BECOMING PART
OF
THE SOLUTION
NP 520
Tuesday, September 14, 2021
TOOL KIT
• Educational Materials
• Informational Meetings
• Op-Eds
• Action Alerts
• Organized Demonstrations
LOBBYING
Direct Lobbying
• Influencing legislation through communication
with legislators and/or legislative body/staff
Grassroots Lobbying
• Influencing legislation through public opinion
PUBLIC POLICY ADVOCACY
• Which state and/or local policies will solve or
continue to negatively impact the problem(s)
faced by those we serve?
• What policies can strengthen our programs and
services?
*Credit: Policy Development and Advocacy Workbook
CASE ANALYSIS
*Credit: ThisNation.com
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
*Credit: Legislative Conference, Jacqueline M. Loversidge, Asst. Professor of Clinical Nursing, The Ohio State University
College of Nursing
BASICS OF OHIO’S LEGISLATURE

The OGA session is 2 years long & operates full
time.

The current OGA session (the 134th) will end in
December 2022. The 135th will begin in early 2023.

The current partisan breakdown is –
Senate – 24 Republican, 9 Democrat
House – 64 Republican, 35 Democrat
WHAT IS A BILL

The premise or idea can come from any member of the
OGA, agency of the state, Governor, special interest
group or citizen.

Written document proposing new legislation, changes to
legislation or the repeal of legislation.

Bill is drafted by the Legislative Service Commission
*Credit: A Guidebook for Ohio Legislators
COMMITTEES & THEIR ROLE IN
OHIO’S LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
 The
legislative process in Ohio is driven by
committees
 41
legislative committees
23 in the House (+5 subcommittees)
18 in the Senate.
 Committees
hold hearings on Tuesdays,
Wednesdays & Thursdays
*Credit: A Guidebook for Ohio Legislators
Tues, June 15th
House Health – Room TBD – 10am
HB 248 – Vaccination bans – 4th hearing, opponent & interested party testimony, possible
amendments
Senate Workforce & Higher Education – Finance Hearing Room – 3:15pm
SB 126 – Anti-hazing – 5th hearing, all testimony, possible amendments, possible vote
SB 135 – Higher education (w/student speech) – 6th hearing, all testimony, possible amendments,
possible vote
House Primary & Secondary Education – Room 017 – 3:30pm
HB 240 – HB 240 – Sex education – sponsor testimony
Wed, June 16th
House Session – 1pm
Senate Session – 1:30pm
Senate Judiciary – North Hearing Room – 3pm
SB 25 – Trafficking near treatment – 4th hearing, all testimony, possible vote
SJR 1 – Involuntary servitude – 2nd hearing, proponent testimony
SB 103 – Death penalty repeal – 2nd hearing, proponent & invited testimony
SB 182 – Bail reform – 2nd hearing, proponent testimony
Thurs, June 17th
House Govt Oversight – Room 121 – 9am
HB 294 – Election laws – proponent testimony
House Session – 1pm
TESTIFYING BEFORE
COMMITTEES

You can provide written-only testimony or testify in
person.

There are no limits on length of testimony. However, it is
recommended you keep testimony short and concise.

Committee members may or may not ask you questions
following your in-person testimony. Be prepared and try
to anticipate questions.
CRAFTING WRITTEN TESTIMONY
*Credit: A Guidebook for Ohio Legislators
*Credit: A Guidebook for Ohio Legislators
READING & UNDERSTANDING
LEGISLATION

HB (bill #) = House Bill – A bill that originated in the House.
SB (bill #) = Senate Bill – A bill that originated in the Senate.

Am. = Bill has been amended.
* Example - “Amended House Bill 1”

Sub. = Bill has been substituted for a different version of the
original version.
* Example = “Substitute House Bill 1”

Am. Sub. = The substitute bill was later amended.
* Example = “Amended Substitute House Bill 1”
READING & UNDERSTANDING
LEGISLATION (cont.)

Text with a line through it = language to be eliminated
from current law.

Underlined text = language to be added to current law.

Text with no underlines or strikethroughs =
language/law that is not being changed.
WHERE TO FIND RELEVANT INFO

www.legislature.ohio.gov
For legislation text, LSC analysis of bills, status of bills, votes, names of
sponsors, lists of committees & their members, who your senator &
representative are, how to contact them & more.

Websites for individual committees
Useful for tracking down testimony of those who provided written and in-person
testimony to committees.

Gongwer Ohio & Hannah News Service
Paid services/websites with all the above + original news reporting including on
committee hearings, bill tracking option, committee schedules, and much more.

Twitter
Follow Statehouse news reporters such as Laura Bischoff (DDN), Andrew
Welsh-Huggins (AP), Danny Eldredge (Hannah), Andy Chow & Jo Ingles (Ohio
Public Radio). Also – to follow individual legislators.