Gov. Kasich offers $2M to Ohio children's hospital

COLUMBUS (AP) — The governor has made a surprise offer of $2 million in state funding to the state’s children’s hospitals, so they’ll work together on medical research.

Gov. John Kasich’s pledge came Thursday as he toured a research facility at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus. He was at the hospital to highlight a part of the new state budget that involves care for disabled children.

According to multiple media accounts, the governor made his on-the-spot $2 million funding proposal, then tried unsuccessfully to notify his budget director. Kasich said the money might come from the state’s rainy-day fund or from revenue from Ohio’s new casinos.