Introduction
By empowering the Latino community to use the tools provided by Ohio government and to understand the processes, the Public Policy Center facilitates increased channels of communication between government and the Latino community.   With information and knowledge about the processes, the Latino community will have better access to decision-making bodies in government.  In turn, government agencies will be better informed as to the nature, magnitude, and priorities of the problems of the Latino community. 

What You Need to Know about the Ohio Legislature

WHAT

The Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is comprised of the House, which has 99 district seats, and the Senate, which has 33 district seats.  The Ohio General Assembly enacts laws only for the State of Ohio and cannot enact laws that are federal in nature.  It operates similar to the U.S. Congress, but the Ohio General Assembly is a separate entity. 

In order to determine if an issue, bill, or law is state or federal, and thus will or will not be within the scope of the Ohio General Assembly, consider the following:  1) Will only Ohio be affected – or the entire nation? and 2) Which agencies might be affected? -- for example, who would be responsible for enforcing or overseeing the change?

WHO

House Representatives and Senators
House representatives serve a two year term, and all 99 members must run every two years.  Senators serve a four year term, and their term is staggered so that only half of the 33 senators run every two years.  Senators and house representatives begin their terms of office on the first day of January of the year following an election.  Both are term-limited so that they can only serve a total of eight years.

WHEN

Biennium
Each General Assembly is two years long and begins in odd-numbered years.  The General Assembly convenes on the first Monday in January.  The length of the session is determined by those in leadership positions in both the house and senate.  The two year period is divided into two annual regular sessions.  Bills introduced in the first session are carried over to the second session.  However, bills not enacted by the end of second session die.

HOW

Introduction, Referral, Committee Hearings, Floor Action and Governor Action
All proposed changes to Ohio laws are called bills until enacted by both Houses of the General Assembly.  A member of the Senate or House of Representatives can introduce bills.  When it is introduced, it is given a number and title.

The bill is then sent to the Reference Committee, which “refers” or assigns it to a standing committee.  Committee hearings are an important step in the legislative process.  In committee the bill can be passed without amendments, amended, “tabled” or postponed for later consideration, or “killed.”

If a bill is reported out of committee favorably, it may go to the chamber floor.  The Rules Committee decides which bills are to be considered on what date.  If the bill is heard on the floor, and passed, it then goes to the opposite chamber and the same process is followed.

If the bill is passed by each house, the bill goes to the Governor.  The Governor can sign it or veto it.  If the Governor does not sign or veto it within ten days, it becomes law.  If the Governor signs it, it will become effective after 90 days.  If the Governor vetoes it, 3/5 of the members of each house can override the veto.

See also, "How a Bill Becomes a Law", provided by the Ohio House of Representatives.

Click here to download the pdf version of the "The Ohio Legislature."

Additional Information

Links to External Websites