Speaker Cupp Issues Statement on Passing of House Speaker Batchelder

Speaker Bob Cupp (R-Lima) issued the following statement on the passing of former House Speaker William G. Batchelder (R-Medina):

“The Ohio House of Representatives, and all of Ohio, have lost a great leader and friend today. With a quick wit, a brilliant legal mind, and deep institutional knowledge, Speaker Batchelder was a skilled legislator and persuasive orator. He knew both the process and the art of law-making. He had deep faith in our country and its citizens, great reverence for our Constitution and unwavering respect for the rule of law.

“Bill Batchelder deeply cherished and respected the Ohio House of Representatives as an essential institution in the legislative branch of Ohio’s state government. Whether he was working in the ‘People’s House’ to solve the great challenges of the day or in mentoring a new legislator or young staffer, his impact was positive and lasting. He was a compelling role model. Friendly and approachable, he regarded legislative colleagues as his brothers and sisters, his staff like his family. He worked hard to maintain honest, fair relationships with members from across the aisle and with Ohioans from all stations of life.

“Through the laws he authored, the relationships he built, and the friendships he sustained, he has left an indelible mark on the history of the Ohio House of Representatives and the State of Ohio.

“We ask all Ohioans to keep Speaker Batchelder’s loved ones in their thoughts and prayers.

“To Speaker Bill Batchelder we say: ‘Thank you for your service in the Ohio House of Representatives and to Ohio and its citizens. You will be missed – but the enduring light of your legacy will shine on us always.’”