Statehouse News Bureau

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Ohio Senate Adjourns Without Overriding Veto On Bill Limiting Public Health Orders

By Jo Ingles

Published December 23, 2020 at 2:55 PM EST

Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Medina) [Jo Ingles / Statehouse News Bureau] — Senate President Larry Obhof (R-Medina)

The Ohio Senate adjourned for the year without overriding Gov. Mike DeWine’s veto of a bill that would have restricted his ability to issue health orders to shut down businesses.

Senate President Larry Obhof said senators have been working out differences with DeWine, a fellow Republican. And another bill (Sub HB609) the Senate passed late Tuesday night does include language that health orders must apply equally to all businesses.

“So that you can’t have the situation we had last spring where small businesses get closed but larger ones because they are deemed essential get to stay open," Obhof said.

Following the pandemic-driven statewide shutdown last spring, there was outcry from many Ohioans and businesses that wanted the ability to limit the governor's health orders. There have been protests at the Statehouse over the issue and most recently, outside Obhof's own Medina home.

Republican lawmakers in both chambers also ran into another problem when trying to come up with enough votes to override the veto since some of them have been out due to COVID-19.