Batchelder promises
open and fair process in contested House race
By: Joe Hallett
The Columbus Dispatch - February 27, 2013
4:02 PM
Ohio House Speaker
William G. Batchelder, R-Medina, pledged today that a hearing on the contested
race in the 98th House District will be transparent and fair, although no
timetable has been established for considering the case.
Batchelder said he
will meet soon with Minority Leader Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, and then
appoint a committee to resolve a rare contested-election lawsuit filed by
Democrat Josh O'Farrell of New Philadelphia, who lost a close Nov. 6 election
to represent the district -- which includes all of Tuscarawas and part of
Holmes counties -- to Republican Al Landis of Dover.
O'Farrell has charged
that there were "multiple election irregularities" involving
provisional and absentee ballots rejected by the Tuscarawas County Board of
Elections that could have changed the election outcome. Landis' win gave
Republicans a super-majority in the House.
Under state law,
contested elections involving the General Assembly are to be decided by the
legislative branch of the lawmaker whose election is being contested. Ohio
Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor last week ordered all the evidence, transcripts
and other records collected by the court to be transferred to the House. The
committee that Batchelder appoints will hear evidence and testimony and then
submit a recommendation to the full House for a decision. Republicans dominate
the House and are expected to compose a majority on the committee.
House
Honors Chardon Shooting Anniversary, Passes PERS Extension
Hannah Report 2/27/13
Hannah Report 2/27/13
Also
passed was HB67 (Schuring-Ramos), legislation that is moving quickly to delay a
deadline in 129-SB343 in which local governments must determine which
non-public employees may be eligible for Public Employees Retirement System
(PERS) benefits. Bill sponsors Reps. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton) and Dan Ramos
(D-Lorain) said the bill doesn’t make any policy changes, but gives governments
more time to work with PERS on determining eligibility.
After session, House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) briefly discussed the budget, saying he does not yet know if there is support in his caucus for tax reforms proposed by Gov. John Kasich. He said they will be discussing the issue in caucus meetings.
He also said they plan to move quickly to address an elections challenge in the 98th District, where former Rep. Joshua O’Farrell (D-New Philadelphia), is challenging the results of the election that he lost to Rep. Al Landis (R-Dover) by just eight votes. Batchelder said they want to be open and allow Democrats to come in and make their case, and also noted that former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Andy Douglas, who represents the Tuscarawas County Board of Elections in the case, also has indicated he wants to be heard.
Batchelder said they are researching a couple of procedural questions, especially since the challenge is a rarely-used procedure that has not been used in the House in the last century.
After session, House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) briefly discussed the budget, saying he does not yet know if there is support in his caucus for tax reforms proposed by Gov. John Kasich. He said they will be discussing the issue in caucus meetings.
He also said they plan to move quickly to address an elections challenge in the 98th District, where former Rep. Joshua O’Farrell (D-New Philadelphia), is challenging the results of the election that he lost to Rep. Al Landis (R-Dover) by just eight votes. Batchelder said they want to be open and allow Democrats to come in and make their case, and also noted that former Ohio Supreme Court Justice Andy Douglas, who represents the Tuscarawas County Board of Elections in the case, also has indicated he wants to be heard.
Batchelder said they are researching a couple of procedural questions, especially since the challenge is a rarely-used procedure that has not been used in the House in the last century.
Gongwer 2/27/13
Tax Hearing Delayed: Tax Commissioner Joe Testa's planned
presentation of Gov. John Kasich's tax provisions to
the Ways & Means Committee was postponed just a few hours before it was
scheduled to start Wednesday amidst growing concerns among the House GOP
Caucus, which was to meet privately that evening to discuss budget issues.
Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina)
chalked the delay up to a lack of time for what is expected to be a lengthy
hearing given the number of questions that have arisen among his caucus
members.
"We're having the problem I assumed we're
going to have - namely the backup of things," he told reporters after
Wednesday's session. "That particular one is going to be somewhat lengthy
based on what we're hearing from committee members so I think we have to go
ahead with the stuff that I think is not going to be that difficult. We will
return to that, of course."
Asked if it looked like the proposed sales tax
expansion was on thin ice, the speaker said it remains uncertain as to whether
he has the votes for the tax package or not.
"The complexity of it is such that there's
always the alternative that some things may not make it further than the
committee," he said.
Mr. Testa is expected to address a subcommittee
of the Ways & Means panel Thursday morning, however Chairman Rep. Peter Beck (R-Mason) said the
hearing would focus on less controversial aspects of the tax package in the
budget bill (HB 59
).
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