great way to consider the answers to a lot of different kinds of questions related to roadway project planning, safe routes to school plan development, downtown revitalization and safe routes to parks. Audit events can be a good way to engage with people in the community.

Demonstration projects, or “live previews”, can be another approach to assessing bike and walk friendliness in town. Sometimes an idea will bubble up in a walking audit that seems like it might be worth a try. Demonstration projects are ways of trying something with inexpensive materials (tape, cones, spray chalk, temporary signs) before investing in permanent materials (concrete, steel, and paint). Mr. Lindsay shared that MVRPC is happy to devote their services to help.

Mayor Duncan and City Council thanked Mr. Lindsay for his presentation. He shared that the speed logger has been used in many different areas in the City on a rotational basis throughout different times of the year. It has been helpful in addressing speeding concerns raised by citizens.

Ohio Legislative Updates, State Representative Jim Butler: Representative Butler provided several updates from the Ohio House of Representatives as the House ends a two year session of the General Assembly and moves toward a lame duck session. Representative Butler explained that bills that do not pass by the end of the two-year session die. So in the final weeks of the lame duck sessions, there is a rush to push bills through or add priorities onto bills that have better chances of becoming law. He added that this is not how things should be done, but he has not found a way to stop the lame duck sessions from happening.

House Bill 716 would require any state or local agency to issue temporary licenses and certificates to members of the military and their spouses who are licensed in other states and have moved to Ohio for active duty assignments. Representative Butler shared that all Veterans in the House and Senate have co-sponsored this Bill.

House Bill 345 “The Cure Bill” creates a multi-state compact to offer prizes for curing major diseases equivalent to five years of taxpayers savings. The individual that comes up the cure wins the money. Representative Butler shared that the amount of prize money for a disease like Alzheimer’s or dementia could be over $10 billion dollars. If there is no cure, there is no payment and no risk to taxpayers.

Representative Butler shared concerns related to healthcare costs. His healthcare price transparency bill required healthcare agencies to provide cost estimates prior to any services. The bill was passed into law, but no rules were drafted. The law is now subject to a court injunction, effectively stopping its implementation. There is a new and improved bill called Healthcare Price Transparency 2.0 that will hopefully be approved in the next session. This proposed bill requires insurance companies to provide an estimate of medical services 24 hours after the appointment has been scheduled. The medical professionals would also be required to provide alternative facilities that offer lower costs. This bill would save money for families, businesses and for the government.

An energy efficiency bill is being proposed that would help decrease the use of electricity and save money. Currently, energy companies make modifications that improve energy efficiency and decrease energy demand, but there is not a way to determine the cost savings. With this bill, people would continue paying their normal electric bills, and the energy saving difference would go directly to the vendor that performed the retrofitting.

A bill regarding the protection of first responder personal information, when there is a threat concern, is being proposed. First responders can contact the Secretary of State to request that their personal property record information be redacted if there is a threat concern.

The T-CAP (Targeted Community Alternatives to Prison) program is designed to lower the number of people in prison by providing community correction alternatives. This program penalizes local governments for sending people to prison.

Issue One on the November 6 ballot, in Representative Butler’s opinion, is very inhumane. Issue One reduces penalties for crimes of obtaining, possessing, and using illegal drugs. Drug possession will become a misdemeanor, not a felony. The thought is that it would reduce the number of people incarcerated for non-violent drug crimes and increase the options and funding available for treatment of drug addiction. The major concern is that people would not follow through with rehabilitation. This would also provide sentence reductions by 25% if the individual participates in rehabilitation or educational programs.

Representative Butler thanked Council for their time and asked for questions.