Senate Passes Roegner Bills Honoring Military Members and Their Families

COLUMBUS— In support of our U.S. military and in advance of Memorial Day, the Ohio Senate today passed Senate Bills 208 and 225, sponsored by State Senator Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson).

Senate Bill 208 requires Ohio public school districts to create an exception in their open enrollment policies for students whose parent(s) are active duty U.S. military. Military families relocate every 2-3 years and often move to a new state after the school year has started, which can impact the enrollment of children into new school districts. 

"This legislation was brought to me by the office of the U.S. Secretary of Defense and is one small way that we can express our gratitude to those who serve our country in the U.S. Armed Forces," said Roegner.

Senate Bill 225 designates September 22nd of each year as "Veterans Suicide Awareness and Prevention Day." This legislation builds upon the work done in 2019 to designate the first Saturday of May as "Veterans Suicide Awareness Day." This legislation aligns the date with the National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September.

"Each day 16-22 veterans take their own life in the United States. Veteran suicide rates are more than double their non-veteran counterparts," said Roegner. "This is a heartbreaking statistic and we must grow prevention efforts for these brave men and women who have stepped up to serve in our nation's armed forces." 

These bills now head to the Ohio House for consideration.