Ohio’s Republican-dominated House and Senate went six years without even a serious threat of overriding a veto from Gov. John Kasich. Today the House overrode not one but 11 Kasich vetoes.
The veto overrides moved swiftly through the House with one item after another item getting overturned.
Most of what the House retained dealt with Medicaid, such as legislative approval for funding changes, seeking more flexibility on charging premiums and enrollment, and increasing a tax on health insurance to generate local revenue.
Republican House Finance Chair Ryan Smith of Bidwell believes these overrides display an important function of the legislature.
“Today we celebrate independence in the sense of what our forefathers granted to us in our Constitution which is a separate but equal branch of government. I want to be clear it’s not about winning or losing today it’s about exercising the checks and balances that the government has,” said Smith.
These 11 overrides would have to pass the Senate in order to become law.
The House did not take a vote to retain the freeze on Medicaid expansion enrollment. However, Republican House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger says they could bring it up later this year.
Copyright 2017 The Statehouse News Bureau
