Rep. Robinson opposes GOP bill that would slow pandemic response and make Ohioans less safe

Says GOP bill propped up by misinformation will do real harm to public health and safety

March 10, 2021

State Rep. Phil Robinson (D-Solon) and House Democratic lawmakers Wednesday voted in opposition to Senate Bill (SB) 22, controversial Republican legislation that would threaten the health and safety of Ohioans by curbing authority from the governor and health director during public health crises.

“In an international health crisis, it is important that our state leaders and public health officials have the tools and flexibility they need to act on the sound, factual advice of the medical and scientific community to better protect the health and safety of our fellow Ohioans,” said Rep. Robinson. “I can’t support Senate Bill 22 or House Bill 90 when the driving argument for these bills is dangerous misinformation that makes us all less safe. Within constitutional means, we must support public health safety measures and do all we can to prevent losing more friends, family, and neighbors to COVID-19.”

Proponents of SB 22 made a number of false, inaccurate and misleading claims about the virus and the state’s response. Similarly, YouTube pulled down a recording of testimony from a Feb. 17 House committee hearing on House Bill (HB) 90, legislation that mirrors many of the same provisions of SB 22, for violating the site’s terms of service for spreading COVID-19 misinformation.

Opponents of both SB 22 and HB 90 include top state public health officials, who said the effort to roll back health orders would slow the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Statehouse researchers also called into question the constitutionality of the effort to strip executive authority from the governor.

Democrats offered several amendments to SB 22 during Wednesday’s floor session, including:

· Requiring members of the General Assembly appointed to the Committee be a physician or have public health experience;

· Raising the threshold of votes needed to overturn health orders;

· Removing the severability clause in the bill.

Republicans rejected the amendments along party lines.