Gov. Mike DeWine (R-OH) delivers his annual State of the State address.
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NewsTranscript
00:00:00It's my honor to call the House to order today for the purpose of hosting a joint convention
00:00:05of the House and Senate for the purpose of receiving the Governor's message on the
00:00:09State of the State.
00:00:11Pursuant to custom, I'm now pleased to introduce Senate President Rob McCauley.
00:00:19Thank you, Speaker Huffman.
00:00:20Is there a quorum of the Senate present?
00:00:23The Chair recognizes President Pro Tem Senator Reineke.
00:00:28Mr. President, there is a quorum of the Senate present.
00:00:31Is there a quorum of the House present?
00:00:33The Chair recognizes the Speaker Pro Tem Representative Manning.
00:00:37Mr. President, there is a quorum of the House present.
00:00:40A quorum of the 136th General Assembly being present, this joint convention will come to
00:00:45order.
00:00:49We invite the Color Guard to bring the flags in and please remain standing for the Pledge
00:00:57of Allegiance.
00:01:27I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for
00:01:57which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
00:02:27I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for
00:02:52which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
00:03:11We invite our guests to remain standing as we open with prayer.
00:03:14We will begin with an act of charity.
00:03:31Almighty God, Master of the Universe, all three branches of the Ohio government gather
00:03:36here today.
00:03:37We begin this gathering by uniting in prayer, regardless of party and title, as we are all
00:03:43aware that it is only through you and your continuous gift of life that we exist and
00:03:47are able to perform our duties and responsibilities.
00:03:50Indeed, the official motto of the great state of Ohio is, with God, all things are possible.
00:03:57I pray that blessings be bestowed on the elected officials, members of the courts, and their
00:04:01families.
00:04:03While externally the work of making just laws could seem technical and at times political,
00:04:08in truth it is holy work.
00:04:10You, God Almighty, have given seven commandments to all mankind after the great flood described
00:04:14in Genesis.
00:04:16Creating just legislation and fear enforcement is the one of the seven that brings it all
00:04:21together.
00:04:22We are gathered today by divine providence on the eve of the holiday of Purim, as described
00:04:26in the book of Esther.
00:04:28While distinctly a Jewish holiday, there are lessons that can be learned for all of humanity.
00:04:33One of these lessons is how to deal with darkness and evil.
00:04:36When the evil Haman threatened to annihilate the entire Jewish people, the righteous Mordechai
00:04:41put his energy and focus into gathering the young children and teaching them God's wisdom
00:04:45and instilling in them faith in the Creator, which transcends nature.
00:04:53That was the catalyst of the miraculous events that followed.
00:04:58When we live in a world where evil and antisemitism once again rears its ugly head, we must all
00:05:03respond by putting a focus on the education of our children.
00:05:06Their education must be infused with the realization that there is a higher power and authority.
00:05:11I pray with all my heart that teachers and school districts take advantage of Ohio law,
00:05:17which allows all schools to begin each day with a moment of silence, so that every child
00:05:22in the state can reflect on their inner morals and values.
00:05:26This type of education is the only real way to prevent crime and bigotry.
00:05:30The great spiritual leader of our generation, the Lubavitcher Rebbe Melech HaMashiach, Rabbi
00:05:35Menachem Mendel Schneerson, has prophesied that the era of redemption is near.
00:05:40I pray that we all prepare by adding an act of goodness and kindness.
00:05:44Amen.
00:05:45Ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce to you the Governor of the State of Ohio,
00:06:02Mike DeWine.
00:08:32Ladies and gentlemen, Governor Mike DeWine.
00:08:39Thanks, everybody.
00:08:42Please sit down.
00:08:49Thanks, everybody.
00:08:53Speaker Huffman, President McCauley, Leader Antonio Russo, members of the General Assembly,
00:09:06Chief Justice Kennedy, members of the Ohio Supreme Court, elected state officials, Lieutenant
00:09:15Governor Trestle, members of our Cabinet, my fellow citizens of Ohio, the state of our
00:09:25state is strong.
00:09:32Ohio is strong.
00:09:38Together, we've accomplished so much in the last six years.
00:09:43We've hit the highest number of jobs ever in our state's history.
00:09:47We've added more than 81,000 private sector jobs and have nearly 5.7 million Ohioans right
00:09:54now employed in our workforce.
00:09:58And these job numbers don't even reflect the new jobs that will come soon from all the
00:10:05wins we have already announced.
00:10:08So for a moment, let's take a trip around Ohio and see what is being built right now.
00:10:16And we should think about all the new jobs that will come when this construction is completed.
00:10:22Start in Defiance County, where soon we'll see work start on the largest job creation
00:10:26project in Defiance County history, where first quality tissue will soon be employing
00:10:32400 people in Northwest Ohio.
00:10:36From there, head southeast and we'll find a brand new soybean processing plant being
00:10:44erected in Wyandotte County, with a half a billion dollar investment from the Louis-Dreyfus
00:10:49Company.
00:10:50The plant will create 114 new jobs that will help farmers in all the Northwest Ohio.
00:10:57Let's go to Dayton, where soon in the Miami Valley sky, we'll see air taxis actually flying
00:11:03in the air made by the 2,000 employees who will be at Joby Aviation.
00:11:10Keep going south.
00:11:12Keep going south.
00:11:14There's more to come.
00:11:15And east of Fayette County, to Honda's nearly complete electric vehicle battery factory.
00:11:20Set to open later this year, this plant will employ 2,200 of our fellow Ohioans.
00:11:29Further down the Cincinnati area, WorldPay, a leading global financial technology company,
00:11:39has picked Sims Township for its new corporate headquarters, bringing more than 500 new jobs
00:11:46to the state.
00:11:48And from there, we'll head east to Jackson and visit Speyside Bourbon Cooperage.
00:11:55This year, skilled Ohio craftsmen in southeast Ohio will be making even more charred white
00:12:01oak bourbon barrels.
00:12:07They will increase production from 400,000 barrels per year to 600,000 barrels per year,
00:12:13adding 32 new jobs, 42 new jobs in Jackson and Pike counties.
00:12:19And then follow the Ohio River upstream to Jefferson County, where JSW Steel will be adding
00:12:2542 new jobs and retaining hundreds more as they upgrade their Mingo Junction steel plant
00:12:32to cleaner and higher quality specialty steel.
00:12:37And then, just three counties to the north, of course, is Ashtabula County, where Plaspro is investing
00:12:44almost $53 million to nearly double their fiberglass door manufacturing staff, adding 145 more jobs
00:12:52as they begin to make a brand-new product line of Ohio-made interior doors.
00:12:58From there, we'll head down to downtown Cleveland, where now we see a whole different skyline
00:13:06which is emerging with the completion of the new Sherwin-Williams skyscraper on Public Square.
00:13:12Their new headquarters soon will bring 400 jobs to downtown Cleveland.
00:13:20And then, a short drive over to Brecksville takes us to their new research and development center,
00:13:26which will bring an additional 132 jobs.
00:13:30Further west, Lorain County, we can see Ford Motor Company's Avon Lake expansion as they double their workforce
00:13:37with 2,000 additional jobs.
00:13:41Now let's head back south to Pickaway County, where we had another remarkable economic win.
00:13:47Anduril, the world's new leader in defense technology.
00:13:52They're bringing the single largest job creation project in Ohio history,
00:13:57creating more than 4,000 high-paying manufacturing jobs.
00:14:08These Ohioans will produce cutting-edge technologies and build revolutionary aircraft
00:14:16that will transform both our aerospace industry and our military.
00:14:22And finally, we'll head back north and a little east to Licking County, the Silicon Heartland.
00:14:27Intel is completely changing the landscape.
00:14:30They've already invested $7 billion of their $28 billion of planned capital investment.
00:14:37Already invested.
00:14:39And they poured enough concrete, listen to this, to build the Ohio State Horseshoe six times over.
00:14:45And that's just so far.
00:14:47The 3,000 future jobs there will make Ohio the world's leader in the manufacturing of microchips critical,
00:14:53critical to our innovation economy and to our national defense.
00:14:58This investment in Ohio is a clear signal to China and to the rest of the world
00:15:06that from now on, our essential manufactured products will be made in the United States of America.
00:15:12And once again, it will be Ohioans, Ohioans making the things that keep us safe.
00:15:18And let me say this.
00:15:33These are just a few of our recent victories.
00:15:42Ohio's blessed with 350,000 construction workers.
00:15:49Please welcome, please welcome to the chamber two of our fellow Ohioans who are today building Ohio's future.
00:16:00First is Mike Chemefsky, a fifth-year electrician apprentice from Akron.
00:16:06And next is Saisha Lewis-Roberts, also from Akron,
00:16:11who is a member of the United Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 219.
00:16:16Will both of them please stand up? Thank you all. All right.
00:16:37To both of you, we thank you. And we thank all the skilled trades and craft workers in the state of Ohio.
00:16:45You do amazing work. Thank you for building this state.
00:16:53But there is more good news.
00:16:56Fifteen years ago, CNBC ranked Ohio 34th of the best states to conduct business.
00:17:03But today, we're ranked seventh nationally and first among our neighboring states.
00:17:11And even more, even better, for the second year in a row,
00:17:16Site Selection Magazine has ranked Ohio as the number one state in the nation for infrastructure and economic development investment.
00:17:25This means that Ohio is doing more than any other state in the union to prepare for future job growth.
00:17:32We are prepared for the future.
00:17:41Our income tax rates are the lowest today that they have been in over 50 years.
00:17:50And companies are coming here because of our exceedingly business-friendly regulatory environment.
00:17:59Since taking office, we've created a culture in our agencies that's not a gotcha culture at all,
00:18:06but one where we help business get from point A to point B.
00:18:10And in partnership with all of you, all of our agencies have reduced their rules by 30 percent,
00:18:17and we will continue these efforts to ease the burdens on business and streamline our government.
00:18:24And further, we have sliced more than 930 Ohio regulations and at least 2.3 million words from the administrative code.
00:18:34Our proposed budget will slash another 2.3 million words and delete 3,200 additional unnecessary rules, and there is more to do.
00:18:48Let's talk for a moment about energy. We all know how important that is.
00:18:53We also have successfully fought the federal regulatory process to get energy to both Ohio businesses and homes
00:19:01much faster than that was taking place before.
00:19:05And our proposed budget will make it easier for energy generators to provide power directly to Ohio businesses.
00:19:16What we've all done together in Ohio is just amazing.
00:19:22These were not empty promises when we talked about this. These are tangible, tangible results.
00:19:31While we celebrate our victories, the job of the governor is also to point out our state's unfinished business.
00:19:47And let me do that now.
00:19:50But first, our goal remains the same, to work each day so that every single Ohioan has the tools to live up to their full potential
00:20:04and has the opportunities to live their version of the American dream.
00:20:10That's our goal every single day.
00:20:13To do that, we must remove the barriers preventing Ohioans from entering the workforce.
00:20:18That means we must make sure all Ohioans receive a good education, starting with learning how to read.
00:20:25And we must do all in our power to build a system that enables every Ohioan who has a mental health challenge or an addiction problem
00:20:33to receive the care that they need, and to receive that right in their home community.
00:20:40That's our job, and we're making progress.
00:20:43For the truth is, we cannot achieve our full potential as a state unless each Ohioan first achieves theirs.
00:20:59Workforce remains both our greatest opportunity and our most significant challenge.
00:21:07Together, we've created all these incredible economic opportunities and new jobs in Ohio.
00:21:14But now our mission as a state is to act with great urgency and intense focus on filling these jobs.
00:21:22That's why I've asked Ohio's new lieutenant governor, Jim Trestle, to lead an exciting and innovative new effort to create Ohio's workforce playbook.
00:21:35Lieutenant Governor, Mrs. Trestle, I ask you to stand up in the gallery.
00:21:40I want to take a moment to thank the lieutenant governor, to thank Ellen, who is in the gallery with Fran, for joining our team.
00:22:07We are thrilled to have the Trestles by our side as we continue to move the ball towards the goal line.
00:22:14They are a real partnership.
00:22:18Got to do a couple of those guys, come on.
00:22:21They're a real partnership.
00:22:24Ellen has her own distinguished career in business and also understands the workforce needs of Ohio.
00:22:32Lieutenant Governor has been a leader in every job he has ever held.
00:22:37I saw that up close during his nine years running Youngstown State University as his president.
00:22:43He knows education.
00:22:46He knows workforce.
00:22:48And he knows Ohio.
00:22:52Ohio's workforce playbook is really the logical extension of our economic success.
00:23:05Lieutenant Governor is ready, and he's ready to help clear the barriers holding Ohioans back.
00:23:12And he's ready to recruit everyone we can onto our Ohio workforce team.
00:23:18And so I'm asking the lieutenant governor to focus on identifying the job, skill set, education, and talent needs in each separate region of the state.
00:23:32In doing this, the lieutenant governor will bring people together.
00:23:38He will work closely with our four-year universities and colleges, our career technical schools, our state agencies, as well as local businesses and leaders,
00:23:48and develop a regional strategy that meets the specific needs of each region of the state.
00:23:56He will focus on how we will produce enough workers to meet those needs, as we have talked about.
00:24:02We strive to retain homegrown talent, recruit new talent into Ohio, and also rally our existing workforce.
00:24:11Let's now look at the Ohioans who we can help seize more opportunities by removing the roadblocks that slow them down.
00:24:21Let's start first with Ohioans with disabilities.
00:24:26We need them on our workforce team.
00:24:29Our state agency, Opportunities for Ohioans with Disabilities, known as OOD, serves Ohioans with disabilities and helps them get and keep jobs.
00:24:39Since the start of our administration, with your help, we have helped almost 32,000 Ohioans with disabilities to reach their goal of employment.
00:24:49To parents of students with disabilities across our state, we want your child to live up to their full potential,
00:25:05and to know that we have the services to assist you and your child on a career plan and to achieve your goals.
00:25:13Make sure you're talking with your high school to get access to OOD career counselors who can help your child find a path to employment or to higher education.
00:25:23Meet with these counselors, include them in your IEP meetings, and take advantage of this service.
00:25:30OOD has guided Kelsey Weaver, for example, throughout her educational journey.
00:25:37Originally from Martins Ferry in Belmont County, Kelsey has spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy.
00:25:45OOD has provided her with the essential career assessment, assisted technology, and job readiness training that have ultimately enabled her to complete her college degree and pursue her passion for helping others.
00:26:03Today, Kelsey lives in Waterville in Lucas County, works as a social worker at Clearwater Council of Governments.
00:26:10I'm so happy and very pleased to have Kelsey here with us today on the House floor.
00:26:16Will you please give her a round of applause?
00:26:19We're very proud of you, Kelsey.
00:26:43We also need those who used to be in prison.
00:26:48We need them in our workforce team as well.
00:26:51That's why we're encouraging Ohio employers to hire those reentering the workforce after incarceration.
00:27:13The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction releases about 18,000 people back into society each year.
00:27:29And it's in all of our interest to get them into the workforce, which is why we are proactively preparing inmates for reentry through specialized job training for Ohio's now most in-demand industries.
00:27:43Our trained ex-offenders want to work.
00:27:47Say to the employers in Ohio, give them a chance.
00:28:02Help them find the dignity, purpose, and hope that comes with a job.
00:28:19When I was in high school, I had my own experience working closely, day after day, with a man who had spent 18 years in prison.
00:28:31His name was Leonard Steele.
00:28:34He was one of the hardest-working people I ever met in my life.
00:28:39And no one, no one had a bigger heart than he did.
00:28:46There are a lot of Leonard Steeles in Ohio today, a lot of people who have paid their debt to society, and they just need to be given a chance to go to work.
00:29:04There are a number of tremendous programs run by nonprofit organizations across Ohio to help the formerly incarcerated assimilate back into the community and into a job.
00:29:14Edwins Leadership and Restaurant Institute is doing some incredible work and is really a model not just for Ohio but for the nation.
00:29:25Edwins is a nonprofit in Cleveland that offers formerly incarcerated adults training and hands-on work experience in the culinary and hospitality industries.
00:29:35Brandon Krustoski, the founder of Edwins, operates on the belief that, and I quote,
00:29:40every human being, regardless of their past, has a right to a fair and equal future.
00:29:47And he is right about that.
00:29:51Fran and I got to know Brandon when we had Edwins cater an event we hosted for other governors.
00:29:59We're so pleased that he is with us today in the gallery.
00:30:03Brandon, will you please stand and thank you for the good that you are doing.
00:30:07Right back there, guys.
00:30:09Thanks, Brandon.
00:30:24We also need, on our workforce team, Ohio youth who have been in state custody with the Department of Youth Services.
00:30:32Each DYS facility helps youth with job interview preparation, resume writing, job search availability to prepare youth for when they leave custody and return back to their communities.
00:30:48Through such efforts, DYS has prepared many young people who today have purpose and are very productive citizens of our state.
00:30:57We've prepared them to make a living with good wages in construction, landscaping, retail, warehouse work, the food service industry,
00:31:07and even one youth who has recently become a licensed barber.
00:31:11All of the above.
00:31:14Not only do we need these young people on our workforce team, we also need our retired Ohio Buckeyes.
00:31:22As our state's population ages, older residents will be vital to growing our workforce and stimulating our economy.
00:31:32So I say to our employers, don't forget that our seniors are a hidden gem and are often an untapped resource.
00:31:49They're experienced, they're skilled, and they have a strong, strong work ethic.
00:31:54Let me now turn to Ohioans with mental health challenges.
00:31:58We need Ohioans who are in recovery on our workforce team, too.
00:32:03To address addiction and mental health challenges in Ohio, all of us, and you should be very proud of this, all of us working together, and this is just a brief summary.
00:32:13One, we've reduced drug overdose deaths by 9% in Ohio, while the national rate only dropped by 2%.
00:32:23And we have a ways to go, but we're making progress.
00:32:27We've opened Ohio's first new state behavioral health hospital in nearly a decade, and we have plans to build more.
00:32:34We've helped construct or expand 11 pediatric behavioral health facilities, which serve more than 100,000 youth just since last year.
00:32:43And since July 2022, we've answered more than 400,000 calls, texts, and chats to Ohio's 9-8-8 crisis and suicide lifeline.
00:32:55And that's an average of more than 18,000 communications each and every month.
00:33:02We've attracted more than 2,100 behavioral health professionals into the field since 2022 through our Great Minds program.
00:33:11We've served nearly 16,000 youth and families since 2019 through our mobile crisis services.
00:33:19And since the start of our administration in 2019, we've treated nearly 50,000 men and women with substance use disorders who at that time were in one of Ohio's 28 prisons.
00:33:32Now, despite these significant efforts and progress, stigma, sadly, often remains when it comes to hiring someone with a serious mental health or someone once addicted to fentanyl.
00:33:47These Ohioans can work. These Ohioans can contribute.
00:33:52Someone who has been in recovery for many years from drug addiction is often the best person to help others trying to get into recovery.
00:34:00And that's why we're investing in certified peer supporters.
00:34:04It's a pathway to employment for individuals who have personal experience with behavioral health challenges or who have helped someone with similar challenges to navigate services.
00:34:15They, in turn, can help others. Peer supporters really are becoming a whole new workforce.
00:34:22Since 2019, we've helped more than 6,400 Ohioans successfully complete that training, and they now work in a variety of settings, including H.R.
00:34:32departments, hospitals, jails, veterans homes, treatment centers, recovery housing, and as part of crisis response teams.
00:34:42One of the peers creating better outcomes for Ohioans is Laurel Ridenour, a certified peer supporter with Hope Recovery Community,
00:34:52where she works with families in our Ohio Start program through Medina County's Office of Job and Family Services.
00:35:00Laurel knows what it's like for parents struggling with substance abuse disorder because she used to be one.
00:35:08After time in prison and a winding road to recovery, she's now employed as a peer supporter and works to engage families in treatment so they can reunify with their children.
00:35:21Laurel is with us today. Will you please stand, Laurel? Laurel, your resilience is inspiring.
00:35:27Give her a round of applause. Laurel.
00:35:42Laurel understands. Laurel understands the deep trauma that children and families face when kids are placed into the custody of Children's Services.
00:35:52So now let's talk about Children's Services. Let's talk about those kids.
00:35:58Children in foster care are among our most vulnerable Ohioans, and we have a moral obligation to help them.
00:36:07Today in Ohio, we have the lowest number of children in foster care since 2016, and that's great.
00:36:17Yet all too often when a child is taken from their parents' custody or public children's service agencies still have nowhere to place these kids,
00:36:26sometimes leaving them to spend the night in a hotel or in a county office.
00:36:34These are our children. They've already endured a great deal of trauma. Surely, surely we can do better than this.
00:36:43I'm so very grateful to all of you for your support in taking meaningful steps to do better by these kids.
00:36:50Through continued investment in local children's services and with our planned creation, this budget of regional child wellness campuses,
00:36:59we will work to ensure that no child is ever, ever left without care.
00:37:04These new wellness campuses will provide safe, supportive environments for children when they cannot be with their families,
00:37:10keeping them close to home, connected to treatment, and on the best path towards reunification or independence.
00:37:17At the same time, we remain fully committed to Ohio RISE,
00:37:22our program that coordinates care to serve the kids with the most complex physical and behavioral health needs.
00:37:31Ohio RISE now serves 42,000 youth.
00:37:36They serve them by getting them the specialized help they need and by keeping families together.
00:37:43All of these Ohioans I've just talked about, children in foster care, youth who have been in the justice system,
00:37:49retired Ohioans, individuals with disabilities, adults who used to be in prison, and also those who are in recovery,
00:37:56all of them, all of them deserve the chance to live up to their God-given potential
00:38:02and to lead healthy, productive, and meaningful lives.
00:38:07And guess what? We need all of them on our workforce team as well.
00:38:14Applause
00:38:21We know that the key to success in life is the ability to read.
00:38:26No one recognizes that more than my bride of almost 58 years, my wife Fran, First Lady Fran DeWine, who's up there in the front row.
00:38:38Applause
00:38:51As you can see, I was having trouble with that 58, but moving towards it.
00:38:56Because of Fran's dedication to expanding Dolly Parton's Imagination Library in Ohio,
00:39:02today, 70% of Ohio households who have a child on the age of 5 are getting a free book in the mail each and every month.
00:39:14Applause
00:39:21And since the start of our administration, more than, listen to this, more than 20 million free books have been mailed to Ohio children.
00:39:29Applause
00:39:33As Fran and I have traveled around the state and talked to young families,
00:39:38so many of them tell us that receiving these books each month has changed their bedtime routine.
00:39:44They're reading more to their children and, they tell us, their children are asking them to read to them more.
00:39:51Receiving these books results in families bonding more and helps more children get prepared for kindergarten.
00:39:58Fran and I want to thank all of you in the General Assembly for your belief in this program.
00:40:05We also want to thank our local partners around the state who raise part of the money
00:40:11and who ask parents every day to sign their kids up for these books.
00:40:17We also know that the very best method for teaching young children how to read is the science of reading,
00:40:22which goes back to the basics of phonics and sounding words out.
00:40:28Members of the General Assembly, two years ago I asked for your help to bring the science of reading to every school in Ohio,
00:40:34and even to our colleges and universities as they train our next generation of teachers.
00:40:40We're already seeing encouraging signs.
00:40:44This year's school report cards showed significant improvement in English language arts proficiency among elementary students,
00:40:52climbing by 2.2 percentage points among Ohio third graders, 5.2 percentage points among our fourth graders,
00:41:00and 3.1 percentage points among fifth graders.
00:41:04We are moving in the right direction.
00:41:10Every day, every day, more schools are becoming fully aligned with the science of reading.
00:41:18And while this kind of fundamental change, foundational change really, is not easy and takes time,
00:41:24takes perseverance, takes persistence, the rewards will be so well worth the effort.
00:41:30As more of our children become proficient in the essential life skill of reading,
00:41:35they will be more prepared to thrive in the classroom, in the workforce, and in life.
00:41:42We're currently providing literacy coaches to support teachers in our lowest performing schools to implement the science of reading.
00:41:50Our budget continues this program.
00:41:53And when students are falling behind, our budget requires districts with low rates of proficient readers
00:42:01to focus more of their dollars on teaching children how to read.
00:42:07Schools that are improving literacy instruction and outcome for Ohio students need to be recognized.
00:42:13They need to be celebrated.
00:42:15So today, I'm happy to announce that some of our high-achieving schools across Ohio
00:42:20will soon be honored through our new Governor's Science of Reading Recognition Program.
00:42:25This program honors schools that are totally aligned with the science of reading,
00:42:30where teachers have fully embraced the training, and where students' reading scores are improving.
00:42:36Now, we've selected a little over 40 schools across Ohio that we will soon be honoring.
00:42:42That includes the Austintown Elementary School in Mahoning County.
00:42:46Their focus on literacy achievement is making a real difference for their kids.
00:42:51In two years, they more than doubled the number of kindergarten students who are on track with reading.
00:42:57And the district's third-grade reading proficiency rate is now at nearly 84%,
00:43:02which is 12 percentage points higher than their pre-pandemic levels.
00:43:07Austintown Superintendent Timothy Kelty and Austintown Elementary Principal Katherine Dorbish
00:43:13are with us today in the gallery.
00:43:15Let's give them and all the teachers at Austintown Elementary a round of applause for their commitment.
00:43:21Congratulations.
00:43:36Today's school-age children in Ohio, as they have been for many years,
00:43:41are required to receive vision screenings at school. Screenings.
00:43:47Yet, shockingly, only a fourth of the students who are found to need additional vision care,
00:43:53whether that be a comprehensive eye exam or glasses, actually ever receive that.
00:44:00That leaves tens of thousands of Ohio children behind in school, not being able to see as well as they should.
00:44:07This is wrong. We have to change this.
00:44:10Last year, we announced the creation of a workforce, Children's Vision Strike Force,
00:44:15to develop Ohio's first-ever statewide plan to ensure that every Ohio child who needs glasses will get glasses.
00:44:23Now, we have taken their recommendations,
00:44:26and we're very pleased to announce today the creation of the new Ohio SEE program.
00:44:32This innovative program will focus on children at an age when vision is critical to learning to read.
00:44:38It will ensure that all Ohio students in kindergarten through third grade,
00:44:42including those who may be homeschooled or attend private schools,
00:44:46will not only get a vision screening, but they will also receive comprehensive eye exams
00:44:51if the screenings indicate a correction is needed.
00:44:54And, if it turns out they do need glasses, they will get glasses.
00:45:00We anticipate that through Ohio SEE, more than 33,000 children will be served in Ohio over the next two years,
00:45:24including children like Sharnetta Lyles, a sixth grader at Medina Middle School here in Columbus City School District.
00:45:34Her school nurse referred Sharnetta to the Nationwide Children's Hospital school-based eye clinic
00:45:41following a vision screening at school.
00:45:44Sharnetta had been struggling in school, but she had never seen an eye doctor.
00:45:50But once she got a comprehensive eye exam, it was clear she needed eyeglasses.
00:45:55She got them, and then a whole new world opened up.
00:45:59Sharnetta had been living in a blur for a very long time, and suddenly everything came into focus.
00:46:06She was understandably emotional leaving the clinic with her new glasses.
00:46:11The staff asked what was wrong with her.
00:46:13What's wrong?
00:46:14She said, I can see clearly now.
00:46:17I'm just taking it all in.
00:46:20Sharnetta and her mother, Shirlia, are with us today on the House floor.
00:46:26Thank you guys.
00:46:27Let's give them a hand.
00:46:29Thank you all.
00:46:31Our Ohio Sea Program is mild in part after the amazing work of the nonprofit organization
00:46:49Sight for All United in the Mahoning Valley.
00:46:53They were instrumental in helping Jackson James see better and ultimately read better too.
00:46:59When Jackson, a second grader at Jefferson Elementary in Warren, Ohio, first met with Sight for All United,
00:47:04he was severely farsighted and had a drifting eye.
00:47:07His vision problems were causing him to slip far behind his peers in reading.
00:47:13But after getting eye surgery, Jackson now thrives in reading and was recently recognized at school,
00:47:20not just for reaching his reading goal, but by surpassing that reading goal.
00:47:27Jackson is also with us today.
00:47:30Jackson, please stand so we can give you a round of applause.
00:47:51Ohio Sea will change lives.
00:47:54I ask the members of the General Assembly for your support of this program.
00:47:59Equally important, though, is dental care.
00:48:02Poor dental care health can make it hard for a child to eat, sleep, even talk, let alone learn.
00:48:08It's clear that many Ohio children have untreated, serious dental problems that follow them into adulthood.
00:48:15We must step up for these kids.
00:48:17That's why our budget establishes our new Children's Dental Services Pilot Program.
00:48:23We'll start by serving children in nine Ohio counties that are designated as dental health professional shortage areas
00:48:31and also that lack nonprofit dental facilities to provide care to low-income families.
00:48:37We'll partner with dental professionals, those who live in the community, and school districts
00:48:44to deploy dental programs directly into school, providing screenings, preventive care,
00:48:49and treatment to children who need these services the most.
00:48:53I ask for your support of this program as well.
00:48:57Now let me turn to school-based clinics.
00:49:00They are another way that schools across Ohio are helping students get proper medical care
00:49:08so they can focus and they can learn.
00:49:10These clinics work when schools partner with a local health care provider.
00:49:14And we've seen how these clinics can, in fact, be self-sustaining.
00:49:18We'll have a model, and we'll show schools how to do it.
00:49:21So I urge all Ohio school superintendents to reach out to the Ohio Department of Education,
00:49:30reach out to Steve Dackin, and we will walk you through the process, step by step.
00:49:36We know that schools are the center of our communities.
00:49:40And these clinics are cost-effective, and they bring primary care directly into the school
00:49:46where everyone can have access to it.
00:49:50Just look at 12-year-old Kylie Wainscott, a fifth grader at Warner Middle School in Xenia.
00:49:55She visited her school-based health clinic with speech and hearing concerns.
00:50:00The clinic set her up with ENT and audiology specialists, and now she has hearing aids.
00:50:08Kylie's hearing has been greatly improved.
00:50:11Today she can hear her teachers, and her grades in school have gone up.
00:50:15We're so happy to have Kylie with us today in the gallery.
00:50:18Kylie, please stand up so we can give you a round of applause.
00:50:22Kylie.
00:50:38Addiction to screen time and the nonstop barrage of notifications rob our children of precious time
00:50:45to learn from their teachers during the school day.
00:50:48I want to thank Senator Andy Brenner, Representative Tracy Richardson,
00:50:51former Representative Jessica Miranda, for the unrelenting work to pass a bill,
00:50:56which I signed into law in May, to require all schools to implement policies
00:51:00to address the use of cell phones in schools.
00:51:04I also want to thank our schools, our parents, our communities,
00:51:07and especially Ohio's former Lieutenant Governor and now Ohio's U.S. Senator, John Houston.
00:51:15I want to thank John.
00:51:16I want to thank his wife, Tina, for their early leadership on this very, very important issue.
00:51:22Tina is with us today in the gallery.
00:51:25Let's give her and John a round of applause.
00:51:41We have heard repeatedly from teachers, principals, school board members, superintendents, and parents
00:51:48who tell us that when cell phones were banned during the school day in their school,
00:51:53the school transformed before their very eyes.
00:51:57Kids are focused in the classroom, and the sound of laughter and banter echo throughout the lunchroom.
00:52:06These kids are actually talking to each other instead of having their heads down buried in their phones.
00:52:12Taze Valley, local school district in Pickaway County,
00:52:15implemented a policy where students lock their phones in pouches during the school day,
00:52:20and the results have been profound.
00:52:24Superintendent Kyle Wolf told us that student engagement and attendance have both greatly improved.
00:52:30Grades are better. Socialization is improving, becoming more positive.
00:52:34The number of students being disciplined was cut nearly in half almost instantly,
00:52:38and even communication between students and teachers has improved
00:52:43because they have more opportunities simply to interact with each other.
00:52:47I want to thank Superintendent Wolf for having the courage to say enough is enough.
00:52:52He is here today with us, so let's give him a round of applause as well.
00:52:56What is happening in Taze Valley is happening in school buildings all across Ohio that have banned phones during school hours.
00:53:16As a country and as a state, we have learned a lot,
00:53:22and we've learned a lot more even in this last year.
00:53:26And the evidence today is so much stronger than it was even when the bill was passed.
00:53:32The evidence is overwhelming.
00:53:35As I've said before as an old prosecutor, the juries came back. There's a verdict.
00:53:40And so, my fellow citizens of Ohio, members of the General Assembly,
00:53:45it's time to finish the job and ban cell phones in all Ohio schools so kids can learn.
00:54:05I ask you to approve the language in our budget to put an end to cell phone use during school hours in all Ohio school districts.
00:54:13To give the precious time during the school day back to our kids so they can learn and teachers can teach.
00:54:23For too many working parents, balancing work and child care has become very difficult.
00:54:30Our budget continues our significant investment in helping more parents go to work
00:54:36and have then the peace of mind that their child is being well cared for and is learning.
00:54:42Together, through our Child Care Choice Voucher Program,
00:54:45we've expanded access to quality child health care support to assist families up to 200% of the federal poverty level.
00:54:54This program has been around for only 10 months, but already 5,100 more Ohio families
00:55:01and 7,700 more children are getting the child care that they need.
00:55:08I ask the members of the General Assembly for your continued support of this
00:55:12because our voucher program, really an education and workforce program,
00:55:17is making a significant positive impact on young children and working families throughout the state of Ohio.
00:55:25Today, more than ever, young families are feeling financially constrained.
00:55:31And so, every Ohio child under the age of 7 in our budget,
00:55:36we're going to give working parents a $1,000 tax credit to ease the financial burdens of raising a family.
00:55:44This will help parents fund child care or health care, pay for groceries, diapers, rent, any other costs.
00:56:03It will help them as they create the family of their dreams.
00:56:07It will help Ohio get more parents also on to our workforce team.
00:56:13Now, I've heard it said that teaching is the greatest act of optimism
00:56:18because teachers believe in a better future and they have faith in the ability of every student.
00:56:25Put a good teacher in the classroom and kids will learn.
00:56:29Few things make more of a difference in a young student's life than the impact of a truly outstanding teacher.
00:56:35Countless teachers across Ohio pour their heart and their soul into this work and into their students every single day.
00:56:44In the gallery today with us are Ohio's 2025 Teachers of the Year.
00:57:10Please stand. We are grateful for what you do.
00:57:32Thank you so much. We are very grateful.
00:57:37A school principal has the power to transform the culture in a school and improve outcomes.
00:57:43That's why our budget establishes the Ohio Principal Apprenticeship Program.
00:57:47This two-year training program will match aspiring principals with veteran principals
00:57:51to better prepare them to embrace the challenges of school leadership
00:57:55so they can create the conditions for students, teachers, and staff alike to thrive.
00:58:02Another goal of education should be to develop good citizens.
00:58:08An essential part of that is the teaching of basic critical thinking skills,
00:58:13being curious, asking questions, making arguments, and supporting a position with solid facts and evidence.
00:58:21Martin Luther King put it best when he said, and I quote,
00:58:25Education must enable one to sift and weigh evidence, to discern the true from the false,
00:58:34the real from the unreal, and the facts from the fiction.
00:58:39The function of education, therefore, is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.
00:58:47End of quote.
00:58:48To promote critical thinking and open dialogue on our college campuses,
00:58:53we took a major step in our last budget, along with the General Assembly and higher education leaders,
00:58:58by creating five new centers for civic culture and society.
00:59:02One at Miami, one at Ohio State, University of Toledo, Cleveland State, and Wright State.
00:59:08I want to thank President McCauley for his leadership in this,
00:59:12and also Senator Jerry Serino for leading the way on this effort.
00:59:16And I'm pleased that leaders from the new civic centers are with us today in the gallery.
00:59:21Please also stand so we can give you a round of applause.
00:59:25Thank you very much.
00:59:26Applause.
00:59:39Well before college, though, and exposure to places like the civic centers,
00:59:43we know that teaching children critical thinking skills most often comes through classes in history, English,
00:59:50civics, social studies.
00:59:53Earlier this year, I sat down with a number of high school and elementary school social studies teachers from across Ohio.
00:59:59What a dedicated group of teachers.
01:00:01They told me one of the biggest challenges they see is that too many kids are simply not being exposed to enough social studies content,
01:00:09especially in elementary school.
01:00:12We intend to change that by putting a deliberate focus on civics, social studies, American history, Ohio history.
01:00:21The best place to start is in the elementary grades by embedding social studies content directly into materials
01:00:28that teachers use to teach reading and writing skills.
01:00:32And so I'm directing the Department of Education and Workforce to develop such a model curriculum.
01:00:37I'm asking the General Assembly to support that effort in our budget as well.
01:00:42Further, we're going to increase our kids' exposure to Ohio history.
01:00:46Today's students receive the majority of their Ohio history education in fourth grade.
01:00:51Instead, we're going to expose kids to our state's history in every grade, starting in kindergarten.
01:00:58I thank the Ohio History Connection for serving as a terrific partner in this effort by supplying schools with excellent teaching materials.
01:01:06They share our pride in our state's rich history and the vital role our state has played in the development of this great country.
01:01:16Now today, too many Ohio children are driving on roads without any training.
01:01:24Fran and I have heard from parents all over the state.
01:01:27They tell us, and we know from experience with our own kids,
01:01:30that driver training programs in Ohio are either not available at all or not available nearby.
01:01:36And if they are available, the courses are often too costly, putting this training out of reach for many, many Ohio families.
01:01:46Because of this, many teens are waiting until they're 18 to get their license, which is the age at which training is no longer required.
01:01:56The result is there are more crashes, more fatalities among 18- and 19-year-old drivers than there are among 16- or 17-year-old drivers.
01:02:06Further, if a teen waits until age 18 or 19 to get a driver's license,
01:02:12many high school students will miss valuable opportunities to get a job, an internship,
01:02:17or other work-related learning experiences when they're still in school.
01:02:22Schools are the logical and most accessible places for teens to learn how to drive,
01:02:28yet very few schools currently offer driver's education.
01:02:32We need to change that.
01:02:34Our budget helps schools partner with independent driver training schools or to start their own driver training programs.
01:02:42With the support of the General Assembly in allocating a permanent revenue stream,
01:02:46all Ohio schools will have the opportunity to receive funding to make driver training available to their students.
01:02:54We're going to make driver's training affordable.
01:02:57We're going to bring it directly to students.
01:03:00We're going to enable teenagers to get jobs and internships.
01:03:04And we will save lives by doing this.
01:03:08My friends, with our help, it's time to put driver's education back into our high schools.
01:03:18Learning basic life skills is so essential to succeeding in work and life.
01:03:26Before you can decide on a career or educational path, you need to first understand who you are,
01:03:32what are your interests, what are you good at,
01:03:36what's your passion, are you resilient, are you hardworking, grateful, do you have a purpose or a goal in your life?
01:03:44But far too often when young people are interviewing for jobs or starting out in their careers,
01:03:49it isn't that they lack the talent.
01:03:52Rather, they may lack practical life skills.
01:03:56Things such as time management, how to get along with others,
01:04:02how to stay on task, problem solving, teamwork, resilience, adaptability, curiosity, creativity.
01:04:09It's all the non-technical skills and traits related to how you work that are part of any workplace.
01:04:16Kids need to be ready for life in the real world after graduation.
01:04:20They need to learn to overcome adversity and develop a work ethic and the grit and determination that goes with that.
01:04:27They need to know how to make a budget, how to pay bills, what to do in an emergency,
01:04:32and they must understand the importance of fulfilling their civic duties.
01:04:36And that, of course, includes voting.
01:04:39Further, they need to learn basic first aid, how to prepare a simple meal,
01:04:47understand nutrition, dietary needs, and the importance of physical fitness.
01:04:53Now, speaking of physical fitness, stay tuned for a future announcement
01:04:57as I have asked Lieutenant Governor Trestle to lead a statewide initiative to promote fitness in our schools.
01:05:03More on that, though, more on that to come.
01:05:06But lacking these skills is a barrier to employment.
01:05:09But it's also a barrier, frankly, to a happy and successful life.
01:05:14That is why I am directing the Department of Education and Workforce to review the state's learning standards
01:05:20and model curriculum to emphasize the development of practical life skills.
01:05:27The department will report back to me and back to you with recommendations
01:05:31to make sure that we're adequately focusing on these essential skills in our schools.
01:05:39Just as basic life skills are important, so is a student's ability to participate in sports
01:05:46and other extracurricular activities that teach so many important lessons.
01:05:51I want to take a moment to talk about how we can help make sure that no Ohio student is denied the chance
01:05:57to participate because they can't afford fees or equipment.
01:06:02Now, we love our sports in Ohio.
01:06:05We love our teams.
01:06:09We've used general fund dollars to help with the building or renovation of ballparks and stadiums.
01:06:17These sports facilities are spread all over Ohio.
01:06:20They include the Toledo Mudhens, Lake County Captains, Lake Erie Crushers, Akron Rubber Ducks, Dayton Dragons,
01:06:27Chillicothe Paints, and more and more and more.
01:06:29They're everywhere.
01:06:31The way the state has historically assisted these facilities means that that money competes for dollars
01:06:39with education, mental health, and many other vitally items in our budget, vitally important things.
01:06:48We now, with the budget I presented to you, have an opportunity to stop using our general fund dollars
01:06:55to build or renovate ballparks and stadiums.
01:06:58My proposed increase on online sports gaming companies will allow us to do this
01:07:04and also, also allow us to help kids to afford to play sports and participate in other activities in their schools.
01:07:13Many times the opportunity to participate in sports or theater, band, other activities,
01:07:19are frankly the only things that kids are really excited about.
01:07:24In some cases, the only thing keeping that child in school.
01:07:29The language in our budget proposal is truly a win-win.
01:07:34I'm asking you to take a hard look at that. I'm asking you to do it.
01:07:39It is a win for everybody.
01:07:41Applause
01:07:48Too many Ohio students graduate from high school without a plan for their future,
01:07:52with what they want to do and how to get there.
01:07:54Equally troubling is that many students also lack a trusted adult who can help guide them in these important decisions.
01:08:01Our budget addresses this by integrating career planning into existing high school graduation plans
01:08:07to help students map out their goals and identify the education or training needed to achieve these goals.
01:08:13We know that this will make a difference.
01:08:16Take Alexis White, for example.
01:08:19A junior at Fort Frye High School, her involvement in 4-H, FFA, ignited her passion for agriculture communications.
01:08:26Through an internship at Campbell Farms and other opportunities with local agriculture media outlets, Alexis discovered her calling.
01:08:35To combine her love of agriculture with her talent for telling a story.
01:08:40Alexis is with us today. Alexis, will you please stand? Let's give her a hand.
01:08:44Applause
01:08:57Career technical education in Ohio is thriving.
01:09:00I want to take a moment to thank all of you for your generous support in our past budgets.
01:09:04Over the last four years, we've seen a 10% growth in the number of students participating in CareerTech.
01:09:10That's over 13,000 more students earning credentials and engaging in CareerTech education than in 2021.
01:09:17Let me tell you about Drew Corbett's CareerTech path.
01:09:21Drew was a great student at Jonathan Alder High School in Plain City.
01:09:24He played sports, was an active member of the school community.
01:09:27When his mother, Kathy, started working at Tolles Career and Technical Center,
01:09:32Drew got a healthy nudge to apply at Tolles for engineering.
01:09:36At first, Drew wasn't thrilled about leaving his friends for two and a half hours a day.
01:09:40But he trusted his mom and he knew he could still stay involved in his extracurricular activities at the school.
01:09:47During his senior year, he landed a great paying internship at Heichman Pharmaceutical Company in Columbus,
01:09:53where he got real work experience that solidified his choice to continue his education at the University of Cincinnati for chemical engineering.
01:10:02Drew, will you please stand up?
01:10:04Thank you, Drew.
01:10:16Thanks, Drew.
01:10:18For students who see college as their pathway to a career,
01:10:21it's so important to expose them to all the great colleges and universities we have right here in the state of Ohio.
01:10:28Thanks to the General Assembly's strong support last year,
01:10:31we were able to award the very first Governor's Merit Scholarship to graduating seniors
01:10:37who are in the top 5% of their class who attend an Ohio college or university.
01:10:43These are $5,000 a year scholarships.
01:10:45They're renewable each year for up to four years.
01:10:49Funding for the Merit Scholarship remains a top priority.
01:10:55Last year, to give you some numbers, a whopping 76% of students eligible,
01:11:00those in the top 5% of their high school class eligible for the scholarship,
01:11:04accepted it and are today attending Ohio colleges and universities.
01:11:08Of the students eligible for the scholarship in this year's senior class,
01:11:13an astounding 87% of them have accepted it and are remaining in Ohio to go to college.
01:11:26Prior to the creation of this scholarship, only about 60% of the top 5% of Ohio students stayed in Ohio for college.
01:11:34Now, because of this scholarship, this year an additional 1,700 of our top students are remaining in Ohio.
01:11:431,700 more than we would have expected.
01:11:46And they will not go to college outside Ohio.
01:11:49That's on top of the 1,000 additional students from last year.
01:11:53Last year, Ellie Baker was among the first Ohio seniors to receive the Merit Scholarship.
01:12:00She graduated as valedictorian from Claymont High School in Tuscarora County
01:12:05and is currently pursuing her education at Kent State University.
01:12:09Here's what Ellie had to say about the Merit Scholarship, and I quote,
01:12:13I come from Appalachia, a historically low income area where paying for college isn't the easiest thing.
01:12:20However, I didn't want that to hold me back from achieving my aspirations.
01:12:25Then there's Ella Simonski, currently a high school senior at Nordonia High School in Macedonia.
01:12:34Ella recently received our Merit Scholarship for this upcoming academic year
01:12:39and plans to accept it so she can stay in Ohio to study computer science and Spanish.
01:12:46If Ellie and Ella are with us today, let's give them a round of applause.
01:12:50We're very proud of both of you.
01:13:05You know, we have so many colleges and universities in Ohio,
01:13:09but one of the biggest complaints that Fran and I have heard over many years from Ohioans,
01:13:14including legislators, is it's too hard for Ohio students to get into some Ohio campuses.
01:13:20We're going to change that in our budget by guaranteeing admission to the main campus
01:13:25of every state college or university for all Ohio high school students who are in the top 5% of their class.
01:13:34They will be guaranteed admission into those places.
01:13:45I'm happy to say that Ohio's independent colleges have told us
01:13:50that they have an interest in matching this pledge as well.
01:13:54We also must remain focused on making the college more affordable for Ohio students.
01:13:59That's why our budget includes continued support for the Ohio College Opportunity Grant, or OCOG.
01:14:04It provides financial assistance to students who have the highest levels of financial need.
01:14:09Today, nearly 59,000 students from across Ohio are currently receiving help through OCOG.
01:14:15Helen Huffman, a senior at Cedarville University, is a recipient of this grant.
01:14:19She was considering taking a year off from school to work and save enough money to pay for her senior year.
01:14:25However, because of this grant, she's been able to continue with her classes,
01:14:29and she's expected to graduate in May.
01:14:33She plans to work in Springfield to provide translation services to assist the Haitian Creole immigrant population.
01:14:40Helen, would you please stand? We're proud of you as well.
01:14:56Work-based learning opportunities can be a core component of a student's academic success.
01:15:01As part of our budget, we're requiring each state institution of higher education, each state school,
01:15:07to implement a meaningful work-based learning program.
01:15:11Ohio has many leaders in work-based learning, including the University of Cincinnati Co-op model,
01:15:16which was created over 100 years ago, as well as Miami's Work Plus program on its regional campuses,
01:15:23that allows students to earn an essentially debt-free degree with tuition and wages paid for by an employer.
01:15:30I recently sat down with University of Cincinnati students and their leadership
01:15:34to discuss how this type of learning has enhanced their overall academic experience.
01:15:40One student, Zach Sullivan, who graduated from Indian Hill High School,
01:15:44recently completed a vigorous co-op in sales with Western and Southern and Cincinnati.
01:15:49Now Zach, who is expected to graduate in the spring,
01:15:52has already accepted a full-time job in the service and sales department at Western and Southern.
01:15:57Zach, congratulations on your job offer. Please stand so we can give you some applause as well.
01:16:15We need more business experts like Zach, and also more engineers, chemists, data analysts,
01:16:21cybersecurity analysts, software developers, social workers, behavioral therapists, and so many, many more.
01:16:28Our state workforce needs are clear, so now it's time to match those needs
01:16:32with students graduating with the appropriate education and training.
01:16:36Today we determine the amount of state funding that colleges or state universities receive
01:16:42by the number of students completing courses, certificates, and degrees.
01:16:48Our budget takes this to the next logical level
01:16:52by partially funding our state colleges and universities based on actual student outcomes,
01:16:57including how many students get a job after graduation.
01:17:05This will make Ohio the first state in the nation
01:17:08to tie a significant portion of funding for colleges and universities to graduates who are getting jobs.
01:17:15This past year, we lost three legendary former Ohio legislative leaders
01:17:22and champions of education and workforce development.
01:17:27House Speaker Joanne Davison, Majority Floor Leader Kirk Shearing, and Senate Minority Leader Ben Espy.
01:17:37They shared a deep love for this state and for our people,
01:17:41and a great optimism about our future.
01:17:45We think about them when we come into this chamber today.
01:17:53You know, working together over the last six years, we've had a lot of incredible wins for Ohio.
01:17:59We have every reason also to be optimistic about our future.
01:18:03Yes, our great state is still a work in progress, as it is with everything in life,
01:18:08but we can always progress further,
01:18:12especially when it comes to filling the jobs and fully realizing the opportunities that we have created.
01:18:18But we're going to get there.
01:18:20We have the playbook.
01:18:22We have the team.
01:18:24And now, together, let's go win.
01:18:30And as we do,
01:18:34let's also remember the words of then-Coach Trestle, who reminds us of that, and I quote,
01:18:38ìOur success is measured not just by wins, but by the legacy we leave behind.î
01:18:45And he's so right.
01:18:47That legacy is the future of our great state.
01:18:50And what is it?
01:18:51It's our children.
01:18:52It's our grandchildren.
01:18:54It's our great-grandchildren.
01:18:56It's also what we prioritize, the investments we make,
01:19:00and our commitment to each of the young people who are here with us today.
01:19:04We owe it to them to open all of the awesome possibilities and life-changing opportunities that Ohio has to offer.
01:19:13For they truly are our future.
01:19:16They are our hope for tomorrow.
01:19:19And they will become Ohio's legacy.
01:19:23Thank you all very much.
01:19:25May God bless this great state and the people of Ohio.