Buckeye Reporter

Recently, the Ohio Senate passed a measure to raise the threshold necessary to pass a ballot-driven amendment to the Ohio Constitution to 60%. In order to make it onto the ballot in August, the resolution to put it on the ballot must be passed by the Ohio House before May 10. Proponents of the measure are urging Speaker Jason Stephens to hold a vote to ensure that it passes before that deadline.

"We applaud the State Senate, led by President Huffman, for doing their part to ensure that the Constitutional Protection Amendment passes and that it appears on the August ballot," Save Our Constitution PAC said in a statement. "We are especially grateful to Secretary of State LaRose for his leadership on this issue. The time is now for the House to follow suit and act swiftly to ensure that left-wing special interests will no longer have a stranglehold on our Constitution. We urge Speaker Stephens to stand up for Ohio and do his part to protect our Constitution."

On April 19, according to an NBC4 News report, the Ohio Senate advanced SJR 2, the Ohio Constitution Protection Amendment, by a vote of 27-6. Similarly, the measure to place it on the August ballot advanced 25-8. In order to be put before voters, however, both measures would now have to pass the Ohio House of Representatives.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose sent a letter to Senate President Matt Huffman and Stephens urging their prompt action on the matter, and reminding them the measures must be passed and filed with the secretary's office no later than May 10 in order to appear on the August ballot, according to Natalie Fahmy, an Ohio State House reporter for NBC4 news.

According to Joel Riter, an advisor to Save Our Constitution PAC, the organization is currently on radio and television across the state "to make sure Ohioans know how crucial this amendment is," Riter told Buckeye Reporter.

The group is also "demanding Speaker Stephens’ immediate action to ensure it makes it on the ballot this August," Riter said. “We are additionally delivering digital and social media ads, as well as action alert text messages to voters, and connecting voters directly to their legislators. Legislators will be hearing directly from their constituents urging them to ensure that they vote YES on the amendment and YES on placing it on the ballot in August.”

On April 27, LaRose warned that state House members who oppose or hamper the amendment will face consequences for their decision. During an interview with the Tribune Chronicle, LaRose said, "I think that members who choose not to support this will have consequences for that, meaning the voters will hold them accountable because there are a lot of Ohioans who want to see this done. They should carefully consider that."

In a news release, the Ohio Secretary of State’s office also reports that in just the past three petition-based amendment campaigns, special interests have spent more than $50 million on ads and political expenses to support their passage. Only one of these amendments was successfully passed. According to that data, there have been 16 proposed petition-based constitutional amendments since 2000. Of those 16, only five passed, and three of the five passed with more than 60% of the vote.

According to Ballotpedia, only 16 states allow direct ballot initiative driven constitutional amendments. Of those 16, four states, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida and Illinois, currently have requirements above 50%+1 for passing those amendments. Arizona requires 60% approval for tax-related measures, Colorado requires 55% for all amendments, while Florida and Illinois require 60%.

In February, the Missouri House of Representatives passed a bill that would raise the threshold for passing constitutional amendments from 50% up to 60%, St. Louis Public Radio reported. If approved by the Missouri Senate, the measure would be placed on the ballot in an upcoming election for the voters in Missouri to decide on.