As was hinted at on this show last month, Ohio Republican Party chair Matt Borges is likely to have a challenger to his re-election next month. In 2018 election news, Treasurer Josh Mandel has announced he wants a rematch with Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown. And former fighter pilot, astronaut, US Senator, and friend and role model to many, John Glenn, passed away.
Lame duck is finally done, with the usual flood of farewells, presentations, committee meetings and of course bills. Lawmakers leave a stack of legislation on Gov. John Kasich’s desk for him to sign or veto, with some controversial measures buried in that pile. Statehouse News Bureau correspondents Jo Ingles and Andy Chow have been up late this week following the House and Senate, and have the highlights of some of the biggest and most controversial bills.
Another bill that had been in the works for a long while got through the legislature this week. A bill on infant mortality was approved just a few weeks after the latest numbers on the deaths of Ohio infants before their first birthdays. The bill was a bipartisan effort between Sen. Shannon Jones (R-Springboro) and Sen. Charleta Tavares (D-Columbus), and they talk about what they hope it will do to deal with this crisis.
And finally, the Statehouse remembered one of the state’s longest-serving, dedicated and admired public officials this week. A memorial for lawmaker, Cleveland mayor, Governor and US Senator George Voinovich drew a few hundred former staffers, friends and family members, including former First Lady Janet Voinovich.