One of Gov. Mike DeWine’s 14 vetoes struck a provision of the state budget that got a lot of early attention: the erasing of COVID-19 violations by bars and the refunding of the fines they paid.
DeWine said most businesses followed the state’s COVID regulations, with only a few bars that were repeatedly cited for staying open past curfew, selling too many drinks to go and not enforcing social distancing or mask wearing.
“For us to turn around and right now and the few who had to be cited by our liquor control agents, to say to them there’s no consequences for what you did, that would simply not be right. It would send a horrible, horrible, horrible message," DeWine said.
And DeWine noted businesses, restaurants and bars were involved in the development of reopening policies that they would have to follow.
An estimated $100,000 in fines for hundreds of violations of COVID orders by liquor permit holders would have been refunded in that budget provision.
The budget also includes $460 million for grants to help bars, restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues and other businesses hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.
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