Office of the Governor Press Releases

Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today signed the following bills:

Senate Bill 58

State Senator Kevin Coughlin sponsored Senate Bill 58 that will allow pharmacists to administer certain immunizations. Coughlin's bill was the companion bill to state Representative John Adams' House Bill 73.

Senate Bill 20

State Senator Patricia Clancy sponsored Senate Bill 20 that will increase the adoption tax credit from $500 to $1500. Clancy's bill was the companion bill to state Representative Danny Bubp's House Bill 70.

Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland announced today the following appointments to state university boards of trustees.

The Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees

Fran Voll, of Marion, has been named to the Bowling Green State University Board of Trustees for a nine-year term. Voll is a graduate of Bowling Green State University and a former women’s basketball coach and assistant athletic director at the university. He currently serves on the BGSU Alumni Association Board of Directors. Voll is currently employed by the Catholic Diocese of Columbus.

The Kent State University Board of Trustees

Dennis Eckart, of Concord, has been named to the Kent State University Board of Trustees for a nine-year term. Eckart graduated from Xavier University in 1971 and received his law degree from the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1974. Eckart served as a U.S. Congressman from 1981-1993 and as a member of the Ohio General Assembly from 1975-1980. He was the president/CEO of the Greater Cleveland Growth Association from 2000-2003 and is currently self-employed.

The Ohio University Board of Trustees

Sandra Anderson, of Dublin, has been appointed to the Ohio University Board of Trustees for a nine-year term. A 1973 graduate of Ohio University, Anderson has served several years on the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Scripps College of Communication. Anderson grew up on a farm in Ross County and graduated from McClain High School in Highland County. Anderson is currently employed by Vorys, Sater, Seymour, and Pease LLP.

Tracy Kelly, of Lancaster, has been named to the Ohio University Board of Trustees as a student member for a two-year term. Kelly has maintained a GPA of 3.391 since enrollment in 2000. She received the Outstanding Female Student Leader Award for the OU Lancaster Campus in 2007 and is a member of the Sigma Tau Delta International English Honor Society, the OU Lancaster Campus Student Senate, and the Leadership Enhancement Acquisition Delegation (L.E.A.D.) Team.

The Ohio State University Board of Trustees

Algenon Marbley, of Columbus, has been named to the Ohio State University Board of Trustees for a nine-year term. Marbley received his bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina and law degree from Northwestern University. Marbley has served since 1997 as judge for the United States District Court, Southern District of Ohio, Eastern Division. He previously worked as a partner in the law firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease.

Debra Van Camp, of Lancaster, has been named to the Ohio State University Board of Trustees as a student member for a two-year term. Van Camp, a sophomore at Ohio State, is studying agriculture and maintains a 3.72 GPA. She is a recipient of the Land Grant Opportunity Scholarship, National FFA scholarship, and served as the deputy director of Marketing Research in the Undergraduate Student Government. During the summer of 2006, she traveled to China to attend the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences for five months.

The Youngstown State University Board of Trustees

Harry Meshel, of Youngstown, has been named to the Youngstown State University Board of Trustees for a nine-year term. Meshel graduated from East High School in Youngstown and the Youngstown College School of Business Administration. He received his master’s degree from Columbia University. Meshel served as the state senator for the 33rd District from 1971-1993, spending 1983-1984 as the president and majority leader of the Senate, and 1985-1990 as the Senate’s minority leader.

Columbus, OH – Governor Ted Strickland today signed an executive order creating a council that will develop a plan to establish a cabinet-level Ohio Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Ohio veterans have bravely and honorably served our nation around the world,” Strickland said. “This executive order lays the foundation to ensure Ohio’s veterans and their families will always have a strong voice in state government.”

The 22-member study council will identify existing state services that are provided to veterans and their families; examine ways in which state services to veterans and their families can be aligned and reorganized into a new cabinet-level department; and compile these findings in a report of recommendations that the governor will receive by no later than December 31, 2007.

The governor appointed Merle Pratt to serve as chair of the council. Additionally, the council will consist of representatives from a wide spectrum of veterans organizations as well as public officials.

Pratt is currently the director of constituent services and the veterans/military and fraternal liaison for Ohio Attorney General Marc Dann. He chairs the Ohio Attorney General Office Veterans Advisory Council, and is a past chairman and current member of the Governor’s Veterans Advisory Committee. Pratt served in the U.S. Navy as a Chief Petty Officer, retiring after 26 years of service.

The complete text of the executive order is below.

---

Executive Order 2007-11S

Establishing a Study Council to Provide Recommendations Regarding the Creation of the Ohio Department of Veterans Affairs


1. Ohio Has A Rich History of Its Citizens Serving in the Armed Forces. Ohio has a proud history of its sons and daughters serving in the National Guard and our nation's armed forces. In fact, Ohio is home to over a million veterans and thousands more military personnel who are serving today.

2. Ohio Must Ensure That Its Veterans Receive the Services and Support They Need. For too long, Ohio's veterans have not been receiving the support or services they deserve. Every Ohioan who has served in our nation's armed forces and their families must be connected to the benefits that they have earned and to which they are entitled.

3. Establishment of the Veterans Study Council. To ensure that Ohio’s veterans are receiving the support that they need, I hereby order the establishment of a Veterans Study Council (the “Study Council”).

a. The Role of the Study Council. The mission of the Study Council is to:

i. Identify existing State services that are provided to veterans and their families

ii. Examine ways in which State services to veterans and their families can be aligned and reorganized into a new cabinet-level department

iii. Look at ways to enhance the use of federal resources and communicate effectively with the federal Department of Veterans Affairs; and

iv. Compile these findings in a report of recommendations that I will receive by no later than December 31, 2007

b. The Composition of the Study Council. The Study Council shall be composed of twenty-two members:

i. A chairperson of the Study Council, appointed by the Governor

ii. American Legion Department of Ohio Commander or his designee

iii. AMVETS Department of Ohio Commander or his designee

iv. Army and Navy Union USA Department of Ohio Commander or his designee

v. Catholic War Veterans Department of Ohio Commander or his designee

vi. County Veterans Service Officers President or his designee

vii. Disabled American Veterans Department of Ohio Commander or his designee

viii. Governor’s Advisory Committee on Women Veterans Chair or her designee

ix. Governor's Office of Veterans' Affairs Advisory Committee Chair or his designee

x. Jewish War Veterans Department of Ohio Commander or his designee

xi. Korean War Veterans Department of Ohio Commander or his designee

xii. Marine Corps League of Ohio Commandant or his designee

xiii. Military Order of the Purple Heart Department of Ohio Commander or his designee

xiv. Veterans of Foreign Wars Ohio State Commander or his designee

xv. Veterans Service Commissioners President or his designee

xvi. Vietnam Veterans of America Ohio State President or his designee

xvii. The Adjutant General or his designee

xviii. The Attorney General or his designee

xix. Two (2) members of the Ohio Senate, one appointed by the President of the Senate and one appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate

xx. Two (2) members of the Ohio House of Representatives, one appointed by the Speaker of the House and one appointed by the Minority Leader of the House

c. Assessment of Financial Resources Available to Ohio’s Veterans. In support of the Study Council’s mission, I direct the Office of Budget and Management to perform a financial review of services provided to veterans by state entities and agencies, including, but not limited to, the Ohio Veterans Homes Agency, the Governor's Office of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services, the Adjutant General, the Department of Education, the Board of Regents and the Attorney General.

d. Support Staff and Compensation. The Governor’s Office of Veterans’ Affairs shall provide all administrative, financial, and staff support for the Study Council and no member of the Study Council will receive compensation.

4. I signed this executive order on May 30, 2007 in Columbus, Ohio and it will expire on my last day of office unless rescinded before then.


______________________________
Ted Strickland, Governor


ATTEST:
___________________________________
Jennifer Brunner, Secretary of State

Columbus, OH – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today sent the following letter to President George W. Bush via certified mail:

Via Certified Letter

May 29, 2007

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500


Dear President Bush:

For the second time in under two months, the Department of Defense issued an alert order for deployment of Ohio National Guard Soldiers. The most recent alert order was issued on May 26, 2007, for Soldiers in the 838th Military Police Company in Youngstown, Ohio, reporting to Fort Dix on September 28, 2007.

When the first alert order was issued on April 9, 2007, involving four Army National Guard brigade combat teams, including the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team from Ohio, I immediately wrote to you, asking for your assurance that prior to deployment, every Ohio Soldier is provided with the most up-to-date equipment and that every Ohio Soldier receives appropriate training.

I have yet to receive a response. And now, another alert order has been issued for Soldiers in the Ohio National Guard.

I remain concerned for the continued and unprecedented sacrifice our men and women in the Ohio National Guard bear in relation to the ongoing conflict in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. As Governor of Ohio, I will continue to press for assurances that every Ohio Soldier is provided with the most up-to-date equipment and that every Ohio Soldier receives appropriate training. As I have expressed earlier, our Soldiers and their families deserve nothing less.

Mr. President, the men and women serving in the Ohio National Guard, the citizens of Ohio, and I as Commander in Chief of the Ohio National Guard deserve to have our questions answered. Consequently, I am asking for a timely response to the following questions:

· Will you give me your personal assurance that every Ohio Soldier, prior to deployment, is provided with the most up-to-date equipment for their mission, including individual body armor systems, M-4 rifles and other weapons systems, night vision devices, and up-armored type vehicles?

· Will you give me your personal assurance that every Ohio Soldier, prior to deployment, receives appropriate training for their mission, utilizing the equipment they will be using when deployed?

On behalf of the men and women serving in the Ohio National Guard and their families, I trust that you will respond promptly to these questions.

Sincerely,



Ted Strickland
Governor, State of Ohio


cc: Defense Secretary Robert Gates

Columbus, Ohio – Governor Ted Strickland and former state Sen. C.J. Prentiss, the Governor’s Special Representative for Closing the Achievement Gap, will host a conference tomorrow, May 30, in Columbus focused on increasing the graduation rate of African American males.

“The low graduation rate of African American males is a problem with widespread implications for our state,” Strickland said. “We need to work to keep these young people in school -- for the benefit of themselves, our communities and the economic strength of the state.”

In the 2004-05 school year, only 64.4 percent of black males graduated from high school in Ohio, compared to white males at 88.2 percent. Overall in the 2004-05 school year, 68.4 percent of black students graduated from high school in Ohio, while 89.8 percent of white students graduated.

“We all know that many high schools in urban Ohio graduate only half their students,” Prentiss said. “That's not a problem -- that's a crisis.”

In addition, black males score consistently lower than both white and Hispanic males on the Ohio Graduation Test, which is required for graduation.

Prentiss has spent the past month meeting with mayors, superintendents, ministers and community leaders across Ohio to increase awareness of the issue and encourage collective efforts to increase the African American male graduation rate.

"Our message is one of shared responsibility and targeted action,” Prentiss said. “We need students to become more serious, parents to intervene in their children’s lives, and teachers and schools to have the professional knowledge and support to reach all students. We need businesses to do their part with jobs and internships, and the community in many cases to step in when these young men need guidance and direction."

The Governor’s Conference on Increasing the High School Graduation Rate for African American Male Students will take place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, May 30 at the Columbus Convention Center. More than 1,500 Ohioans have already pre-registered for the event; on-site registration will be available from 8-9 a.m.

The conference will include breakout sessions, workshops, regional planning sessions and panel speakers. Governor Strickland will address the conference at noon.

Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today issued the following proclamation in honor of Memorial Day on Monday, May 28:

In observance of Memorial Day, May 28, 2007, a day for all Ohioans to pause to reflect and rededicate ourselves to a spirit of sacrifice to community, state, and nation, I hereby proclaim, by the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Ohio by the Ohio Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, that the flags of the United States of America and the State of Ohio shall be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds and at all military posts throughout the State from sunrise until noon on this Memorial Day.

The Congress, by Public Law, has also designated the minute beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance. I ask that all Ohioans pause to remember those Americans and Ohioans who gave of their lives in support of the freedoms and blessings of liberty enjoyed by all of us.

Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today asked Attorney General Marc Dann to appeal the Franklin County common pleas court ruling on the private club exemption in the state's new smoking ban law.

“I believe we established a reasonable rule that enforces the smoking ban while also honoring the exemption established in the law for certain private clubs including veteran’s clubs,” Strickland said. “I am troubled that many citizens, including many veterans, voted for the smoking ban last fall with the understanding that it included an exception for private clubs, only to be told later that the ban doesn't include a real exception. In order to make sure that these citizens have every opportunity to have their point of view considered, I have decided to appeal the court’s ruling.”

The governor consulted with the Department of Health and the Attorney General’s office to reach his decision.

Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Judicial Appointments Recommendation Panel is currently accepting applications to fill a vacant seat on the Court of Appeals of Ohio, 11th Appellate District, due to the resignation of Judge William O’Neill.

The 11th District Court of Appeals holds jurisdiction over Lake, Ashtabula, Geauga, Trumbull and Portage counties. Within the five-county district, the court exercises jurisdiction to review, affirm, modify, set aside or reserve judgments or final orders of lower courts, as well as decisions of administrative officers or agencies in the district.

Applicants for the 11th District Court of Appeals position must be a resident and registered elector of Lake, Ashtabula, Geauga, Trumbull or Portage county and not yet 70 years old on the day they begin their duties, as dictated by Ohio law. In addition, they must be admitted to practice law in Ohio and have maintained their legal license for six years prior to assuming the judicial post or served as a judge of a court of record in any jurisdiction in the United States.

The term of the Court of Appeals appointment will extend until January 2, 2009. To continue service in the position, the appointee must run in the November 2008 judicial election.

In the case of all judicial vacancies, applicants must follow the guidelines set forth by the Ohio Judicial Appointments Recommendation Panel to ensure their eligibility for appointment.

Applications must be submitted directly to the judicial panel and will then be distributed to the at-large and regional panel members. Details and the full text of the application procedure are available on the judicial panel’s section of the governor’s Web site, http://www.governor.ohio.gov/.

Requirements for all applicants include submitting a letter of interest, resume, panel questionnaire and no more than six letters of recommendation.

All materials submitted by applicants for a judicial vacancy will be considered public record under Ohio law. Applicant communication with panel members must be directed to the entire panel; all attempts to contact or influence a panel member are prohibited. Applicant questions and concerns should be addressed to Kent Markus or Jeff Ruppert in the Governor’s Office at (614) 466-3555.

Applications for the Court of Appeals appointment must be received by 5 p.m. June 21.

Candidates must be available to interview in person on July 19 in Columbus. Individual candidate times and interview locations will be determined at a later date.

Governor Strickland has selected the following individuals to serve on the regional
committee for the current 11th District Court of Appeals vacancy:

Raymond Ku (Geauga County), attorney and professor of law, Case Western Reserve University

Donna McNamee (Lake County), freelance editor and writer, member of the Laketran Board of Trustees

George Keith (Portage County), attorney, Keith and Godward

Debbie Bindas (Trumbull County), president of Trumbull-Mahoning County AFL-CIO Labor Council

Janet Carson, (Geauga County), owner of Insurance Diversified Agency

Bill Bobulsky, (Ashtabula County) attorney, Bobulsky and Schroeder

At-Large Members of the Ohio Judicial Appointments Recommendations Panel:

Janet E. Jackson, Chair, President and CEO of United Way of Central Ohio

Meg Flack, Board Member of the League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus

Doloris Learmonth, Managing partner at Peck Shaffer and Williams LLP in Cincinnati

Joy Malek Oldfield, Partner at Hill Hardman Oldfield, LLC, in Akron

Charles “Rocky” Saxbe, Former state representative, currently a senior partner in the Columbus law firm of Chester, Wilcox and Saxbe, LLP

Columbus, Ohio – Governor Ted Strickland joined Democratic governors from 16 states in a letter sent Tuesday to President George W. Bush urging him to help relieve escalating gas prices in the United States.

“We are calling on the president to stand up for consumers and help alleviate the heavy burdens facing Americans at the pump,” Strickland said. “I join my fellow governors in urging the president to act on our concerns and begin working with Congress and pressing oil companies to find a long-term solution to this issue.”

The governors’ letter comes at a time when gas prices in Ohio and across the country are reaching record highs.

In the letter, the 17 governors issue an urgent call for President Bush to work with Congress to relieve gas prices by supporting federal legislation that penalizes gas price gouging and ordering the administration’s agencies to pursue anti-trust and commodities violations.

The governors also urge the president to press oil companies to invest their profits in fixing refinery capacity issues that have become an annual foil for escalating prices.

In addition, the governors spoke to the need for a long term-solution and addressed their work to promote alternative sources of energy, encourage conservation and demand efficiency.

"Here in Ohio I am committed to making Ohio the epicenter of alternative and advanced energy production, innovation and research," Strickland said. "The more energy we produce right here at home, the less dependent we will be on foreign oil and the more likely our energy prices are to remain stable and balanced."

In addition to Strickland, the 16 governors who signed the letter are Govs. Kathleen Sebelius (Kan.), Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Jon Corzine (N.J.), Jennifer Granholm (Mich.), Ed Rendell (Penn.), Bill Richardson (N.M.), Mike Beebe (Ark.), Janet Napolitano (Ariz.), Ruth Ann Minner (Del.), Rod Blagojevich (Ill.), Chet Culver (Iowa), Kathleen Blanco (La.), Deval Patrick (Mass.), Ted Kulongoski (Ore.), Phil Bredesen (Tenn.) and Jim Doyle (Wis.).

A copy of the governors’ letter follows:

DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION
1401 K STREET, NW, SUITE 200 WASHINGTON, DC 20005
T 202.772.5600 F 202.772.5602 WWW.DEMOCRATICGOVERNORS.ORG


May 22, 2007

President George W. Bush
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20500


Dear Mr. President:

When Democratic governors wrote to you about high gasoline prices in April 2004, prices were nearing $2.00 per gallon – a price most consumers would happily pay today. This summer in some parts of the country, prices are expected to double that amount.

Democratic governors have a history of standing up for consumers and are taking action to ease the pain at the pump. We are investigating price gouging, investing in alternative sources of energy, and rolling back oil and gas subsidies. We support corporate profitability – but not on the backs of working families and not at the obscene levels we have seen in recent months.

We urge you to join us in pressing oil companies to invest their profits in fixing refinery capacity issues that have become an annual foil for swiftly escalating prices. Further, we call on you to work with Congress to lower gas prices – support federal legislation defining and penalizing gas price gouging and order your Administration’s agencies to go after any anti-trust or commodities violations.

Democratic governors know that the long-term prescription for high gas prices is to achieve energy security by reducing our dependence on foreign oil. We are consistently and innovatively leading the way by promoting alternative sources of energy, encouraging conservation, and demanding efficiency.

We are encouraged by your comments this month on energy independence, and we invite you to look at our states to see how we are getting results.

Talk is much cheaper than gas prices. Now is the time for action. Together, we can make America more prosperous, more secure, and less vulnerable to the pain at the pump.

Sincerely,



Governor Kathleen Sebelius
Kansas
Chair

Governor Joe Manchin III
West Virginia
Vice Chair & Chair-elect

Governor Jon S. Corzine
New Jersey
Federal Liaison

Governor Jennifer Granholm
Michigan
Policy Chair

Governor Edward G. Rendell
Pennsylvania
Campaign Chair

Governor Bill Richardson
New Mexico
Chair Emeritus

Governor Mike Beebe
Arkansas

Governor Janet Napolitano
Arizona

Governor Ruth Ann Minner
Delaware

Governor Rod Blagojevich
Illinois

Governor Chet Culver
Iowa

Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco
Louisiana

Governor Deval Patrick
Massachusetts

Governor Ted Strickland
Ohio

Governor Ted Kulongoski
Oregon

Governor Phil Bredesen
Tennessee

Governor Jim Doyle
Wisconsin

Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today announced that he would not support changing policies to allow widespread alcohol sales at the state fair.

“I made this decision with an eye toward protecting the tradition of a family-friendly environment at the state fair,” Strickland said. “I am not convinced that any proposals I’ve seen would meet the standards Ohioans have come to expect of their state fair.”

Columbus, Ohio – Governor Ted Strickland today issued the following statement regarding the Ohio Parole Board’s recommendation against executive clemency for Christopher Newton:

“As a result of his conviction for aggravated murder, Mr. Christopher Newton is scheduled to be executed on May 24, 2007 at 10 a.m. Although Mr. Newton has not requested clemency, I have completed a review of the circumstances surrounding his case to determine if executive clemency is warranted.

In making this determination, my staff and I conducted various interviews and reviewed the judicial decisions associated with this matter, Mr. Newton’s institutional mental health records, photographs, the Adult Parole Authority‘s report, letters received by the parole board, and the arguments and exhibits presented at the Parole Board hearing.

We have also reviewed letters received in the Governor’s Office regarding this matter and the unanimous recommendation against clemency forwarded to me by the Ohio Parole Board on January 25, 2007.

Based on this review, I concur with the Parole Board recommendation on this matter.”

Columbus, Ohio – Governor Ted Strickland signed today an executive order establishing a policy that bans discrimination of current or prospective state employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Text of Executive Order Follows:

Executive Order 2007 – 10S

Establishing Policy Against Discrimination

Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity

1. The State of Ohio Should Treat Employees Respectfully. Persons employed by the State of Ohio are a vital part of creating and fostering efficient governmental practices and ensuring that all citizens of Ohio receive the support and services that they need and to which they are entitled. Because of the contributions that State employees make, their colleagues and supervisors should treat them with respect and dignity.

2. The State of Ohio Should Seek to Attract Top Quality Employees. The government must compete for the best employees it can obtain. Discriminatory conduct in hiring and other employment related decisions undermines the State’s ability to attract and retain the best possible employees.

3. State and Federal Law Already Prohibit a Range of Discriminatory Practices. Ohio law, consistent with federal law, prohibits employers, including the State, from discriminating in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, national original, veteran status, disability, age, or sex. However, there are no such laws that prohibit employers from discriminating in employment related decisions on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

4. Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination is Currently Occurring in State Government. Information compiled by the Ohio Civil Rights Commission documents ongoing and past discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and/or gender identity in employment-related decisions by personnel at Ohio agencies, boards and commissions. Such discriminatory conduct undermines the effectiveness of employees discriminated against, prevents the State from attracting the best available talent to work on behalf of the people of Ohio, and offends basic notions of human dignity.

5. Applicable Definitions. The following definitions apply to the requirements of this Order:

a. Sexual Orientation: A person’s actual or perceived homosexuality; bisexuality; or heterosexuality, by orientation or practice, by and between adults who have the ability to give consent.

b. Gender Identity: The gender a person associates with him or herself, regardless of the gender others might attribute to that person.

6. Prohibition Against Discrimination. For the reasons stated above, I am declaring it to be the policy of the State of Ohio that no person employed by a Cabinet agency or by a State of Ohio Board or Commission may discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in making any of the following employment related decisions:

a. Hiring

b. Layoff

c. Termination

d. Transfer

e. Promotion

f. Demotion

g. Rate of Compensation

h. Eligibility for In-Service Training Programs

7. Management of Discrimination Complaints. Any person who believes that an agency, board, or commission employee has discriminated against him or her in violation of this Order may file a discrimination complaint with the Equal Opportunity Division/Equal Employment Opportunity Section of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services. All such complaints will be investigated and resolved within the timeframe allowed for claims of discrimination that are recognized by Ohio law. Persons engaging in discrimination in violation of this order will be subject to discipline commensurate with the sanctions that would be applied to illegal discriminatory conduct.

8. I signed this Executive Order on May 17, 2007 in Columbus, Ohio and it will expire on my last day as Governor of Ohio unless rescinded before then.


____________________________
Ted Strickland, Governor

ATTEST:
____________________________________
Jennifer Brunner, Secretary of State

Columbus, OH– Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today signed House Bill 2, allowing the governor to appoint the chancellor of the Board of Regents as a member of his cabinet.

“This legislation is a historic step toward preparing all Ohioans for the 21st century,” Strickland said. “Legislative leaders in both houses and Chancellor Fingerhut deserve great credit for helping build a system of higher education that we all hope will rival the nation in accountability and innovation.”

Columbus, OH– Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today issued the following proclamation in honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day on Tuesday, May 15:

In observance of Peace Officers Memorial Day, I hereby proclaim, by the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Ohio by the Ohio Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, that the flags of the United States of America and the State of Ohio shall be flown at half-staff upon all public buildings and grounds and at all military posts throughout the State from sunrise until sunset Tuesday, May 15, 2007.

Columbus, Ohio – Governor Ted Strickland announced today the appointment of Connie Zemmelman to fill a vacancy on the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division.

“Connie’s career has been marked by professionalism, high standards and a commitment to serving families,” Strickland said. “Her service to the people of Lucas County makes her well-suited for this position.”

Zemmelman fills a seat on the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas, Juvenile Division that was vacated when Judge James Ray retired. Zemmelman’s term as judge begins effective June 4. The term of the juvenile court appointment will extend until January 2, 2009.

Zemmelman, 52, brings more than 25 years of legal experience to the Lucas County court.

Zemmelman has worked in private practice since 1998 with concentrations on adoption, juvenile and probate law. Since 2004, Zemmelman has run her own law office; she was previously a partner in the Toledo law firm of Britz and Zemmelman from 1998 to 2003.

Zemmelman served as magistrate for Lucas County Probate Court from 1994-1997. Her responsibilities included overseeing adoption clerks, assisting the judge in adoption hearings and teaching changes in adoption law to staff and local attorneys.

From 1987-1994, Zemmelman worked as the staff attorney for the University of Toledo College of Law Legal Clinic. She served as an associate at Britz and Zemmelman from 1982-1987 and as clerk/bailiff for Judge Reno R. Riley, Jr., in the Lucas County Court of Common Pleas from 1979-1980.

Zemmelman received her bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University in 1976 and her juris doctor from the University of Toledo College Law in 1981.

Zemmelman was chosen by colleagues for a listing in “The Best Lawyers in America” for her work in family-related areas of law. She is a member of several community and professional organizations, including the Toledo Bar Association, Ohio State Bar Association, Lucas County Bar Association and the University of Toledo Law Alumni Association.

“Serving on the juvenile court will be a rewarding and challenging way to continue helping families in Lucas County,” Zemmelman said. “I am excited to have this opportunity.”

Governor Strickland selected Zemmelman through Ohio’s new judicial selection process, in which members of the Ohio Judicial Appointments Recommendation Panel (OJARP) evaluate the qualifications of applicants for judicial vacancies and then make non-binding recommendations to the governor based on their evaluations. OJARP is currently working to fill judicial vacancies in Montgomery and Stark Counties.

Columbus, Ohio – Late Thursday May 11, 2007, the State of Ohio reached an agreement to the terms of a new labor contract with the Ohio State Troopers Association.

The union represents approximately 1800 troopers, sergeants, dispatchers, and communication technicians of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. The parties have been negotiating since December of 2006 and had engaged in intensive discussions following the state’s rejection of a fact finding report in April.

The parties had received an order on April 25th from the State Employment Relations Board to proceed to conciliation, a form of binding interest arbitration. Bargaining representatives, union leadership, and the governor’s office are very pleased at the successful conclusion of the talks.

The parties have agreed that details of the settlement will remain confidential pending the outcome and conclusion of the ratification process. The OSTA will be submitting the terms to their membership for approval within the coming week and the administration must submit the finalized contract to the State Controlling Board.

Columbus, Ohio – Governor Ted Strickland announced today the appointments of Sandra Stephenson as director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Bill Harper as assistant director of the Department of Mental Health.

Stephenson, 59, has served since 1987 as executive director of Southeast, Inc., a non-profit behavioral health organization based in Columbus.

“I have known Sandy for many years and have always admired her strong commitment to providing high quality mental health services to Ohio’s citizens,” Strickland said. “She is a strong advocate for those individuals and families coping with mental illness. I have complete confidence in her ability to be a compassionate and effective manager of the Department of Mental Health.”

Stephenson's appointment marks Strickland's last cabinet level appointment.

Harper, 52, has been the director of the Lorain County Board of Mental Health since 2002.

“Bill’s leadership in mental health work has served communities across Ohio,” Strickland said. “I believe he will bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the state level.”

Sandra Stephenson, Director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health

As executive director at Southeast, Inc., Stephenson oversees an annual budget of $27 million, 350 staff members and several statewide locations. Under her leadership, the organization has experienced significant expansion, marked by the annual budget’s growth from $4 million in 1987 to the current $27 million.

Stephenson worked in private clinical practice for the Community Family Health Center from 1984-1990; from 1983-1987, she served as associate executive director of the Southeast Community Mental Health Center. She previously served as program director for the Columbus Area Community Mental Health Center and as mental health clinician for North Central Community Health Services.

Stephenson graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor’s degree in social welfare in 1974 and a master’s degree in social work in 1975. She also received a master’s degree in public administration from Ohio State University in 1980.

”I look forward to working with Governor Strickland to assure the best support, care and treatment are available for those Ohioans who are struggling with mental illness and are working to reclaim healthy and productive lives,” Stephenson said.

Stephenson has served as a member of several boards and community organizations related to mental health and has received numerous recognitions for her efforts and the work of Southeast, Inc.

Stephenson will begin as director of the Department of Mental Health on June 4. As director, she will earn an annual salary of $126,000.

The mission of Ohio's mental health system is to establish mental health as a cornerstone of health in Ohio, and ensure that quality mental health care is available to all Ohioans at all stages of life. The Department of Mental Health’s major responsibilities are to support and monitor local systems of care, provide quality inpatient services, provide quality community services, improve mental health services to children and adolescents, improve mental health linkages to the criminal justice system and provide quality support services.

Bill Harper, Assistant Director of the Ohio Department of Mental Health

Harper has served as executive director of the Lorain County Board of Mental Health since 2002.

From 1994-2002, Harper was the executive director of Mental Health Recovery Services of Warren and Clinton Counties, an alcohol, drug addition and mental health services board. He served as the executive director of the Four County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services in Archbold from 1987-1994.

Harper previously worked as an assistant professor for social work at Bowling Green State University from 1984-1994, the director of Client Services/Programs for Quadco Rehabilitation Center in Stryker, Ohio, from 1983-1987, the social work director for Cambridge Mental Health and Developmental Center from 1981-1983, and as a social worker at Lima State Hospital from 1977-1979.

“I look forward to working with mental health consumers and their families, county boards and provider networks and our state-operated behavioral health organizations to provide high quality services to adults and children in Ohio needing support, encouragement, treatment and rehabilitation to overcome mental illness,” Harper said.

Harper received a bachelor’s degree from Bowling Green State University in 1976, and master’s degrees in public administration and social work from Ohio State University in 1981.

Harper will begin as assistant director of the Department of Mental Health on June 4. As assistant director, Harper will earn an annual salary of $120,000.

Columbus, OH – Governor Ted Strickland today signed an executive order that establishes a new state policy for purchasing food and meal-related items, significantly curtailing approved expenses except in limited and defined cases.

“It is the responsibility of public servants to make sure taxpayer dollars are being used wisely and in the public’s best interest,” Strickland said. “Public servants must continually remind themselves that wasted dollars take needed resources away from improving education, attracting jobs and caring for the least among us. Put simply: we must live within our means and invest in what matters.”

The governor called for a temporary freeze on food and meal-related expenditures in March after learning that $3.9 million had been spent on such expenditures in Fiscal Year 2006 and part of Fiscal Year 2007 and ordered the Office of Budget and Management to complete a review of such policies.

Under the new policy, Strickland orders that the state pay for food-related expenses only in limited and defined circumstances and urges employees to consider alternative meal options.

“These alternatives – packing a lunch, purchasing one’s own lunch or scheduling meetings during non-meal times – will save important resources and should not disrupt the business of the state,” Strickland said.

The new policy permits certain meal-related expenditures for state agencies, boards and commissions when hosting a meeting, seminar or convention held for official state business.

The permitted expenditures include those that are part of a registration fee or paid directly by the participant, for public safety first responders in some cases, and when seeking consumer or client input on departmental policies when the consumers or clients are on a fixed income and could not otherwise purchase or bring food.

The new policy also permits meal-related expenditures provided by federal funds if the funds are specifically authorized for food expenses, as well as meal-related expenditures related to training law enforcement, emergency personnel or national guard employees if there is no option of leaving site for meals.

Strickland has set guidelines for the permitted meal-related expenditures, limiting the per-person cost of meals to $6 for breakfast, $9 for lunch and $12 for dinner.

For permitted expenditures, Strickland also orders state agencies, boards and commissions to negotiate the best deals and receive approval from their chief financial officer.

Text of the executive order follows:




1. Initial, Temporary Limits. On March 6, 2007, after learning that approximately $3.9 million had been spent by executive branch entities in Fiscal Year 2006 and part of Fiscal Year 2007 on food and related expenditures, I instructed the Office of Budget and Management to implement a temporary freeze on those expenditures in order to review and evaluate our spending policies in this regard. That review is now complete.

2. Our Duty As Stewards of Taxpayer Provided Funds. It is the duty of all public servants to carefully weigh any expenditure of public dollars. Those of us who serve the public must continually remind ourselves that wasted dollars take needed resources away from improving education, attracting jobs and caring for the least among us. Put simply: we must live within our means and invest in what matters. This understanding is rooted in the belief that it is a privilege to be permitted to serve the public -- even when our service is in a volunteer capacity. As governor, I am deeply thankful for the care and concern that state employees and volunteers all over Ohio bring to these responsibilities.

3. Limiting the Need for Taxpayer Funded Food. There are practical, common sense things public servants can do regarding meals: pack a lunch, buy our own meals, hold potlucks or find new ways to conduct business that don’t involve food at all. The bottom line I’m asking all state employees and volunteers to adhere to is this: public dollars should not, except in limited and defined circumstances, be spent on food-related expenses.

4. Defining the Limits on Public Fund Expenditures on Food. With this spirit in mind, all executive branch agencies, boards and commissions are directed to utilize the following Object Codes, Definitions and Guidelines regarding the expenditure of public dollars on food:

a. Accounting Object Codes. In the limited circumstances in which the expenditure of public funds for food is permissible, one of two accounting Object Codes should be utilized in official agency records. The first, Object Code 293.01, was previously in use but has been rewritten and covers the general expenditure of public funds for food at various kinds of meetings. In addition, a new Object Code 293.05 has been established for the expenditure of public funds for food paid for by registration fees or meeting participants. The specific expenses to be charged to these codes are as follows:

i. Object Code 293.01: Hosting Meetings, Seminars and Conferences – Food Payment and Supplies.

Charge to this subobject payments made for meals, food expenses (doughnuts, box lunches, coffee), and related supplies relative to hosting a meeting, seminar, or convention held for official state business when the subject matter is within the scope of official business of the sponsoring agency.

ii. Object Code 293.05: Hosting Meetings, Seminars and Conferences – Food Expenses Fully Covered by Participant Fees.

Charge to this subobject payments made for meals, food expenses and related supplies relative to hosting a meeting, seminar, or convention held for official state business when the subject matter is within the scope of official business of the sponsoring agency. Use this subobject when all such expenses are fully covered by participant fees.

b. Definitions. When utilizing the above Object Codes, the following definitions shall be utilized:

i. “Food Expenses” include all expenditures for food, as well as for refreshments such as juices, coffee or bottled water and for paper products or other supplies associated with the serving of food.

ii. “Public dollars” include all dollars from local, state or federal taxes as well as moneys paid into agency rotary accounts.

c. Permitted Expenditures. The above Object Codes and Definitions may only be used for expenditures of public dollars in the following circumstances (please note that if the restrictions in this Order in any way conflict with a current collective bargaining agreement, the terms of any such agreement will control):

i. Food expenses for which the costs have been covered by a registration fee or a payment by the meeting participant. To ensure that the registration revenue is matched against food expenses, use Object Code 293-05 and Revenue Source Code 5983 in these circumstances

ii. Food expenses for public safety first responders engaged in public safety related duties who are not already on travel status (and therefore receiving meals) or who are not part of a labor contract providing food when overtime is greater than 4 hours during the response to an emergency (and therefore receiving meals).

iii. Food expenses associated with seeking consumer or client input on departmental policies, when some or all of the consumers or clients are individuals on a fixed income, who could not otherwise afford to bring or pay for their own food. When this authority is used, a memo citing to this provision should be attached to the voucher. Overall, it would be better to schedule this work at a non-meal time if at all possible.

iv. Food expenses covered by federal grants or other federal funds, but only if the there is specific authority from the providing entity to use the federal funds to cover food expenses.

v. Food expenses related to training of law enforcement, emergency personnel or National Guard employees, if there is no option for leaving the training site for meals. However, if a member of a bargaining unit is already receiving per diem reimbursement, then these expenditures are prohibited as to those employees.

d. Guidelines for Permitted Expenditures. Even when making permitted expenditures for food expenses, the following guidelines should be followed:

i. Reasonable Costs: The cost of meals to the agency, board or commission shall be no more than $6 for breakfast, $9 for lunch, and $12 for dinner, per person.

ii. The Best Deal: Work to negotiate the best deal with the limited resources available. Take advantage of the state term schedule for pre-negotiated rates.

iii. Accountability: Ask the Chief Fiscal Officers or their equivalent to approve internal food expense procedures; submissions arriving at OBM for payment will be treated as having met the approval of the CFO.

iv. Travel Rule: Ensure that the Travel Rule is only used when overnight lodging is required and be sure that overnight lodging is required to complete the agency, board or commission business.

e. Prohibited Expenditures: Although the only permissible food expenses are set out above, for purposes of reinforcement, expenditures of public funds for food in the following circumstances are specifically prohibited:

i. Agency, board, commission, task force, advisory committee or other equivalent meetings. Please note that eating meals and snacks is not considered to be part of the conduct of agency, board or commission business and is therefore not considered an “actual and necessary expense” of conducting business.

ii. Working lunches (or other meals). Participants are expected to provide their own meals for working lunches since they would have provided their own meals but for the meeting.

iii. Staff retreats when the Travel Rule does not apply.

iv. Stakeholder input meetings when none of the stakeholders are on a fixed income and could not otherwise afford to bring or pay for their own food.

v. Employee recognition, volunteer recognition or thank-you events.

vi. Training sessions where the registration fee does not fully cover food expenses.

vii. Expenditures or reimbursements for spouses, contractors, grantees or vendors.

viii. Expenditures or reimbursements for charitable or political functions.

ix. Gratuities in excess of the rates and practices established in the Travel Rule.

x. Payment or reimbursement for state employees to attend outside conference breakfasts, lunches or dinners where the conference registration fee does not include these expenses.

f. Alternative Ideas: Supervisors and managers are encouraged to develop approaches to conducting state business which minimize the impact this Order will have on the conduct of state business. Accordingly, they should consider allowing, and when appropriate, facilitating:

i. Brown bag meals, meals at which all meeting participants chip in together to cover costs, and potlucks.

ii. The scheduling of meetings at times other than meal times.

iii. Reducing the need for travel and mealtime meetings through video conferencing or phone bridge conversations.

iv. Allowance of enough of a break in the day’s schedule to allow participants to go out for a meal.

5. Improving this Order. Any requests for clarification of this Order should be conveyed to the Chief Fiscal Officer, or similar official, at the entity administering public funds which might be used for food expenses. Chief Fiscal Officers (or their equivalents) may ask clarifying questions about the interpretation or application of this Order by emailing Quentin.Potter@das.state.oh.us. Clarifications to this Order may be periodically posted on the State of Ohio website and this Order may be periodically updated as suggestions meriting modification to the Order come to my attention.



6. I signed this Executive Order on May 3, 2007 in Columbus, Ohio and it will expire on my last day as Governor of Ohio unless rescinded before then.




____________________________

Ted Strickland, Governor



ATTEST:


____________________________________

Jennifer Brunner, Secretary of State

Columbus, OH – Governor Ted Strickland today applauded a decision by Amylin Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to expand operations at its West Chester Township (Butler County) facility.

Amylin’s subsidiary Amylin Ohio LLC is planning to expand construction at its facility where it intends to manufacture exenatide long-acting release (LAR), a diabetes drug candidate currently in clinical development. The expansion is dependent on continued progress of exenatide LAR through its development process. This expansion is expected to result in the creation of up to 500 jobs over the next three years.

“I’m pleased that Amylin will grow its biopharmaceutical operations in Ohio and provide high tech jobs for our workforce,” said Governor Strickland. “Amylin is a significant partner in Ohio’s growing bioscience industry and will undoubtedly serve as a blueprint for companies dedicated to developing innovative therapies in the future.”

Amylin is a biopharmaceutical company committed to improving lives through the discovery, development and commercialization of innovative medicines. Amylin currently markets two first-in-class medicines for diabetes, SYMLIN® (pramlintide acetate) injection and BYETTA® (exenatide) injection. Amylin’s Ohio facility will manufacture exenatide LAR, a long-acting release version of BYETTA currently in clinical development. Exenatide LAR may greatly enhance the convenience of managing diabetes by requiring only once-weekly administration.

“Amylin’s Ohio manufacturing facility is an important investment in our mission to deliver life-changing medicines to the patients we serve,” said Daniel M. Bradbury, President and Chief Executive Officer of Amylin Pharmaceuticals. “We believe Ohio has a favorable business environment and is an ideal location for investing in our company’s future growth. I would also like to commend Governor Strickland and Lt. Governor Fisher for their personal involvement and strong support of Amylin throughout the process of finalizing our expansion plan.”

The State of Ohio, local communities and business partners have been supportive of Amylin’s expansion plans. Among these partnerships, BioOhio, Ohio’s bioscience membership and development organization, was instrumental in connecting Amylin with workforce resources and other established bioscience companies throughout the state during its initial decision to build a facility in West Chester and in making its recent decision to expand.

In addition, the State of Ohio, through the Ohio Department of Development, and the local communities have committed more than $117 million in statutory benefits and financial assistance for the project based on Amylin’s expected total investment of approximately $400 million.

“We are pleased that the State of Ohio can assist Amylin in its plans to grow and manufacture life-saving therapies for people living with diabetes worldwide,” said Lt. Governor Lee Fisher, who also serves as director of the Ohio Department of Development. “This is the result of a very successful public-private partnership between Amylin, the State of Ohio and the county and local community that will serve as a new partnership model for economic development in the Ohio Department of Development. We will continue this partnership to assist the company in meeting its timeline for growth and the commercialization of its products.”

Local officials, including: Butler County Commissioners Mike Fox, Greg Jolivette, and Chuck Furmon; State Senator Gary Cates; State Representative Bill Coley; and the West Chester Township Board of Trustees all played key roles by committing more than $30 million in local grants and abatements in support of Amylin’s expansion.

“Amylin’s expansion in West Chester provides a tremendous boost to Butler County and the state’s biosciences industry,” said Butler County Commissioner Mike Fox. “Amylin is exactly the type of high-tech employer that we like to see growing here in southwest Ohio.”

Butler County Commission President Greg Jolivette said, “This is a very important investment for us in high technology. Amylin’s decision validates Butler County as a site for biotechnology manufacturing and the quality of our workforce. For a second time, the company has confirmed that it believes that we can provide the professionals with the skill sets that they require.”

West Chester Board of Trustees President George Lang adds, “When West Chester opened the Union Centre Boulevard interchange a decade ago, it was to become a location for not only regional, but global technology companies such as Amylin. I would like to thank the Strickland Administration for its efforts in supporting this significant investment in our community.”

The company’s plans for expansion include additional construction at the facility, and the acquisition of pharmaceutical filling and sterilization machinery and other production line and distribution equipment. Amylin anticipates its manufacturing facility will be complete by the end of 2008.

Columbus, OH – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland today delivered the following remarks to the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce on Ohio’s energy policy:

Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce Legislative Briefing

May 1, 2007

It is a pleasure to be here with you today to share some thoughts on Ohio’s economy and on the future of energy in Ohio.

Everyone in this room knows that the challenges of Ohio’s economy have been well documented. But signs of progress and renewal are sprouting.

Recently Ohio was awarded the Governor’s Cup from Site Selection Magazine in recognition of Ohio leading the nation in new business facilities.

And Foreign Direct Investment Magazine just named Toledo one of its “Cities of the Future” based on its attractiveness for future business opportunities. In fact, the publication named Toledo the #1 “business friendly” large city in North America.

As you know, I asked my Lt. Governor Lee Fisher to serve as Director of the Department of Development, because my administration understands that development is not only a priority, it is a necessity.

Lee and his staff have already worked to assist in the expansion of several Toledo-area companies.

Rieter Automotive North America is a Lucas County company that makes fiber padding, carpet, and insulating materials for automobiles. We recently announced that a combination of tax credits and a Rapid Outreach Grant will assist Rieter in an expansion of their facilities and result in creating and retaining hundreds of jobs in Lucas County.

More than 3 million dollars of Third Frontier funds were just designated for northwest Ohio in the Entrepreneurial Signature Program. This program supports innovation and commercialization of new technology. The funds will benefit a range of businesses and the University of Toledo.

To be sure, our state’s resources are limited. And we cannot do everything we want to do.

In the first year of my proposed state budget, general revenue spending will actually shrink, and over the two year span of the budget total spending will increase a modest 2.2 percent annually.

That’s lower than any budget in the last 42 years.

Holding to that line will allow us to live within our means and invest in what matters.

And as we invest in our economic future, my administration will listen to business leaders who know first hand what it takes to create jobs. What I’ve heard across the state – and from some in this room right now – is that one of the biggest obstacles to growth is finding qualified workers.

My administration is committed to increasing access to job training and higher education because Ohio should have the most educated workforce possible.

That’s why I’ve proposed a Higher Education Compact, which offers a significant increase in the basic instructional subsidy for our public colleges and universities if they agree to hold down tuition costs, including no tuition increase at all next year. And we will expand and improve our job training programs by simply utilizing dollars available from federal programs that the state has previously ignored.

We recognize that business is a partner in the future prosperity of Ohio. And that’s why we’ve launched Advantage Ohio, an across-the-board review of current regulations. We will eliminate those that are unnecessary, redundant and contradictory. We will make it easier to do business in Ohio while still protecting the health and safety of our people.

Now you all know that change is happening in our state, in our economy, and all around us.

But for far too long, too much of government has been simply continuing next year what has been done the year before – without regard to what could be done, or should be done. And if we keep that up, we’re done for.

The approach I take to issues is to make a common-sense assessment of what Ohio needs and where Ohio’s opportunities lie.

And I believe that as we embrace transformational changes in our economy, changes in what we make and how we make it, that one of the great opportunities we have in Ohio is to reshape the future of energy.

Energy is at the core of Ohio’s economic and environmental health: energy built our past, energy sustains our present, and energy holds the promise of an even brighter future.

Ohio is 3rd among the 50 states in manufacturing. We are the 4th largest producer of durable goods. We have the 5th most Fortune 500 Companies. And we are fortunate to have such strong output. But the consequence of all that is made here is the vast quantity of energy that is consumed here.

Indeed, Ohio is 5th in overall energy consumption. And our economy spends more than 30 billion dollars on energy every year.

Though a constant in our lives, energy evolves. Transportation in Ohio was once dependant on a grain-fed horse, then a gas-fueled car, and now we’re on the cusp of cutting edge alternatives including fuel cells and biofuels.

In fact, right now we face both opportunity and challenge. Our use and production of fossil fuel-based energy has made Ohio one of the largest emitters of air pollutants and greenhouse gases in the nation. And we are heavily dependent on energy sources from some of the most unstable parts of the world. In other words, our economy’s health rests on energy whose security we question and whose price we cannot control.

But Ohio has the resources to meet this energy challenge. Our great universities can develop the next generation of technology to produce energy more cleanly and to use it more efficiently. Our factories can make the component parts of those new technologies to be used here and around the globe. Our natural resources, ranging from the vast coal reserves found in the hills of Appalachian Ohio to the abundant wind and sunshine that bless our state, can provide more diverse energy supplies. Our students can learn the math, science and engineering skills to use that energy to power a new, vibrant Ohio economy.

Last week, I attended the inaugural meeting of the University Clean Energy Alliance of Ohio. Chancellor Eric Fingerhut and I witnessed 15 public and private colleges and universities, including the University of Toledo and Bowling Green, sign a historic agreement to work together to take on research and development challenges in the energy field.

And today I am calling for all stakeholders to join with me to create an Ohio Energy Compact – an agreement among producers and consumers, the regulated and the regulators – to define the best energy choices for Ohio and to transform our state’s entire approach to energy.

Like any great challenge, we will take it on in steps.

If, as I believe, energy can be the basis of Ohio’s economic turnaround, electricity will be a dominant force. How we decide to generate, distribute, and price electricity can be the foundation on which new industries, new jobs, and a safer, cleaner, healthier environment can be built. The right choices can make us leaders on our nation’s road to energy independence and economic vitality.

In 1999, Ohio lawmakers created a plan to restructure our electric utility industry. Supporters made some assumptions at the time: they believed Ohio could deregulate electric generation because a competitive market would emerge; many believed that electric rates would go down; they believed electricity was just like other industries that had been deregulated.

But electricity, it turns out, is different. It is of such profound importance to our way of life that electricity deregulation has had a more than checkered past and maintains an uncertain future.

Competitive markets simply have not developed. And lower electric rates were probably not a realistic expectation.

In fact, in other states deregulation has brought with it significant increases in utility rates. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, customers in states with deregulated electricity paid 30 percent more last year than customers in regulated states.

However, we cannot go back to the “good old days” – of cost-of-service regulation – we cannot put the Genie back in the bottle. So how do we move forward? One approach to the unfolding regulation situation we face is to opt for a band-aid solution that buys time and avoids, at least for a while, the worst of the rate increases in the hope that in a couple of years the electricity market will have changed and we can revisit the problem.

I do not believe we have the luxury of that approach. The future of energy will not wait for us to make a decision. Waiting would jeopardize our economy, constrain our capacity to generate energy, threaten our environment, reduce our ability to improve efficiency, and limit our capacity to lead the nation in the production of advanced energy technology.

So I stand ready to work with the legislature, with industry, with the utilities, and with advocates, to shape the future of the electricity market in Ohio.

With so much at stake, it is vital that we are clear about our goals and how we can work together to reach them. I believe the principles I will outline today, like the electricity grid itself, are the essential infrastructure of this debate, required to keep us connected and working at capacity.

The next steps must be viewed as a joint investment in Ohio’s future. I believe that if utilities, environmental advocates, customers of all sizes, regulators, business leaders and political leaders can put aside self interest and work for the common good, Ohio can be the leader on our nation’s road to energy independence and economic vitality.

In our new Energy Compact:

We must make transparency and accountability the foundation of the Compact. We can restore lost faith in both government and public utilities by designing clear, “common sense” plans and being responsible for accomplishing them. This also provides a sound basis for public and private sharing of the investments required to achieve those goals.

We must give customers equal footing with utilities. The complexity of these issues creates an imbalance of knowledge and expertise that can create the appearance of a disproportionate influence of utilities in electric power decision-making. In an era of expensive energy, there is increased tension between the historical social responsibility of what we call public utilities and the driver of private sector return on investment. We must work together constantly to make sure the public understands the issues and the consequences of our plans.

We must make energy efficiency a central element in addressing electric regulation. Let us prioritize our cheapest, cleanest, and most readily available energy resource - energy efficiency - by giving customers the tools they need to exercise greater responsibility for their individual energy footprints. For instance, there exists today real-time metering technologies that enable even residential customers to see actual prices and adjust their electric usage accordingly. I think that’s smart energy in action.

We must stimulate renewable energy consumption in order to attract advanced energy investment. Ohio already has the industrial base, technical resources, and skilled labor necessary to lead the way in renewable energy. It’s time to send a clear signal that Ohio is the right place for renewable energy technology investment.

We must modernize Ohio’s electric infrastructure. We should broaden the debate to include our energy delivery system, not just our generation capacity. It’s time to invest to modernize our electric infrastructure, the aging fleet of plants that generate our power, the transmission system that is doing more than it was ever meant to do, and the deteriorating distribution networks. It is our responsibility to see that the infrastructure exists to meet the needs of the 21st Century economy in Ohio.

We must take into account environmental issues, especially global warming. The choices we make in electricity regulation will impact our environment. And, environmental policies, especially rules on greenhouse gas emissions, will have dramatic effects on Ohio’s economy. Our approach to electricity regulation will integrate environmental considerations, not as an afterthought, but as a guiding concern.

I’d like to say to my friends in the legislature, and to everyone who has an interest in this issue: I believe it is time to think boldly. It is time to think past us versus them, because all of Ohio depends on a sound policy and secure access to electricity. It’s time to think past stability versus change, because change is happening right now. It’s time to think past economy versus the environment, because a forward-thinking policy benefits both.

We can start by adopting a principled, well-considered approach to electricity regulation.

I thank you for the opportunity to visit with you today, and I look forward to a vigorous debate on this issue.