GREEN (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – This afternoon Green City Councilman and candidate for Ohio House of Representatives Matt Shaughnessy submitted legislation to the City Council Clerk to declare racism a public health crisis.

The legislation is patterned after similar legislation before the Ohio State legislature. It will be introduced at Green’s next city council meeting on the 23rd.

The legislation will create a special review committee and focus on what Green can do to mitigate the affects of racism on public health with a forward-looking approach to combat structural and systemic racism and biases that disproportionately harm minorities.

“The People of Green were horrified at the brutal death of George Floyd and recognize that words just are not enough to repair the damage of centuries long racism,” said Shaughnessy. “Our City wants change, and we’re not afraid to start by looking closely at ourselves.”