Source: The Columbus Dispatch
Republicans have passed legislation that would let state lawmakers change or revoke Ohio’s public health orders over the objections of Democrats and Governor Mike DeWine.
“The most important decisions of the past year were all out of ours hands,” Representative Scott Wiggam, R-Wooster, OH, said. “Shutting down businesses. Telling people you are essential and not essential. Whether or not a mask mandate needs to continue. Those are pretty big decisions, and one person has made those.”
Senate Bill 22, which passed the Ohio House 57-35, would change that by giving state lawmakers the power to rescind or change public health orders issued by any state agency. The Senate concurred with House amendments on March 10.
- Any state of emergency order would expire after 90 days unless lawmakers voted to extend it in 60-day increments
- Lawmakers could terminate the emergency after 30 days
- Creates the Ohio Health Oversight and Advisory Committee with equal members from both chambers
- Bans local boards of health from closing schools, issuing orders for specific types of businesses (i.e. shutting down gyms), or prohibiting public gatherings
- Lets people sue the state on the constitutionality of any order in their county of residence and pays them attorney fees if they win.
There’s also a clear ideological difference between Ohio Republicans and Democrats on whether this amount of legislative oversight would hinder a governor and possibly cost lives during a pandemic.
Gov. Mike DeWine is expected to veto the legislation. Republicans need more than just a simple majority in both the House and Senate. They need enough votes to override a veto – something they haven’t been able to put together on previous health order bills.