Catholic Conference of Ohio
Thursday, March 28, 2024

Issues - Catholic Conference of Ohio

Ohio's 132nd General Assembly Winding Down

Possible vetoes will determine the fate of several life-related legislation

  • 14 December 2018
  • Author: Jim Tobin
  • Number of views: 2791
  • 0 Comments

The Ohio Legislature is expected to return on December 19 and December 27 to wrap up the 132nd General Assembly.  Legislation not passed by January 1, 2019, must be reintroduced in the next Assembly. Much will depend upon whether the House and Senate will attempt to override any Governor vetoes (including vetoes made in the 2017 budget bill).  The Governor has indicated that he may veto the Heartbeat bill (HB 258), the gun bill (HB 228) and the pay raise bill (SB 296).  The Senate needs 20 votes to override; the House needs 60. 

Legislation that has passed or is still pending includes:

SB 145: Dismemberment Abortion Ban. Generally prohibits a person from knowingly performing or attempting to perform a dismemberment abortion. (Passed, awaiting action by the Governor) 

HB 258: Heartbeat Bill. Generally prohibits a person from knowingly and purposefully performing or inducing an abortion with the specific intent of causing or abetting the termination of the life of an unborn human individual whose fetal heartbeat has been detected. (Passed, awaiting action by the Governor) 

HB 228: Concealed Carry Law. Bill was amended to reinstate the "duty to retreat" (the provision was advocated by the Conference. (Passed, awaiting action by the Governor) 

HB 461: Human Trafficking. Applies the same human trafficking offense to all victims under 18.  (Bill passed the House.  Further action is not expected in the Senate)

SB158: Elder Fraud. Combats elder fraud and exploitation. (Passed, awaiting action by the Governor) 

HB 286: Palliative Care. Creates the Palliative Care and Quality of Life Interdisciplinary Council, and requires specified health care facilities and providers to establish a system for identifying patients or residents who could benefit from palliative care and to provide information on palliative care. (Passed, awaiting action by the Governor) 

HB 81: Death Penalty. Prohibit the death penalty for persons with severe mental illness. (Informally passed by the House, but further action is not expected in the House or Senate. Concerns were raised regarding the retroactive provisions in the bill).

HB 36: Pastor Protection Act. Specifies that no ordained or licensed minister and no religious society is required to solemnize a marriage or allow any their buildings or their property to be used to host a marriage ceremony if the marriage does not conform to the minister's or society's sincerely held religious beliefs.  (Bill passed the House, however, the Senate did not pass this bill out of committee).

Print