Good afternoon, and welcome to this edition of The Rundown. This biweekly newsletter serves as the most important political and cultural news for Christians in Ohio. Don't forget to forward The Rundown to those who would be interested. Thanks for reading!

What's Happening

World

• World of the Unfree: The Heritage Foundation released the 2023 edition of its annual Index of Economic Freedom. The report shows economic freedom declining across the world, becoming “mostly unfree.” The U.S. fell to its lowest score in the history of the index, although it maintained its global ranking as the 25th freest country.
  

• Re-writing history: Publishers are editing books such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and The Twists to make them politically correct when referencing weight, mental health, violence, gender, and race. They have even gone so far as to add completely new sentences to books. 

U.S.

• Death is cheaper than life: According to new Department of Defense (DoD) policies, servicewomen will be able to have their travel expenses paid and receive up to three weeks of leave to obtain an abortion, beginning later this month. Notably, three weeks for an abortion is a quarter of the DoD's standard twelve weeks for a birth or adoption.
  

• Big Tech vs. SCOTUS: The Supreme Court heard oral arguments last month in Gonzalez v. Google, a case that explores whether Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act protects internet platforms from liability when their algorithms target users and recommend someone else’s content. If the Court rules against Google, the way the Internet operates could be drastically changed.
  

• Good ideas: A Florida Senator introduced the "Reverse Woke Act" to hold companies responsible for the costs of an employee's detransition care if they cover "gender-affirming" transition care. Meanwhile, Missouri's Attorney General is taking a whistleblower's report seriously and investigating the pediatric practices of Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.

Ohio

• Not safe, not rare: Radical pro-abortion activists announced the language they want to put on the ballot this November. If passed by voters, abortions would be allowed well after babies have heartbeats and feel pain while health and safety regulations that protect women would be abolished.
  

• Combat Woke Capitalism: The Christian Business Partnership launched last Tuesday, February 21, becoming Ohio’s first and only statewide Christian Chamber of Commerce. The Partnership aggressively advocates for the religious liberty of Christian employers and for a fair and free marketplace that enables entrepreneurs to thrive and compete. The Partnership offers worker's compensation, competitive healthcare rates, legal resources, and more.
  

• Pass the Backpack Bill: Columbus City Schools reported 5,202 “major incidents” that required outside agencies such as the police or fire department—including assaults, sexual offenses, fights, and guns brought to school—within just the first three months of the 2022-2023 school year. More information on the status of the Backpack Bill, which would allow students to attend the schools that best suit their needs, is available in the legislative update section of this newsletter.

Worldview Development

As a Christian, it can be hard to know how to engage with social-political conversations from a Biblical worldview. Here's our top recommendation this week for developing your worldview to be equipped to tackle today's top issues:

• Unconscious Surrogacy? A Shocking Proposal Should Prompt Introspection
  Women in a permanent vegetative state or who are declared brain-dead could be used as unconscious surrogate mothers for people who either “wish to have children but cannot, or prefer not to, gestate.”
  Read this BreakPoint commentary by John Stonestreet and Maria Baer.

Legislative Update

The 135th General Assembly is in full swing at the Ohio Statehouse. A few CCV-backed initiatives that recently had some movement in the legislature include:

The Backpack Bill (HB11), sponsored by Reps. Riordan McClain (R-Upper Sandusky) and Marilyn John (R-Shelby), would make every Ohio K-12 student eligible for an Educational Savings Account (ESA). The bill received its first hearing before the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee yesterday. Watch HB11's sponsor hearing here.

SB11 is the Senate backpack-style bill sponsored by Sen. Sandra O'Brien (R-Ashtabula) that would make every K-12 student in Ohio eligible to receive a scholarship to be used at a private school of the student’s choice.

The Religious Expression Days Act (SB49), sponsored by Sen. Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester), would require public schools to allow students up to three days of excused absence each academic year for religious observance. SB49 received a hearing before the Ohio Senate Education Committee yesterday. Watch the hearing here.

While not a specific bill, CCV Policy Director David Mahan and George Martin, Executive Director of the Cincinnati Challenge Ranch addiction treatment center, testified before the Ohio Senate Community Revitalization Committee yesterday on the harms of expanding marijuana access. Watch the informational hearing here.

Click here to learn how a bill becomes law in Ohio.

Listen Up

You've probably heard rumblings about the abortion ballot initiative, SAFE Act, Backpack Bill, and the Save Women's Sports Act. Do you want to get caught up on what's actually happening right now without any spin from the media?

Don't miss this insightful episode of The Narrative, available anywhere you get your podcasts!

After listening, you can learn more and take action.

Elections

Important Dates

• Friday, March 17: Military and overseas absentee voting begins 

• Monday, April 3: Deadline to register to vote

• Tuesday, April 4: Early in-person voting begins and includes the Saturday and Sunday before Election Day. Absentee voting by mail also begins.

• Tuesday, May 2: Primary Election Day

To Do:

1. Are you registered to vote? It's easy to register to vote or update your voter registration information online at olvr.ohiosos.gov.

2. Review what's on your ballot. Each county Board of Elections office has a list of the candidates and issues appearing on your ballot.

3. Learn more about Ohio elections, request an Absentee Ballot, and more here.

Don't Miss

• Men's Advance Conference with Jon Kitna
  Former NFL Quarterback Jon Kitna will encourage men to develop Godly character at this special event at West Chester Nazarene Church this Saturday, March 4, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. Registration closes tomorrow, March 2. This is not a CCV event, but CCV will be at this conference as a table vendor.
  

• Confronting Abuse: Making Church Safe
  CCV will also be at this State Convention of Baptists in Ohio event this Saturday, March 4, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, in Windham, Ohio. This informative conference can help your church discover, understand, and formulate policies that will help protect your congregation. This event is great for pastors, staff, and church leaders who want to be more thoroughly informed about the issues churches are facing today on the topic of church and sexual abuse. Register for this free event now.
  

• Bringing America Back to Life Convention
  CCV will be at this pro-life conference on Friday and Saturday, March 10 and 11, at the Embassy Suites in Independence. Register today to attend this informative event!
  

• Converging Roads
  CCV will be at this conference on Saturday, April 22, from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm at the Pontifical College Josephinum. Registration is open for this bioethics conference presented by the St. John Paul II Foundation, the Catholic Medical Association of Central Ohio, and the Diocese of Columbus.
  

• Prayer at the Statehouse

  Join us on Thursday, May 18, from 10:00 am to 12:00 pm for this popular prayer event! Register today to join us.
  

• 2023 Ohio March for Life
  Join us for our second annual statewide march on Friday, October 6, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Check out the details we have so far.

Prayer

Scripture calls us to pray for those in authority and to have confidence that God hears our prayers. Join the CCV team this week in praying for the below intentions.

• Our elected officials: Rep. Kristin Boggs, Rep. Janine Boyd, and Sen. Andrew Brenner.  We also remember Rep. Kris Jordan, who unexpectedly passed away this past week. He leaves behind his wife and three children.
  

• While we work to pass the Backpack Bill to give educational freedom, pray for the students who are trapped at dangerous schools that they may be protected from physical and mental harm. Pray also for the teachers and faculty that are doing their best to serve students and their families that they may be filled with perseverance and wisdom.
  

• Committee hearings continue for a number of key initiatives! Pray for favor for the Backpack Bill, Save Women's Sports Act, the SAFE Act, and other pro-family, pro-freedom bills, as they move through the legislative process.
  

• Continue to pray for the complete failure of the legalized abortion ballot initiative. Pray that the Lord would confuse the plans of the Enemy and bring to light the evils of abortion. If you're able to, we also encourage you to add prayerful fasting to your intercession on this critical issue.
  

• CCV is partnering with pro-life groups across the state to build a coalition of pro-life medical professionals to push back against the harmful false narrative that "abortion is healthcare." Continue to pray for an overwhelming response of medical professionals willing to speak up for the sanctity of life.

That’s all we have for this week. Be sure to keep an eye out for our next edition, and don't forget to share CCV's Rundown with others.