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Thousands Rally For Pensions, And Campaigns For Governor Debate Views On Medicaid Expansion

Thousands of union workers and retirees flocked to the Statehouse from around the country. They rallied in Columbus for a fix to a national pension crisis, the day before a Congressional field hearing on the issue.

It was a highly visible week for Gov. John Kasich. He talked America’s foreign policy and the recently concluded NATO summit at the National Press Club, as well as deposited $657 million deposit into the state’s rainy day fund. He also spoke about politics at the Columbus Metropolitan Club, and signed an executive order that could end up creating new regulations on fertilizer used by farms in the western basin of Lake Erie, which he says it will help stop toxic algae blooms from developing.

And Kasich started the week with an event celebrating one of his favorite subjects - autonomous vehicles. He was at the groundbreaking for a vehicle testing facility that’s three times as big as Disneyland and is now under construction about an hour northwest of Columbus. Statehouse correspondent Jo Ingles reports.

The payday lending crackdown that seemed improbable a year ago is now two steps away from becoming law. This week, the Senate ended up enacting changes to the House version of the bill. Supporters such as Sen. Scott Oelslager (R-Canton) and Sen. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) made their case on the floor, and 21 Senators voted for it, and nine Republicans voted no. One of them is Sen. Bill Coley (R-Liberty Township).

For the first time, the Republican candidate for governor is stating clearly that he would keep Medicaid expansion for all 700,000 Ohioans covered under it. Mike DeWine says he’s been supportive all along, but his opponent says that’s not true. But there’s been a lot of confusion surrounding this key state policy, and what either candidate will do with it if he is elected.