Against the Frivolous Vaccine Lottery Act," to make an appropriation, and to declare an emergency. Read more about the bill.

Bill to specify the information in the Vax-A-Million database is not public record and to declare an emergency. Read more about the bill.

Bill to a) reverse and expunge any adverse actions taken by the state et al against a business who was found to be in violation of orders issued under the emergency order, b) restore rights and privileges that were affected by such adverse actions, c) refund businesses any penalties/fines levied. Read more about the bill.

Bill to a) limit the governor's power to extend emergency rule, b) implement oversight on emergency rule changes, to specifically mitigate adverse impact on businesses, c) limit the duration of emergency rules. While this bill doesn't prohibit the type of rules that can be implemented (vaccine mandate, mask mandate, vaccine passport, business closures, etc), it does provide further limitations on the state from endlessly perpetuating emergency rules. Read more about the bill.

Bill to establish legislative oversight of the Governor's executive orders, certain public health orders, and emergency rules, including by establishing the Ohio Health Oversight and Advisory Committee. While SB22 passed into law, HB90 was better language and OhioAMF would like to see HB90 passed into law in a way that it amended SB22 to improve the code. Read more about the bill.

Bill to prohibit certain actions related to COVID-19 and genetic technologies. While HB425 aims to reduce vaccine choice discrimination in Ohio, this bill would only apply to "vaccines" utilizing "messenger ribonucleic acid, deoxyribonucleic acid, or any other genetic vaccine technology".OhioAMF believes that vaccine choice bills should protect all Ohioans in all circumstances, as such, we support HB248. We are waiting to see how this bill evolves before making further determinations regarding our support or opposition to the bill. Read more about the bill.

Bill to prohibit mandatory disclosures related to an individual's COVID-19 vaccination status, to name the act the Individual Privacy and Anti-Discrimination Act, and to declare an emergency. While HB411 aims to reduce vaccine choice discrimination in Ohio, OhioAMF's analysis of the bill is that it is a much weaker version of Ohio House Bill 248, and OhioAMF fully supports HB248. We are waiting to see how this bill evolves before making further determinations regarding our support or opposition to the bill. Read more about the bill.

Bill to exempt an injury or disability caused by an employer-mandated COVID-19 vaccination from the Workers' Compensation Law and to allow the employee to sue the employer for damages. While HB401 would make a good effort at reducing vaccine choice discrimination in Ohio, since employers would assume liability for vaccine-related injuries to employees as a result of employer-mandated vaccines, OhioAMF believes that employers shouldn't be permitted to mandate vaccines to begin with, such as the protections provided within HB248. We are waiting to see how this bill evolves before making further determinations regarding our support or opposition to the bill. Read more about the bill.

Bill to prohibit taking certain actions against an individual because the individual refuses to be vaccinated against a disease. While HB288 would make a good effort at reducing vaccine choice discrimination in Ohio, OhioAMF believes that vaccine choice bills should protect all Ohioans in all circumstances, as such, we support HB248. We are waiting to see how this bill evolves before making further determinations regarding our support or opposition to the bill. Read more about the bill.

Bill to prohibit state mask mandates during the current state of emergency. Our concern is that this bill is that it doesn't protect our mask choice from county, township, city, or other local jurisdictions, or from private sector requirements by employers, businesses, etc. Additionally, per the bill, if made law, it would only apply to the current state of emergency, and would not apply to future emergency orders. Read more about the bill.

Bill address COVID-19 vaccine requirements for employees and students; to extend certain timelines for qualified civil immunity and expand immunity to include hearing aid dealers and hearing aid fitters; to authorize emergency medical technicians to administer COVID-19 tests; to expressly cover COVID-19 vaccine injuries under the workers' compensation system. OhioAMF believes that vaccine choice bills should protect all Ohioans in all circumstances, as such, we support HB248 and believe that any other legislation that claims to have the same or similar goals only serve to distract or undermine HB248. Read more about the bill.

Bill to prohibit a political subdivision, public official, public school, state agency, or state institution of higher education from taking certain actions related to the COVID-19 vaccine OhioAMF believes that vaccine choice bills should protect all Ohioans in all circumstances, as such, we support HB248 and believe that any other legislation that claims to have the same or similar goals only serve to distract or undermine HB248. Read more about the bill.

Bill to prohibit mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, requiring proof of COVID-19 vaccination, and certain other actions relating to an individual's COVID-19 vaccination or health status and to declare an emergency. OhioAMF believes that vaccine choice bills should protect all Ohioans in all circumstances, as such, we support HB248 and believe that any other legislation that claims to have the same or similar goals only serve to distract or undermine HB248. Read more about the bill.

Bill to allow county recorders to record COVID-19 vaccination record cards. OhioAMF opposes any effort of government agencies to track vaccine status, or any other health records of Ohioans, in a non-anonymized fashion, that isn't directly related to the care and/or treatment of a patient. Read more about the bill.

Bill to amend the versions of sections 106.022, 111.15, 119.03, 2743.03, 3701.13, 3701.14, 3707.01, 3707.26, 3715.74, and 4935.03 scheduled to take effect on June 23, 2021, to repeal the versions of sections 101.36, 103.65, 103.651, 107.42, 107.43, 3707.11, 3707.54, 3709.212, and 3709.50 of the Revised Code scheduled to take effect on June 23, 2021, and to repeal the version of Section 3 of S.B. 22 of the 134th General Assembly scheduled to take effect on June 23, 2021, to repeal the changes made by S.B. 22 of the 134th General Assembly to the laws governing legislative oversight of certain orders and rules issued by the executive branch, including the establishment of the Ohio Health Oversight and Advisory Committee, and to declare an emergency. OhioAMF believes that the Governor and Ohio health agencies should have limited powers to declare emergencies and health orders. Repealing SB 22 is the wrong direction. SB 22 should be strengthened. Read more about the bill.

Bill to a) prohibit the state or state agencies from requiring proof of vaccination for entry into a state building, or a building controlled, operated, or owned by the state, b) prohibits state, county, townships, cities, public schools from requiring proof of vaccination, and c) make an individual's vaccine status confidential when it is required under other circumstances. OhioAMF believes that vaccine choice bills should protect all Ohioans in all circumstances, as such, we support HB248 and believe that any other legislation that claims to have the same or similar goals only serve to distract or undermine HB248. Read more about the bill.

Bill to a) prohibit a person or the state, county, townships, cities, public schools from mandating a Covid vaccine, and b) prohibits state, county, townships, cities, public schools from requiring proof of vaccination, and c) make an individual's vaccine status confidential when it is required under other circumstances. OhioAMF believes that vaccine choice bills should protect all Ohioans in all circumstances, as such, we support HB248 and believe that any other legislation that claims to have the same or similar goals only serve to distract or undermine HB248. Read more about the bill.

Bill to prohibit certain mandatory vaccinations and other activities related to an individual's vaccination status and to make an appropriation related to coronavirus local fiscal recovery. OhioAMF believes that vaccine choice bills should protect all Ohioans in all circumstances, as such, we support HB248 and believe that any other legislation that claims to have the same or similar goals only serve to distract or undermine HB248. Read more about the bill.

Bill to establish legislative oversight of certain orders and rules issued by the executive branch, including by establishing the Ohio Health Oversight and Advisory Committee. While SB22 passed into law, HB90 was better language and OhioAMF would like to see HB90 passed into law in a way that it amended SB22 to improve the code. Read more about the bill.

Bill regarding technology-based educational opportunities for, and the enrollment of, military children; regarding public schools, state institutions of higher education, and prohibitions on mandatory vaccinations and discrimination; and regarding the authority of the Ohio Department of Health over matters of quarantine and isolation. OhioAMF believes that vaccine choice bills should protect all Ohioans in all circumstances, as such, we support HB248 and believe that any other legislation that claims to have the same or similar goals only serve to distract or undermine HB248. This bill extends vaccine choice rights to some Ohioans, but not all. Additionally, this bill protects those Ohioans from non-FDA approved vaccines, but not other vaccines. Read more about the bill.

Ohio Advocates for Medical Freedom opposes the current Health Orders as issued by Governor DeWine and the State Health Director. Please contact the Governor's Office to voice your opposition to the current orders.