The Ohio Senate has approved a plan that divides Ohio's national tobacco settlement money among schools, biomedical research projects and health issues, but gives none to tobacco growers or to anti-smoking efforts.

        By a 29-4 vote, the Senate approved Gov. Bob Taft's plan to spend the 2003 and 2004 installments of the $10 billion Ohio expects to receive from the 1998 settlement. Lawmakers previously approved plans for 2001 and this year.

        The measure now goes to the House.

        Mr. Taft's plan takes about $32 million from the Southern Ohio Agricultural and Community Development Trust Fund and about $224 million from the Tobacco Use Prevention and Cessation Trust Fund.

        More than $310 million of that money will go to Ohio schools over two years for renovation and new buildings, $50 million will go toward biomedical research and more than $22 million will be spent on health issues, including minority health and preventing drug abuse.

        Democratic Sen. Michael Shoemaker of Bourneville and Republican Sens. Scott Nein of Middletown, Jim Jordan of Urbana and Lynn Wachtmann of Napoleon opposed the measure.
       

Nursing homes

        A bill designed to keep insurance rates for nursing homes down is heading to the Senate.

        The House approved the bill 66-25. It limits the people who can sue a home or an assisted living center on behalf of a resident to the resident, a legal representative or the resident's spouse, parent or adult child.

        It also blocks people who file such suits from using inspection reports by the Ohio Department of Health or other agencies as evidence in a civil case.

        Opponents of the bill say it limits the options for nursing home residents who want to pursue abuse or neglect accusations.

        Nursing homes have said their liability insurance rates are soaring because of large jury awards in states such as Texas and Florida, said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Bill Seitz, a Cincinnati Republican.

        “We have a nursing home insurance crisis in this state,” Mr. Seitz said.
       

School construction

        The House has approved a bill which could give the Cleveland school district more money for construction during the next two years.

        The bill, which appropriates money for public works projects already planned or under way, reduces the amount that the district must raise so it can obtain state matching money on certain school construction projects.

        School districts must usually must match state construction bond money dollar-for-dollar. The bill would require Cleveland to raise 32 cents to receive 68 cents in state aid, said Rep. James Trakas, an Independence Republican.
       

Sunday hunting

        The House has approved and sent the Senate a bill removing some restrictions against hunting on Sunday in Ohio.

        The bill, which cleared the House 91-2, removes restrictions on Sunday hunting on public lands which are designated as public hunting areas by the Ohio Division of Wildlife, hunting on certain private land and hunting lawfully on commercial or wild animal hunting preserves.

        The bill also removes the need for some landowners to register with the division if they wish to allow hunting on their land.
       

Drugs

        A bill that would classify as harmful intoxicants substances that are variations of the illegal drug GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyrate, is headed to Mr. Taft after the Senate's unanimous approval.

        GBL, or gamma butyrolactone, and BD, or 1,4-butanediol, create GHB when people ingest them.

        Laws the state and federal governments passed during the past few years made GHB a controlled substance. The federal law required more monitoring of GBL, but it did not regulate BD.

        The measure would make possessing GBL or BD a misdemeanor, and trafficking it would be a felony.
       

Venture capital

        Fledgling companies would be able to obtain money through an Ohio Venture Capital Program the Senate approved in hopes of sparking economic development.

        The bill, which now goes to the House, creates the Ohio Venture Capital Authority to govern the fund.

        “It truly embodies and represents the kind of public and private partnerships we're trying to accomplish,” said Sen. Jeffry Armbruster, a Republican from North Ridgeville who sponsored the bill.

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