Ohio is operating on a budget extension since lawmakers failed to pass a new two-year state budget by the constitutionally mandated June 30 deadline. Some Democrats are questioning whether time that was spent on a controversial abortion law, recently put on hold by a federal court, could have been used better hammering out details of the state budget.
Democratic State Rep. Richard Brown said Republicans have control over the legislative and executive branch. So he thinks it’s ridiculous the budget wasn’t passed on time.
“This is a deadline that we knew was coming, and we were unable to meet it, which is frustrating. And then we look at how much time was spent on various issues, such as the so-called 'Heartbeat Bill,'" he said.
That bill, which was passed into law, has been put on hold by a federal court that ruled it unconstitutional.
In a written statement, Gail Crawley, spokeswoman for Republican House Speaker Larry Householder, said the House began hearings on its budget before Gov. DeWine unveiled his in March. She noted House committees heard 135 hours of testimony from more than 600 witnesses. And, she said the abortion bill, which was debated in a separate committee, had zero impact on the budget bill.
