Public getting up-close look

COLUMBUS

If you were in Columbus one day last week, you could have watched the Ohio House Finance Committee have its first hearing of the session.

You would have met the new and returning members to the powerful panel that will consider tens of billions of dollars in spending for the next two fiscal years.

You could have met new Chairman Ryan Smith, R-Bidwell, and Vice Chairman Kirk Schuring, R-Canton, and ranking minority member Denise Driehaus, D-Cincinnati.

You also would have heard a presentation by the Legislative Service Commission on how the budget process works and what kinds of documents will be available to monitor policy and spending changes. There was an entire brochure explaining the difference between red books and green books and other budget-related publications.

It’s good stuff if you’re interested in state government and lawmakers’ reasoning on different issues.

If you weren’t in Columbus, you can still see what’s happening in the House Finance Committee, via the Ohio Channel (online at www.ohiochannel.org).

Two years ago, the House decided to start streaming its Finance Committee hearings, so you can watch the meetings live or go back and see past sessions.

Broadcasting

The broadcasting and archiving will continue this year, and there’s chatter about streaming and recording other House committee meetings.

“Clearly, finance is something that we tested and will continue to do,” House Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R-Clarksville, said. “We’ll see if we can continue that process in the future. Transparency is an important thing to this House, and it’s what we’ve been doing. We’ll continue to look at it.”

Last session, the Ohio Senate declined to broadcast any of its committee hearings. That may change this session, however.

Senate President Keith Faber, R-Celina, told me last week that his members are considering streaming Finance Committee sessions.

“We have been talking about it,” he said. “We have not yet finalized that decision. ... We’re waiting to have that debate with our members.”

Faber said he supports the broadcasts but understands members’ reluctance to change the traditions of the chamber.

“I’m open to it,” he said, “but I don’t know where the member are. We haven’t had that detailed discussion. I have raised the issue for our members’ consideration. I think it can be done. I’m in favor of it.”

He added, “The Senate is very traditional. We still do voice votes. There are a lot of people that believe broadcasting the committees violates that traditional history more than the concept of providing availability.”

The decision to broadcast committee hearings should be a no-brainer. Hearing rooms are already wired to accommodate cameras, and the Legislature already has the equipment on hand to allow Ohioans to view their elected officials in action.

Most legislative committees are accessing testimony and other documentation via electronic devices instead of distributing paper copies. That change made it easier for the general public, including those unable to be on hand on meeting days, to read testimony from proponents, opponents and other interested parties and to review details of law changes being considered.

I can’t think of very many reasons why committee hearings shouldn’t be broadcast and recorded for posterity. I can think of lots of reasons why they should be.

Thankfully, senators are closer this session to making the leap. Let’s hope they do.

Marc Kovac is The Vindicator’s Statehouse correspondent. Email him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog.