Columbus, Ohio (Wcmh) – The petents of an equality change solved the hurdle to start collecting signatures in order to be on the November 2026 ballot papers Wednesday morning, but the release came with a catch.
“I would like to give you the advantage of doubt, but it feels politically,” said representative Terrence Uppchurch (D-Cleveland). “I think it’s political because I think it’s pretty simple in nature. I think it’s a problem. It’s cut and dry.”
Every time a person or group wants to receive a proposal for a constitutional change in an OHIO ballot, several steps must be taken. One of them is the certification through Ohio’s election campaign that the proposed change is only a problem. On Wednesday morning, the board voted to share the change change in Ohio into two parts.
“It seems obvious to me that it would be good to give it [voters] Those as two separate changes, ”said Foreign Minister Frank Larose (R-OHIO).
“If that were the standard, this applies to every suggestion that goes to Ohio voters,” said Ohio Equal Rights Corey Colombo. “It would be aspects [voters] Mag and doesn’t like. However, this does not change the fact that this is all below the same umbrella. “
What are two changes now?
The first would remove language from the constitution of Ohio, which prohibits same -sex marriage. This language, albeit still in the state constitution, is currently not being used thanks Oberfell v. HodgesA case of the U.S. Court of Justice that legalized same-sex marriage in 2015.
Lis Regula, a guide at Ohio Equal Rights, said with the possibility that the case would be covered, Ohioaner should act quickly.
“At the moment [same-sex marriage is] I think there will be a lot of people who are surprised that “Oh crap, cousin Joe and his husband are no longer married, which means” Oh crap, that is a restless awakening so that I no longer have to fight “when she changes when she changes when she changes.
The change would delete the existing language of the Ohio constitution, which prohibits the same -sex marriage and replace it with a determination that expressly allows this. If passed, it would be:
“The state of Ohio gives the individual at the age of eighteen and not closer to related marriage licenses as a second cousin, and the state and its political subdivisions recognize and treat all marriages, regardless of breed, gender or gender identity. Religious organizations and relatives of the clergy have the right to deny the right to filed a marriage.”
The second change would give the constitution of Ohio a up-to-date part that prohibits discrimination based on “breed, color, color, creed or religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, regardless of gender that at birth, the pregnancy status, genetic information, the disease, age, recreational status, the state status of the nation, national origin, national origin, of genetic information, illness status, recreational status, family status, the process, national origin or the military as well as the veteran status. ” “.”
Supporters of the change argued that both this provision and the same -sex marriage fall into the same category.
“In this case, the proposal refers to the petition to all to the only general purpose of equal rights for all Ohioan,” said Colombo.
The problem that the Republicans have taken with this part of the change is the part of transgender ohioan.
“What has brought us to this point is the number of existing laws that violate people’s rights here in Ohio,” said Regula.
Here is a brief review:
- In January 2024, The legislator in Ohio was based on a legislative template That both genders prohibit the care of minors and forbidden of transgender athletes that play in teams that match their gender identities.
- In November 2024, The legislators in Ohio passed a “bathroom ban”. It requires both public and private K-12 schools and all universities in Ohio to ban non-gender bathrooms, and prohibits using transgender students to operate bathrooms that match their gender identity.
If this change is adopted, this change could call some of these laws that are questioned by the Republican super majority in Ohio Statehouse.
“How is it the same purpose to allow biological men in the same changing room as girls, if they do not agree, how is this the same general purpose to allow people of the same gender to marry mutually?” Senator Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) asked.
Colombo said: “There is nothing in the language that specially discussed bathroom”, but Gavarone has questioned the word “accommodations”.
In order to get into the ballot paper, the petents have to collect 415,000 valid signatures for each change in order to maintain one or both on the ballot. Your goal is to ask the questions before the voters in November 2026.
“We want to be able to have time to have profound discussions with people and really talk about what the same rights mean as an Ohioan, what does it mean to be protected against their ability, to live for themselves, earn for their family and to develop in a reasonable way,” said Regula.
With the aim of November 2026, Ohio Equal Rights has met the signature request until July 2026. On Wednesday morning, Regula said that he was not sure whether to divide the decision of the OHIO election campaign to share the change in court.
