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THE COMMUNICATOR A News Magazine from State Representative Dave Greenspan
Summer 2019
Welcome to our news magazine - The Communicator. The Communicator is intended to provide the residents and businesses of the 16th Ohio House District and the State of Ohio with periodic updates on legislative issues that are important to all Ohioans. It is my honor to represent the Cities of Bay Village, Fairview Park, North Olmsted, Rocky River and Westlake.
About Representative Greenspan
Welcome Message
"As powerful as government is, it can only do so much by itself. Government can never take the place of parents in raising children. Government can never take the place of families and churches and synagogues in teaching values. Government can never take the place of people in our communities working together and looking out for each other. Government can, of course, provide opportunities and encouragement. Government can help the next generation become better off. But government cannot make the next generation better. Government can set goals but only people can touch souls.“ A National Party No More: The Conscience of a Conservative Democrat, Author Senator Zell Miller, Stroud & Hall Publishers, 2003.
Representative Dave Greenspan is serving his second term in the Ohio House of Representatives. He represents the 16th Ohio House District, which includes the cities of Bay Village, Fairview Park, North Olmsted, Rocky River, and Westlake. Representative Greenspan has a wealth of experience in local government, serving in different capacities across the country. He served on the inaugural City Council for the city of Sandy Springs, Georgia and helped establish its Fire and Police Departments, develop its first Fund Balance Reserve Policy, and expand the city’s parks program. Most recently, Representative Greenspan served two terms on the Cuyahoga County Council, first elected to the inaugural County Council in 2010. During his tenure, Representative Greenspan was the chairman of the Cuyahoga County Finance and Budgeting Committee, directing the adoption of a $3 billion biennial budget, which is the largest county operating budget in the state of Ohio. Dave graduated from Troy University in Alabama with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Accounting. In addition to his dedication to public service, Representative Greenspan has held a variety of roles in the public sector, including Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Executive Officer. He has held leadership positions with the Atlanta Olympic Broadcasting, Turner Media Consultants, and the PGA TOUR Radio Network. Currently, Representative Greenspan is a small business owner and Chief Executive Officer of Green Elk Consulting Services, a consulting company that focuses on emerging/start-up ventures and turn-around business entities. Representative Greenspan is married with three children and is active in their education, extracurricular activities, and civic organizations. He and his family currently live in Westlake, Ohio.
State Representative Dave Greenspan
Driver's License Reinstatement Fee Amnesty Initiative Update
COLUMBUS—On July 31, 2019, State Representative Dave Greenspan (R-Westlake) announced that Governor Mike DeWine has signed House Bill 50 into law. The legislation declares inventions at charter county hospitals to be hospital property. Rep. Greenspan introduced the bill earlier this year to allow charter county hospitals the same protections of their intellectual property that state institutions of higher education and their affiliated medical centers currently have. House Bill 50 passed unanimously out of the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate, and was signed into law by Gov. DeWine on July 30. The provisions of the law will take effect after 90 days.
Representative Greenspan offers sponsor testimony for HB 50 during its first Senate committee hearing.
House Bill 252: House Bill 252 will support county land banks by creating a grant program under the Development Services Agency for a land reutilization demolition program. "Empty commercial and industrial sites hamper new development, and the land banks are quickly running out of funds needed to demolish unused structures on those properties," said Representative Greenspan. "This bill mitigates that coming shortfall so our counties can continue demolishing abandoned buildings and redeveloping those commercial land parcels." House Bill 252 was voted out of the House Economic & Workforce Development Committee and has been re-referred to the House Finance Committee, where it now awaits its first finance hearing.
House Bill 299: House Bill 299 will extend protections for corrections officers, parole officers, probation officers, and parole board members. Under this legislation, penalties for certain violent crimes against those individuals will be the same as those for crimes against other law enforcement or military officials as already defined under current law. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, the Ohio Chief Probation Officers Association, the Ohio Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, and the Fraternal Order of Police have all expressed support for the bill. House Bill 299 has been referred to the House Criminal Justice Committee and now awaits its first hearing.
Rep. Greenspan and Rep. Brent introducing HB 285 together.
Read coverage of the Reinstatement Initiative
Rep. Greenspan's Legislative Updates
House Bill 285: House Bill 285 will permanently establish the Ohio Driver's License Reinstatement Fee Amnesty Initiative, which concluded its initial pilot program on July 31. The program has decreased the number of Ohioans with suspended driver’s licenses by helping indigent drivers who are unable to afford the reinstatement fee or fines on their license suspension. Former State Rep. John Barnes (who sponsored legislation creating the original pilot program along with Rep. Greenspan), the Ohio Legal Assistance Foundation, and the Ohio State Bar Association have all offered public support for the bill. House Bill 285 has been referred to the House Transportation & Public Safety committee and now awaits its first hearing.
Read coverage of HB 50
Read coverage of HB 252
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz testifies before the House Economic & Workforce Development Committee in support of HB 252.
SIGNED INTO LAW: House Bill 50 Charter County Hospital Inventions
The Ohio Driver's License Reinstatement Fee Amnesty Initiative pilot program enacted into law during the last General Assembly concluded on July 31 of this year. By all measures the program was a great success. 90% of applicants to the program were eligible for waived or reduced license reinstatement fees. During the six months the program was active, 76,669 drivers were served. The average amount reduced per person was $789 and the average amount waived per person was $1,270. The BMV was able to collect $3.6 million over the course of the program while applicants saved a total of over $63 million. An extension to this pilot program was approved as part of the Operating Budget and will be effective from October 17 through December 31. Rep. Greenspan has also introduced House Bill 285 with Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland) to establish the program permanently. For more details, please see "Rep. Greenspan's Legislative Updates" on the following page.
HB 310: The Ohio Anti-Bullying and Hazing Act
House Bill 279: Rep. Greenspan has signed on as a co-sponsor for House Bill 279, introduced by Rep. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) and Rep. Tavia Galonski (D-Akron). The bill modernizes the rape code by eliminating both the statute of limitations for criminal and civil sex crimes and spousal exemptions for rape, sexual battery, and other sexual offenses. House Bill 279 was originally introduced as two proposed amendments to a previous bill, but those amendments were tabled because they did not meet the single-subject rule. “I am honored to co-sponsor House Bill 279 with Representatives Boggs and Galonski,” said Rep. Greenspan. “This bill will serve as further protection for many Ohioans who currently suffer in silence or with little recourse for justice to address these crimes.” Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost have both expressed support for modernizing the rape code. House Bill 279 has been referred to the House Committee on Criminal Justice and now awaits its first hearing.
Last year, Rep. Greenspan sponsored legislation authorizing new "Stop Bullying" license plates which was approved during the 132nd General Assembly. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office joined with the Ohio Education Association to offer a design contest for students in kindergarten through fifth grade to create the logo and slogan for those new license plates. Rep. Greenspan joined Attorney General Yost to unveil the winning design by 11-year-old Brooke Balser of Independence, Ohio during a luncheon at the Renaissance Columbus Downtown Hotel in June. Contributions collected when vehicle owners select these plates will fund grants for nonprofit organizations, schools, and school districts to provide bullying prevention training programs or similar educational opportunities. The new license plates will be available for purchase by Ohio motorists later this year.
Read coverage of HB 310
Operating Budget Update
Rep. Greenspan and Attorney General Yost unveil the winning design with the Balser family.
COLUMBUS—State Representative Dave Greenspan (R-Westlake) has re-introduced legislation which works to address the issue of school bullying. House Bill 310, also known as the Ohio Anti-Bullying and Hazing Act, strengthens consequences for acts of bullying and hazing. The bill preserves local control over disciplinary actions by providing complete autonomy for schools to address and respond to the first reported offense of bullying towards a student. If bullying persists, then the provisions of the Ohio Anti-Bullying and Hazing Act shall be enacted. The bill prescribes that a student identified as a bully will serve a disciplinary period, during which the student may be required to participate in a community service program. The bill also encourages schools to offer tutoring, academic support, and counseling services to bullying victims. “I have been working diligently on this legislation and appreciate everyone’s support and contributions throughout this process,” said Representative Greenspan. “This is an issue I am passionate about. One in four students experience bullying, and every day 5.2 million American students do not go to school for fear of being bullied. I feel strongly that this is one of the most comprehensive anti-bullying and anti-hazing bills in the country, but it still allows for local control and is very permissive to give schools the flexibility they need.” The Ohio Anti-Bullying and Hazing Act was previously introduced as House Bill 360 in the 132nd General Assembly, where it passed out of the House but was not voted on by the full Senate. The bill now awaits referral to a committee.
House Bill 311: House Bill 311 creates a permissive County Inspector General’s office to investigate fraud, waste and corruption. Under the bill, county boards of commissioners will be able to request the appointment of a County Inspector General by resolution. The County Inspector General would then provide the same function as the State Inspector General at the county level by allowing counties the same processes of review and oversight that state agencies currently have. An independent State Commission for County Inspector General Services, consisting of the Ohio Attorney General, the Auditor of State, the Secretary of State, the State Treasurer, and the Lieutenant Governor, would be responsible for approving, appointing, overseeing and terminating County Inspectors General. Additionally, funding for Inspector General services is protected by provisions outlined in the bill to ensure that the appropriate financial resources are available for proper investigations.. House Bill 311 was introduced in July and now awaits referral to a committee.
Representative Greenspan successfully introduced 36 amendments which were included in the final version of the biennial state operating budget and signed into law by the Governor. Among those funding amendments were $5M for Ohio Sports Events Grants, $5.14M for public TV and radio stations, $22M for port authority construction grants through the Ohio Maritime Assistance Program, $9.6M for Rape Crisis Centers, $14.2M for Infant Vitality, $144M for Halfway House, and $44M for the Ohio Association of Food Banks.
Representative Greenspan will continue to host Donuts with Dave throughout his second term. These are open office hours where constituents can talk with Rep. Greenspan about any questions or concerns! The next Donuts with Dave is Sept. 21 at 10AM at the Bay Village Branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library.
Contact Our Office: Representative Dave Greenspan District 16 77 S. High St 13th Floor Columbus, OH 43215 Phone (614) 466-0961 Fax (614) 719-3998 Email: Rep16@OhioHouse.gov
Updates from Our Columbus Office
Our office said farewell to Ellen Turk this month. She now begins a new position with the Ohio Development Services Agency. Ellen was my third Legislative Aide in the House, and during her time in my office I watched Ellen serve our community diligently. Our office appreciates all of her hard work and we wish her good luck in her future endeavors!
Welcome to my new Legislative Aide, Adam Headlee! Adam is a familiar face in the office, having served as a Legislative Service Commission Fellow with us since late February. I look forward to continuing our work with him as he steps up into this new role.
Connect with Rep. Greenspan
