COLUMBUS, OH — In an emotional and policy-heavy address at the Ohio Statehouse today, Governor Mike DeWine delivered his final State of the State speech, marking the beginning of the end of his eight-year tenure as Ohio’s 54th governor.
Speaking before a joint session of the General Assembly on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, DeWine reflected on nearly a decade of leadership while challenging lawmakers to tackle emerging issues like Artificial Intelligence (AI) and long-standing public safety concerns.
Removing Barriers to “God-Given Potential”
A hallmark of DeWine’s administration has been his focus on children and education, a theme he leaned into heavily during his hour-long address.
- Literacy Enforcement: DeWine issued a stern reminder to Ohio’s colleges and universities: those whose teacher programs are not in compliance with the “Science of Reading” curriculum must be aligned by the end of the year or face closure.
- Attendance Crisis: With one in four Ohio students chronically absent, the Governor announced the launch of a new statewide attendance dashboard next month to provide real-time data to parents and school districts.
- The OhioSEE Program: DeWine championed the expansion of the OhioSEE pilot program, which provides vision screenings and glasses to students, despite recent budget cuts to the initiative.
New Frontiers: AI and Public Safety
In a move toward the future, DeWine called for new legislation to govern Artificial Intelligence, noting that Ohio must be a leader in ethical tech integration.
He also returned to a familiar—and often contested—priority: seat belt safety. DeWine once again urged the legislature to pass a primary seat belt law, an effort that has faced repeated pushback from fellow Republicans in past sessions.
A Legacy of “H2Ohio” and Investment
The Governor also touched on the environmental and economic milestones of his term:
- H2Ohio: He called for permanent funding for his signature clean water initiative, suggesting a bond issue for the November ballot to ensure the protection of Lake Erie and Ohio’s waterways for generations.
- Economic Growth: DeWine pointed to the state’s success in attracting major tech and manufacturing investments, noting that the “Ohio of 2026” is a global competitor in the semiconductor and aerospace industries.
The Road Ahead
As the 2026 gubernatorial race begins to heat up to determine his successor, DeWine’s final address served as both a victory lap and a plea for continuity.
“Our job is to do everything in our power to remove barriers and create opportunities so that every single Ohio citizen can live up to their God-given potential,” DeWine concluded.
The speech was originally scheduled for Wednesday but was moved to Tuesday to accommodate a visit from President Trump to a pharmaceutical facility in Cincinnati tomorrow.
