November 28

Published: 11/28/2011

Ohioans boost pace of making, changing laws at ballot boxes

BY JIM PROVANCE
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU CHIEF

COLUMBUS — Who needs a legislature?

Ohioans from both ends of the political spectrum are increasingly doing away with the middleman by turning directly to the ballot to amend the Constitution, undo laws they don’t like, and — in rarer cases — write their own.

The Buckeye State is no California or Oregon, the national leaders in citizen-driven referendums, but already Ohio is looking at definite and potential issues in 2012 that would affect medical marijuana, organized labor, elections, congressional maps, abortion rights, and even a constitutional convention.
http://www.toledoblade.com/Politics/2011/11/28/Ohioans-boost-pace-of-making-changing-laws-at-ballot-boxes-2.html

Published: 11/26/2011 - Updated: 1 day ago

Bill to have Edison statue languishes

BY JIM PROVANCE
BLADE COLUMBUS BUREAU CHIEF

COLUMBUS -- Over the last year, Ohio lawmakers have fought over everything from collective bargaining rights to congressional redistricting, and from election law to budget cuts.

And through it all, a bill that most people considered to be a feel-good, easy decision has quietly gathered dust in a legislative committee.

It's been nearly a year and a half since Ohioans "elected" prolific inventor and Milan, Ohio, native Thomas Alva Edison to stand for Ohio in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.
http://www.toledoblade.com/Nation/2011/11/26/Bill-to-have-Edison-statue-languishes.html

What’s on tap in Columbus?

Published: Sat, November 26, 2011 @ 12:00 a.m.

Youngstown Vindicator

COLUMBUS

It’s hard to tell what lawmakers have up their sleeves for the few weeks that remain before the holiday break.

With a half a dozen or so potential voting sessions between now and mid-December, when they’re scheduled to leave town for the year, the Republican leaders of the Ohio House and Senate aren’t making it sound like there will be a whirlwind of activity.

“I’m not sure that there’s anything that we feel that we have to do before the end of the year,” House Speaker Bill Batchelder told reporters earlier this month. “We have a couple of matters pending, and I don’t want to get into them at this point, that might command that kind of attention. ... We’re looking at a fairly intensive calendar [next year] again. Perhaps not quite as intensive as passing 80 bills in the first six months [of this year] ....”
http://www.vindy.com/news/2011/nov/26/whats-on-tap-in-columbus/?newswatch

Hagan co-sponsors bill to establish state financial council

By Robert Wang

CantonRep.com staff writer

Posted Nov 27, 2011 @ 03:00 PM

State Rep. Christina Hagan, R-Marlboro Township, is one of the two primary sponsors of a bill backed by Ohio House Republican leaders that would create a council, largely independent of the governor, that would assess the long-term financial outlook of the state government every year.

While House Bill 368 has bipartisan support, it’s apparently been met with a lukewarm reception by Gov. John Kasich, whose Office of Budget and Management performs the bulk of the state’s budget projections.
http://www.cantonrep.com/news/x301774534/Hagan-co-sponsors-bill-to-establish-state-financial-council

No downside to Rep. Hagan’s bill

By Anonymous

Repository Editorial

Posted Nov 28, 2011 @ 12:00 PM

The issue: House Bill 368
Our view: Legislature would benefit from having more data that could affect policy
We don’t see a downside to the proposal that state Rep. Christina Hagan, R-Marlboro Township, and a House colleague are making in a bill they’ve introduced. We apparently have plenty of company in that assessment, as the bill has bipartisan support.

House Bill 368 would create a nonpartisan council of 15 to 21 financial experts that would conduct a yearly analysis of state government’s revenue needs over the following several years.

Right-to-work push lacks GOP leaders' support
http://www.cantonrep.com/opinion/editorials/x1293128857/No-downside-to-Rep-Hagan-s-bill

 

Business First by Jeff Bell, Staff reporter

Date: Friday, November 25, 2011, 6:00am EST

Jeff Bell

Staff reporter – Columbus Business First

Given the political realities of the day, groups hoping to make Ohio a right-to-work state will have to move forward without the backing of influential Republican leaders at the Statehouse and a powerful business association.
Gov. John Kasich, Senate President Tom Niehaus, House Speaker Bill Batchelder, and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce    Ohio Chamber of Commerce Latest from The Business Journals Issue 2 behind him, Kasich ready to chase jobsOhio Issue 3 finally has campaigns on both sidesEPA impact: Ozone control rule revisions could throw state off Follow this company have said this is not the time to rush into another controversial ballot fight with organized labor. They want the focus to return to job creation.
http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/print-edition/2011/11/25/right-to-work-push-lacks-gop-support.html