The House Republican gridlock that’s lead to weeks of dysfunction may soon come to an end. A plan by the interim leader could lead to a new acting speaker, which could open the floodgates for legislation that’s been sitting on the sidelines during the impasse.
There are more than 150 bills waiting for a full chamber vote by the Ohio House. It’s not unusual to have a lot of bills that have been approved by committees or passed in the Senate. But traditionally the House tends to pass a few dozen bills in the last weeks leading up to a long summer break.
That break has already been put off by the speaker impasse, which started in April when Republican Speaker Cliff Rosenberger resigned amid an FBI investigation. Rosenberger has said he has not done anything wrong.
Some of the more prominent bills waiting for a House vote include a crackdown on payday lending, raising the legal age to marry, the so-called “Stand Your Ground” bill, reducing standards for a cosmetology license, and what’s known as the “Reagan Tokes Law” which reforms sentencing and probation.
