Rep. Garland Receives Autism Society Award
Honored for Championing Autism Insurance Coverage Legislation

COLUMBUS – State Representative Nancy Garland (D-New Albany) has
received an award from the Autism Society in recognition and thanks
for championing Autism insurance coverage legislation. The award
honors her for work in passing HB 8, legislation which requires
insurance companies to cover the diagnosis and treatment of Autism
Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

“I am honored to have received this award from the Autism Society and
I am honored to fight on behalf of individuals with autism,” said Rep.
Garland. “But it is the people with autism and their advocates who
should be honored as they have fought so hard to bring attention to
this important issue.”

The award was presented to Rep. Garland and Rep. Ted Celeste
(D-Grandview Heights), joint sponsors of the legislation at the Autism
Legislation Reception. The event was part of Autism Awareness Day at
the Ohio Statehouse which included a rally featuring Reps. Garland and
Celeste as speakers.  April is Autism Awareness Month.

ASD is a complex, lifelong, neurobiological disorder, involving
impairments in communication, social, and behavior domains. According
to recent statistics released by the Centers for Disease Control, 1 in
every 110 children will be diagnosed with ASD, making it more common
than all types of pediatric cancer, diabetes, and AIDS combined.

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Rep. Garland Texting While Driving Bill Passes out of Ohio House

Legislation Protects Ohioans from Distracted Drivers



COLUMBUS – The Ohio House of Representatives today approved
legislation sponsored by State Rep. Nancy Garland (D-New Albany) to
ban texting while driving. The bill protects the people of Ohio from
the dangers caused by distracted drivers on the roadways.



“It is time that we recognize that texting and driving don’t mix,”
Rep. Garland told colleagues on the House floor during debate on the
bill. “It is time to ensure the safety of everyone using Ohio’s
roadways.  The time has come to prohibit an activity that puts drivers
who text and those around them in danger. It is time to save lives”.



House Bill 415 will give law enforcement officers a straight forward
method to determine and identify illegal activity by establishing a
clear definition of texting. The bill also establishes a 6 month grace
period to educate drivers and to ease the transition.



Under the proposed legislation, texting while driving would be a
primary offense and labeled a minor misdemeanor. Offenders would
receive a fine of up to $150 dollars.  The law allows drivers to use
text messaging if their vehicle is at a standstill and pulled off the
road.



The cell phone industry reported that Americans send 110 billion text
messages a month, 10 times the number sent over the same period just
three years ago.  Studies show that drivers are 20 times more likely
to get in a crash or a near crash if texting or receiving text
messages while driving.  The National Transportation Safety
Administration has reported that text-messaging while driving is 2
times more dangerous than drinking and driving.  The reaction time of
drivers who are texting is 35% slower than it is for marijuana smokers
and 12% slower than it is for drunken drivers.



The legislation is jointly sponsored by Rep. Garland and Rep. Michael
DeBose (D-Cleveland).



The bill now goes to the Ohio Senate for consideration.


Contact: Jennifer Dillard, Legislative Aide (614) 644.6002



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State Senator Texts and Drives on the Eve of House Vote to Ban Practice

Bill’s sponsor Rep. Garland disappointed with bad example set by lawmaker



COLUMBUS – On the eve of an Ohio House vote to ban texting and driving
because of the danger it presents to the driver and others on the
highway, State Sen. Shannon Jones acknowledged that she was sending a
text message through Twitter while driving today.



“I am disappointed in Sen. Jones’ behavior. She obviously enjoys
engaging in social media, but sending a text message while driving is
not appropriate,” said Rep. Nancy Garland (D-New Albany), sponsor of
the bill to ban texting while driving in Ohio (HB 415). “Texting while
driving is dangerous and I would hope Sen. Jones would set a better
example. Perhaps when my texting bill gets to the Senate, she will
take the time to understand the potential consequences of distracted
driving.”



The American Automobile Association recently found that someone
sending a text message is 50-percent more likely to be in an accident.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found 87 percent of people they
surveyed believe texting drivers are a “very serious” safety threat,
about the same percentage who feels the same way about drunk drivers.



Sen. Jones’s Tweet (http://twitter.com/sjones524) was intended to
criticize Ohio’s passenger rail plan. She typed, “I'm driving twice as
fast on 71 to Columbus as Strickland's slow speed rail.” However, the
top speed of the proposed trains would be 79 mph. “If Sen. Jones is
being accurate, she was driving about 160 miles an hour on I-71,” said
Rep. Garland. “I think she is better off slowing down and keeping her
focus on the road. Perhaps someday soon she’ll be able to Tweet on the
train without endangering the lives of her fellow drivers.”



Contact: Jennifer Dillard, Legislative Aide (614) 644.6002

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Columbus - Ohio House Speaker Armond Budish has appointed State Rep. Representative Nancy Garland (D-New Albany) to the House Finance and Appropriations Committee.  She replaces former Rep. Tyrone K. Yates, who was recently appointed a judge in Hamilton County, on the committee.

“It is very important to me that we exercise our duties responsibly and with an eye toward continuing to recover from the very tough economic challenges we’ve recently experienced in Ohio and to expand job opportunities,” said Representative Garland.  “I am honored to have been appointed to this committee and am eager to get to work.”

The committee oversees much of the legislation that passes through any given General Assembly because of the involvement of state funds in many bills.

In addition to her new responsibility on the House Finance and Appropriations Committee, she also serves on the Criminal Justice, Education, Healthcare Access and Affordability, and Financial Institutions, Real Estate, and Securities (FIRES) committees. 

Rep. Garland has recently been working on bills to prohibit texting while driving and to require health insurance coverage of autism treatment and prosthetics. 

She represents the 20th Ohio House District, which includes Bexley, Gahanna, New Albany, Whitehall and parts of Columbus. 

Contact: Jennifer Dillard, Legislative Aide, (614) 644-6002

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MAR. 9, 2010
Contact: Jennifer Dillard, Legislative Aide (614) 644.6002

Rep. Garland Texting Bill Approved by Ohio House Committee
H.B. 415 Awaits Vote on the House Floor

COLUMBUS – State Representative Nancy Garland’s (D-New Albany) legislation to ban texting while driving this afternoon was approved by the Ohio House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.

“The bill approved today takes all the best concepts from previous texting bills and offers the most effective solution,” said Rep. Garland. “I am excited that we have taken this important step to make the streets and highways of Ohio safer.”

House Bill 415 will give law enforcement officers a straight forward method to determine and identify illegal activity by establishing a clear definition of texting. The bill also establishes a 6 month grace period to educate drivers and to ease the transition. Under the proposed legislation, texting while driving would be a primary offense and labeled a minor misdemeanor and offenders would receive a fine of up to $150 dollars. The law allows drivers to use text messaging if their vehicle is at a standstill and pulled off the road.

The cell phone industry reported that Americans send 110 billion text messages a month, 10 times the number sent over the same period just three years ago. Of 1,200 drivers surveyed in 2006 by Nationwide Insurance, 73 percent said they talk on cell phones while driving and 19 percent admitted to texting while driving. The dangers of texting are especially prevalent among teen drivers; sixteen and seventeen-year-olds contribute to 1000 of the yearly automobile deaths due to distracted driving including cell phone use, and a 2007 survey found that 46% of teenagers admit to texting behind the wheel.

The bill will next be scheduled for a vote by the full Ohio House of Representatives.

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Contact: Keary McCarthy, Director of Communications
(614) 466-9036

Ohio voters to decide location for Columbus Casino

COLUMBUS – The Ohio House of Representatives this afternoon approved a resolution that will allow voters across Ohio to change the location for the Columbus casino.

Voters last fall approved an Ohio Constitutional amendment that allows casinos to be built in 4 cities in the state including Columbus, but objections to the designated Arena District site led to an effort to find a different location. The resolution authorizes a Columbus casino on the site of the former Delphi plant on the west side.

Senate Joint Resolution 8 has already been approved by the Ohio Senate, and with this afternoon’s bipartisan 71-26 House vote it now will be on the May 2010 statewide ballot.

“I sponsored the House version of this measure to allow voters to relocate the Columbus casino to the Delphi site because it has been welcomed by many local community and business groups with the potential to create many jobs in an area that desperately needs it,” stated Rep. Ted Celeste.

“This is about jobs and economic development on the Westside and redeveloping an abandoned factory site. This plant has been vacant for years and could have been for decades to come,” said Rep. Dan Stewart. “The economic development this will bring to the area is desperately needed.”

“I am pleased that all parties have been able to reach consensus on the casino location in Franklin County,” said Rep. Marian Harris. “I’m looking forward to the groundbreaking!”

“This is an important step in the process of getting ‘shovels in the ground’ to bring much needed jobs and businesses to a struggling area of Franklin County,” said Rep. Nancy Garland. “I commend the City of Columbus, Penn National, the leaders of the group ‘West Side is the Best Side’ and the other elected officials who have worked to get the amendment to move the casino.  Now we all need to work together to make this a reality by passing the amendment in May.”

Contact: Kelsey Woolard, Legislative Aide to Rep. Harris
(614) 466-4847

Jennifer Dillard, Legislative Aide to Rep. Garland
(614) 644-6002

Ohio American Water files withdrawals but keeps 2010 rate increase

COLUMBUS – State Representatives Marian Harris (D–Columbus) and Nancy Garland (D–New Albany) reaffirmed their commitment to oppose Ohio American Water’s rate increase today.  The company recently filed with the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) its withdrawal of 2011, 2012, and 2013 rate increases, but has not withdrawn its request for a 2010 increase.

“This is good news but it’s not great news,” Rep. Harris said.  “Ohio American Water is still pursuing a rate increase for this year that is unreasonable at best.  I agree with the OCC, that there should be a decreased rate and that’s something that my constituents deserve.  I intend to fight this every step of the way.”

“I am happy the OAW has decided not to pursue any step increases and I would encourage them not to pursue an increase this year. I will continue to fight on behalf of the citizens of Blendon Township against any rate increase,” Rep. Garland said.

The Ohio Consumers’ Council recommended the OAW not only be denied a rate increase, but that it should instead file for a rate decrease.  The Consumers Counsel agrees with a PUCO staff report that says customers would save more than $7.3 million in water and sewer rates.

Rep. Harris is sponsoring and Rep. Garland is co-sponsoring HB 344 in response to Ohio American Water’s proposed rate hike.  This consumer protection bill sets reasonable limits on how much in excess fees water companies can charge customers. Both agree that the legislation would prevent future unwarranted rate increases.

Contact: Jennifer Dillard, Legislative Aide
(614) 644-6002

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Nancy Garland (D-New Albany) today introduced legislation to finalize Ohio’s effort to ban texting while driving. House Bill 415, sponsored by Reps. Garland and Michael DeBose (D-Cleveland), marries the best concepts from previous texting bills introduced in the Ohio House and offers the most effective solution to keep the roads of Ohio safe.  

“This legislation presents the best solution to curbing this dangerous practice as a result of thorough analysis and input from interested parties,“ Rep. Garland said.  “Through this learning process, we have crafted legislation that ensures the safety of Ohio’s drivers.”

House Bill 415 addresses several key points not contained in previous legislation to enhance the impact of the bill.  The bill establishes a clear definition of texting to give law enforcement officers a straightforward method to determine and identify illegal activity.  The clarification also ensures uniformity in enforcing the law statewide.  In addition, the bill establishes a 6 month grace period to further educate drivers and to ease the transition.

Under the proposed legislation, texting while driving would be a primary offense allowing police officers to pull over a driver exhibiting the illegal behavior.  The penalty for driving while texting would be a minor misdemeanor and offenders would receive a fine of up to $150.  These measures bring the law in line with other traffic violations, such as the failure to wear a seatbelt.

The bill is expected to have upcoming hearings in the Ohio House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.

Contact: Jennifer Dillard, Legislative Aide
(614) 644-6002

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Nancy Garland (D-New Albany) today introduced legislation to finalize Ohio’s effort to ban texting while driving. House Bill 415, sponsored by Reps. Garland and Michael DeBose (D-Cleveland), marries the best concepts from previous texting bills introduced in the Ohio House and offers the most effective solution to keep the roads of Ohio safe.  

“This legislation presents the best solution to curbing this dangerous practice as a result of thorough analysis and input from interested parties,“ Rep. Garland said.  “Through this learning process, we have crafted legislation that ensures the safety of Ohio’s drivers.”

House Bill 415 addresses several key points not contained in previous legislation to enhance the impact of the bill.  The bill establishes a clear definition of texting to give law enforcement officers a straightforward method to determine and identify illegal activity.  The clarification also ensures uniformity in enforcing the law statewide.  In addition, the bill establishes a 6 month grace period to further educate drivers and to ease the transition.

Under the proposed legislation, texting while driving would be a primary offense allowing police officers to pull over a driver exhibiting the illegal behavior.  The penalty for driving while texting would be a minor misdemeanor and offenders would receive a fine of up to $150.  These measures bring the law in line with other traffic violations, such as the failure to wear a seatbelt.

The bill is expected to have upcoming hearings in the Ohio House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee.