COLUMBUS, OH — Today, Governor Mike DeWine signed both House Bill 458 and House Bill 507 into law. The OEC Action Fund condemns the passage of these two bills pushed through in the waning hours of the 134th General Assembly. House Bill 458 was originally focused on August special elections, but it was amended into a sweeping anti-voter bill that massively changes how elections are administered and how Ohioans can access their most fundamental American right. House Bill 507, originally intended to govern the sale of poultry, removes critical public oversight and locks-in polluters’ control over what public lands in Ohio are leased and when.
The following quote on the signing of House Bill 507 can be attributed, in whole or in part, to Pete Bucher, Interim President for the Ohio Environmental Council (OEC) Action Fund:
“We are deeply disappointed in Governor Mike DeWine’s refusal to veto the unconstitutional House Bill 507. This bill is an egregious assault on executive authority, the public’s interest and our state parks and public lands. The bill also furthers fossil fuel misinformation campaigns designed to brand natural gas as ‘green energy,’ a nationwide effort to delay climate action and the transition to a truly clean energy future.”
For more information about the unconstitutionality of House Bill 507 you can learn more from our sibling organization, the Ohio Environmental Council here. You can view the veto request letter that was sent to the DeWine Administration by over 40 organizations here.
The following quote on the signing of House Bill 458 can be attributed, in whole or in part, to Chris Tavenor, Managing Director of Democracy Policy for the OEC Action Fund:
“Governor DeWine’s decision to sign House Bill 458 sends a signal that he is willing to sacrifice the voting rights of thousands of Ohioans in pursuit of partisan interests. The anti-voter bill needlessly changes our election processes and implements strict voter ID rules that disenfranchise many different voter populations who rely on alternative voting paths—paths now restricted without evidence for their need. By signing House Bill 458, Governor DeWine has ignored the voices of those most impacted by the changes, including the constituencies of the dozens of organizations who called for a veto all throughout the holidays.”
For more information about the veto request letter and the 18 organizations who joined the letter calling for House Bill 458’s veto, you can view our December 19, 2023 press release here.
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