Ohio State Government
Unit 4, Lesson 2
Ohio’s Constitution
• Elected officials in Ohio promise to
support the state’s constitution
• Ohio has 2 constitutions
– First approved in 1803
– Second approved in 1851
• Today, Ohio’s state government runs
according to the 1851 constitution
Ohio’s Constitution
• OH Constitution has been amended over
the years
– Some amendments protect the hours, pay,
and working conditions of Ohio’s workers
– Others guarantee civil rights to citizens of the
state
Ohio’s Constitution
• Ohio’s 1851 constitution required that
every 20 years voters must be asked if
they want to change their state
constitution.
• Meetings to make changes in the
constitution were held in 1873 and 1912.
• In 2011, Ohio’s will be asked again.
Ohio’s Bill of Rights
• First article of the OH Constitution
• Lists the rights and freedoms promised to
Ohio citizens
– Guarantees the freedoms of religion and
speech, freedom of assembly (gather in
groups), trial by jury
• Jury  group of citizens who hear and decide a
case in court
State Government
• OH Constitution divides the state
government into legislative, executive, and
judicial branches
• Leaders of state government meet in
Columbus
Ohio’s Legislative Branch
• Ohio’s legislative branch is called the
General Assembly
• Makes state laws
• Two parts – senate and house of
representatives
– Ohio Senate = 33 senators
– Ohio House = 99 members
• Members of each house can present bills, or
plans for new laws
– Each house works on bill by itself
– Bills that are passed by one house are sent to the
other for approval
A Look at State Government
Lincoln Address General Assembly 1861
Ohio Statehouse 1900s
Ohio’s State Capitol Building in Columbus, OH
Ohio’s Executive Branch
• Sees that state laws are carried out
• Governor is leader of executive branch
• Ohio’s voters elect the governor to serve a
four-year term
– Creates a yearly budget (written plan for how to
spend state’s money)
• Budget sent to General Assembly for approval
– Reviews bills suggested by G.A.
• Approved  becomes a law
• Veto (reject) bill
– Legislature can still pass a vetoed bill if 3/5 of G.A. vote to
make it a law
– Runs many state departments and agencies
Ohio’s Governor, John Kasich
Governor’s Office 1800s
Ohio’s Judicial Branch
• Decides if laws agree with the state
constitution
• Made up of all the state courts
• All justices in the state are elected
Ohio’s Judicial Branch
• Ohio Supreme Court is the state’s highest
court
– 1 chief justice
– 6 elected justices who serve six-year terms
• 1922 = Florence Ellinwood Allen first
woman elected to OH Supreme Court
Ohio’s Judicial Branch
• Ohio has a system of lower courts
– District court of appeals
– County and city courts
– Courts of common pleas
– Mayors’ courts
Ohio Supreme Court
Ohio’s Government and
Economy
• OH state government words to bring
businesses to the state
• Collects taxes from citizens to provide
services
Encouraging Businesses
• Department of Development encourages
people in OH to start new businesses
– Helps businesses from other states and countries
move to the state
– These efforts bring jobs to OH
• Department provides info about the state’s
people, resources, and laws
– Helps businesses train new workers
– Can also show businesses how to use energy
sources wisely
Taxes and Services
• OH collects taxes from citizens
• OH General Assembly decides how to
spend the taxes
• State taxes pay for costs of running the
state gov.
– Pay for building and repairing state roads,
highways, and ports
– Keeping state parks safe and clean
Taxes and Services
• State tax money is also spent on public
schools and state universities
– Almost 4,000 public elementary, middle, and
high schools
– Around 1,845,000 students attend these
schools
– More than 60 public universities and colleges
• The Ohio State University in Columbus is the 3rd
largest university in the USA
The Ohio State University
Taxes and Services
• Many officials and offices in OH work
together to collect and spend state money
• State treasurer and state auditor
– Treasurer manages the state’s money
• Jennette B. Bradley was the first African American
woman elected to this office in the USA
– Auditor makes sure that state money is spent
correctly
• Betty Montgomery was the first woman to hold this
office in OH
Ohio State Seal
• Used on all official state papers
• Features the Scioto River flowing across
its center
– Separates a farm’s field from Mount Logan
• 13 rays of sun shine over the mountain
– Represent the 13 original American states
• At the front a bundle of 17 arrows stands
for OH as the 17th state to join the union
Ohio State Seal