Couch to Capitol: July Legislative Updates

Send us Fan MailGovernor DeWine's action on Ohio's state budget brings mixed implications for counselors, with vetoes protecting LGBTQ+ resources but remaining provisions limiting gender-affirming care coverage and establishing binary-only sex policies. The national budget bill (HR1) delivers significant Medicaid cuts that will affect 2.57 million Ohioans enrolled in the program, potentially increasing the number of uninsured Americans by 16 million by 2034.DeWine vetoed measures restricting LGBTQIA+ books in libraries and defunding trans-supportive youth homeless sheltersOhio budget now officially recognizes only binary sexes and may deny coverage for gender-affirming mental health careHouse Bill 390 would shift responsibility for collecting co-pays from providers to insurersFederal budget cuts to Medicaid threaten counselor reimbursement and client access to servicesNational SNAP program facing cuts and stricter work requirements affecting vulnerable populationsImmigration enforcement funding increased by $170.7 billion with additional fees for asylum applicationsMake sure you're subscribed so you never miss an update. If you have questions, feedback or want to get involved with our advocacy efforts, please reach out. We are always looking for new perspectives and input for our show. You can text us at the number found in the show notes or connect with us on our socials.Resources:https://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/clerk/ecms/#/recentfilinghttps://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/status-reportshttps://ohiocounseling.org/legislative-advocacyLINK to article with all vetoes in the Ohio budget https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2025/07/01/heres-what-dewine-vetoed-from-the-budget/LINK to Ohio House Bill 390 https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb390 LINK to info about the National Budget https://usafacts.org/articles/whats-in-the-one-big-beautiful-bill/If you would like to provide any feedback for the podcast, we invite you to do so at the form linked here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfV0u5jSuQ4hNaGM3Nioymbj4ZuQAIlcxIJrYr98fUgfiwnNQ/viewformIf you or your division have a PSA you'd like Ohio Counseling Conversations to share, you can complete the form linked here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDWNUFWbzJ6OclTzEh8WvBFdgCi_cXtRq3XYKVQClGwLfUpA/viewformBoth of these links are always available on the OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounseling****If you’re a counselor in Ohio and would like to get involved as part of production or as a guest, or know someone who might be interested, please email us at [email protected]!****Created by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee·Hosted by Marisa Cargill & Victoria Frazier·Pre-Production & Coordination by Kailey Bradley, Marisa Cargill, Victoria Frazier, Linda Marcel-Rene & Kendra Thornton·Editing by Leah Wood & Marisa Cargill