Ohio Governor Vetoes Legislation Voiding COVID-19 Order

COLUMBUS, OH — Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed the latest attempt to limit the power of the Ohio Department of Health.

Senate Bill 375 would have voided an order limiting county fairs to junior fair events. Ohio Senators Frank Hoagland and Tim Schaffer proposed voiding that order, arguing it did not protect the health of Ohioans.

The Ohio Department of Health issued the order limiting county fairs in late July. DeWine said the order was necessary to stymie the spread of COVID-19.

In his veto message, the governor said he would be working with health officials to determine how to move forward with fairs in 2021.

"It is imperative that such fairs be conducted in a safe manner that reflect the facts on the ground at the time," DeWine said. The governor added that he would be working with the General Assembly to determine the best path forward, but cautioned that a blanket rescission was not the appropriate response.

The governor's veto was met with applause from state Democrats, like state Rep. Juanita Brent.

“This bill completely disregarded the public health during this pandemic,” Brent said. “I’m glad to see this legislation was vetoed during a time when the cases in Ohio are increasing exponentially and a majority of hospitals are nearing capacity. This legislation put profit before the public health. Good riddance to bad public policy that would have turned our fairgrounds into super-spreader hotspots for COVID-19.”

This was not the first time state Democrats and DeWine were forced into a strange partnership. Ohio Republicans have repeatedly attempted to limit the power of the Ohio Department of Health, claiming the state was overreaching its power.

In December 2002, Senate Bill 311 was vetoed by DeWine. The bill would have given lawmakers the right to vote down orders from the state health department.