Catching Our Eye News Roundup, July 15, 2026

Every morning in the Ohio Capital Journal’s free newsletter, The Eye-Opener, we round up the news and commentary from across Ohio and around the country and world that is catching our attention. We call this feature Catching Our Eye, republished here.

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Catching Our Eye

• Ohio traffic stops. The Dayton Daily News’ Avery Kreemer reports, “New Ohio law requires drivers, passengers to disclose name, address and DOB during traffic stops.”

Starting in early October, everyone in a pulled over vehicle will have to disclose certain identifying information, like their name, date of birth and address, if the officer “reasonably suspects” the person may have violated Ohio motor laws.

This new criminal offense, carrying a charge of a fourth-degree misdemeanor, comes as part of House Bill 492. The bill was recently signed into law by Gov. Mike DeWine after being carried through the legislature predominantly by Republican support and law enforcement advocacy.

H.B. 492 is also set to make it a second-degree misdemeanor to interfere with an officer in the process of arresting someone for a motor vehicle violation.

• School transportation. Ideastream’s Conor Morris reports, “‘Under the hood’ of Ohio’s school transportation challenges.”

As a bus driver shortage continues to affect the country, Ohio is considering changes to its school transportation system.

A state working group recently sent recommendations for change to the state legislature. Not everybody’s happy about their report.

• Flock cameras. WOSU’s Katie Geniusz reports, “Activists renew calls for stronger policy and more transparency with Flock cameras.”

Activists are renewing their calls for stronger policy and more transparency around police surveillance after the release of the audit of Flock surveillance cameras on Friday afternoon by the Columbus Division of Police.

The division’s summary analysis of the audit said the Columbus police network was searched for possible immigration-related reasons up to 15,577 times, which prompted Mayor Andrew Ginther to order Columbus police to stop statewide sharing for Flock cameras, which are automated license plate readers often mounted on poles.

• Hubba hubba hubba who do you trust, who do you trust. In a Cleveland.com opinion column, Thomas Suddes writes, “Gubernatorial candidates’ ‘trust me’ is far from reassuring.”

Thanks to bobbing, weaving and straight-out ducking, Ohioans are being expected to elect a new governor without knowing much of anything besides the names of the mayor-party candidates.

One is Dr. Amy Acton, M.D., a Bexley Democrat who is a Youngstown native and was, for a time, state Health director in Republican Gov. Mike DeWine’s Cabinet.

The other is Vivek Ramaswamy, an Upper Arlington Republican who is a Cincinnati native and, businesswise, a fabulously successful high-technology entrepreneur.

• Putting the Ohio Gang to shame. The Washington Post reports, “Trump’s sons invest heavily in defense tech as father’s administration pours money in.”

President Donald Trump’s sons Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump have amassed a portfolio of defense technology start-ups that are benefiting from new Pentagon priorities and spending, further entangling the United States’ interests and the Trump family’s financial fortunes in an area with immense stakes for national security.

As the current administration has made modernizing the tools of warfighting a centerpiece of its national security agenda, funds linked to the Trump brothers have invested in more than a dozen defense tech companies and other firms seeking businesses from the Pentagon and federal agencies, a Washington Post analysis finds, based on public federal contracting databases and news releases as well as data from PitchBook, a venture capital research database.

Most of the investments have taken place since Trump was elected president for a second time. The companies have collectively generated at least $3.2 billion in direct government business since the sons invested and an additional $3.1 billion in future contract options. Some have gained coveted spots on shortlists of preapproved contractors that can bid exclusively on up to nearly $200 billion in future work.