October 12

Supreme Court sets hurry-up schedule in Dems’ redistricting referendum lawsuit

By William Hershey | Monday, October 10, 2011, 05:08 PM

Dayton Daily News

The Ohio Supreme Court Monday set a hurry-up schedule in the lawsuit a Democratic group has filed to permit a November 2012 referendum on the 16 new U.S. House districts approved by the Republican-controlled legislature and signed into law by GOP Gov. John Kasich.

The high court also said that House Speaker William Batchelder, R-Medina, and Senate President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, can join the case as respondents with Secretary of State Jon Husted, also a Republican.

The court’s ruling gave all parties until noon Wednesday to file evidence and briefs and until noon Thursday to file replies.
http://www.daytondailynews.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/dayton/ohiopolitics/entries/2011/10/10/supreme_court_sets_expedited_s.html

As Election Day nears, Issue 2 backers, critics ramp up campaigns

John Michael Spinelli

Columbus Government Examiner

October 11, 2011

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CGE) - With Election Day less than a month away, backers and critics of Ohio State Issue 2, which performs radical surgery on the state's decades old collective bargaining bill, are making their pitches to pass or defeat the measure. 

Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has pushed for the changes to the state's collective bargaining bill from his first day on the job, is touring the state, meeting up with other Republican leaders like Ohio House Speaker William Batchelder and Senate President Tom Niehaus in barn appearances.  

Kasich and company say letting SB 5, which limits the bargaining abilities of 350,000 teachers, nurses, firefighters, police and other public workers around the state, stand will help reward teachers who perform and work the hardest and give public managers another tool to control their costs.
http://www.examiner.com/government-in-columbus/as-election-day-nears-issue-2-backers-critics-ramp-up-campaigns

COURT BRIEFS: BRIEFING SCHEDULE SET IN REDISTRICTING CASE; SCHLICHTER PLEADS GUILTY; NEWARK MAN GETS 6 YEARS FOR IRS FRAUD

Gongwer 10/11/11

The Ohio Supreme Court has asked parties to submit briefs in the case involving a potential referendum against the GOP-drawn congressional maps.
Ohioans for Fair Districts, members of the General Assembly and Ohio Democratic Party Chairman Chris Redfern are among challengers to the Republican move to attach funding to the legislation (HB 319 ), which in effect would make the new 16-district map effective immediately and not subject to a referendum.
While also allowing House Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) and Senate president Tom Niehaus (R-New Richmond) to intervene as respondents, the court asked the parties to submit briefs and responses by Wednesday and Thursday, respectively.
http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news_articledisplay.cfm?article_ID=801960206&newsedition_id=8019602&locid=2