COLUMBUS, Ohio (WKRC) - Gov. Mike DeWine is changing his tune on one key decision: He's now calling for a repeal and replace of the $1-billion nuclear bailout now entrenched in a statehouse corruption scandal.
On Wednesday when asked if House Bill 6 should be repealed, DeWine said he would not. Twenty-four hours later and DeWine has had a change of heart.
“I ask the legislature to repeal and replace House Bill 6 in an open process that the public can have full confidence in,” said DeWine.
DeWine says now that Speaker Larry Householder is facing corruption charges related to the passage of the bill, the law has now been tainted.
“No matter how good this policy is, the process -- the process by which this bill was passed is simply not acceptable,” said DeWine.
Republican State Rep. Tom Brinkman of Mt. Lookout says DeWine must be listening to poll numbers.
“Someone goes and does a poll and says citizens are outraged, they want to repeal it and he says, 'Alright, fine. We'll repeal it,” said Brinkman. “I don't see anything evil with that; that's politics."
Brinkman is also in favor of repealing House Bill 6. He says he only voted in favor of the nuclear bailout because the replacement surcharge was cheaper than already existing surcharges.
“If we're going to repeal House Bill 6 and get rid of all the subsidies, then I'll save my ratepayers another $1.80 a month,” said Brinkman.
While Brinkman is in favor of repealing the bill, House Majority Leader Bill Seitz is not. The Republican claims the law will save Ohio $2.3 billion.
“Why in the world would anybody want to raise people's electric bills in the current trying economic times?” questioned Seitz.
Seitz says if there are concerns, then an audit process should be put in place to make sure the nuclear plants need the bailout money.
Despite DeWine's wishes, it may be difficult to repeal and replace House Bill 6. That's because Republicans are split on the issue and control the legislature. The Ohio House also isn't scheduled to meet again until November, but the governor can call the entire general assembly into session.
"This is something that needs to happen, and it needs to happen fairly quickly," said DeWine.
DeWine has also called for Householder to resign.
