How a Bill Becomes a Law in Ohio

Every bill starts with someone—just like you—identifying a problem in their community, and proposing a solution.

State lawmakers take ideas to Ohio’s Legislative Service Commission (LSC) to draft the bill.

The bill can be introduced in either legislative chamber: The House of Representatives or The Senate.

The Speaker of the House or the Senate President assigns the bill to a committee. Typically, the bill receives at least three hearings: sponsor, proponent, and opponent. The bill can be amended in committee and must receive more than 50% of the votes to pass.

The full chamber of origin votes on the bill. The bill must receive 50 votes in the House or 17 votes in the Senate to pass. The bill can be amended here as well.

Once passed, the bill moves to the opposite chamber, and must go through the process again!

Again, the bill typically receives three hearings, can be amended and must receive more than 50% of the votes to pass.

The full chamber must vote on the bill. The bill can be amended or redrafted as a substitute bill before this vote. If the bill is amended in the opposite chamber, it must go back to the chamber of origin for approval. If the original chamber does not approve of the changes, the bill can go to “conference committee,” where the two chambers attempt to work out the differences and send the bill back for a final vote in both chambers.

The governor may sign, veto, or do nothing with the bill. If he does nothing with the bill within 10 days, it will become law without his signature.

The bill becomes law after 90 days unless it includes an emergency clause.