February 13

Updated: 6:39 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 | Posted: 6:39 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013

Ohio's treasurer bucks GOP governor on Medicaid

By JULIE CARR SMYTH

The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio —

A fellow Republican state official is bucking Gov. John Kasich's proposed expansion of Medicaid, urging GOP lawmakers to reject the plan for the sake of the state's bottom line.

In a letter sent Monday, Treasurer Josh Mandel urged legislative leaders to oppose Kasich's decision, which was incorporated into the $63.2 billion, two-year budget the governor released last week.

Kasich's office said Mandel's advice ignores the benefit the state's bottom line. The governor has framed the expansion as recapturing Ohioans' tax dollars from the federal government — but Mandel said he doesn't see it that way.

"There is no free money," he wrote to House Speaker William Batchelder and Senate President Keith Faber. "While expanding Medicaid may direct more federal dollars to Ohio in the next few years, in the long term Ohioans will have to repay the debt that is funding federal government spending."

http://www.daytondailynews.com/ap/ap/ohio/ohios-treasurer-bucks-gop-governor-on-medicaid/nWMsj/

 

 

Mandel: Don’t expand Medicaid

By Joe Vardon

The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday February 13, 2013 6:52 AM

A spokesman for House Speaker William G. Batchelder, R-Medina, said he “is appreciative of the comments made by Treasurer Mandel on this important issue and looks forward to discussing this more with the members of the House in the near future.”

http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2013/02/13/mandel-dont-expand-medicaid.html

 

 

Treasurer Josh Mandel urges lawmakers to reject Kasich's recommendation to expand Medicaid

By Robert Higgs, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer
on February 12, 2013 at 6:45 PM, updated February 12, 2013 at 6:49 PM

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel, citing concerns over a growing federal debt, has urged the General Assembly to reject Gov. John Kasich's recommendation that the state expand its Medicaid program to cover people who earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.

"There is no free money," Mandel said in a letter dated Monday. "While expanding Medicaid may direct more federal dollars to Ohio in the next few years, in the long term Ohioans will have to repay the debt that is funding federal government spending."

Mandel sent the letter to fellow Republicans William Batchelder, the House Speaker, and Keith Faber, the Senate President. Members of both houses and Kasich, another fellow Republican, also got copies.

Mike Dittoe, director of communications for the House Republican Caucus, acknowledged that the letter was received, but said Batchelder was in meetings all day Tuesday and as of late afternoon had not seen it.

Batchelder has not taken a formal position on the expansion of Medicaid. Committee hearings on the budget are just beginning, Dittoe said, and the speaker will wait for advice, particularly from Rep. Ron Amstutz, who chairs the House Finance Committee and is shepherding the budget through the chamber, and Rep. Barbara Sears, who has expertise on the issue of Medicaid.

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2013/02/treasurer_josh_mandel_urges_la.html

 

 

Beck subject of 3 Ohio probes

Rep files countersuit against 14 investors

Feb 12, 2013

 

Written by

Paul E. Kostyu

COLUMBUS — State Rep. Peter A. Beck is the subject of three separate state investigations, according to his attorney.

Meanwhile, Beck this week in Hamilton County Common Pleas Court countersued those who filed a lawsuit against him. The initial suit alleges he participated in a fraud that cheated investors out of more than $1.2 million. Beck is seeking more than $25,000, punitive damages and attorney fees.

The state investigations of the Republican former mayor of Mason are coming from:

• The Joint Legislative Ethics Committee, which is trying to determine whether Beck used his position as a state lawmaker for financial gain.

Konrad Kircher, Beck’s Mason-based attorney, told The Enquirer he has heard neither from the committee nor from the legislative inspector general, Tony W. Bledsoe, who conducts investigations for the committee. Bledsoe said he could neither confirm nor deny an investigation by his office.

House Speaker William G. Batchelder, R-Medina, told The Enquirer on Jan. 7 that the ethics committee, which he chairs, was investigating Beck.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130212/NEWS/302120123/Beck-subject-3-Ohio-probes

 

 

Mandel Urges Legislators to Reject Kasich's Proposed Medicaid Expansion

Hannah Report 2/12/13

Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel weighed in on the state budget debate this week, sending a letter to House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) and Senate President Keith Faber (R-Celina) urging them to reject Gov. John Kasich's proposed Medicaid expansion.

In a one-page letter, Mandel said that while the federal government is promising to pay for the expansion in the near term, he is concerned that an expansion of Medicaid "will overwhelm an already broken system and place an unbearable burden on generations of Ohioans."

In response to the letter, House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) spokesman Mike Dittoe said in a statement that the speaker “is appreciative of the comments made by Treasurer Mandel on this important issue and looks forward to discussing this more with the members of the House in the near future. Treasurer Mandel has been willing to serve our country on the battlefield and is an excellent public servant in the office of the Treasurer. He thanks Treasurer Mandel for his sincere thoughts on this issue, which the speaker believes further demonstrates his continuing commitment to the protection of our state and nation.”.

http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=191932

Legislators, Farmers Connect on 'Ag Day at the Capitol'

Hannah Report 2/13/13

The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation (OFBF) held its 2013 Ag Day at the Capitol Tuesday by connecting bureau members with legislative leaders as the General Assembly prepares to dive into the budget.

House Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) and Reps. Dave Hall (R-Millersburg) and Tim Derickson (R-Oxford) addressed the group and stressed the importance of Ohio's agriculture industry, urging farmers to share their input with Statehouse leaders whenever possible.

Hall, chairman of the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee, said that one of his main priorities is to focus on so-called "orphan wells," abandoned oil wells with possible faulty structures. Hall explained that there are wells around the state that were stripped of their casing during World War II to be recycled for military use.

http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=191934

 

 

 

State Treasurer Urges Lawmakers To Reject Governor's Call For Medicaid Expansion

The largest rift yet among Republicans debating an expansion of Medicaid opened up Tuesday with Treasurer Josh Mandel's call for the GOP-led legislature to reject Gov. John Kasich's proposal.

Declaring there is "no free money," Mr. Mandel said in a letter to legislative leaders, "If Ohio's leaders take the bait today, I fear that generations of Ohio taxpayers will be on the hook for the long-term costs of expanding Medicaid." Mr. Mandel said he was concerned that expanding Medicaid in Ohio to cover all people up to 138% of the federal poverty level "will overwhelm an already broken system and place an unbearable burden on generations of Ohioans."

"While the proposed 'opt-out' trigger is a well-intentioned safeguard to retract Medicaid's expansion if the federal government reduces its funding share, I am concerned whether such a safeguard would be honored in the future, because history has shown that once a government benefit is given it is rarely taken away," the treasurer said.

Gov. Kasich argued in proposing the expansion - an act that ran counter to many of his GOP counterparts in other states - that it would positively impact Ohio's "job-friendly climate," insurance premiums, hospitals and the mental health safety net.

Gov. Kasich has also pointed to the proposal's expected "recapturing" of $13 billion in federal tax dollars over seven years that could be invested in health care initiatives.

Even though 230,000 Ohioans who are already eligible for Medicaid are expected to join with no additional federal financing, the state's share of Medicaid expenses is expected to decrease by $23 million and $68 million during FY 2014 and FY 2015, respectively, because of savings from those who leave the program and the federal government's coverage of newly eligible individuals.

While GOP lawmakers have privately expressed reservations with the governor's plan and Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) has predicted it could be a hard sell for his caucus, a broad coalition of supporters, including some conservative-minded groups such as Ohio Right to Life, has coalesced around the budget bill (HB 59 ) proposal.

http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news.cfm?article_ID=820290202

 

February 11

Billions in federal Medicaid funds will go to Ohio families and health-care providers

Published: Fri, February 8, 2013 @ 12:00 a.m.

Vindicator

There will be considerable de- bate over various elements of Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s budget, but one part of it makes such perfect sense that it ought to sail through the General Assembly. That’s Kasich’s proposal to expand Medicaid coverage in the state under the Affordable Care Act.

Kasich becomes one of five Republican governors to recognize the wisdom of expanding Medicaid, but the fact that he’s one of only five shows what a divisive partisan issue Medicaid and the ACA have become. Then, too, there’s a statement to reporters by House Speaker William Batchelder that the idea poses philosophical questions for lawmakers who oppose the ACA’s mandate that almost everyone have health insurance.

But other opponents of the ACA have pointed out, everybody in America already has health care — all they have to do is go to the emergency room. And while that may be at least partially true, the problem is that hospitals, doctors and subcontractors who provide emergency services eventually pass along most of their losses to their paying customers.

http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/feb/08/billions-in-federal-medicaid-funds-will-/

 

 

Hannah Report 2/8/11

Meet the Freshmen: Mike Curtin

Quick Bio
Age: 61
Party: Democrat
Occupation: Legislator, retired from the Columbus Dispatch
Education: B.A. in Journalism, Ohio State University
Path to General Assembly: Won election to the 17^th House District, a new district created by the Ohio Apportionment Board in Franklin County
Personal: Married, two children
Website: www.mikecurtin.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/FriendsofMikeCurtin

Curtin said he hopes House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) will change his mind about wanting redistricting and reapportionment reform to go through the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission, “because it looks to me that it’s a recipe for putting it in the freezer and letting it cool for a while.” He said all the data and debate on the issue is out there, and the only remaining sticking points are about whether it includes a sentence or two on competitiveness, the trigger date, and a tie-breaker mechanism.

He said he would not like to see reform wait until 2020, but said he is a pragmatist and is for getting whatever brings reform.

Overall, he said he will see his legislating style as “slow and methodical,” and said he doesn’t see himself sponsoring many bills. Using a sports analogy, he said he’s going let the game come to him. He said he plans to pour his efforts into helping his district, which he said has many challenges, including a need for jobs, improved public safety, and solutions to a high number of abandoned houses from foreclosures. http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=191910

 

 

Hannah Report 2/7/13

CCS Releases Third Edition of Follow the Money

The Center for Community Solutions (CCS) recently released the third edition of Richard Sheridan's Follow the Money: State Budgeting in Ohio -- this version edited and updated by Terry Thomas.

Since 2000, when the book was first published, it has been a source of information about all things related to Ohio's budget including political considerations during budget deliberations to the interaction between state, federal and local budgets.

Specifically, topics covered include the following:

- History of state budgeting in Ohio.
- Ohio's budgeting practices.
- Revenue sources and tax structure.
- Executive budget development.
- Program and budget analysis.
- Politics of budgeting.
- Implementation of the budget.
- Capital improvements budget.
- Possible budget reforms.

House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) calls the book "a dependable resource for understanding how principles become policies."

Sheridan, who died in 2009, served as the state's first Legislative Budget Officer, moving on to teach, work for the auditor of state and then consult with CCS. Thomas, too, has an extensive history in the state, having worked as an analyst for the Legislative Service Commission; president of the State Controlling Board; stints at the departments of development and job and family services and Board of Regents; and founding executive director of the Ohio Association of Community Colleges.
http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=191895

February 5

Updated: 4:43 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4, 2013 | Posted: 4:42 p.m. Monday, Feb. 4, 2013

Ohio GOP governor backs federal Medicaid expansion

By ANN SANNER

The Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio —

Ohio's Republican governor announced Monday he will push for expanding Medicaid under the federal health care law, a move that would give many more poor people access to government care.

It also sets up a potential fight among the governor and Republicans who control the state Legislature and are strongly against President Barack Obama's health care law.

The state anticipates more than 365,000 Ohioans will be eligible for coverage beginning in 2014 by expanding Medicaid, the health program for the poor that already provides care for one of every five residents in the state.

A broad group of Ohio's doctors, hospitals and health providers back the idea, as does the Ohio AARP.

Gov. John Kasich, who last summer called the federal health overhaul a "massive new tax on the middle class," proposed the Medicaid expansion in his two-year budget plan released Monday. He now must persuade Republican state lawmakers to back the plan despite the fact that many dislike the law's mandated coverage and campaigned against it just a few months ago.

Kasich reiterated his opposition to what he called "Obamacare," saying "I don't believe in the individual mandate."

"But I think that this makes great sense for the state of Ohio," he added.

If Ohio doesn't extend Medicaid, his administration said, federal tax dollars will be used to expand health coverage in other states and give businesses elsewhere a competitive advantage by creating a healthier workforce.

The leader of the Ohio House has said his fellow Republicans have concerns about the expense of expanding Medicaid. House Speaker William Batchelder told reporters the idea also poses philosophical questions for lawmakers who oppose the law's mandate that almost everyone obtain health insurance.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/ap/ap/legislative/ohio-gop-governor-backs-federal-medicaid-expansion/nWFcg/

 

 

 

IN-DEPTH: Kasich unveils budget plan for Ohio

Lower income. Sales taxes. Tax services

Feb 5, 2013 |

 

Written by

Paul E. Kostyu

COLUMBUS — Ohio’s governor wants to spend more money, but cut tax rates significantly over the next two years in a budget called “Jobs 2.0” he released Monday.

GOP-run legislature makes next moves

The budget proposal now goes to the Legislature, where it will be dissected first in the House and then in the Senate. The two chambers must approve the budget and Kasich sign it before June 30, the end of the 2013 fiscal year.

Legislative leaders were briefed on the budget Monday morning. House Speaker William G. Batchelder, R-Medina, attended the more than 90-minute briefing of the budget by Kasich, Budget Director Timothy S. Keen and other members of the administration.

Batchelder didn’t comment, but he nodded his head in agreement throughout the news conference. House Minority Leader Armond Budish, D-Beachwood, in a statement praised the governor’s proposed expansion of Medicaid.

Kasich took pains to reiterate his strong opposition to President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act, but he also complimented the Obama administration for reaching out to Ohio to discuss how the state can best move forward with the Medicaid expansion.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130204/NEWS010801/302040149/Kasich-Lower-income-sales-taxes-tax-services

 

 

IN-DEPTH: Ohio to seek expansion of Medicaid coverage

Kasich must now persuade his own party to embrace one Obamacare option

Feb 5, 2013

 

Written by

Lisa Bernard-Kuhn

Countless health care groups and non-profits applauded Gov. John Kasich’s decision Monday to expand Medicaid coverage to hundreds of thousands low-income Ohioans under his proposed two-year state budget.

The move positions Ohio among a growing contingent of Republican-led states that are leaning toward extending coverage, an option given to states under the federal Affordable Care Act, the law dubbed Obamacare and opposed by most GOP officials.

The proposal will now be up to Ohio’s legislature to decide. That means Kasich will have to get to work converting members of his own party in order to bring $13 billion in federal funds to the state and extend coverage to at least 275,000 additional low-income Ohioans.

“I am not a supporter of Obamacare,” Kasich said Monday, “but I think (Medicaid expansion) makes great sense for the state because it will allow us to deliver care using our dollars for people who, up until now, haven’t been able to afford (healthcare insurance) through their job, or they were not able to find a job.”

About 2.2 million Ohioans currently have Medicaid coverage.

Kasich estimated that at least 275,000 more Ohioans would be eligible under the expanded program. But other estimates show as many as 600,000 Ohioans could be eligible.

Another 300,000 Ohioans are expected to fall into a category officials call the “woodwork effect”: People who are currently eligible but not enrolled and expected to sign up in the coming years. The federal government would not be on the hook for covering the costs those individuals, officials have said.

In Hamilton County, at least 38,000 adults would meet the new income guidelines. Among them is Dennis Gaitskill of Over-the-Rhine. The 53-year-old is a resident of the Jimmy Heath House, a facility operated in part by Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services. The non-profit serves local residents battling alcohol addiction and homelessness.

In two years Gaitskill has lived at the house, he says the facility has helped coordinate his medical care and is helping him find a job. But without Medicaid, or an employer to help cover his health insurance costs, he’s had to lean on local clinics in lieu of a primary care doctor. He often goes without some pricier prescriptions. He also has to wait months for test results that would otherwise take a just days to get back from a primary physician.

“Now, I just get lost in the system,” he said.

Under the expanded program, 80 percent of Jimmy Heath’s 80 clients would be eligible for Medicaid.

“It’s going to be huge for our folks,” said Gregg Pieples, program director at Jimmy Heath. “At least 18 percent of them have a cancer diagnosis. As it stands now, many are still going to the emergency room to get care.”

The expanded program “deserves thoughtful consideration by the legislature,” said House Speaker William G. Batchelder, R-Medina, who has opposed the Affordable Care Act.

http://news.cincinnati.com/article/20130204/NEWS/302040156/Ohio-seek-expansion-Medicaid-coverage

 

 

February 4

Kasich the frustrated

Published: February 3, 2013 - 11:28 PM

Akron Beacon Journal

Kasich the frustratedFebruary 04,2013 04:28 AM GMTBeacon Journal Publishing Co. Copyright � 2013 Beacon Journal Publishing Co. Inc and Black Press. All Rights Reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of any of the contents of this service without the express written consent of the Akron Beacon Journal is expressly prohibited.

When John Kasich unveiled JobsOhio, he championed the benefits of bringing a private sector spirit to public efforts in economic development. A more nimble and flexible state would move at the speed of business. That was the idea. The reality has been frustrating for the governor, with JobsOhio at the center of a lengthy court battle, critics arguing the program violates the state constitution by routing public money into private enterprises.

The governor’s frustration spilled over last week as he answered questions from reporters. He labeled as “nihilists” and “obstructionists” those behind the lawsuit. He accused them of using “these tactics to try to destroy economic development so somehow they can get back into power and do more damage than they’ve already done.”

At one point, the governor added: “These are people who are going to have to answer to a much higher power than me about why they have appealed and appealed and appealed.”

Hell-raisers, in other words?

Clearly, the governor had in mind ProgressOhio, a liberal group, and two Democratic lawmakers involved in the lawsuit. Worth noting is that the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law, a conservative outfit, also has joined the cause.

Is there “no legitimacy to this,” as the governor asserted? The effort simply “designed to wreck the progress that we’re making in Ohio”?

Bill Batchelder, the House speaker and Republican in good standing, raised early concerns about the constitutionality of JobsOhio, sending the measure to the Senate with question marks. Provisions in the constitution reflect the experience of the 1800s, the state plowing public money into the development of a private transportation network. Abuses and corruption followed, leading to prohibitions on state funding of private endeavors.

http://www.ohio.com/editorial/editorials/kasich-the-frustrated-1.370321

 

 

Here are 10 things to know about Ohio General Assembly

Published: Sat, February 2, 2013 @ 12:00 a.m.

By Marc Kovac

news@vindy.com

COLUMBUS

State lawmakers get back to work this month after a few weeks of ceremony, organizational meetings and caucus retreats to outline priorities for the year.

They’ll begin next week with hearings on Gov. John Kasich’s biennial budget proposals.

Here are 10 things to think about as the Ohio General Assembly begins its work for 2013 and 2014:

1. New and old faces: There are 99 representatives in the Ohio House and 33 members of the Ohio Senate. Thirty House members are in their first full terms. More than 20 are in their final term in the House, including Democratic Rep. Bob Hagan from Youngstown.

2. Leadership: The Republican leaders of the House and Senate cannot run for re-election due to term limits.

House Speaker Bill Batchelder, from Medina, began serving in the Ohio House in 1969, left office due to term limits and then returned for another stint. He will serve through the end of 2014.

Senate President Keith Faber, from Celina, also is in his final term; he will serve through the end of 2016.

3. Lawyers: Batchelder, a retired judge, and Rep. Matt Huffman, a licensed attorney from Lima, recently confirmed that the Ohio House has the fewest number of lawyers in its ranks in recent history. Fewer than two dozen hold law licenses.

http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/feb/02/here-are--things-to-know-about-ohio-gene/

 

 

Hannah Report 2/1/13

ELECTIONS

"be noncontroversial stuff," and that it will also reintroduce a redistricting plan he sponsored with Sen. Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) in the 129th General Assembly.

House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) said it is still his hope to have redistricting reform go through the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission, adding that the panel has people "who have a different attitude" about the way things should be done than those who would be affected under the current system. He said he would also like to see hearings around the state.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE

The first round of House bills dropped during Wednesday's session, with the House Republicans issuing 10 bills addressing topics such as workforce development, local government performance, municipal tax reform, sweepstakes machines, and school safety. House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) said the bills are not a part of an official House Republican "priorities list," but said they do "reflect some of the bigger issues we will face in the first six months."

http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=191839

 

 

Kasich Budget Would Cut Income Taxes Across The Board, Raise Revenues Elsewhere; Medicaid Shake-Up Planned

Gongwer 2/1/13

Gov. John Kasich's budget plan will entail across-the-board reductions in the personal income tax and offset the revenue reductions with loophole closures and a broadening of the sales tax base, according to sources familiar with the package.

The governor's second biennial budget proposal, to be unveiled on Monday, will also include the increase on oil and gas severance taxes that he originally proposed last year but was stripped out of the mid-biennium review budget by majority House Republicans, the sources said.

As previously announced, Mr. Kasich will also adopt the new higher education funding system developed in consultation with college and university leaders. (See Gongwer Ohio Report, November 30, 2012)

Lawmakers also expect him to propose moving forward with the voluntary Medicaid expansion under the federal Affordable Care Act to cover individuals up to 138% of the federal poverty level - a move that would actually save the state general revenue fund money to the tune of an estimated $50 million in fiscal year 2014 and $114 million in FY 2015.

Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) said recently the Medicaid expansion faces skepticism within his caucus even though the federal government will pick up nearly all of the tab for the first several years.

http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news.cfm?article_ID=820220201

February 1

Gov. John Kasich's school plan would dramatically overhaul Ohio's funding formula

By Patrick O'Donnell, The Plain Dealer The Plain Dealer
on January 31, 2013 at 2:00 PM, updated January 31, 2013 at 8:12 PM

Ohio House Speaker William G. Batchelder, a Medina Republican, said through a spokesman that the House would thoroughly review the plan, and he hopes that both Democrats and Republicans would support it.

"The speaker believes, and I know his caucus believes, that we really do have to focus on student success," spokesman Mike Dittoe said. "That's what this is all about, and he's very confident that governor's plan will do just that. It'll be a plan that helps the students, and it'll help the teachers."

http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2013/01/gov_john_kasichs_school_plan_d.html

 

 

An update on lawmaker action and other activities at the Ohio Statehouse related to horizontal

Published: Fri, February 1, 2013 @ 12:00 a.m.

An update on lawmaker action and other activities at the Ohio Statehouse related to horizontal hydraulic fracturing:

Frack Tax: Gov. John Kasich continued his push to increase taxes on oil and gas production, using the proceeds to reduce the state’s income tax rates.

During a year-end interview with reporters, Kasich said he would continue his push to hike severance taxes as part of a larger tax-reform package expected to be unveiled in coming weeks.

“... Modernizing the severance tax keeps us as the lowest severance tax state in the country,” Kasich said. “There is no danger that people are running away. Since we’ve been talking about this, they’ve continued to invest billions.”

He added, “I think there’s an apprehension, if you put this on, are you going to drive somebody away? Are you kidding me? ... I’ve done some foreign travel, down to Houston, and every single time I meet with the industry privately, you know what they say? We should take this and run. But then they get their lobbyists and all these other people and they obscure the issue.”

Mixed Reaction: The Republican leaders of the Ohio House and Senate had somewhat mixed reactions to the governor’s comments.

Outgoing Senate President Tom Niehaus said he expected action on the issue in 2013.

Republican House Speaker Bill Batchelder, from Medina, said he didn’t think there was “any question we ultimately will support it. I think that we have a number of questions. ... I certainly want to make sure that what we’re going to see in that area is the kind of growth that will provide jobs in Ohio that will bring corporate headquarters here.”

http://www.vindy.com/news/2013/feb/01/an-update-on-lawmaker-action-and-other-a/

 

 

Senate Preparing to Introduce ‘Noncontroversial’ Elections Reform, Redistricting Plan

Hannah Report 1/31/13

Senate President Keith Faber (R-Celina) said Wednesday the Senate will be introducing legislation early to address election reform that he said will mostly “be noncontroversial stuff,” and that it will also reintroduce a redistricting plan he sponsored with Sen. Nina Turner (D-Cleveland) in the 129th General Assembly.

House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) said it is still his hope to have redistricting reform go through the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission, adding that the panel has people “who have a different attitude” about the way things should be done than those who would be affected under the current system. He said he would also like to see hearings around the state.

 http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=191812

 

 

Legislative Leaders Discuss Voter Fraud, Photo ID, Redistricting

Gongwer 1/31/13

 

Asked about Secretary of State Jon Husted's directive asking county boards of election to investigate allegations of voter fraud and suppression (see separate story), Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) expressed concern about the potential impact on pending charges stemming from last year's election.

In Medina County, 12 cases of potential voter fraud have already been sent to a grand jury, he said, and intervention by the secretary of state's office might not be the best way to resolve the disputes. "I hope he won't get in the way of a grand jury or a prosecutor."

http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news.cfm?article_ID=820210206

 

 

 

Kasich Advocates ‘Loser-Pays' Legal System, Disputes Court Case Will Raise JobsOhio Bond Costs

Gongwer 1/31/13

Gov. John Kasich on Thursday said he is "very close" to seeking a loser-pays legal system in Ohio amid frustration about a lengthy court battle over his JobsOhio economic development entity.

Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) said he would approach any proposal to require failed litigants pay the defendants' court costs "awfully cautiously."

He noted the legislature previously debated a similar concept during deliberations on tort legislation.

"It's never found much favor. I think most people feel that we really ought to give access to the courts, and between you and me, Article I of the constitution guarantees it," he said in an interview.

"I understand why John's upset. I mean, this litigation wasn't brought by a constitutional lawyer or a bond house or anything else. It was brought by the other political side," Speaker Batchelder added, noting the legislature approved the bill creating JobsOhio nearly two years ago.

http://www.gongwer-oh.com/programming/news.cfm?article_ID=820210204