Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine outlined his agenda for 2024, focusing on improving access to child care and kids’ health care in his State of the State address to state lawmakers. He emphasized the importance of ensuring all Ohio children have the opportunity to reach their full potential and pursue their dreams. DeWine’s proposals include creating a child care voucher program for eligible families, using federal funding to expand child care offerings, and collecting data on college graduates’ job placement within six months.
Democrats criticized the Republican-controlled Legislature for hindering policy adoption that could benefit residents, citing one-party rule and Republican infighting as barriers. DeWine’s plans also include addressing children’s vision needs by ensuring every child who fails a vision screening test in school receives a follow-up eye exam and, if necessary, a pair of eyeglasses. He announced the formation of a “Children’s Vision Strike Force” to collaborate with vision care professionals to provide necessary support to children in need.
To further support children’s health, DeWine proposed launching a pilot program in 11 counties to offer every new mother a visit from a nurse about three weeks after giving birth. Visiting nurses can assist parents in finding medical support and navigating infant care, aiming to reduce infant mortality, emergency room visits, postpartum depression, and child protective services investigations. Additionally, he plans to expand a quick-response service for children in mental health crisis to all 88 counties.
DeWine urged lawmakers to take action on public health and safety issues, requesting a ban on marijuana use in public following the legalization of recreational marijuana by Ohio voters. He also called for tougher seat-belt laws, restrictions on cellphone use by students in classrooms, and legislation requiring parental consent for children under 16 to use social media apps. DeWine emphasized the need to hold social media companies accountable for targeting and addicting children, proposing measures to outlaw flavored vaping and cigarettes, as well as banning the sale of delta-8 THC to children.
In his efforts to boost Ohio’s economy, DeWine highlighted the importance of expanding subsidized child care, college tuition, and technical education offerings in high schools. He emphasized the need to retain more college graduates in the state, outlining plans to improve health care for infants and schoolchildren, including recommendations for schools to consider starting school-based health clinics and launching initiatives to support mental health crisis intervention programs in all counties. Overall, DeWine’s agenda for 2024 aims to prioritize the well-being and future success of Ohio’s children while addressing key health and safety concerns in the state.
