Ohio Senate committee meets on rail safety, talks with officials on scene in East Palestine

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WOIO) - The Ohio Senate’s’ Select Committee on Rail Safety will meet Wednesday, according to a release from Senate President Matt Huffman, to review the Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine.

The meeting will take place around 2:30 p.m.

Chaired by Senator Bill Reineke and Vice Chair Michael Rulli, the committee will take take testimony and question state agency officials and experts working on scene in East Palestine.

“The derailment devastated the people in my district,” said Senator Rulli. “I’m grateful that my colleagues in the Senate want to find ways to help.”

Also serving on the committee is Senate Transportation Committee Chair, Senator Stephanie Kunze, Senator Frank Hoagland, Senator Kristina Roegner, Senator Al Landis, Senator Louis W. Blessing III, Ranking Member Nickie Antonio, Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson and Senator Catherine Ingram.

“Ohioans see trains every day, and in some communities, it is a way of life, as children count the rail cars with their parents while stopped at a crossing,” said Senate President Huffman. “The mission of the Senate Select Committee is clear. We need a complete understanding of why it happened, where the recovery stands now, and determine exactly how the Ohio General Assembly can best help our neighbors in East Palestine recover.”

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