Dewine unsuccessfully sought changes to bill

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio Gov. Mike Dewine unsuccessfully pushed a lastminute compromise with fellow Republican lawmakers over a bill restricting the state's ability to respond to public health emergencies like the pandemic, records show.

The governor was open to giving lawmakers some oversight over public health orders. But he wanted more involvement from them when it came to overturning such orders, according to an email obtained by The Associated Press.

Dewine also proposed putting representatives of the governor's office at the table with lawmakers as they reviewed public health orders, according to the March 21 email from Dan Mccarthy, Dewine's legislative affairs director, to GOP Senate President Matt Huffman.

"We hope they provide a solid foundation for a further conversation," Mccarthy told Huffman, referring to the governor's proposals. The AP obtained the email through a public records request.

The bill in question would allow state lawmakers, by a simple majority, to rescind public health orders issued by the governor or the state Health Department as soon as they take effect, as well as prevent the governor from reintroducing similar orders for at least 60 days.

The bill would also limit state of emergency orders to a period of 90 days but allow lawmakers to extend them in 60-day increments indefinitely.

In proposals made last weekend by GOP Lt. Gov. Jon Husted to Huffman and House Speaker Bob Cupp — both Republicans — Dewine signaled he would support the bill if it called for governors' emergency declarations and orders to remain in place as they do now unless the Legislature acts.

As part of that change, the administration proposed requiring a two-thirds majority to rescind an order within the first 90 days of an emergency, and a three-fifths majority after 90 days, the email said.