GOP lawmakers, Right to Life meet with Ohio Chamber, Business Roundtable on amendment change
The resolution to make it harder to amend the Ohio Constitution has been revived, just in time for voters to very likely choose if abortion should be legal in the state.
Last week, Ohio Republican lawmakers and Ohio Right to Life met with the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Ohio Business Roundtable about the proposal to raise constitutional amendment passage to 60%, but both business groups say they haven’t taken a position.
House Joint Resolution 1 is the revived resolution to make it harder to amend the Ohio constitution. Previously called H.J.R. 6 in previous General Assembly (the 134th, for those keeping count), it would require those petitions to receive a 60% supermajority vote to pass, instead of the simple 50% +1. This means that about 40% of the state would get to choose the law.
“H.J.R. 1 is unnecessary, it’s undemocratic, it’s also unpopular,” said Jen Miller with the League of Women Voters of Ohio on Monday.
More than 170 bipartisan groups joined together to fight it back in December. It failed swiftly, much to the dismay of state Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville). At that time, he vowed it would come back in the 135th G.A. Now, the resolution that united both sides of the aisle against it is back.
Even more individuals and groups are against the resolution this time around.
“We have about 200 allies from all over Ohio, from unions to faith groups, good government organizations and others who oppose this attack on our right to amend the Constitution when lawmakers don’t address our needs,” Miller said.
A few groups are publicly supporting the resolution. One of them is Ohio Right to Life, an organization dedicated to ending abortion.
https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gop-lawmakers-right-life-meet-ohio-chamber-business-roundtable-amendment-change
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