Thus they keep on doing all they can to shrink the size of the electorate. MCM
Ohio Republicans pass bill to shorten time period for early voting Posted by Aaron Marshall/Plain Dealer Columbus Bureau December 16, 2008 18:55PM Categories: Real Time News http://blog.cleveland.com/openers/2008/12/_columbus_republicans_jammed.html COLUMBUS -- Republicans jammed through an elections reform bill over the objections of most Democrats as the struggle over how and when to best shape Ohio elections law spilled onto the House floor. By a near-party line vote of 54 to 42, Republicans passed the bill, which would shorten the period for early voting. Also passing largely along partisan lines by the Republican-controlled House was a bill that would use up to $200 million in rainy day funds to give bonuses to veterans who served in the Persian Gulf, Iraq and Afghanistan. The salute to veterans passed 53-41 with the Senate expected to act quickly to pass the legislation this week. But a promised veto from Gov. Ted Strickland looms as the Democrat supports an alternative plan to pay for the bonuses through the sale of bonds. Republicans painted the elections bill as much-needed reforms while Democrats questioned the timing with lawmakers now in the final week of the lame duck session wrapping up this year's legislative action. A pair of Democrats -- Columbus Rep. Tracy Heard and Youngstown-area Rep. Bob Hagan -- broke ranks to join Republicans in voting for the bill, which is opposed by Ohio Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner. The legislation goes back to the Senate for concurrence before heading to the desk of Gov. Ted Strickland, who hasn't said he will veto the bill but has questioned the timing. The bill would eliminate a Golden Week window in which citizens can register to vote and cast absentee votes at the same time. It would push the start of early voting from 35 days before the election to 20 days and require absentee voters to fully complete ballot envelope statements to be counted. Election observers would also be allowed to watch voting at all times. House Speaker Jon Husted, a Dayton-area Republican, told reporters the bill was merely intended to implement recent Supreme Court rulings as well as clean up elections law that Brunner has said needs clarification. But Rep. Dan Stewart, a Columbus Democrat, called the legislation the wrong bill at the wrong time and quoted the testimony of a handful of election law experts who all questioned why the bill should be passed now. "It's like dominoes; everything you do then changes something else," Stewart said. Meanwhile, Republicans got help from across the aisle as four Democrats joined them to pass the bonuses for military veterans. Most House Democrats have backed Strickland's preference for bonds, and minority party members were joined by Republican Rep. Diana Fessler in voting against the measure. Rep. Jay Hottinger, the Houses outgoing finance chairman from Newark, compared the debate about how to pay for the bonuses to decisions that cash-strapped families make about paying for Christmas presents. Its time for government to lead by example and to pay as we go, he said. But Democrats argued that tapping the rainy day fund makes no sense given Ohio's precarious economic outlook. "If we dip into the budget stabilization fund, we are going to have to slash programs," said Rep. Michael Skindell, a Lakewood Democrat. "We are probably going to be slashing these same programs that these veterans are relying on a day-to-day basis." Less controversial was a measure known as Emily's law, which passed 93-1. The measure would require that Ohio pharmacy technicians pass a competency test as well as a criminal background check. It is named after Emily Jerry, a 2-year-old Mentor girl who died after a pharmacy technician mistakenly gave the girl an IV with a far too salty mix. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to Mark Crispin Miller's "News From Underground" newsgroup. To unsubscribe, send a blank email to [email protected] OR go to http://groups.google.com/group/newsfromunderground and click on the "Unsubscribe or change membership" link in the yellow bar at the top of the page, then click the "Unsubscribe" button on the next page. For more News From Underground, visit http://markcrispinmiller.com -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
