Overview
In Ohio, our state legislative sessions are divided into two-year increments. Currently, we are at the tail-end of the 135th General Assembly, with the 136th General Assembly beginning in January 2025 and lasting until 2027. Every even-year election, as lawmakers prepare for the next General Assembly, we enter the “Lameduck period,” taking place between Election Day and the start of the new session.
All bills and initiatives introduced, but not passed, during the 135th General Assembly will become moot at the start of the new year. Lawmakers will have to reintroduce them and begin the committee process all over again. During Lameduck, there is often rapid-fire movement of legislation as the clock counts down, and it’s critical Ohioans remain vigilant of these efforts.
State Legislation
The ACLU of Ohio is monitoring several bills moving through the Statehouse. Learn about each of them below and how you can take action.
Support
- Senate Bill 237: Senate Bill 237 supports the free speech rights of individuals by enacting critical protections against Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs). At its most basic definition, a SLAPP is a suit filed against people or organizations who speak out on issues of public interest or concern. Take action here.
- On November 19, we provided Proponent Testimony for SB 237 in the House Civil Justice Committee. Review the full testimony.
- Senate Bill 101: Capital punishment is inequitable, inhumane, and ineffective. If passed, SB 101 would finally abolish the death penalty once and for all in our state. Across the country, 23 states and Washington, D.C. have already abolished the death penalty. Ohio should be next on the list. Take action here.
Oppose
- House Bill 8: If passed, House Bill 8 – also coined the “Unsafe Students Act” - would restrict how so-called “sexuality content” can be taught in schools and would potentially put students’ safety at serious risk. It also would require that schools share various information about a student’s health and well-being with the student’s parents, including “any request by a student to identify as a gender that does not align” with their sex assigned at birth, specifically putting LGBTQ+ students at risk. Take action here.
- House Bill 473: HB 473 expands the use of surveillance cameras at highway rest stops across Ohio. This creates several privacy implications, while lacking parameters to regulate their use and prevent their misuse.
- On November 20, we provided opponent testimony for HB 473 in the House Homeland Security Committee. Review the full testimony.
- Senate Bill 293: This bill requires all school districts to allow religious release programs. The ACLU of Ohio is in favor of rejecting this bill and maintaining current law in Ohio which allows local school districts to decide themselves whether or not to accommodate religious release time programs.
- On November 19, we provided opponent testimony for SB 293 in the Senate Education Committee. Review the full testimony.
- Senate Bill 104: On November 13, Ohio lawmakers passed SB 104, Ohio’s anti-trans bathroom bill. This bill requires all individuals in primary and secondary schools as well as institutions of higher education to use restrooms and other facilities that align with their sex assigned at birth. The bill now sits on Governor DeWine’s desk, where he has until November 29 to either sign it into law or veto it. Tell Governor DeWine to veto SB 104 here.
View our full list of Action Alerts to learn more about all the bills we’re following and how you can make your voice heard. We’ll continue to update this page as new legislation is introduced.
National Legislation
As the ACLU of Ohio focuses on statewide legislation, our partners at ACLU National are keeping a close eye on the Biden Administration’s Lameduck period, as well as the incoming Trump Administration. Find ways to take action at the national level and learn how we are more prepared than ever for a second Trump Administration.
