If our lawmakers don't hear from us they can't act on our behalf and they can't be held accountable. But we get it–understanding how local and state government works, keeping up with everything that's going on, and knowing who to contact is a LOT.
That's why we've put together some resources to get you started. Below you'll find:
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How a bill becomes a law in Ohio
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How to take action at the state level
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How to make change
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Resources to stay informed and connected
ADVOCACY RESOURCES
HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW IN OHIO
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Act= A bill passed in identical versions by both the House of Representatives and Senate and signed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate. An act is then sent to the Governor for approval or veto or becomes law without the Governor’s signature.
Bill= A legislative proposal to do one or more of the following:
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Create a new law– enact;
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Change an existing law by adding new language to or eliminating language from one or more sections of existing law– amend, or;
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Eliminate an existing section or sections of law– repeal.
​The General Assembly may enact, amend, repeal, or suspend law only by bill, which must be presented to the governor for the their approval. A bill must proceed through various constitutionally prescribed steps in order to become law.
A bill is structured with a header, title, and bill sections. The header includes the bill number, General Assembly session information, and a list of sponsors and cosponsors. The title includes the list of Revised Code sections being added or modified (if applicable) and a brief description of the bill’s contents. A bill section may consist of Revised Code sections or uncodified law.
Concurrence in amendments: The point in the legislative enactment process at which the first house approves (concurs in), without alteration, amendments adopted by the second house.
LSC= Legislative Service Commission, the nonpartisan agency providing Ohio's General Assembly with drafting, research, budget and fiscal analysis, training, and other services. Go here to learn more about what they do.
Standing committee= A committee established at the beginning of a General Assembly. Most standing committees are organized by subject matter so that most bills referred to a particular committee address related topics.
HOW A BILL BECOMES A LAW IN OHIO
To see other common legislative terms, go here.
HOW TO TAKE ACTION AT THE STATE LEVEL
Write Testimony
One of the most important points of engagement during the policy process occurs at the committee level. When a bill is in committee, any person who wishes may submit written and/or oral testimony in support of, or in opposition to the proposed legislation. Committees require that your written testimony be submitted to the committee chairperson at least 24 hours prior to the start hearing, and that a witness information form be submitted along with your testimony.
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HOW TO MAKE CHANGE
Letters to Editors
and Op-Eds
Opinion sections are among the most read sections in the newspaper - they are a great way to educate the public, and legislators often read the Opinion section to get a sense of what their constituents are passionate about.
How to write LTEs and Op-Eds ​ Newspapers publish Letters to the Editor (LTEs) and Opposite the Editorial (Op-Ed) pieces as a space for public debate on opinions or to discuss issues missed by the regular news. They should be written with a clear opinion to be chosen by the editor of the paper. Opinion sections are among the most read sections in the newspaper - they are a great way to educate the public, and legislators often read the Opinion section to get a sense of what their constituents are passionate about. ​ Tips for Writing Letters to the Editor ​ Before you begin writing ​Pay attention to submission requirements (word length, how to submit). Letters to the editor (LTEs) are typically short pieces (
Social Media
Sign up for legislative committee list-serves ​to receive email updates related to committees, including time, location, and agenda of scheduled meetings. You can contact the committee chair’s office to be added to the committee email list. This will let you track bills moving through the committee process and provide information about how to submit and present testimony when appropriate. Some committees require testimony be submitted at least 24 hours in advance of the hearing, others have different deadlines and requirements; if this information is not laid out in the committee announcement, you can contact the chair’s office and ask their staff.]
State Representatives’ email addresses ​are standard: RepXX@ohiohouse.gov, where XX is their two-digit district number (e.g. 01, 02 ... 10, 11, etc.). State Senator email addresses are typically ​lastname@ohiosenate.gov​ (unless there is more than one senator with the same last name or the last name is common.
ADDITIONAL ADVOCACY RESOURCES
Ohio Budget
Why does it matter? Because budgets are moral documents- they reflect what our values are, and set the priorities of communities. In Ohio, we go through the budget process every 2 years.
The state budget is a tool that can help eliminate inequities and boost opportunity for all Ohioans.
Decisions about budget priorities are made by the governor and elected state lawmakers in the General Assembly (made up of the Ohio House of Representatives and the Ohio Senate).
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Social programs such as hunger programs,
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Building healthy homes and communities,
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Transportation needs,
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Workers Compensation needs,
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Strengthening our schools, providing opportunities for children,
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Improve healthcare for everyone,
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Prisons and criminal justice.
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Ohio's budget cycle begins in the last January of the fiscal year, and takes about 6 months from the time the governor delivers their budget to the legislature until the legislature has gone through it and sent it back to the governor. For fiscal year 2026-27, the governor must deliver the budget by the first week of February 2025. We'll be providing a lot of information and education about the next operating budget in the next few months, so stay tunes.
To read more about Ohio's budget, go here.
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Ohio's Sunshine Laws
LWVUS Resource Guide for Observing Your Government in Action​ : A great general guide that includes the importance of Sunshine through getting an Observer Corps up and running in your community.
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Law in Ohio: ​Ohio’s public records and open meetings laws, collectively known as the "Sunshine Laws," give Ohioans access to government meetings and records.
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Yellow Book:​ ​The Sunshine Laws Manual, also known as the "Yellow Book," provides summaries of Revised Code provisions and case law regarding the Ohio Public Records Act and Open Meetings Act.
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Sunshine Law Videos:​ ​To assist and educate members of the public in understanding and accessing Ohio's Sunshine Laws, the AGO has developed ​several informational videos​ on the topics about which they frequently receive questions.
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Track and Observe Legislation
The 136th General Assembly: Below are the names and contact information of all Ohio legislators in the 136th General Assembly, along with committees and committee members for each chamber.
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A Guidebook for Ohio Legislators​ published by the ​Legislative Service Commission​. For additional, more in depth information on this topic, please refer to the ​Guidebook​. It includes a listing of all terms used.
The Ohio Legislature official site. You can create a free account that allows you to target bills and committees. You then will be sent email updates.
Legiscan: ​ is an online service that tracks bills. At the concerned individual level it is free. You can register, create a password and list bills you are following. Email alerts are sent when there is movement of the bill.
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The Ohio Channel​: live streams legislative sessions and many committee meetings​. Recordings are also available to watch on demand.​