Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission Created

The Ohio legislature recently passed HB 188, which creates an independent Constitutional Modernization Commission charged with studying the Ohio Constitution and making recommendations for amendments.  According  to a recent article by Professor Steven H. Steinglass, (Constitutional commission is the way to go, Columbus Dispatch, July 27, 2011)

“…the Ohio Constitution could use a careful and thorough review.  And in an age of extreme partisanship, the launching of this bipartisan approach to constitutional modernization bodes well for the first serious review of the Ohio Constitution in four decades.”

The Commission’s recommendations for amendments to the Constitution  will be made to the General Assembly.  The General Assembly must approve the amendment by 3/5 vote before it will appear on the ballot.

If voters decide to have a  constitutional convention in 2012, the Constitutional Modernization Commission will report to the General Assembly its recommendations for organizing the convention, and will report to the convention its recommendations for constitutional revision.  Professor Steinglass opines that a constitutional convention would not be an effective way to amend the Ohio Constitution.

“A convention is an unpredictable and unfocused method for amending state constitutions. Though appealing to highly motivated but narrowly focused special-interest groups, a convention would operate without expertise and deliberativeness, and, most important, without the broad political support necessary for ultimate success.”

To see the latest news on the Ohio Constitution, as well as to access historic documents and cases, go to the Ohio Constitution -Law and History page, created and maintained by Professor Steinglass and yours truly, Sue Altmeyer.