As they neared the finish line on a session during which they neglected bills that might have helped Ohioans, lawmakers also slipped into House Bill 315 a provision (similar to changes made in the last budget bill) that will undoubtedly hurt them. HB 315 passed with little notice shortly after 2 a.m. Friday, and will do little more than limit the public’s access to public information.

Now it heads to the governor’s desk. Surely Gov. Mike DeWine will see through lawmakers’ attempt to keep public business in the shadows by removing the requirement that public notices be printed in local newspapers. We call on the governor to veto the measure.

Through passage of HB 315, lawmakers want local governments to be able to place public notices on their own websites and social media accounts. Further, the bill also gives the option for notices to be published on a website to which most local residents would not have access.

What an attempt our state’s politicians are making to hide government’s business from the people.

HB 315 fails to follow due process. It significantly reduces public access to information so important it has heretofore been MANDATED to be made public in the most widely distributed and accessible format possible.

And it gives those responsible for conducting the public’s business too much control over what is seen and what remains unseen. It takes public eyes off instances of potential fraud, waste and abuse of not only taxpayer dollars, but the public’s trust. It removes a means of holding elected officials and bureaucrats accountable.

To pretend all Ohioans are tech savvy enough — or have reliable internet access to begin with — to be able to find notices relevant to their daily lives on websites curated by foxes who seem a little too desperate to guard the hen house is simply absurd.

DeWine knows that.

He must not hesitate to veto HB 315.