A Miami Valley state lawmaker has been building support for a plan to stop the mask mandate as soon as possible.
State representative Jena Powell, a conservative republican from Arcanum has introduced a bill to stop the mask order from the governor.
“It’s clear the governor doesn’t care what’s going on in our community. He continues orders and mandates that ...when we say we don’t need those. when hospitalization rate has decreased drastically and instead of lifting the orders and mandates he’s continued them on,” Powell said.
It comes just as DeWine is fighting another bill. That bill would limit his health orders and has already passed the house and senate.
However, DeWine plans to veto it.
DeWine said, “Members of the General assembly...did not take this all the way through. The ramifications that what it would mean for the safety of their fellow citizens in the future.”
DeWine would likely veto this one too, but Republican lawmakers say their plans to limit the governor’s authority...and the mask bill as well...are a move to get back to the right balance of power at the statehouse.
They see DeWine’s orders as going overboard, even though state health authorities are backing the governor.
Powell already says 20 other lawmakers have signed up to co-sponsor her bill and it’s off to a good start.
Powell said, ”when we look around the nation we’re seeing states around the nation lifting their mask mandates we need to ensure Ohio moves along with that as well because the mask order is hurting a lot of people in our state.”
Powell tried to put her plan into another bill here that was being passed, but the house leadership would not allow it.
Cox Media Group
