Anita Somani is a Democratic physician and state representative who has represented Ohio House District 8 since January 1, 2025, and is seeking re-election on November 3, 2026.[1]She is the ranking member of the House Health Committee, according to Ballotpedia.[1]
Somani earned a bachelor's degree from Miami University in 1982 and an M.D. from the Medical College of Ohio in 1988, and her career experience is as a physician.[1]In a 2022 Ballotpedia survey, she described herself as an OB/GYN who had lived and worked in the district for 30 years.[2]
Somani defeated Republican Aaron Neumann in the November 5, 2024 general election.[1]She serves on the Medicaid and Health committees, and is ranking member of Health.[1]Kelly Hunter-Kalagidis is the Republican candidate in the 2026 general election.[1]
Their recorded votes on bills that divided the chamber (unanimous votes left out), grouped by topic. A bill can sit under more than one topic. "With" and "against" compare each vote with how most Democrats voted. How topics are assigned
This analysis is arranged by state agency in alphabetical order. Items that do not directly involve an agency are located under the agency that has regulatory authority over the item or otherwise deals with the subject matter of the item. After the last agency (the Department of Youth Services), separate chapters address the following: 1. Election Law, addressing the replacement of the Ohio Elections Commission and other elections matters; 2. Sports facilities and unclaimed funds; 3. Boards and commissions; 4. Local government; 5. Low-income utility assistance and block grants; 6.
Urges Congress to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to let people under 16 work between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. during the school year with parent or guardian approval.
Absent voting by mail. Would have required an elector to provide photo identification ( ID) to vote by mail beginning with the November 2027, general election. Would have exempted certain electors from that requirement and provided alternative ID procedures for them. Would have allowed an elector to fulfill the photo ID requirement by providing it either when applying for ballots or when returning voted ballots to the board. Would have permitted an elector to show photo ID at the board’s office instead of making a copy.
DEI and intellectual diversity Policy. Requires state institutions of higher education to adopt and enforce a policy requiring the institution to: Prohibit: ❖ Any orientation or training course regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), unless the institution submits a written request for an exception; ❖ The continuation of existing or establishment of new DEI offices or departments; ❖ Using DEI in job descriptions; ❖ Contracting with consultants or third parties whose role is to promote admissions, hiring, or promotion on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual…
Permits an elective abortion to be performed or induced only if a physician meets with the woman at least 24 hours before the abortion to provide specified information and document the woman’s informed consent, except in the case of a medical emergency. Prohibits payment from being required for any elective abortion-related service until the bill’s informed consent requirements are met. Authorizes civil liability, including damages and attorney’s fees, and professional discipline against a physician who fails to satisfy the bill ’s abortion informed consent requirements.
Specifies that health care sharing ministries having certain qualifications are not engaged in the business of insurance and not subject to Ohio insurance laws. Specifies that any requirement made by a state institution of higher education that attending students have health care coverage is met by participation in a health care sharing ministry. Authorizes a personal income tax deduction for dues paid for membership in a health care sharing ministry. Names the bill the “Health Care Sharing Ministries Freedom to Share Act.”.
Interstate Compact for School Psychologists. Enters Ohio into the Interstate Compact for School Psychologists to improve public access to school psychological services by facilitating the interstate practice of school psychology in educational or school settings. As a member of the Compact, requires Ohio to offer equivalent licenses to school psychologists from another member state of the Compact, subject to Ohio ’s laws and rules governing school psychologists.
DEI and intellectual diversity Policy. Requires state institutions of higher education to adopt and enforce a policy requiring the institution to: Prohibit: ❖ Any orientation or training course regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), unless the institution submits a written request for an exception; ❖ The continuation of existing or establishment of new DEI offices or departments; ❖ Using DEI in job descriptions; ❖ Contracting with consultants or third parties whose role is to promote admissions, hiring, or promotion on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual…
Would have allowed a 14- or 15-year-old to be employed between 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. at any time of the year if the minor had approval to do so from a parent or legal guardian. Would have required a minor who wished to receive an age and schooling certificate (commonly referred to as a “work permit”) to submit a minor work hour notification form signed by the child’s parent or legal guardian.
Oil and Gas Well Fund. Provides protections against executive branch raids of the Oil and Gas Well Fund. Specifies that the Division of Oil and Gas Resources Management, on behalf of the state, owns the right to carbon credits for any orphaned well plugged using state or federal money. Allows the Chief of the Division to enter into agreements to obtain or to sell carbon credits and directs any proceeds from the sale of carbon credits to the Oil and Gas Well Fund. ODNR authority to regulate interstate wells.
Prohibits the appropriate municipal authority from certifying a lien to the county auditor for unpaid village water, city water, or municipal sewerage service amounts, and prohibits the county auditor from placing such a lien against a property, if either of the following apply: The unpaid amounts have arisen pursuant to a service contract made with a tenant; The property served by the connection is not occupied by the property owner.
Establishes the Ohio Defense and Space Advisory Commission. Establishes the Defense and Aerospace Industry Expansion Program under which the Department of Development may make grants to support economic development related to the defense industry. Requires any entity that receives a grant under the program undergo an audit of the project administration. Makes an appropriation.
Mar 4, 2026 · Passed 82–10 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Creates the Small Defense Business Linked Deposit Program for the purpose of lending money to eligible small defense businesses, including their subcontractors, at a rate below the present borrowing rate. Adds the Small Defense Business Linked Deposit Program to the administrative requirements in the statutes also governing the continuing Adoption Linked Deposit Program, Agricultural Linked Deposit Program, Small Business Linked Deposit Program, and Home Improvement Linked Deposit Program.
Gas and diesel fuel tax. Reduces the tax on gasoline and diesel fuel for a period of three months, from 38.5 ¢ per gallon for gasoline and 47¢ per gallon for diesel to 0.01¢ per gallon for either. Prohibits a licensed retail dealer or licensed motor fuel dealer from selling motor fuel during the temporary reduction period without passing the full benefit of the reduced tax onto the consumer or other purchaser. Provides that violation of the prohibition may be considered in any licensing determination made by the Tax Commissioner and referred to the Attorney General (AG).
Sep 30, 2026 · Passed 78–16 · against most DemocratsOfficial record ↗
Appropriates money for transportation programs for July 2025 through June 2027, and amends and repeals state laws on vehicles, traffic, driver licensing and highway administration.
Budget corrections Limited term license: education requirements. Exempts certain military-related limited term license applicants from the driver ’s education requirements. TMUD tax credit transfers. Modifies the procedure for transferring a transformational mixed-use development (TMUD) tax credit. Water pipe grants. Removes from the Workforce Housing Project Grant Program the grant metric that favored polyvinyl chloride water pipe over ductile iron. OBM authority to award funds for cultural facilities.
Prohibits the appropriate municipal authority from certifying a lien to the county auditor for unpaid village water, city water, or municipal sewerage service amounts, and prohibits the county auditor from placing such a lien against a property, if either of the following apply: The unpaid amounts have arisen pursuant to a service contract made with a tenant; The property served by the connection is not occupied by the property owner.
Requires the Director of Developmental Disabilities to adopt rules establishing a process for the Department of Developmental Disabilities to make available community capital assistance funds for county boards of developmental disabilities to acquire housing for individuals receiving supported living services.
Voted against most of their party on 2 of 35 party-divided votes on file.
Prohibit specified actions with intent to steal a motor vehicle
What it does: Gas and diesel fuel tax. Reduces the tax on gasoline and diesel fuel for a period of three months, from 38.5 ¢ per gallon for gasoline and 47¢ per gallon for diesel to 0.01¢ per gallon for either. Prohibits a licensed…
Voted yes · most Democrats voted no · Democrats 15–16, Republicans 62–0
Substantive votes concern legislation or nominations; procedural votes concern how the chamber considers them. A Yes vote applies to the motion shown, which may not be final passage.
HB 519 · OH HOUSE
Prohibit specified actions with intent to steal a motor vehicle
YesVOTED
Gas and diesel fuel tax. Reduces the tax on gasoline and diesel fuel for a period of three months, from 38.5 ¢ per gallon for gasoline and 47¢ per gallon for diesel to 0.01¢ per gallon for either. Prohibits a licensed retail dealer or licensed motor fuel dealer from selling motor fuel during the temporary reduction period without passing the full benefit of the reduced tax onto the consumer or other purchaser. Provides that violation of the prohibition may be considered in any licensing determination made by the Tax Commissioner and referred to the Attorney General (AG).
Overview. Repeals the law governing nonrecourse civil litigation advance contract s and replaces it with two subsets of regulations: one for commercial litigation financing agreements (“commercial agreements ”) and another for consumer legal funding agreements (“consumer agreements”). Contract requirements. Retains the majority of the contract-related requirements under former law, but limits application of those requirements to consumer agreements, i.e., contracts with an individual that resides in Ohio for less than $400,000.
Requires scrap metal dealers and other persons who purchase used catalytic converters to comply with certain additional recordkeeping, reporting, and process requirements. Imposes a penalty not to exceed $7,500 on a business entity that violates the above requirements. Expands the investigatory authority and noninvestigatory responsibilities of the Director of Public Safety relating to scrap metal dealers and other persons purchasing used catalytic converters. Prohibits a motor vehicle salvage dealer from purchasing or accepting catalytic converters.
Regards drone use by law enforcement; aviation facilities
YesVOTED
Criminal evidence derived from a UAV. Generally, requires a peace officer to obtain a court-issued search warrant to collect surveillance data using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) if the peace officer otherwise would need a warrant to physically enter the house or place in person to conduct the search. Prohibits surveillance data and any information obtained from that data from being admitted as evidence in a criminal proceeding if it was gathered under circumstances that required a warrant and the warrant was not obtained.
Establishes the Ohio Defense and Space Advisory Commission. Establishes the Defense and Aerospace Industry Expansion Program under which the Department of Development may make grants to support economic development related to the defense industry. Requires any entity that receives a grant under the program undergo an audit of the project administration. Makes an appropriation.
Alter amusement ride classification for inspection fee purposes
YesVOTED
Amusement rides. Reclassifies the types of amusement rides for purposes of re-determining each ride ’s annual inspection and reinspection fee. Decreases the annual permit fee for an inflatable ride. Creates a formula to calculate the inspection and reinspection fee for an inflatable ride based on the number of rides that are inspected at the same time at the same location and owned by the same owner instead of a flat $104 fee per inflatable ride. Food regulation laws. Exempts a registered bakery from the requirement to obtain a frozen food facility license.
Regards the operation of public schools and the DEW
NoVOTED
State Board of Education. Increases the number of appointed State Board of Education members from five to seven. Requires the State Board, in some circumstances, to add additional grade levels to alternative resident educator license holders ’ licenses as requested by the educator ’s employing school district. Requires the State Board to automatically revoke or deny the renewal of any license issued to an individual who pleads guilty to, is found guilty of, or is convicted of domestic violence, strangulation, or grooming.
Waive ID, birth certificate fees for homeless individuals
NoVOTED
Absent voting by mail. Would have required an elector to provide photo identification ( ID) to vote by mail beginning with the November 2027, general election. Would have exempted certain electors from that requirement and provided alternative ID procedures for them. Would have allowed an elector to fulfill the photo ID requirement by providing it either when applying for ballots or when returning voted ballots to the board. Would have permitted an elector to show photo ID at the board’s office instead of making a copy.
Regards physician supervision of imaging contrast administration
YesVOTED
Administration of contrast – physician supervision. Revises the law authorizing a radiologist assistant to administer contrast media under the on-site supervision of a physician who is a radiologist, by also permitting the radiologist assistant to do so under the radiologist’s remote supervision. Authorizes a registered nurse, radiographer, radiation therapy technologist, and nuclear medicine technologist to administer contrast under the direct or general supervision of a physician.
Regards DoDD authority re: community capital assistance funds
YesVOTED
Requires the Director of Developmental Disabilities to adopt rules establishing a process for the Department of Developmental Disabilities to make available community capital assistance funds for county boards of developmental disabilities to acquire housing for individuals receiving supported living services.
