Get Updates from Honesty For Ohio Education
Join "How Things Work at the Ohio Statehouse":
These accounts regularly post calls to action, bill updates, upcoming events, and answers to common questions about Ohio legislative advocacy!
Facebook: How Things Work at the Statehouse
Twitter: HowThingsWorkOH
TikTok: RachelCoyleOhio
Email: HowThingsWorkOH@gmail.com
Ohio PTA’s Voter Voice: OhioPTA.org/voter-voice
Sign up for action alerts
View Your Election Center
View and search for legislation
Materials:
Check out the different tabs to find contact info for each committee — Remember how important committee chairs are!
Complete this document and email it to the committee chair along with your testimony!
Testimony toolkit and template from Honesty For Ohio Education
Go to the "Lists" section of the @HowThingsWorkOH Twitter account for lists of Ohio political reporters, legislators, and groups to follow.
Click here for an INCOMPLETE list of incredible advocacy organizations in Ohio
Please consider following them / signing up / joining some of these amazing orgs!
Website Links:
OhioChannel.org (Watch Ohio House and Senate committees and Session live online, for free!)
Click here for an INCOMPLETE list of incredible advocacy organizations in Ohio — consider joining the ones that interest you most!
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions:
HOW TO find your state senator and/or state representative:
Type your address below the maps on this page: https://www.legislature.ohio.
gov/members/district-maps
HOW TO search for a bill:
Legislature.Ohio.gov --> "Legislation" tab --> "Search Legislation"
You can search by bill number, sponsor, chamber, even keyword (keyword option isn't 100% effective).
HOW TO follow bills moving through the SENATE:
"Committees" tab
Click the Senate committees that interest you.
Contact the Chair of each interesting committee (click their picture for contact info).
Ask to be placed on the committee's "notice list"!
You'll get email updates about bills in that committee!
HOW TO follow bills moving through the HOUSE:
"Committees" tab
Click the House committees that interest you.
Click "mailing list" and follow the instructions provided
HOW TO find shareable bill descriptions ("bill analyses"):
Once you find a bill that interests you, click on it!
You’ll be taken to the bill’s page.
Then click the “documents” tab.
You see the bill’s text is available for download.
Any time the bill has been changed or amended, they will upload a new version, so you can reach each one.
BUT below the text, you’ll see the bill’s ANALYSIS is also available!
The analysis is a plain English, bullet point description of what the bill will do.
It’s written by the nonpartisan Legislative Service Commission (LSC). It’s wonderful!
See what your legislators are up to:
Click "Primary Sponsor" and select your legislator
These are bills your legislator had drafted and introduced. They are leading the charge on these bills.
Click "Cosponsor" and select your legislator
These are bills your legislator did not introduce, but liked enough to add their name.
Information about ALEC:
See who's donating — Visit the Ohio Secretary of State's website to search campaign finance reports and see who has donated to Ohio politicians.
Track the lobbyists — Visit the "Joint Legislative Ethics Committee" (JLEC) website to track Ohio lobbyists and see who they lobby for.
News outlets with especially strong Statehouse coverage (Not all of these require subscriptions, but they are worth a subscription if necessary!):
News 5 Cleveland has a dedicated Statehouse reporter (Morgan Trau)
Cleveland.com (Which is oddly separate from the Plain Dealer now)
Especially the Capitol Letter newsletter
Spectrum News 1 has a dedicated Statehouse reporter (Samana Sheikh)
ABC 6 in Columbus has a Statehouse reporter
REMEMBER, you have real power to influence policy at the state level. You just have to use it!
Anything you do, any action you take, is likely more than was happening at the Statehouse before. That means your individual voice is very loud at the Statehouse level!
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