COLUMBUS, Ohio — Getting President Joe Biden on Ohio's November election ballot and banning foreign money contributions to statewide ballot initiatives took center stage again Wednesday at the Ohio Statehouse.
Gov. Mike DeWine called the legislature into a special session to deal with those issues this week. Lawmakers are still working on bills in the House and Senate, but an announcement by the Democratic National Committee on Tuesday somewhat changed the discussion.
The DNC said it will hold a virtual roll call in the coming weeks to nominate President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris before the Democratic Party's in-person convention in Chicago on Aug. 19. The call would also take place ahead of Ohio's Aug. 7 deadline to certify candidates on the Nov. 5 ballot.
House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D - Upper Arlington) said Wednesday the DNC's move eliminates the need for the current special session.
"What we have on the table right now is a temporary fix," Russo said. "The real issue here is we need a permanent fix to this issue that impacts not just this year or President Biden, but we've had to do this essentially every year since this law has been in effect."
Democrats in the House Government Oversight Committee proposed amending the bill to make it a permanent fix rather than only putting Biden on the ballot this year. The amendment would move up the Ohio deadline to certify candidates from 90 days to 60 days before an election.
Committee Chair Representative Bob Peterson (R - Sabina) said, speaking for himself, he is fine with a permanent fix.
"I do think, as I've said both days, we ought to take some input from the secretary of state. We need to talk to local boards of elections," Peterson said. "There's a reason those timeframes are put in place so that they can do the work."
The committee also heard testimony on a separate bill to ban foreign money contributions to statewide ballot initiative campaigns. Republicans say it will protect election integrity and keep foreign influence out. Democrats and other opponents say it will make it harder to get citizen initiatives on the ballot.
"We want to ensure that malicious foreign money is addressed, but that we don't discourage civic participation," said Catherine Turcer with Common Cause Ohio."
"We oppose legislation designed to restrict the power and freedom of Ohioans to organize and participate in the democratic process," Ohio Environmental Council Action Fund Director Spencer Dirrig said.
Peterson says discussions are ongoing between the House and Senate to possibly simplify the bill to mirror the current law against candidates taking foreign campaign contributions.
"I don't think Ohioans in general think it's wise for a foreign investor to interfere with our elections, financially or in any other way," Peterson said.
The State Senate already passed its version of the Biden ballot fix and a ban on foreign money contributions to statewide ballot initiatives.
The special session continues Thursday.