Ohio Senate Bill 22 | The Ohio Star

Ohio Representatives to Release Resolution to Cancel COVID Orders

May 12, 2021May 12, 2021 Jack Windsor

COLUMBUS, Ohio – A member of the Ohio House of Representatives announced that he will release a resolution today at 4:00 p.m. created to cancel statewide masking and distancing mandates.

Representative Scott Wiggam (R-Wooster) announced on Twitter “[t]oday, at 4 pm we will file a concurrent resolution to rescind the restrictive health mandates that have barred Ohioans from their freedoms and liberties granted to them under the Constitution. It will end the mask mandate, school mask mandates, and the social distancing mandate.”

What Senate Bill 22 Does and Does Not Do

March 26, 2021March 26, 2021 Jack Windsor

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Wednesday the Ohio General Assembly (GA) did something that doesn’t often happen – the Republican supermajority delivered veto override votes in both chambers to undo what a Governor from their own party did just one day earlier.

Senate Bill 22 (SB22) is a law that establishes legislative oversight of emergency, standing and special orders issued by state leaders and agencies – giving the General Assembly the power to rescind orders with a concurrent resolution (a simple majority vote of both the House and the Senate) instead of passing a law that requires the Governor’s approval.

Below is a simple list of what the new law does and doesn’t do.

Republican Lawmakers Override DeWine Just One Day After SB22 Veto

March 24, 2021March 25, 2021 Jack Windsor

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Just one day following Governor Mike DeWine’s veto of Senate Bill 22 (SB 22) – legislation aimed at rebalancing power by giving the Ohio Legislature oversight of government rules and orders – the Senate and House both took up the bill and both chambers voted to override the veto.

SB22 will become law in 90 days.

The Senate was first and voted 23-10. Minutes later the House began floor debate and then voted to override 62-37.

DeWine Will Veto Bill Tuesday that Limits his Unchecked Power, State Senator Says They Will Override Wednesday

March 23, 2021March 22, 2021 Jack Windsor

COLUMBUS, Ohio – During a Monday COVID briefing, Ohio Republican Governor Mike DeWine said he will veto Senate Bill 22 (SB22) on Tuesday – a proposed law that provides scope and duration to government power during public health emergencies. After the veto, the bill would then go where it originated, the Ohio Senate. There it could be brought to a veto-override vote.

Ohio Senator Andrew Brenner (R-District 19) told The Ohio Star he believes the upper chamber will consider and override the bill as early as Wednesday – an override would require 20 “yes” votes. It passed the Senate 25-8 the first time.

EXCLUSIVE: One Year Into Mandates Ohio Still Can’t Back Up Policies When Under Oath, Maurice Thompson Says

March 19, 2021March 21, 2021 Jack Windsor

Monday will mark one year since Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the statewide stay at home order signed by then-Director of the Ohio Department of Health Dr. Amy Acton.

Soon after, the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law began litigating to challenge the lawfulness of the orders, “winning many cases,” according to Maurice Thompson, an attorney for the firm.

“One year later, the Department of Health – when under oath – still cannot justify the “Director’s Stay at Home Orders,” said Thompson in a press release similarly titled that he shared exclusively with The Ohio Star on Friday morning.

Ohio Bill Giving Lawmakers Oversight of Emergency Declarations and Orders Sent to Gov. DeWine

March 12, 2021March 12, 2021 Jack Windsor

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Wednesday afternoon Senate Bill 22 passed the Ohio House by a vote of 57 to 37. Five Republicans did not cast a vote – Paul Zeltwanger (Mason), Tracy Richardson (Marysville), Mike Loychik (Bazetta), Jeff LaRe (Violet Twp.), and Ron Ferguson (Wintersville).

One Republican, Nino Vitale, voted against the bill despite being an outspoken opponent to the DeWine Administration’s pandemic health orders. Vitale was also one of a handful of lawmakers who supported articles of impeachment based on alleged executive overreach during the state’s handling of COVID.

The Senate concurred on the House changes so now SB22 will be sent to Governor DeWine where he has the choice to approve, veto or do nothing – in the event of the latter, the bill would become a law after 10 days.

Gov DeWine One Year Ago: I Wouldn’t Read Too Much into the State of Emergency

March 10, 2021March 10, 2021 Jack Windsor

COLUMBUS, Ohio – March 9 was the one-year anniversary of Executive Order 2020-01D, the state of emergency “to protect the well-being of the citizens of Ohio from the dangerous effects of COVID-19.”

During a briefing the same day, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the emergency as a tool to allow the State of Ohio to purchase health-related items.

Following Full Republican Support, Senate Bill to Establish Legislative Oversight of Governor’s and Agency Orders Now in Ohio House

February 23, 2021February 23, 2021 Jack Windsor

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Senate Bill to Establish Legislative Oversite of Governor’s and Agency Orders Now in Ohio House

Last Wednesday Ohio Senate Bill 22 (SB22) passed the upper chamber 25-8 – all Republicans were in favor, all Democrats opposed.

SB22 was introduced by primary sponsors Terry Johnson (R-District 14) and Rob McColley (R-District 1) and establishes legislative oversight to the Governor’s and health orders.

In its original form, the bill granted the General Assembly authority to immediately rescind a public health state of emergency declaration along with rules and orders the Governor and Ohio Department of Health (ODH) issued related to a public a health state of emergency.

In Announcement for U.S. Senate Bid Timken Untangles from Kasich, Binds to Trump

February 19, 2021February 18, 2021 Jack Windsor

Jane Timken, former chairwoman of the Ohio Republican Party (ORP), announced Thursday she will seek the 2022 Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat that is currently occupied by Republican Rob Portman who announced last month he will retire from federal politics at the end of his current term.

New Ohio Senate Bill Would Provide Oversight of Governor and ODH During Public Health Emergencies

January 29, 2021January 29, 2021 Jack Windsor

State Senators Terry Johnson (R-District 14) and Rob McColley (R-District 1) introduced Senate Bill 22 Tuesday, a proposed law aimed at providing oversight to the emergency declarations made by the governor, as well as the governor’s and health orders that flow from the state of emergency.

SB22 gives the legislature the authority, by passing a joint resolution, to immediately rescind a public health state of emergency declaration, as well as related rules and orders.