Gavarone named as committee chair

SANDUSKY — State Sen. Theresa Gavarone, R-Bowling Green, has an important new post in the Ohio Senate. Gavarone, an attorney as well as a lawmaker, announced that Senate president Rob McColley, R-Napoleon, has named her the chair of the Ohio Senate Judiciary Committee. Gavarone replaces former state Sen. Nathan Manning, R-North Ridgeville, who left the Ohio Senate after Gov. Mike DeWine named Manning to the 9th District Court of Appeals. As the new committee chair, Gavarone will be able to influence dealing with crime and Ohio's court system. Gavarone said 65 pieces of legislation are currently before the judiciary committee. Pending bills include: • House Bill 88, which deals with fentanyl overdoses, drug trafficking and human trafficking • Senate Bill 370, which increases the penalties for certain crimes committed against people with disabilities Gavarone also recently announced that McColley named her co-chair of the study committee to evaluate the placement of delinquent children in residential facilities. Gavarone explained the panel will study the placement process for adjudicated delinquent youth in Ohio, children under 18 who committed an act that would be considered a felony if an adult did it. Juvenile judges have the discretion to divert such young people into community-based residential facilities and programs rather than a youth services department correctional facility. "This committee has been formed to identify the gaps, and to see what we're doing to make sure juveniles who have committed crimes are getting the services they need in the right setting to integrate back into society safely and protect the public," Gavarone said. "We currently have kids who have committed really violent offenses being placed in communities who are not equipped to deal with the outbreak of crime that then occurs. We've got to make sure that people are safe," she said. Gavarone's 2nd District comprises a large chunk of northwest Ohio, including Erie, Ottawa and Wood counties and parts of Lucas and Huron counties.