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Legislature Passes Bill to Sunset State Agencies That Lack Lawmaker Support

(Photo: Ohio Public Radio)

by Karen Kasler

Among the flood of bills that passed this week in the lame duck legislature is a controversial proposal that would require state agencies to be abolished unless lawmakers approve their continued existence.  

Republican State Rep. Lou Blessing III of Cincinnati admited it’s a divisive proposal – lawmakers reviewing 25 state agencies every four years to make sure they’re still doing the work they were created to do.

“That is the key here – we have to actually act in order for these departments to remain in existence,” Blessing said. 

But Democratic State Rep. Kathleen Clyde of Kent says this dangerous bill would create most extreme and radical sunset system in the country.

“Brinkmanship is a bad way to govern,” Clyde said. “People and systems can’t function well under constant threat and constant uncertainty.”

Democrats who made up most of the opposition to the bill are calling on Republican Gov. John Kasich to veto it, since it would directly affect departments and directors in his cabinet.)

Nick Castele was a senior reporter covering politics and government for Ideastream Public Media. He worked as a reporter for Ideastream from 2012-2022.