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This week on "The State of Ohio": State lawmakers consider what they can do in the wake of the horrible and yet miraculous escape story out of Cleveland involving three women held prisoner in a house for a decade. New data shows more than half of all violent crimes are committed by a very small numbers of offenders. Lawmakers are now working to target that tiny group. And more thoughts on legislation that would dramatically change rules on unions in Ohio.
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| House OK's Plan For Pilot Gas Program. |
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February 27, 2001 |
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Some low income Ohioans are one step closer to getting help paying their natural gas bill. The house has approved legislation that allows Ohioans whose incomes are no more than twice the federal poverty level to get a one time payment of up to $250 from the state.
An estimated $180,000 families should be eligible for this help. The plan would also allow cities to buy natural gas directly from the supplier, thereby cutting the costs to their residents.
But democrats don't like this part of the plan. Representative Shirley Smith takes issue with the fact that no more than 50,000 residents in each city are allowed to participate. |
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Representative Shirley Smith (0:26) 
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| But one the bill's backers, republican representative Lynn Olman, says there's good reason for the limit. He says allowing more people to take part in the program would hurt Ohio's gas companies. |
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Representative Lynn Olman (0:33)
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| Olman says it's important to make sure the gas companies don't suffer huge losses because that would have a negative effect on Ohio's economy. |
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