A Guidebook for Ohio Legislators 134th General Assembly Ohio Legislative Service Commission LSC 2021 TOC | 1 Table of Contents List of Selected Charts and Tables ................................................................................................... i Introduction .....................................................................................................................................ii Chapter 1 The Constitutional Framework of Ohio State Government ..................................... 1 What is a Constitution? ............................................................................................................... 1 History of the Ohio Constitution ................................................................................................. 2 The Northwest Ordinance ...................................................................................................... 2 The Constitution of 1802 ........................................................................................................ 2 The Constitution of 1851 ........................................................................................................ 2 The 1873 Constitutional Convention ...................................................................................... 3 The 1912 Constitutional Convention ...................................................................................... 4 Amendments since 1912 ........................................................................................................ 4 Structure of the Ohio Constitution ............................................................................................. 4 Separation of Powers .................................................................................................................. 5 Checks and Balances ................................................................................................................... 5 Chapter 2 The Legislative Branch .......................................................................................... 7 Legislative Power ......................................................................................................................... 7 Organizational Powers of the General Assembly ........................................................................ 8 Exercise of Legislative Power by the General Assembly ............................................................. 8 Bills .......................................................................................................................................... 8 How Constitutional Amendments Are Proposed ................................................................... 9 Amendments to the United States Constitution .................................................................. 10 Legislative Power Exercised by the People ............................................................................... 10 Initiative ................................................................................................................................ 11 Constitutional Amendments ............................................................................................ 11 Statutes ............................................................................................................................ 11 Referendum .......................................................................................................................... 11 Limitations on Legislative Power ............................................................................................... 12 Bill of Rights Not to Be Infringed .......................................................................................... 12 Laws of a General Nature and Uniform Operation Preferred .............................................. 12 Appointments and Special Conferrals of Corporate Powers Prohibited.............................. 12 Home Rule Limitation ........................................................................................................... 13 Lending of Governmental Credit Limited ............................................................................. 13 Taxing Power Limitations ..................................................................................................... 14 LSC TOC | 1 Judicial Power Limited .......................................................................................................... 15 Court Rules of Practice and Procedure ................................................................................ 15 Other Legislative Limitations and Prohibitions .................................................................... 15 Federal Jurisdiction ............................................................................................................... 16 Membership in the General Assembly ...................................................................................... 16 Qualifications for Membership ............................................................................................ 17 Holding More Than One Office Prohibited ........................................................................... 17 Legislative Elections and Terms of Office ............................................................................. 17 Term Limits ...................................................................................................................... 17 Contested Elections ......................................................................................................... 18 Resignations .......................................................................................................................... 18 Vacancies .............................................................................................................................. 19 Redistricting ............................................................................................................................... 19 General Assembly Districts ................................................................................................... 19 Procedure for Drawing Districts ...................................................................................... 19 District Standards............................................................................................................. 20 House of Representatives Districts .................................................................................. 20 Senate Districts ................................................................................................................ 20 Congressional Districts ......................................................................................................... 21 Procedure for Drawing Districts ...................................................................................... 21 District Standards............................................................................................................. 21 Chapter 3 Legislative Benefits, Privileges, and Restrictions of Office .................................... 23 What Members Can Expect Following Election ........................................................................ 23 Members-Elect: Rights and Privileges ....................................................................................... 23 Orientation Meetings ........................................................................................................... 24 Rights and Immunities of Elected Members ............................................................................. 24 Immunity from Arrest ........................................................................................................... 24 Protection from Intimidation ............................................................................................... 25 Parliamentary Privileges ....................................................................................................... 25 Restrictions of Office ................................................................................................................. 26 The Ohio Campaign Finance Law .............................................................................................. 26 The Ohio Ethics Law .................................................................................................................. 27 The Joint Legislative Ethics Committee ................................................................................ 27 Advisory Opinions and Private Written Opinions ................................................................ 27 Financial Disclosure Statements ........................................................................................... 28 Conflicts of Interest .............................................................................................................. 28 LSC TOC | 2 Relationships with Lobbyists ................................................................................................ 29 Honorariums ......................................................................................................................... 29 Abuse of Governmental Office ............................................................................................. 29 Appointments and Employment .......................................................................................... 30 Salaries and Leave ....................................................................................................................