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 Lou Blessing III of Cincinnati admits it’s a divisive proposal – lawmakers will review 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.”
But Democrat 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. 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.
