The Rundown

Householder: No bills from House to combat spread of COVID-19

By: - May 6, 2020 5:54 pm

Then-Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford, addresses reporters. Photo by Jake Zuckerman, OCJ.

Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford, said Wednesday the majority caucus isn’t working up any bills designed to slow the spread of COVID-19. 

He said the House is crafting legislation designed to repair damage the new coronavirus has caused, like a state unemployment system overwhelmed with 1 million claims in six weeks or uncertainty around November elections.

Speaking to reporters, he said he has no plans to shepherd legislation addressing shortages in COVID-19 testing, contact tracing used to isolate the sick and exposed from the general public, and personal protective equipment. 

We’re really looking to the [Gov. Mike DeWine] administration on that, they’ve been on the frontline of that and they understand the things that need to be done in order to try and work through some of these issues,” he said. 

He made the remarks after the House voted to limit the power of DeWine and Department of Health Director Dr. Amy Acton to issue public health directives like the stay-at-home order currently in effect.

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Jake Zuckerman
Jake Zuckerman

Jake Zuckerman is a statehouse reporter. He spent three years chronicling the West Virginia Legislature for The Charleston Gazette-Mail after covering cops and courts for The Northern Virginia Daily.

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