April 21, 2025
“This week is all about spending time hearing from the Ohioans who make our communities strong and safe. I keep their dedication in mind in every part of my work in the Senate.”
COLUMBUS, Ohio – Sen. Jon Husted (R-Ohio) is maximizing the Senate’s state work period by meeting with job creators, first responders, educators and local business owners across central, northwest and southwest Ohio.
“This week is all about spending time hearing from the Ohioans who make our communities strong and safe. I keep their dedication in mind in every part of my work in the Senate,” said Husted.
Husted visited Tippecanoe High School to celebrate the launch of the first K-12 AI lab in the nation. Husted viewed the students’ AI programs firsthand and spoke with educators about the importance of incorporating technology into learning. Husted participated in a roundtable discussion about the future of AI in K-12 education and the importance of public-private partnerships and innovation in Ohio’s schools.
“Ohio is making history by launching the first K-12 AI lab in our nation. Integrating AI in the classroom helps teachers prepare lessons, personalizes learning and equips students for jobs of the future. I’m proud to see Ohio leading the way in education with AI as a tool,” Husted explained.
As lieutenant governor of Ohio, Husted helped launch an AI Toolkit for Ohio’s K-12 school districts to empower policymakers, superintendents, principals, IT staff, teachers and parents to advance AI literacy in their school districts and provide resources to promote student privacy, data security and ethics.
Husted understands that leveraging AI can increase productivity in the classroom and beyond. He recently introduced a bill to streamline the mammoth Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) by using an AI tool to identify redundant and outdated rules. The bill is based on the success that Ohio has had using an AI tool to highlight outdated, conflicting or redundant content in the state code. As a result, the state is on the road to shaving 5 million unnecessary words from its 17-million-word code, saving tens of millions of taxpayer dollars and tens of thousands of manhours. Husted also introduced bipartisan legislation to prohibit the use of DeepSeek—a new AI platform with direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party—on all government devices and networks.
Husted visited the Sylvania Fire Department and met with the Sylvania Fire Captain and local school officials to learn about their career and technology program, which fosters a partnership between fire stations and local schools. The initiative aims at developing a clear path for students to become first responders after graduation.
“Career tech programs create a pipeline for students to join the workforce in the state, keeping jobs in Ohio. I appreciated the opportunity to learn more about how local schools and the Sylvania Fire Department are collaborating to make this happen,” Husted said.
This visit builds on Husted’s commitment to creating jobs and developing a strong workforce. As lieutenant governor, Husted expanded career technical education to give more students access to skills training that enabled them to graduate high school career-ready. He also pioneered job training programs like TechCred to provide every Ohioan with access to the credentials they need to earn good jobs.
Husted also visited the Ohio Art Company and met with the team to learn how federal policies affect their business.
“Local businesses are at the heart of Ohio’s economy. I enjoyed visiting Ohio Art and meeting with their team to learn about their more than 100-year-old business,” said Husted.
Supporting local businesses continues to be integral to Husted’s work for Ohio. As secretary of state, he helped reduce the cost of starting a business in Ohio by 21%—making Ohio the least costly state in the Midwest for businesses to get started and keep their doors open.
Husted spoke with members of the Ohio Association of REALTORS about developing a skilled workforce to build homes, removing bureaucratic barriers that delay construction and lowering costs and interest rates.
“Home ownership is a key pillar of the American dream, and realtors can help make that dream a reality. I’ll continue to advocate for policies in Washington to fight inflation, cut red tape and bolster the workforce so Ohio industries and families can thrive,” remarked Husted.
Husted spoke at the Dayton Business Journal’s (DBJ) 2nd Annual Aerospace and Defense awards ceremony and received the DBJ Editorial Board’s Dayton Military and Defense Hall of Fame award for advancing the Base Realignment and Closure process for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and recruiting Joby Aviation, Sierra Nevada Corporation and Anduril Industries to open operations in Ohio.
“I accepted this award on behalf of the entire team of people who made it their mission to grow and strengthen these industries in Ohio. I’m honored to be part of that team. Advancing the technology of today prepares America to defeat the challenges of tomorrow,” Husted observed.
Husted met with SecureCyber Defense’s team to receive updates on their efforts to protect American organizations from cyberattacks and improve cyber awareness while seeing the new location firsthand.
“As technology advances, so does the risk for cyberattacks. SecureCyber is developing the tools necessary to protect Ohio businesses and families,” said Husted.
Husted visited Hope’s Closet, a Butler County-based nonprofit that provides community, resources, support and clothing to foster children and parents.
“Hope’s Closet’s mission holds a special place in my heart, as I started my life in a foster home before my loving parents adopted me. I’m grateful for all Hope’s Closet does to provide life-changing support for Ohio foster children and parents,” said Husted as he met with staff to hear about their work.