Efforts Continue By GOP

Efforts by Republican state lawmakers, moving to ask Ohio voters this August to raise the threshold for passing future constitutional amendments…with the idea of thwarting a November abortion rights question…are again plagued by delays. The contingent championing the idea had continued to press forward even as former attorneys general of both parties joined a growing chorus in opposing their plan. Other foes the idea include a coalition of more than 200 labor, faith, voting rights, civil rights and community groups, the state’s four living former governors and, as of Tuesday, the Ohio Libertarian Party. Two Ohio House committees that had separate possible votes scheduled Tuesday failed to act before Republican House Speaker Jason Stephens’ deadline to set the next day’s House calendar. Once it was missed, Stephens canceled the session. The next House session is scheduled for May 10, the deadline that the secretary of state has set for an as-yet-hypothetical August ballot.