derek merrin
Ohio House Republicans looking to create states rights ‘Tenth Amendment Center’ in AG’s Office
A group of 14 Ohio House Republicans are putting forward a bill to create a states rights “Tenth Amendment Center” within the office of the state attorney general. Ohio House Bill 506 creates a Tenth Amendment center to “actively monitor federal executive orders, federal statutes, and federal regulations for potential abuse or overreach, including assertion […]
Should Ohio businesses have their COVID-19 health violations expunged?
Last spring, a Tiffin bar was caught serving alcohol for on-site consumption when Ohio bars were supposed to be closed. In the fall, a Parma Heights bar was cited for serving alcohol past 10 p.m. in violation of the pandemic curfew. Two weeks later, it was cited again. On Sunday, an Athens bar was cited […]
Bill would remove biz penalties for violating COVID-19 health orders
A Republican lawmaker wants to spare Ohio businesses from facing consequences for violating public health orders enacted to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Rep. Derek Merrin, R-Monclova, introduced House Bill 127 to halt enforcement of coronavirus health orders going forward. It would also require the state to reimburse businesses fined for having violated health orders […]
Many Ohio lawmakers use campaign $$ to subscribe to hometown papers
Dozens of Ohio legislators are choosing to spend their donors’ money in the interest of local journalism. In total, 35 state representatives and senators paid for news subscriptions using campaign funds in 2019, a review from the Ohio Capital Journal has found. And though the president bemoans the alleged problem of “fake news,” it is […]