Oxford state lawmakers to focus on business and community revitalization through committee assignments
The state representative and state senator representing Oxford in Ohio's government will serve on committees focused on community revitalization, energy, small business and more this legislative session. State Senator George Lang is serving as Senate Majority Whip.
As Ohio’s 136th General Assembly begins to focus on this term’s legislative priorities, the two elected officials representing Oxford will focus on small businesses, community revitalization, public safety and more through their committee assignments.
Committees focus on proposed legislation within specific subject areas and listen to testimony on related bills. Membership is proportional to the partisan splits of the House and Senate. The Senate President and House Speaker name the chairs and majority party members to their respective committees.
Committees have the authority to hold public hearings on bills, consider and pass amendments, and recommend bills for passage or take no action, killing the bills.
Diane Mullins, a first term Republican state representative for Oxford and Hamilton, will serve on four committees this term. Mullins successfully primaried former state representative Sara Carruthers in 2024 and won election handily in November. Now, she’s set to serve as Vice-Chair of the Community Revitalization Committee. Her other appointments include membership on the Agriculture, Medicaid and Public Safety committees.
Mullins declined to speak with the Free Press and referred to her representative aide, who said Mullins was waiting to discuss her assignments until the committees had finalized their schedules and priorities for the term.
Throughout her campaign, Mullins centered parental rights in public schools, as well as social issues including abortion and LGBTQ youth. In an October 2024 interview with the Oxford Free Press, Mullins also prioritized small business support and deregulation. Despite a campaign focus on K12 issues, including advocating for banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports and requiring educators to tell parents if their kids identify as LGBTQ, Mullins did not receive any education committee assignments.
State Senator George Lang, a Republican who represents most of Butler County, was chosen by his colleagues to serve as Senate Majority Whip for the current legislative session. He focused on deregulation, cutting state government costs and eliminating the state income tax during his 2024 campaign for a second term. Those goals will guide his approach to his leadership position and committee assignments, he says.
Lang will continue to serve on the Rules and Reference, Small Business and Economic Development, Workforce Development, and Finance Committees in his second term. He’ll also join the Energy Committee and serve as vice-chair of the Financial Institutions, Insurance and Technology Committee. Lang previously served as chair of the Insurance Committee, but senators with leadership positions can’t serve as chairs, so the committee was combined with the Financial Institutions Committee for this session.
“My goal is to make Ohio the most business-friendly state in America,” Lang said. “Every committee I have gives me the opportunity to do that.”
Miami University is the largest employer in Butler County, and other educational institutions like Butler Tech also drive the local economy. Lang highlighted the collaboration between Miami and Butler Tech to create an innovation hub, as well as working with high school students to help them graduate with college credits. While serving on the Workforce Development Committee, Lang said he hopes to see other institutions across the state follow the educational models in Butler County.
Lang’s newest assignment this year is as a member of the Energy Committee. There, too, he said he’s applying his business-first approach. Businesses want cheap, affordable, reliable energy, Lang said, and he’s advocating for further use of Ohio’s natural gas.
This week, Lang introduced a bill to create a flat income tax rate of 2.75% for all Ohioans who make more than $26,000 per year. Those who make less wouldn’t pay income tax, he said. Lang’s long-term goal is to eliminate the state income tax entirely.
Ohioans can track State Senate legislation and find contact information for lawmakers through www.ohiosenate.gov. The State House schedule and representatives’ contact information can be found at www.ohiohouse.gov.
