The fight over Ohio Redistricting Reform is over...at least for now. Voters last month soundly rejected a measure that would have appointed an independent, non-political commission to draw legislative and congressional lines.
Supporters of the effort are regrouping and trying to determine their next steps. But an Ohio lawmaker says there is an alternate solution: expand the size of the legislature.
State Sen. Bill Blessing of suburban Cincinnati wants to increase the size of the Ohio House from 99 members to 153 members, and the Ohio Senate from 33 members to 51 members. That means both chambers will increase by 54%.
Sen. Blessing is joining us to discuss this proposal.
Snollygoster of the week
Gov. DeWine seems reluctant to wade into the transgender culture war. He vetoed the bill that banned transgender care for minors and banned transgender athletes from competing in sports that do not match their birth identity. The legislature overrode that veto.
Well, last month the legislature passed another bill that bans transgender students from using bathrooms that fit their gender identities. It applies to all public schools, from kindergarten through colleges and universities. DeWine was kind of quiet on the bill...until the evening of Nov. 27, when he signed it without comment.
Did you miss it? Maybe because he signed it late on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and the long holiday weekend.
It's one thing to bury a story on a normal Friday afternoon, but burying and entombing it in concrete the night before a long major holiday weekend. That's very shrewd.
If you have a suggestion for our "Snollygoster of the Week" award, a question or a comment, send them to snollygoster@wosu.org.