COLUMBUS – Governor Mike DeWine has vetoed a proposal by fellow Republicans to repay fines to companies cited for violating public health orders during the coronavirus pandemic.
The governor says such a move sends a “horrible” message to the vast majority of businesses that did the right thing in following state efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“For us to turn around right now and — the few who had to be cited by our liquor control agents — to say to them ‘there’s no consequences for what you did,’ that would simply not be right,” DeWine said at a news conference Thursday.
The measure was included in the two-year, $75 billion state budget which DeWine signed into law early Thursday morning.
The governor also vetoed a Republican proposal to allow legislative leaders to intervene in lawsuits over the state’s redistricting process.