COLUMBUS — The new two-year session of the Ohio General Assembly began as the last one ended — with coronavirus infections among its members.

New Senate President Matt Huffman (R., Lima) missed the ceremonial oath of office while he quarantined at home roughly 100 miles away from the Statehouse after being diagnosed with coronavirus.

The senator began experiencing symptoms on Dec. 29 and later tested positive. His symptoms have been mild and he expects to be back at the Statehouse next week.

Mr. Huffman has been among Statehouse Republicans who have been critical of Gov. Mike DeWine's orders to try to curtail the spread of the virus. He has also backed legislation to try to undermine some of those orders.

He told reporters during a post-session conference call that his personal experience with the virus has not changed his mind on the government policies surrounding it.

“A legislator should avoid making policy based personally on their own personal experience...,” Mr. Huffman said. “I had an expectation that at some point I would get COVID. Herd immunity is not a strategy. It's just something that happens...

“I don't think it changes in any way my own personal views of how the issues of public health should be handled,” he said.

He said he likes the idea of creating a legislative panel to review and possibly modify emergency orders issued by the governor's health director.

Mr. Huffman — who served as Senate majority leader, the number-three position, in Republican leadership last session — was recently elected by his fellow caucus members to replace outgoing Sen. Larry Obhof (R., Medina) as Senate president.

The Lima senator had already quietly taken the official oath of office on Jan. 1. He joined fellow Lima resident and Republican Rep. Bob Cupp, a former Ohio Supreme Court justice, who will again serve as Speaker of the House.

“I recognize that with trust comes responsibility...,” Mr. Cupp said after his re-election. “Great trust and responsibility is also what our constituents have placed in each of us, and which we have freely accepted by our oaths and by our actions. Today, we begin a new legislative assembly, an occasion filled with promise and possibility.”

He remarked on the reduction of the usual pomp and circumstance that usually accompanies such events in light of the continuing pandemic.

“Some might call this a bare bones proceeding, but I prefer to call it classic simplicity,” Mr. Cupp said.

Also joining Senate leadership this session from northwest Ohio is Sen. Rob McColley (R., Napoleon), elected majority whip, the fourth-highest GOP post. In the House, Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D., Toledo) remains minority whip in Democratic leadership.

Republicans built on their super-majorities in both chambers with the Nov. 3 election, but there was little change in representation in northwest Ohio.

Rep. Bill Reineke (R., Tiffin) will transfer to the Senate to replace term-limited former Sen. David Burke (R., Marysville) representing the 26th District that stretches from the northern suburbs of Columbus to the shore of Sandusky Bay.

Taking his place in the House was Vickery pastor Gary Click, representing the 88th District that encompasses Sandusky County and most of Seneca. He delivered the opening prayer for the session.

Even as it hopes to put a $61 billion Statehouse bribery scandal behind them, lawmakers still have not agreed on what to do with the law that federal investigators say was the end-game for the scheme — a $1 billion bailout for two struggling Lake Erie nuclear power plants.

Court decisions, however, have put on hold the consumer surcharges that were supposed to begin this month to fuel the $150 million fund.

The former House speaker, Rep. Larry Householder (R., Glenford), and several allies face federal racketeering charges for their roles in the scheme. Mr. Householder, re-elected on Nov. 3, was sworn in again to represent his district east of Columbus.

There had been speculation that the House might act to remove Mr. Householder from his position, but Mr. Cupp declined to say what the next move might be. He said the Republican caucus has not discussed it yet.

“My personal opinion is the honorable thing for him to do is resign,” he said.

First Published January 4, 2021, 2:54 p.m.