Ohio voters to decide on two statwide issues in November

There are two statewide issues appearing on the general election ballot Nov. 7.

The first is an Ohio crime victims proposed initiated constitutional amendment.

Issue 1, the Equal Rights for Crime Victims amendment, commonly known as Marsy’s Law, according to supporters “would have the right to notification of all proceedings as well as be guaranteed the right to be heard at every step of the process. Victims would have the right to have input on all plea deals for offenders as well as the right to restitution resulting from the financial impact of the crime.”

Supporters argue it strengths Ohio’s existing laws that have failed to fully protect the rights of victims. The issue has support from more than 275 lawmakers, local elected officials, prosecutors, law-enforcement officers and crime victim advocates. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine is serving as a co-chairman of the Issue 1 campaign.

Opponents of the issue have said it does not provide additional resources and the government remains immune to liability. When a victim is not notified about a court hearing, a plea bargain or an offender’s release, the victim should have recourse against the government, which is not provided in the issue, Ohio public defender Tim Young said.

The problem in Ohio isn’t the absence of victim’s rights, but a lack of remedy when the government fails to carry out duties owed to the victim, he said.

Issue 2 is the Ohio Drug Price Relief Act,” which proposes to prohibit the state from paying more for the price of prescription drugs than the price the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs pays.

Supporters of the issue say it will end price-gouging practices of the drug industry. They said Ohioans would save $400 million if the proposal is approved.

They argue drug companies keep driving up prices on medicines needed to treat “everything from asthma to cancer until they become too expensive for you to afford or insurance to cover.”

Opponents of Issue 2 argue the proposal is deceptive. Countering the claim that Ohioans would save $400 million, opponents have said it’s “simply false” and blamed on an assumption that Ohio does not already receive “substantial prescription drug discounts.”

“In fact Ohio’s Medicaid program receives federally mandated and voluntarily negotiated discounts that bring its costs down to similar levels to those of the VA,” Ohioans Against the Deceptive Rx Ballot Issue Committee said.

They add an “unprecedented provision gives ballot sponsors a blank check by allowing them to intervene in any legal challenges and requires taxpayers to pay their attorney fees, wins or lose.”

The committee also argues that the issue could increase costs for those with private insurance.