OHIO CIVIL SERVICE EMPLOYEES ASSOCIATION
UNION NEWS / NOVEMBER 13, 2025
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Pres. Mabe testifies, urges Ohio House to pass Andy’s Law
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OCSEA President Chris Mabe testified this week at the Ohio Statehouse in support of Ohio House Bill 338, also known as Andy’s Law. The legislation, which is sponsored by Rep. Mark Johnson of Chillicothe, is named after Andrew Lansing, the Correction Officer who was murdered by an inmate at the Ross Correctional Institution (RCI) on Christmas Day 2024.
“This legislation is deeply personal to our members, our organization and to myself,” President Mabe said in testimony he delivered to the Ohio House Judiciary Committee on November 12. “It demands accountability for those who choose violence and reinforces that an assault on a corrections professional is an assault on the state itself.”
Andy’s Law would increase penalties for the murder or assault on a Correction Officer and require longer sentences for illegal conveyance of drugs and communications devices into prisons. Specifically, the legislation would impose a mandatory seven-year prison sentence for assaulting a prison employee, including COs, and require the sentence to be served consecutively. It would also make COs suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) eligible to receive compensation and benefits under Ohio’s Worker’s Compensation Law. And the surviving spouse of a CO killed in the line of duty would receive healthcare benefits from the state.
President Mabe also called on the State to do more to address the staffing shortage in the Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections and to expand access to Taser10s. The legislation, which has the support of county prosectors, must be approved by the committee before the Ohio House can vote on it.
You can watch President’s Mabe’s testimony HERE.
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OCSEA Pres. Chris Mabe testifies in support of Ohio House Bill 338, also known as Andy’s Law, for increased penalties following the Christmas Day 2024 murder of Ross Correction Officer Andrew Lansing.
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Sign up for an upcoming OCSEA Zoom Training Session
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VIRTUAL Basic Steward Training (2 sessions available)
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VIRTUAL Advanced Steward Training (2 sessions available)
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A personal email is required to register. No State emails please.Virtual space is limited to 50 participants for each training.
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OCSEA Veterans Conference is this weekend; download agenda
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This week's celebration of veterans will continue into the weekend as OCSEA members attend the annual OCSEA Veterans Committee Conference to honor union member veterans, their families, and all who have served our country.
"While our celebration is never ending, this conference allows us to stop and take a minute to honor our union brothers and sisters who have served and reflect on those who have made the ultimate sacrifice," said OCSEA President and U.S. Army veteran, Chris Mabe.
The event, being held at Mohican State Lodge Friday and Saturday, will include the presentation of colors by the DR&C Honor Guard, the Missing Man Ceremony and the OCSEA Veteran of the Year and OCSEA Veteran Supporter of the Year Awards. Attendees will also learn more about important veterans resources and hear from Ohio Veterans officials. Get the full event agenda at OCSEA.org/veterans.
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OCSEA activist takes an educational journey with the Union Education Trust
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For OCSEA union activist Angela Walls, life has been an amazing educational journey, and the Union Education Trust (UET) has helped make it a reality, she says.
Angela currently works as an Administrative Professional 3 in the Medicaid’s Bureau of Provider Services and Support. When Angela came to state service, not only did she discover the power of what it means to be a union member as a member of ODJFS/Medicaid Chapter 2599, she also discovered her UET benefits. It was those union-negotiated benefits that helped her set her sights high.
She has since acquired her associate and a bachelor’s degrees, a dream come true for Angela. In fact, just this past April 28, she received her bachelor’s in business administration degree with an emphasis in health care management. She proudly graduated with honors, she said.
For Angela, her legacy for her children and grandchildren is her educational journey. Read Angela's story HERE or in the recent edition of the union magazine at OCSEA.org/PEQ.
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(Above) Angela Walls, ODJFS/Medicaid Chap. 2599, receives her bachelor’s in business administration degree with an emphasis in health care management thanks to her union education benefit.
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More UET News: Deadline for year-end applications is Nov. 24
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Due to the State of Ohio year-end payroll schedule, all UET financial assistance payments for the current tax year must be processed early in December 2025. Therefore, UET applications must be received on or before Monday, November 24, 2025, in order to issue payment check before the New Year. Valid applications for reimbursement or pre-payment received after the deadline will be issued payment in early January 2026. UET applications submitted online are received immediately upon submission. Paper applications, however, may be delayed by the post office, so please plan accordingly.
Have questions about the UET, email your UET staff at support@uedtrust.org or call 866-436-7900.
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Download this month's bulletin board flyers:
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