Gov. Mike DeWine signed two bills into law that Michael Rulli sponsored when he was a state senator: providing additional protections against fraud for business owners and requiring annual inspections of school building doors to help make those facilities more secure.

Now a congressman, Rulli, a Salem Republican, said: “Five years of service in the Ohio Statehouse finally came to fruition as Gov. DeWine signed two of my bills, the Fraudulent Business Billing and School Safety Acts, into law. I am honored to have passed these bills and now am fortunate to continue my work for Ohioans in the U.S. Capitol.”

The Ohio Childhood Safety Act was approved by the state Senate by a 32-1 vote on June 12, Rulli’s last day in that legislative body and the day after he won a special election for the vacant 6th Congressional District position. The state House approved the bill June 26 by a 96-2 vote.

DeWine signed that bill and the business owner fraudulent protection bill on Wednesday.

Rulli introduced the School Safety Act on April 25, 2023.

It mandates regular annual inspections and maintenance of doors in school buildings to make them more secure and in compliance with the National Life Safety Code of the National Fire Protection Association to minimize the risk of injury or death in the event of a fire, intruders or active shooters.

“This legislation is a critical step to improving the safety of Ohio’s bright future,” Rulli said on June 12. “As a former school board president (in Leetonia), I want parents across the state to know that we are working in Columbus for the next generation. Our kids deserve to learn in a safe and secure environment.”

The bill will hold schools to the same requirements as facilities deemed “secure” under state law such as hospitals, airports and courtrooms, he said.

The other Rulli-sponsored bill signed by DeWine is designed to improve protections for Ohio businesses from fraud, theft and scams.

Rulli introduced the bill March 28, 2023.

The state Senate passed it 31-0 on Dec. 13, 2023. The House approved it 94-2 on June 26.

The law empowers the Ohio secretary of state and local prosecutors to investigate claims of fraudulent business activities instead of requiring business owners to spend time and money in courts to protect their companies, Rulli said.

The law, he said, streamlines the complaint process against scammers, restricts the reinstatement period for canceled business registrations to two years to reduce fraud, eliminates the ability of agents to hide their identity behind a fraudulent address, cracks down on deceptive or misleading mailers and improves the process for businesses victimized by scammers to seek a remedial solution.

The state Legislature added a number of other provisions to Rulli’s original bill including making “changes regarding property taxation, fire investigator firearms, acting or assigned judge reimbursements, common pleas clerk of court duties, recreational vehicle park and camp operation licenses, and state ballot numbering,” according to the law.

Rulli represented the 33rd Ohio Senate District for nearly five and a half years. The district includes all of Mahoning, Columbiana and Carroll counties.

Rulli was elected June 11 to an unexpired term representing the 6th Congressional District. He will run Nov. 5 for a full two-year term.

The congressional district includes all of Mahoning, Columbiana, Carroll, Jefferson, Belmont, Harrison, Monroe, Noble and Washington counties and portions of Stark and Tuscarawas counties.

Have an interesting story? Contact David Skolnick by email at dskolnick@vindy.com. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @dskolnick.