HJR 1
Supermajority amendment opponents sue, arguing ‘no legal basis’ for August election
State lawmakers approved a measure to ask voters if Ohio should raise the threshold for approving constitutional amendments to 60%. But in an unusual move, they set the August date for that election through the resolution itself. They made no changes to state law which strictly limit such elections. Republican House and Senate leaders insist […]
Ohio lawmakers send 60% supermajority amendment to the ballot
Wednesday, Ohio House lawmakers voted 62-37 to advance a resolution asking voters to raise the passage threshold for constitutional amendments. The vote caps off nearly six months of legislative wrangling largely meant to hobble an abortion rights amendment. Lawmakers are entering questionable legal territory, however, as they set the vote in August through the resolution […]
House leaders tee up supermajority amendment measure for floor vote
The stage is set for a long-awaited House vote on SJR 2. The resolution would ask voters whether the threshold for amending the constitution should be 60% rather than a simple majority. But lawmakers pushing the plan may not be celebrating yet. A parallel effort to send the question to voters before they consider an […]
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 […]
Ohio Republican Party committee votes to support amendment change, oppose abortion rights
The Ohio Republican Party central committee gathered in a downtown Columbus ballroom Friday morning. Ahead of the pledge of the allegiance, one committee member urged her fellows not to pause before “under god.” The members dutifully took her advice; some even ad-libbed “born and unborn” at the end. Party chairman Alex Triantafilou joked “we take […]
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 […]
Ohio House committee narrowly advances 60% supermajority provision despite opposition
In an Ohio House committee, witnesses pleaded with lawmakers to reject the effort to install a 60% threshold for future constitutional amendments. The joint resolution they’re considering would put the question to voters on an upcoming ballot. After breaking for an extended recess around lunch time, lawmakers heard more testimony and voted to advance the […]
Ohio House lawmakers consider Senate version of supermajority resolution
Ohio House lawmakers took up the Senate version of a measure asking voters to raise the threshold for future constitutional amendments. The House’s version of the proposal is already awaiting a floor vote. The jousting between sponsors or supporters and the Democratic members attempting to forestall the measure covered familiar territory. But a few new […]
Ohio House begins hearings to bring back August elections
An Ohio House committee took up two measures Wednesday aimed at re-establishing an August special election. Lawmakers eliminated nearly all such contests in the waning days of the last session, just a few short months ago. But with an abortion amendment looking likely to appear on the November ballot, Republicans are pulling out all the […]
Bipartisan former Ohio governors against raising constitutional threshold to 60% and August vote
A group of Republican Ohio lawmakers are dead set on raising the threshold for passing amendments to the state constitution and resurrecting an August special election to do so. But some in the party aren’t comfortable with such an aggressive maneuver. Monday, former Ohio Governor Bob Taft, a Republican, spoke out forcefully against it. “I […]
In GOP flip, August special election will return
Less than half a year after proclaiming August elections to be too expensive for the turnout they attract, the Senate Republican majority expanded the use of a special election this year, complete with $20 million in funding. “This is legislative whiplash, and we do it really well here in Columbus,” said state Sen. Kent Smith, […]
Ohio SOS gives yet another reason to make it a lot harder for voters to amend Constitution
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose on Wednesday offered another rationale for making it much more difficult for voters to amend the Ohio Constitution. Now he’s saying it’s needed to fight a possible power grab like one that grew out of a massive bribery and money-laundering scandal. But LaRose didn’t mention in his op-ed that […]