bill seitz
Lawmakers hung up on hiring restrictions in Second Amendment “sanctuary” bill
A measure eliminating federal firearm provisions from Ohio law is facing a skeptical audience in the Statehouse. Drafters modeled the so-called Second Amendment Preservation Act on a recent Missouri law currently tied up in federal court. Supporters are particularly angry about regulations proposed by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They’ve repeatedly raised […]
Supermajority roadmap: Backers have until Wednesday to get 60% amendment on August ballot
It’s a big week for lawmakers attempting to raise the threshold for constitutional amendments in an August special election. The House could vote on a joint resolution sending the question to the ballot as soon as Wednesday. But the legislation setting up the August election is in limbo. Lawmakers in the House and the Senate […]
GOP plan to advance 60% amendment in August looking wobbly after second hearing cancelled
Hints of uncertainty are creeping into the Ohio House ahead of an effort toward a constitutional showdown. For the second time in as many days, the House Government Oversight committee canceled its hearing instead of voting on an August special elections measure. That legislation is crucial to a Republican ballot effort asking voters to make […]
Opponents say Ohio income tax cut hurts the poor; advocates say it doesn’t help wealthy enough
Ohio’s proposed income tax cut meant to benefit the middle class isn’t helpful and is just taxing, according to advocates on each side of the financial debate. On Wednesday, the House passed a $95 billion budget, $88 billion of it from the general revenue fund (GRF) and $7 billion of it being one-time GRF, overage […]
Defenders claimed corrupt energy bill would save money. Prosecutor smashed that claim, too
Jim Trakas was the Republican nominee for Ohio House District 6, but lost the General Election in 2018. As a consultant, he supported House Bill 6 the following year, but couldn’t vote for it. This story has been updated. CINCINNATI — On the stand in federal court, one witness after another testified that he supported […]
New bill allows Boy Scouts sexual abuse victims to maximize settlement claims
A bipartisan pair of Ohio House lawmakers are trying to extend the statute of limitations for Boy Scouts of America sexual assault victims. Similar legislation faltered last year in the state Senate, and the current version is even more narrowly tailored — to address the Boy Scouts and no one else. Boy Scouts of America […]
Ohio House lawmakers want primaries in May regardless of presidential contests
This past weekend, the Democratic National Committee voted to shake up its presidential primary calendar. A bipartisan group of state lawmakers want to change Ohio’s primary date, too. Under Rep. Daniel Troy’s, D-Willowick, proposal, Ohio’s primary date would remain fixed at the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May. “Every fourth year for a […]
In early morning vote, Ohio House agrees to send voter ID restrictions to the governor
After a protracted day at the Ohio Statehouse, lawmakers approved sweeping new voting restrictions including photo ID requirements early Thursday morning. That proposal now heads to the governor. The House gaveled in for session early Wednesday afternoon, and after half an hour of ceremonial proceedings broke for recess. Rep. Tim Ginter, R-Salem, described the break […]
Ohio House committee advances amendment supermajority provision and elections bill
An Ohio House committee advanced two controversial voting measures Monday without additional debate, one to raise the threshold for constitutional amendments to 60% and the other for various election administration provisions. The 7-5 Republican-to-Democratic party line votes put both proposals on track for a full House vote later this week. In previous hearings, numerous speakers […]
Opponents line up against Ohio House elections bill for photo voter ID as GOP readies a vote
House lawmakers faced stiff opposition Wednesday as hearings continued for two controversial voting measures. Proposals to impose voter ID requirements and establish a higher threshold for passing constitutional amendments still appear poised to pass, however. The same committee will hear both measures Thursday and a vote on both is likely. After more than two hours […]
Ohio Republicans launch effort to make citizen-led amendments harder to pass for voters
Lawmakers raised two ideas Thursday with massive implications for Ohio voters. One is an initiative requiring citizen-led constitutional amendments gain a 60% supermajority at the ballot for passage, the other is a House bill aimed at rewriting the underlying infrastructure of how the state conducts elections. State Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, joined Ohio Secretary of […]
Gen-Z voters worry about possible age restrictions if Ohio Issue 2 is passed
The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. Issue 2 on Ohio’s 2022 general election ballot is worrying some Gen-Z voters, due to […]