As we reported last week in our budget analysis, the budget bill contained stealth provisions that mirror some anti-teacher provisions in S.B.5. The Dispatch reports on this move

A movement might be brewing among top Republicans that could thwart a referendum on Senate Bill 5 well before Ohioans have a chance to vote on the controversial issue.

Gov. John Kasich and House Speaker William G. Batchelder are exploring a plan to include at least some of the just-passed law's provisions in the state budget, which probably won't be passed until late June.

It's notable that Republicans played all manner of legislative shenanigans to pass S.B.5 before April 6th in order to avoid a referendum on the 2012 ballot, when not only their attacks could be thrown out, but them too. Now it seems they may be inviting just such a challenge by placing S.B.5 language in the budget bill.

This might explain some of the rather cagey responses the Governor and Speaker gave

"I don't want to get into what I want to do, what I don't want to do, because then I might have to retract," Kasich said. "I think Senate Bill 5 passed; obviously, there is going to be a referendum. The House and the Senate has to work its way.

"I've submitted my budget, there will be some language on the teacher assessment, and outside of that, we'll see what the legislature does."

Asked about putting pieces of Senate Bill 5 in the budget, Batchelder, R-Medina, said on Tuesday that "these things happen."

"I don't want to make a guesstimate about it at this point. There are a number of things we are looking at, that being one."

Asked again today, the speaker said: "I guess the direct answer would be yes, but I don't know why that would happen. I think it has enough budgetary implications ... on the other hand, I don't think the governor has thought about it."

That's a lot of words and not much clarity. Almostl ike they have just been caught with their hand in the cookie jar.

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