May 1

Speaker Batchelder Clips

May 1, 2012

Thursday, April 26, 2012
Ohio GOP steps back from another controversial election bill
Opponents offer a compromise Speaker Batchelder wants to consider
by WKSU's STATEHOUSE CORRESPONDENT JO INGLES

Ohio lawmakers have put on hold the repeal of a controversial election law that’s already faces a voter referendum in the fall. Ohio Public Radio’s Jo Ingles explains why.

Majority Republicans in the Ohio House were ready to vote on a bill that would have repealed the controversial election law. But at the last minute, House leaders pulled the repeal legislation from consideration.

The reason?

Republican House Speaker Bill Batchelder of Medina wants to take a closer look at an offer backed by the group that put the referendum on the fall ballot. Democratic State Representative Kathleen Clyde of Kent says the proposal involves a second bill, into which GOP lawmakers duplicated one of their most controversial election changes.
http://www.wksu.org/news/story/31534

Hannah Report 4/27/12

Week In Review

FY12-13 BUDGET/MID-BIENNIUM REVIEW (MBR)

The House Finance and Appropriations Committee approved the general Mid-Biennium Review bill, HB487 (Amstutz) Tuesday after several further changes, including removal of an earlier amendment to prioritize federal family planning money in a way that effectively de-funded Planned Parenthood. House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) said lawmakers had concerns about unintended consequences. The House also set up a potential confrontation with Gov. John Kasich with a $30 million expansion of money available for nursing homes that meet quality benchmarks, a move the governor's office said it opposes.

The House passed the main Mid-Biennium Review legislation, HB487, alongside MBR tax policy changes in HB508 and local government reforms in HB509 on Wednesday. Democrats criticized HB487 as a missed opportunity to begin helping schools and local governments that suffered cuts in the biennial budget. Republicans batted back a wave of Democratic amendments, including creation of a "Kids and Communities First Fund" that would give grants to local jurisdictions from surplus revenues, the Rainy Day Fund and energy tax collections. But a few Democratic amendments went through, including a change to the unclaimed funds program, an amendment dealing with a "SellOhio" initiative and the removal of sovereign immunity language related to the Ohio Department of Transportation. The House also passed follow-up JobsOhio legislation, HB489 (Dovilla-C. Hagan).
http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=189266

Politics Notebook: Brown Hits Airwaves; Stinziano Urges Elections Compromise; OEC Praises, Criticizes House Action On Lake Erie

Gongwer 4/27/12

Election Law: Rep. Michael Stinziano (D-Columbus) encouraged Republicans to compromise on last year's controversial election law (HB 194 ) after the House held off voting on a proposal to repeal the measure legislatively (SB 295 ) earlier this week.

"Senate Bill 295 left the Senate along partisan lines and was viewed by many as an unclean attempt to repeal HB194 before Ohio voters can decide on it this November. I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to put aside politics and work towards a bipartisan compromise that is in the best interest of every Ohioan," he said.

Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) delayed a vote on the bill to allow for negotiations with Fair Elections Ohio, the petition committee that is pursuing a referendum on HB194. (See Gongwer Ohio Report, April 25, 2012)

Petitioners are willing to ask Secretary of State Jon Husted to remove the issue from the November ballot if Republicans include Rep. Stinziano's amendment before passing SB 295, according to the House Democratic Caucus. The rider would restore the final three days of in-person early voting before Election Day.

"We have an opportunity to end voter confusion and restore voter confidence at the ballot box and in elected officials. I think it is time that we do away with the partisan politics that surrounded the passage of HB194 so we can begin the process of working together to craft future bipartisan election reform after the November election," Rep. Stinziano said.
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news.cfm?article_ID=810820206

Workers Compensation Bills On Hold As House GOP Meets With Unions; BWC To Hold Line On Premium Rates

Gongwer 4/30/12

House Republicans have called a time out on workers' compensation legislation after labor unions and Democrats decried the proposal as the GOP's latest "attack" on the middle class.

Promoted by Bureau of Workers' Compensation Administrator Steve Buehrer as an effort to get injured workers the care they need to return to work more quickly, the swift negative response caught Republicans off guard, House Insurance Committee Chairman Rep. Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) said Monday.

The package of three bills introduced earlier this month (HB 516 , HB 517 & HB 518 ) had been scheduled for testimony in the Workers' Compensation Subcommittee last week, but hearings were cancelled to give the caucus more time to meet with labor unions and other interested parties, he said.

http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news.cfm?article_ID=810830205