On October 23, 2015, the Ohio Attorney General’s office certified the petition for the Ohio Fair Wage Amendment. Read more at cleveland.com.
Ohio Fair Wage Amendment Certified by AG’s Office
Oct 30th, 2015 by raoneeri
Stand Up Ohio has submitted an initiative petition for the Ohio Fair Wage Amendment to the AG’s office. The AG’s office is expected to act on the petition by October 23, 2015. The amendment would gradually increase Ohio’s minimum wage to $12.00 by 2021. Read more about the petition in the Youngstown Vindicator.
Resubmitted Medical Marijuana Initiative Petition Rejected by AG
Oct 6th, 2015 by raoneeri
The Ohio Attorney General has rejected a resubmitted medical marijuana initiative petition due to discrepancies between the summary and the proposed amendment. See Perry County Tribune, AG Rejects Second Petition for Ohio Medical Cannabis Amendment
Youngstown Anti-Fracking Charter Amendment Must Be on Ballot, Ohio Supreme Court Says
Sep 28th, 2015 by saltmeyer
The Ohio Supreme Court held that a “Community Bill of Rights” charter amendment, which would ban fracking in Youngstown, must go on the ballot. See Alliance Review, Court orders anti-fracking issue back on ballot in Youngstown The Mahoning County Board of Elections had refused to put it on the ballot, stating that it was contrary to the Ohio Constitution, as expressed by the Ohio Supreme Court’s recent decision, State ex rel. Morrison v. Beck Energy Corp., 2015-Ohio-485. The Ohio Supreme Court held that the County Board of Elections does not have the power to refuse to put an charter amendment on the ballot because it believes the charter amendment is contrary to the Ohio Constitution. See State ex rel. Youngstown v. Mahoning Cty. Bd. of Elections, Slip Opinion No. 2015-Ohio-3761. Docket.
City Charter Can Not Require More Signatures for Ballot Issue Than Ohio Constitution
Sep 21st, 2015 by saltmeyer
State ex rel. Wilen v. Kent, Slip Opinion No. 2015-Ohio-3763. A city charter can not require a higher number of signatures in order to get a proposed charter amendment on the ballot than what is required by the Ohio Constitution Article XVIII, Section 9. Docket.
See Cleveland.com Ohio Supreme Court rules Kent officials unconstitutionally blocked ‘Democracy Day’ ballot issue
The Legislative and Executive Branch Committee of the Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission discussed the one subject rule contained in the Ohio Constitution, as well as amending the Ohio Constitutional to reform Congressional Redistricting. See OCMC Press Release. View meeting materials, including expert reports, here.
Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission Committee Creates New Language for Voting by Mentally Incapacitated
Sep 21st, 2015 by saltmeyer
The Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission’s Bill of Rights and Voting Committee discussed constitutional provisions on the capacity to vote at their September 10, 2015 meeting. The committee recommended that Article V, Section 6 be repealed, and that a new section be adopted. Currently, Article V, Section 6 of the Ohio Constitution reads, “no idiot or insane person, shall be entitled to the privileges of an elector. The committee voted to change this language to “no person who lacks the mental capacity to vote shall have the right and privileges of an elector during the time of incapacity.”
County Charters Restricting Oil and Gas Operations will not be on the Ballot
Sep 21st, 2015 by saltmeyer
State ex rel. Walker v. Husted, Slip Opinion No. 2015-Ohio-3749. In determining whether a petition to adopt a county charter can be placed on the ballot, the Secretary of State may not deny the petition because it believes provisions of the charters would violate the Ohio Constitution by unconstitutionally interfering with the state’s exclusive authority to regulate oil and gas operations. The Secretary of State can hold petitions invalid because they do not meet the threshold requirements of a charter initiative set out in Article X, Section 3 of the Ohio Constitution. Docket.
See Athens Messenger Supreme Court: County charters will not be on November ballot
Marijuana Monopoly Could Violate Commerce Clause if Enforced vs. Out-of-State Growers
Sep 14th, 2015 by saltmeyer
ResponsibleOhio’s marijuana legalization amendment may run afoul of the Commerce Clause if the marijuana monopoly is enforced to prohibit out-of-state growers from selling marijuana in Ohio. This may be true even the federal government does not legalize marijuana.
See Crain’s Cleveland Business. Monopoly on Ohio marijuana market could be cloudy issue
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Sep 2nd, 2015 by saltmeyer
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