scott wiggam
Constitutional amendments and initiated statutes: one question or two?
During the most recent hearing for SJR 2 — the Ohio Senate resolution to establish a 60% supermajority for constitutional amendments — Sen. Rob McColley, R-Napoleon, made an interesting assertion. “I personally — not speaking on behalf of any other senator or the caucus — am not opposed to a conversation to make the statutory […]
Revived measure to require 60% for Ohio constitutional amendments gets first hearing
More than a dozen people milled around in crypt-like hallways of the Statehouse basement Wednesday morning. They’d shown up almost an hour early for the first hearing of Ohio House Joint Resolution 1, a proposal which would require 60% of the vote to pass constitutional amendments. Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, brought forward a similar proposal […]
Ohio GOP lawmakers target ‘big tech censorship’
Ohio House Republicans are trying to ban so-called “big tech censorship” within state lines. The move comes as a response to social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook suspending or removing the accounts of prominent conservatives who violate their terms of service. Tuesday, opponents of the measure got a chance to speak before the House […]
Ohio crash data points to need for traffic safety improvements
Ohio is on pace for another high year for traffic fatalities in 2021, though the state is seeing some improvement in the number of crashes caused by distracted driving. State lawmakers are considering a number of traffic safety improvements meant to cut down on the number of crashes and deaths on Ohio roadways. Among them […]
DeWine’s removal of Ohio health orders comes amid legislative pressure
Since passing a bill in March to give themselves power to rescind public health orders, Republican lawmakers in Ohio have been counting the days until that power went into effect. They may not need to use it. In a Wednesday evening address outlining Ohio’s next steps in handling the pandemic, Gov. Mike DeWine announced “it […]
GOP bill seeks to end the Ohio mask mandate
Gov. Mike DeWine has outlined specific metrics the state can hit to trigger an end to Ohio’s public health orders, including the mandate to wear facial coverings in public. A group of Republican legislators think it’s already time to remove the mask mandate. Rep. Jena Powell, R-Arcanum, recently introduced House Bill 202 to terminate the […]
Health orgs. backed Ohio’s pandemic response, then gave $ to politicians working to undermine it
As Ohio lawmakers considered a bill last November to allow themselves to strike down public health orders, a handful of organizations banded together to state their unequivocal opposition. “Now is not the time to let up. The public health crisis is not over,” the organizations told lawmakers. This disagreement in a matter of life and […]
House agrees to safer buggy traffic standards, again rejects masks
Ohio lawmakers again rejected basic infection control protections for a deadly pandemic on Tuesday, shortly before voting to improve safety standards for animal-drawn vehicles on public roadways. The Ohio House of Representatives voted for the third time against mandating that face masks be worn at the Statehouse. Also on Tuesday afternoon, the state health department […]
DeWine again caught in middle of tug-of-war over COVID-19 response
Ohio has reached another crossroads in the battle against COVID-19. Gov. Mike DeWine is once again caught in the middle as the state repeatedly sets new records for virus cases and hospitalizations. After months of a decentralized approach and emphasis on personal responsibility, DeWine now says Ohio faces “a monumental crisis.” As much as the […]
19 lawmakers declared victory over COVID-19 in June. Now it’s spreading in their districts.
Back in June, 19 state legislators joined together to claim that “Ohio smashed the curve long ago. Mission accomplished!” Months later, as Ohio continues to set new records for COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, one of those legislators admits the pandemic has proved to be an “evolving situation.” Another is doubling down on the letter’s message […]
House bill requires health depts. to report COVID-19 data it already reports
Is it that the Ohio Department of Health is deliberately withholding some COVID-19 information from the public? Or, is it that the department does present the information, but does so in a “one-sided” and “convoluted” way? That depends on which supporter of House Bill 624 is talking. But all supporters agree on this view: The […]
Ohio gun owners’ rights during traffic stops under debate
An issue pitting gun owners’ rights against the safety of law enforcement is being debated at the Statehouse. A Republican-backed bill in the Ohio House of Representatives seeks to modify the rules for what a concealed carry permit holder must do when pulled over by police. Current law stipulates they must “promptly inform any law […]