Ohio Constitution News

On October 9, 2014, the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission’s Bill of Rights and Voting Committee heard testimony from Professor Douglas A. Berman concerning the voting rights of felons.  Ohio Constitution Article V, Section 4  gives the General Assembly the power to exclude felons from voting.  Ohio law permits felons to vote upon release, but not while they are incarcerated.  Professor Berman testified as to why incarcerated felons should be able to vote.

The Bill of Rights and Voting Committee also considered eliminating Ohio Constitution Article V, Section 6, which states that, “No idiot, or insane person, shall be entitled to the privileges of an elector.”  In the 1970s, the Ohio Constitution Revision Commission also considered eliminating this language.  For 1970s OCRC materials on this issue, see proceedings at p. 2162 and a research study on the issue (at p. 2400)

See Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission Press Release: Professor Douglas A. Berman addresses the Bill of Rights and Voting Committee

The following meetings will take place at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio on Thursday, October 9, 2014:

10:00 a.m.

Bill of Rights and Voting Committee – Statehouse Room 116 .  Presentation by  Douglas A. Berman, Professor of Law, Moritz College of Law, on Article V, Section 4 (Exclusion from Franchise).  Discussion of  Article V, Section 6 (Idiots or Insane Persons), discussion of HB624 – Ward’s Bill of Rights.

11:30 a.m.

Coordinating Committee – Statehouse Room 115

1:00 p.m.

Constitutional Revisions and Updating Committee – Statehouse Room 114.  Presentations on the Initiative and Referendum by Donald J. McTigue, Esq., McTigue and McGinnis LLC and Maurice A. Thompson, Executive Director (tentative), 1851 Constitutional Law Center.

2:30 p.m.

Legislative Branch and Executive Branch Committee – Statehouse Room 116 – Includes discussion of Apportionment and Redistricting Proposal(s) and Arizona State Leg. v. Arizona Ind. Redistricting Comm., U.S. Sup. Ct. Docket No. 13-1314

Committees which are NOT meeting:

The Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission adopted  Rules of Procedure and Conduct. These rules create a formal process for proposals to the Commission, procedures for reviewing existing constitutional provisions and proposed amendments to the constitution, and procedures for making recommendations to the Ohio General Assembly.

See OCMC Press Release

All meetings are on Thursday, September 11, 2014 at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio:

9:00 a.m.

Public Education and Information Committee AND Liaison with Public Offices Committee – Statehouse Room 114

Organization and Administration Committee – Statehouse Room 116

10:15 a.m.

Judicial Branch and Administration of Justice Committee – Statehouse Room 311 (Will discuss Article IV, Section 19 (Courts of Conciliation), Article IV, Section 22 (Supreme Court Commission) and Judicial Selection)

Finance, Taxation & Economic Development Committee – Statehouse Room 115 -Speaker: Jon Honeck (invited) Director of Public Policy at The Center for Community Solutions, “Accounting for Tax Credit”

Education, Public Institutions, Miscellaneous and Local Government Committee – Statehouse Room 114 – Speaker: Robert Alt, President and CEO, The Buckeye Institute for Public Policy Solutions

1:30 p.m.

Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission Meeting – Statehouse Room 313

3:00 p.m.

Legislative Branch and Executive Branch Committee – Statehouse Room 114    CANCELLED

Bill of Rights and Voting Committee – Statehouse Room 311 – will discuss:

• Article I, Section 4 (Bearing Arms; Standing Armies; Military Power)
• Article V, Section 7 (Primary Elections)
• Article V, Section 4 (Exclusion from Franchise)
• Article V, Section 6 (Idiots or Insane Persons)

Read or listen to two WKSU radio broadcasts concerning the current work of the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission:

Ohio’s constitutional update could eliminate school funding mandate

Ohio’s ‘sprawling behemoths’ are next up for Constitutional Modernization

Also see some of our posts on these issues:

Remove Wording Requiring Thorough and Efficient System of Public Education from Ohio Constitution?

Initiative Petition on Redistricting?

Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission’s Legislative & Executive Branch Committee Agree on Recommendations for Redistricting Board

Husted Addresses Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission Re. Redistricting

WKSU radio is doing a 3 part series on the work of the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission.  The first broadcast deals with legislative term limits.  Listen to the broadcast or read the broadcast transcript here. The second broadcast focuses on redistricting.

According to newspaper articles, the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission may suggest a change in Ohio legislative term limits, urging the legislature to put an amendment on the ballot next year. Under discussion is an extension of eight-year term limits to 12 years.  See Limited Value (editorial), Akron Beacon Journal, July 25, 2014.

Also see Plan to change term limits, drawing of Ohio political districts may emerge, Columbus Dispatch, May 13, 2014

All meetings are on Thursday, July 10, 2014 in the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio.

(New)The Judicial Branch and the Administration of Justice Committee will not be meeting, but they are asking committee members to work on proposals for:  1.  Judicial Selection and 2.  Judicial Elections.

9:00 a.m.

Liaisons with Public Offices Committee – Statehouse Room 114

Public Education and Information Committee – Statehouse Room 114

Coordinating Committee – Statehouse Room 115 – CANCELLED

9:30 – 10:30

Organization and Administration Committee  – Statehouse Room 116 -Counsel to the Commission Recommendation and Communications Director Recommendation  (note time change)

10:15 a.m.

Constitutional Revisions & Updating Committee – Statehouse Room 115 –Review of the draft Joint Resolution on the Statutory Initiative and Other matters relating to the initiative

Legislative Branch and Executive Branch Committee – Statehouse Room 114 – Discussion on Redistricting and Term Limits

Bill of Rights & Voting Committee – Statehouse Room 311 – Agenda

1:30 p.m.

Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission –  Statehouse Room 313.
Agenda

The following meetings will be held Thursday, June 12, 2014 at the Statehouse in Columbus, Ohio:

9:00 a.m.

Bill of Rights & Voting Committee, Statehouse Room 311 – See Agenda below

Legislative Branch and Executive Branch Committee, Statehouse Room 114,  Presentations by Dr. John C. Green, Distinguished Professor, Political Science and Director, Ray C. Bliss Institute of Applied Politics.  Discussion on Redistricting and Term Limits.

9:30 a.m.

Constitutional Revisions & Updating Committee, Statehouse Room 115  –Review of the draft Joint Resolution on the Statutory Initiative,  Other matters relating to the initiative

11:35 a.m.

Organization and Administration Committee, Statehouse Room 116 – Discussion on updates to the Commission rules,Administrative Assistant Recommendation,Counsel to the Commission Recommendation

12:20 p.m.

Judicial Branch and the Administration of Justice Committee, Statehouse Room 311

Finance, Taxation & Economic Development Committee, Statehouse Room 115 – CANCELLED

Education, Public Institutions, & Miscellaneous and Local, Statehouse Room 114, Presentation: Professor Charlie Wilson, Associate Professor Emeritus of Law, Moritz College of Law

3:00 p.m.

Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission,  Statehouse Room 313, Recommendation for the Administrative Assistant (pending report from the Organization and Administration Committee), Commission Rules(pending report from the Organization and Administration Committee)

Immediately Following the Commission Meeting or 4:15 p.m.

Public Education and Information Committee AND Liaisons with Public Offices Committee, Statehouse Room 114 – CANCELLED

Coordinating Committee, Statehouse Room 115

(Note that the writer of this blog is not affiliated with the Commission. If you have questions about the meeting, please see the Commission’s web site – http://www.ocmc.ohio.gov/ocmc/home)

An Akron Beacon Journal editorial states that Ohio can not wait for the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission or the legislature to reform redistricting, and a citizen-led  initiative petition drive should be started.  See Redistricting reform? Start the petition drive.  

Another interesting article on redistricting and term limits appeared in the Columbus Dispatch.