Politifact: Senator Kearney's Statement is True

Senator Eric H. Kearney

(Cleveland Plain Dealer) A bill to reform Ohio election laws, House Bill 194, has been a consistent source of controversy since it was introduced last year.

The latest flap came on March 28 when the Ohio Senate passed a bill to repeal the law, which Democrats and others have called a "voter suppression" bill.

Although they oppose HB 194, largely because it restricts early voting opportunities, Democrats also spoke out against the bill’s repeal because there already is a referendum on HB 194 scheduled for this fall’s ballot.

Sen. Eric Kearney, who leads the Senate’s Democratic caucus, said voters have the right to decide the fate HB 194. He said Republicans were unconstitutionally taking away their right to referendum by repealing the law before the election on Nov. 6.

"This is the first time in Ohio history where a bill has been passed to stop a referendum," Kearney, of Cincinnati, said during the floor debate March 28.

Read the entire article: http://www.politifact.com/ohio/statements/2012/apr/09/eric-kearney/eric-kearney-says-repeal-voter-reform-legislation-/