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Dayton
Business Journal
Ohio’s Republican
majority pushing agenda through
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
You’ve got to give Ohio Senate and House Republicans an “A” for
consistency when it comes to their priorities for the 129th General
Assembly.
According to a report by the Columbus Biz Insider, the top five bills
introduced in the Senate on Tuesday sounded many of the same themes
heard a month ago when House Speaker Bill Batchelder, R-Medina,
outlined the priorities he and his GOP colleagues will advance in the
coming months.
For starters, the Senate followed the House’s lead and made Republican
Gov. John Kasich’s JobsOhio program its first order of business. Senate
Bill 1, sponsored by Sen. Mark Wagoner, R- Ottawa Hills, would
authorize the creation of JobsOhio, the non-profit economic development
corporation that would replace the Ohio Department of Development.
Republicans in the House passed their version of the JobsOhio plan –
House Bill 1 – in a party-line vote Tuesday much to the chagrin of
Democrats who proposed numerous amendments that were shot down by
Republicans. The Dems’ gripes about the bill focused mainly on what
they claim is lack of transparency and accountability provisions for
JobsOhio.
While their complaints were duly noted, House Democrats, outnumbered by
a 59-40 margin by Republicans, lacked the votes to derail the JobsOhio
train. Statehouse watchers expect the same thing to happen in the
Senate in the coming weeks since Republicans hold a 23-10 majority in
that chamber.
The other four Senate priority bills would provide for common sense
regulation of businesses, reform of Ohio’s five public pension systems
to put them on firmer financial ground, performance audits of state
agencies and an overhaul of Ohio’s collective bargaining laws.
Senate President Tom Niehaus, R-New Richmond, said in a release the
legislative priorities focus on fiscal responsibility, job creation and
streamlining government.
“Our constituents sent us to the Statehouse to make the decisions that
will get our state back on track,” he said. “The measures we are
introducing demonstrate that the Senate is serious about encouraging
job growth, reducing the tax burden on families and businesses and
making government more efficient.”
Two Central Ohio legislators, Sens. Jim Hughes, R-Columbus, and Tim
Schaffer, R- Lancaster, will get some face time by being the lead
sponsors for the regulatory reform and performance audit bills,
respectively.
The five bills were among 60 introduced Tuesday by Republican and
Democratic senators. The Democratic caucus is singing the economic
development and job-creation tune, too, but being outnumbered by so
many votes will likely make the Dems little more than bit players in
the Republican show.
Dayton Business Journal
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