Vigilance Needed to Preserve Your Rights to Local Representation
Editor’s Note: Excellent news: The budget bill has been passed and the final version DID NOT include the troubling Central Committee language.
Editor’s Note: The following is reprinted from the Ohio Precinct Strategy website. Ohio Precinct Strategy (OPS) is a networked group of Ohio Citizens that seeks to engage citizens in our elections process so that our voices are accurately represented in our elections. Please sign up here to receive their timely and helpful updates.
THURSDAY- When the House and Senate met this week to reconcile the budgets each had passed, they ran into problems.
Last week the Ohio Senate passed their version of the budget. The Senate’s version of the budget retained the amendment which struck the language allowing County Central Committee members to be appointed to geographical areas in which they do not live.
This week, the Senate and House brought their versions together to pass a final version, but were unable to agree and pass it.
While we don’t know which specific parts of the bill are being looked at, it is important to stay vigilant so that the language struck from HB 33 is not reinserted.
The conferees scheduled to iron out the differences between the two bills are:
Representative Jay Edwards –call (614) 466-2158
Representative Jeff Lare –call (614) 466-8100
Representative Bride Rose Sweeney –call (614) 466-3350
Senator Matt Dolan –call (614) 466-8056 • email click here
Senator Jerry Cirino –call (614) 644-7718 • email click here
Senator Vernon Sykes –call (614) 466-7041 • email click here
First of all, we are asking you to call and email all of the conferees and urge each of them (Democrat & Republican) to ensure that the language struck from HB 33 [page 1497, line 46001 through page 1500, line 46082] is not put back in–and no other version added.
Secondly–and equally important, please THANK the three Senators (Senators only) for hearing the testimony and passing the bill out of their committee with the amendment.
Third, ask your friends and family to do the same.
Two important things to keep in mind while engaging with our legislatures:
- They do track volume. The more people who contact them, the better.
- They are not used to being thanked. Genuine appreciation can go along way in encouraging someone to do the right thing.
The budget is scheduled to be done at the end of the month. We will continue to monitor this issue. If you have any information on HB 33, please contact us.
Read more on House Bill 33 here.
For more information on the role of Central Committees, read How in the World Did This Guy Get Elected? The Central Committee and Why You Should Care by Matthew Urbas
For an in-depth analysis of the danger of this proposed budget language, read The Ohio Republican Party Paves the Way for Dangerous Changes to County Central Committee Seats by Jessica Franz
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