A letter protesting Ohio House rules for current General Assembly, which include limiting public notice for floor votes and prohibiting public gatherings near the House chamber at specific times, has been signed by over five dozen advocacy groups covering topics ranging from voting rights to higher education to reproductive rights.
The new regulations put in place at the Statehouse, according to the open letter signed by 59 organizations, including Common Cause Ohio, Honesty for Ohio Education, Equality Ohio, Moms Demand Action on Common Gun Sense Laws, Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, the YWCA of Columbus, the Ohio Council of Churches, the American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio, and the National Council of Jewish Women/Cleveland, openly attack Ohioans’ First Amendment rights to assemble and be heard at the People’s House.
The letter states that lawmakers shouldn’t be concealing information from the people they purport to represent. The House Rules package is a flimsy attempt to silence the People’s House opposition.
Every general assembly starts with the swearing-in of new leadership and the approval of new regulations. This year was no exception. Republicans claimed that the new regulations would increase congressional business efficiency when they were first enacted, but Democrats questioned the rules’ future openness.
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A clause requiring the House Rules and Reference Committee to set the calendar for a session no later than 24 hours prior to its start was removed by the new rules, which were passed by the legislature on January 22. Additionally, the deadline for amending a bill or resolution was lowered to one hour prior to the start of a House session.
According to the advocates in the open letter, Ohioans are deprived of their freedom to gather and participate in the government that we elect and fund if the 24-hour notice is eliminated.
The rules also stipulate that the Speaker or presiding officer will have broad direction and control over the hall and will be responsible for its security, just as they have in the past.
The Speaker or presiding officer may issue an order to remove the galleries, lobby, chambers, or halls next to the hall in the event of any actual or predicted commotion or disorderly behavior.
Additionally, signs, banners, placards, and other such demonstrative tools are prohibited from entering the chamber or from nearby galleries, lobbies, rooms, or hallways.
The new regulations will prohibit anyone without floor rights from entering the area outside the House chamber for 30 minutes before to and following a session. Representatives, House employees, and credentialed reporters are granted floor access.
According to the letter from the advocacy group, the corridor outside the Ohio House Chamber has long been a vital location for free expression and face-to-face interaction with elected leaders. For the public to be engaged with the laws that will ultimately affect them, this area is crucial.
In recent years, the legislature has worked to pass and then override Governor Mike DeWine’s veto of House Bill 68, which prohibited gender-affirming care for minors in Ohio. This has led to a lot of activity in those hallways (as well as those outside the Senate that House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, presided over during the last legislative session).
More recently, during a committee hearing for the contentious Senate law 1, a higher education law that would, among other things, forbid faculty and staff strikes and bias in classrooms, quiet (and then not-so-silent) protests were employed. Despite strong opposition in the last General Assembly, where it was Senate law 83, the law was unable to pass before the end of the two-year legislature.
Ohio House members are dedicated to fostering safety and order both within and outside of the House, according to a spokesman for Speaker Huffman.
Press secretary Olivia Wile told the Capital Journal that the public is still welcome to observe the session in person in the gallery. She also stated that the House rules allow for the security adjustments made by Huffman in order to keep the area around the House chamber safe.
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Eliot Pierce is a dedicated writer for ChiefsFocus.com, covering local crime and finance news. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Eliot aims to provide his readers with clear and insightful analysis, helping them navigate the complexities of their financial lives while staying informed about important local events. His commitment to delivering accurate and engaging content makes him a valuable resource for the community.