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2021 Ohio legislative session

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2021 Ohio legislative session
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General information
Session start:    January 4, 2021

Session end:    December 31, 2021

Leadership
Senate President
Matt Huffman (R)

House Speaker
Bob Cupp (R)
Majority Leader
Senate: Kirk Schuring (R)
House: Bill Seitz (R)
Minority Leader
Senate: Kenny Yuko (D)
House: Emilia Sykes (D)

Elections
Next Election:    November 8, 2022

Last Election:    November 3, 2020

Previous legislative sessions
2020 • 2019 • 2018
Other 2021 legislative sessions


In 2021, the Ohio State Legislature was scheduled to convene on January 4 and adjourn on December 31.

The legislators serving in this session took office following the 2020 elections. Republicans won a 25-8 majority in the Senate and a 64-35 majority in the House. The party also controlled the governorship, creating a Republican state government trifecta. At the start of the 2021 session, Ohio was one of 22 state legislatures where one party had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers.

The Ohio General Assembly is responsible for redistricting following each census. Legislators were expected to address redistricting as part of the 2021 legislative session. As of the 2020 Census, Ohio was one of 37 states where legislators were responsible for redistricting.

At the beginning of the 2021 legislative session:
  • Republicans held a majority in the Ohio state House and state Senate.
  • Ohio was one of 22 Republican state government trifectas.
  • Ohio's governor was Republican Mike DeWine.

    • Leadership in 2021

    Ohio State Senate

    Ohio House of Representatives

    Partisan control in 2021

    See also: State government trifectas

    Ohio was one of 22 Republican state government trifectas at the start of 2021 legislative sessions. A state government trifecta occurs when one political party holds the governor's office, a majority in the state Senate, and a majority in the state House. For more information about state government trifectas, click here.

    Ohio was also 22 state legislatures where one party had a had a veto-proof supermajority in both chambers. Veto overrides occur when a legislature votes to reverse a veto issued by an executive such as a governor or the president. If one party has a majority in a state legislature that is large enough to override a gubernatorial veto without any votes from members of the minority party, it is called a veto-proof majority or, sometimes, a supermajority. To read more about veto-proof supermajorities in state legislatures, click here.

    The following tables show the partisan breakdown of the Ohio State Legislature in the 2021 legislative session.

    Ohio State Senate

    Party As of January 2021
         Democratic Party 8
         Republican Party 25
    Total 33

    Ohio House of Representatives

    Party As of January 2021
         Democratic Party 35
         Republican Party 64
    Total 99

    Regular session

    The following widget shows up to 25 pieces of legislation in the 2021 legislative session that most recently passed both chambers of the legislature, were signed by the governor, or were approved by the legislature in a veto override. If no bills are displayed below, no legislation met these criteria in 2021. This information is provided by BillTrack50.

    Redistricting

    See also: Redistricting in Ohio after the 2020 census

    Ohio's 15 United States representatives and 132 state legislators are all elected from political divisions called districts. District lines are redrawn every 10 years following completion of the United States census. Federal law stipulates that districts must have nearly equal populations and must not discriminate on the basis of race or ethnicity.

    Congressional districts
    Map drafting in Ohio after the 2020 census is ongoing.

    On March 2, 2022, the Ohio Redistricting Commission approved a redrawn congressional map in a 5-2 vote along party lines, meaning the map lasted for four years.[1] On March 18, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that it did not have jurisdiction to overturn the map before the state's primary elections as part of the legal challenge that overturned the initial congressional map.[2] This map took effect for Ohio's 2022 congressional elections. The legislature has until the end of September 2025 to pass a new map with three-fifths support in both chambers or the Ohio Redistricting Commission will take over to adopt a plan by October 31, 2025.[3]

    Click here for more information.

    Legislative districts
    Litigation over state legislative redistricting in Ohio after the 2020 census has concluded.

    Due to a 2022 Ohio Supreme Court ruling, the Ohio Redistricting Commission was required to draw new state legislative maps following the 2022 elections.[4]

    On September 26, 2023, the Ohio Redistricting Commission voted 6-0 (with one member absent) to adopt new state legislative maps.[5][6] On October 5, the ACLU of Ohio filed a motion on behalf of the League of Women Voters of Ohio and other plaintiffs asking the Ohio Supreme Court to invalidate the new state legislative maps on the grounds that they violated the state constitution.[7]

    On November 27, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld the maps and dismissed the following cases: League of Women Voters of Ohio et al. v. Ohio Redistricting Commission et al., Bennett et al. v. Ohio Redistricting Commission et al., and Ohio Organizing Collaborative et al. v. Ohio Redistricting Commission et al.[8]

    Click here for more information.

    See the sections below for further information on the following topics:

    1. Summary: This section provides summary information about the drafting and enacting processes.
    2. Apportionment and release of census data: This section details the 2020 apportionment process, including data from the United States Census Bureau.
    3. Drafting process: This section details the drafting process for new congressional and state legislative district maps.
    4. Enactment: This section provides information about the enacted congressional and state legislative district maps.
    5. Court challenges: This section details court challenges to the enacted congressional and state legislative district maps.
    6. Background: This section summarizes federal and state-based requirements for redistricting at both the congressional and state legislative levels. A summary of the 2010 redistricting cycle in Ohio is also provided.

    To learn more about the redistricting process in Ohio after the 2020 census, click here.

    Standing legislative committees

    See also: Standing committee and List of committees in Ohio state government


    A standing committee of a state legislature is a committee that exists on a more-or-less permanent basis, from legislative session to session, that considers and refines legislative bills that fall under the committee's subject matter.

    At the beginning of the 2021 legislative session, there were 36 standing committees in Ohio's state government, including 5 joint legislative committees, 14 state Senate committees, and 17 state House committees.

    Joint legislative committees

    Senate committees

    House committees

    Legislatively referred constitutional amendments

    In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.

    The methods by which the Ohio Constitution can be amended:

    See also: Section 1a, Article II and Article XVI of the Ohio Constitution and Laws governing ballot measures in Ohio

    The Ohio Constitution provides three mechanisms for amending the state's constitution—a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. Ohio requires a simple majority vote (50% plus 1) for voters to approve constitutional amendments.

    Initiative

    See also: Initiated constitutional amendment

    According to Section 1a of Article II, citizens have the power to initiate constitutional amendments in Ohio. An initiated constitutional amendment is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that amends a state's constitution. Eighteen (18) states allow citizens to initiate constitutional amendments.

    In Ohio, the number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment is equal to 10% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.

    Ohio also requires initiative sponsors to submit 1,000 signatures with the initial petition application. Ohio has a signature distribution requirement, which requires that signatures be gathered from at least 44 of Ohio's 88 counties. Petitioners must gather signatures equal to a minimum of half the total required percentage of the gubernatorial vote in each of the 44 counties. Petitions are allowed to circulate for an indefinite period of time. Signatures are due 125 days prior to the general election that proponents want the initiative on.

    Legislature

    See also: Legislatively referred constitutional amendment

    According to Article XVI, the state Legislature can refer constitutional amendments to the ballot for voters to decide. A 60% vote is required during one legislative session for the Ohio State Legislature to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. That amounts to a minimum of 60 votes in the Ohio House of Representatives and 20 votes in the Ohio State Senate, assuming no vacancies. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.

    Convention

    See also: Convention-referred constitutional amendment

    According to Section 3 of Article XVI of the Ohio Constitution, a question about whether to hold a state constitutional convention is to automatically appear on the state's ballot every 20 years starting in 1932. Ohio is one of 14 states that provides for an automatic constitutional convention question.

    The table below shows the last and next automatic constitutional convention question election years:

    State Interval Last question on the ballot Next question on the ballot
    Ohio 20 years 2012 2032


    Historical context: Between 1995 and 2019, the following occurred:

    • A total of 45 measures appeared on statewide ballots.
    • An average of two measures appeared on the ballot during odd-numbered election years.
    • The number of measures appearing on statewide ballots ranged from zero to five.
    • Voters approved 53.3 percent (24 of 45) and rejected 46.7 percent (21 of 45) of the statewide ballot measures.
    Ohio statewide ballot measures, 1995-2019
    Years Total number Approved Percent approved Defeated Percent defeated Odd-year average Odd-year median Odd-year minimum Odd-year maximum
    All measures 45 24 53.3% 21 46.7% 1.8 2.0 0 5
    Initiatives 20 7 35.0% 13 65.0% 0.8 0.00 0 4
    Veto referendums 3 1 33.3% 2 66.7% 0.2 0.0 0 1
    Legislative amendments 20 16 80.0% 4 20.0% 0.9 1.0 0 2


    Historical partisan control

    The table below depicts the historical trifecta status of Ohio.

    Ohio Party Control: 1992-2024
    No Democratic trifectas  •  Twenty-six years of Republican trifectas
    Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

    Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24
    Governor R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
    Senate R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R R
    House D D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R D D R R R R R R R R R R R R R R

    Historical Senate control

    Between 1992 and 2020, grew their majority in the Ohio State Senate. Republicans held a 20-13 majority as a result of the 1992 elections. As a result of the 2020 elections, the Republican majority was 25-8. The table below shows the partisan history of the Ohio State Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2020. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

    Ohio State Senate election results: 1992-2020

    Year '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14 '16 '18 '20
    Democrats 13 13 12 12 12 11 11 12 12 10 10 10 9 9 8
    Republicans 20 20 21 21 21 22 22 21 21 23 23 23 24 24 25

    There were few movements in the partisan balance of the state Senate between 1992 and 2020. There was one election, held in 2010, in which Republicans gained two seats. The only gains Democrats made occurred as a result of the 2006 elections, when they gained one seat. All other election cycles saw either Republicans picking up one seat or there being no change in the partisan balance of the chamber.

    Historical House control

    Between 1992 and 2020, partisan control of the Ohio House of Representatives shifted in favor of the Republican Party. As a result of the 1992 elections, Democrats held a 53-46 majority. After the 2020 elections, Republicans held a 64-35 majority. The table below shows the partisan history of the Ohio House of Representatives following every general election from 1992 to 2020. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

    Ohio House of Representatives election results: 1992-2020

    Year '92 '94 '96 '98 '00 '02 '04 '06 '08 '10 '12 '14 '16 '18 '20
    Democrats 53 43 39 40 39 37 40 46 53 40 39 34 33 38 35
    Republicans 46 56 60 59 60 62 59 53 46 59 60 65 66 61 64

    Partisan control of the state House changed three times between 1992 and 2020. The first was in 1994, when Republicans picked up 10 seats and gained control of the chamber. Between 2002 and 2008, Democrats went from being a 37-62 minority to holding a 53-46 majority. That Democratic majority ended as a result of the 2010 elections, when Republicans gained 13 seats and retook control of the chamber.

    Republicans expanded their majorities between 2010 and 2016. As a result of the 2016 elections, Republicans held a 66-33 majority, up from the 59-40 majority the GOP gained in 2010. Most of the Republicans' gains between 2010 and 2016 occurred as a result of the 2014 elections, when they gained five seats.

    See also

    Elections Ohio State Government State Legislatures State Politics
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    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Dayton Daily News, "Ohio Redistricting Commission approves new U.S. House map on another party-line vote," March 2, 2022
    2. ↑ 13ABC, "Ohio Supreme Court makes final judgement on Congressional map challenges," March 18, 2022
    3. ↑ WTVG, "Ohio to redraw Congressional map for 2026 election," December 18, 2024
    4. ↑ Ohio Legislative Budget Office, "Redistricting in Ohio: Members Brief," April 19, 2024
    5. ↑ Associated Press, "Bipartisan Ohio commission unanimously approves new maps that favor Republican state legislators," September 27, 2023
    6. ↑ Ohio Capital Journal, "Ohio Redistricting Commission adopts sixth version of Statehouse maps with bipartisan support," September 27, 2023
    7. ↑ 21 WFMJ, "Newly enacted district maps challenged by voting rights groups," October 5, 2023
    8. ↑ AP, "Ohio Supreme Court dismisses 3 long-running redistricting lawsuits against state legislative maps," November 28, 2023
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