The Ohioans for Payday Loan Reform Coalition reached out to HFLA after Michal’s interview on NPR, and provided us with the following information for anyone who may be interested in House Bill 123 and the current reform efforts:

Dear Supporters of Payday Loan Reforms:

The payday lending reform bill, Ohio House Bill 123, has been assigned to the House Government Accountability & Oversight Committee, chaired by Rep. Louis “Bill’’ Blessing III, R-District 29, who represents part of Hamilton County.

We are asking you to reach out to committee members from Cuyahoga County, the chairman of the committee and committee members who have announced they are going to run for statewide office in upcoming elections. Please tell the committee members that you support reform and why. If they are running for statewide office, please mention that in your communication.

Also, if you live in one of these legislators’ districts, would you please let us know? If you do, we can let you know when they are holding in-district public meetings which you might be able to attend to bring up payday lending reform.

 

Cuyahoga County committee members:

Rep. Dave Greenspan, District 16; western Cuyahoga County, including Westlake, Bay Village, Rocky River, Fairview Park, North Olmsted

• Email here: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/dave-greenspan/contact
• Call 614.466.0961

  

Committee Chair

Chairman Rep. Louis “Bill’’ Blessing III, District 29; Hamilton County/Southwest Ohio

• Email here: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/louis-blessing/contact
• Call 614.466.9091

 

Other committee members:

Vice Chair Rep. Bill Reineke, District 88; Sandusky and Seneca counties

• Email here: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/bill-reineke/contact
• Call 614.466.1374

 

Rep. Timothy E. Ginter, District 5; Columbiana County

• Email here: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/timothy-e-ginter/contact
• Call 614.466.8022

 

Rep. Bernadine Kennedy Kent, District 25; part of Franklin County, including Whitehall, Gahanna, Bexley and part of Columbus

• Email here: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/bernadine-kennedy-kent/contact
• Call 614.466.5343

 

Rep. Ryan Smith, District 93; Lawrence, Gallia, Jackson and part of Vinton counties

• Email here: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/ryan-smith/contact
• Call 614.466.1366 

 

Rep. Bill Seitz, District 30; parts of Hamilton County

• Email here: http://www.ohiohouse.gov/bill-seitz/contact
• Call 614.466.8258 

 

Key news media coverage of reform efforts

• March 27, Columbus Dispatch, Editorial, It’s time to rein in payday lenders, http://www.dispatch.com/opinion/20170327/editorial-its-time-to-rein-in-payday-lenders
• March 24, Canton Repository, Editorial, State lawmakers consider new rules for payday lenders,
• http://www.cantonrep.com/opinion/20170323/editorial-state-lawmakers-consider-new-rules-for-payday-lenders/1
• March 20, WCPN Cleveland, Sound of Ideas show, payday lending panel including Rep. Koehler, http://www.ideastream.org/programs/sound-of-ideas/payday-lending-0
• March 19, Columbus Dispatch, As Ohio payday lending law fails, some lawmakers ready for new regulations, http://www.dispatch.com/news/20170319/as-ohio-payday-lending-law-fails-some-lawmakers-ready-for-new-regulations
• March 19, Crain’s Cleveland Business, Get it right, http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20170319/VOICES01/170319824/crains-editorial-get-it-right?X-IgnoreUserAgent=1
• March 17, Statehouse News Bureau, Another crackdown on payday lenders back to lawmakers, but industry is ready to right back, http://statenews.org/post/another-crackdown-payday-lenders-back-lawmakers-industry-ready-push-back