· October 26, 2011

IO REPORT: Why Conservatives Should Oppose Issue 3

For Immediate Release:  October 26, 2011 Contact:  Dale Butland, 614-783-5833 Janetta King, 740-350-9164

Why Conservatives Should Oppose Issue 3 IO Report Says GOP Initiatives Would be Torpedoed

Columbus: Innovation Ohio, a progressive think tank headquartered in Columbus, today released a report illustrating how Issue 3, a proposed amendment to the Ohio constitution on the ballot next month, would invalidate a number of newly passed laws and short-circuit upcoming initiatives favored by Gov. Kasich and Republican legislators. The report, entitled “Why Conservatives Should Oppose Issue 3”, can be accessed here. Among the laws and plans that would run afoul of Issue 3 are:

• Anti-abortion legislation –including the recently passed HB 78 restricting “late term abortions” and the so-called “Heartbeat Bill” that is currently awaiting action in the Senate—would violate Issue 3’s prohibition against laws which “prevent the purchase or sale of health care.”  Both bills also establish penalties for doctors who perform certain abortions and require all doctors performing abortions to submit information to the state, neither of which is permissible under the terms of Issue 3.
• Gov. Kasich’s oft-repeated goal of reforming or even privatizing Ohio’s Worker Compensation System likewise would be impermissible.  Although Issue 3’s  “grandfather clause” exempts laws on the books prior to March, 2010, any future change to Workers Comp would constitute a new law mandating “participation in a health care system.”  But that, of course, is prohibited by Issue 3.
• Other pending legislation, like SB 69 to require drug-testing of welfare recipients, or HB 171 to ban human cloning, would also be illegal since Issue 3 bans data collection and information-gathering, as well as the aforementioned prohibition against the purchase or sale of health care.

Said Innovation Ohio President Janetta King: “The old adage that you should ‘be careful what you wish for’ certainly applies to Gov. Kasich and his legislative allies, who evidently endorsed Issue 3 before they understood the consequences it would have for their own policy objectives.  Back then, when it looked like a harmless way to take a swipe at what they call ‘Obamacare’ and maybe help drive conservative voters to the polls to defeat Issue 2, endorsing Issue 3 probably seemed like a great idea.  But now Issue 2 looks like a goner and Issue 3 threatens to stymie their agenda.  Governor Kasich really needs to get better advice.”

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