Ohio State Government

Unit 4, Lesson 2

Ohio’s Constitution

• Elected officials in Ohio promise to support the state’s constitution

• Ohio has 2 constitutions– First approved in 1803– Second approved in 1851

• Today, Ohio’s state government runs according to the 1851 constitution

Ohio’s Constitution

• OH Constitution has been amended over the years– Some amendments protect the hours,

pay, and working conditions of Ohio’s workers

– Others guarantee civil rights to citizens of the state

Ohio’s Constitution

• Ohio’s 1851 constitution required that every 20 years voters must be asked if they want to change their state constitution.

• Meetings to make changes in the constitution were held in 1873 and 1912.

• In 2011, Ohio’s will be asked again.

Ohio’s Bill of Rights

• First article of the OH Constitution• Lists the rights and freedoms

promised to Ohio citizens– Guarantees the freedoms of religion and

speech, freedom of assembly (gather in groups), trial by jury• Jury group of citizens who hear and

decide a case in court

State Government

• OH Constitution divides the state government into legislative, executive, and judicial branches

• Leaders of state government meet in Columbus

Ohio’s Legislative Branch• Ohio’s legislative branch is called the

General Assembly• Makes state laws• Two parts – senate and house of

representatives– Ohio Senate = 33 senators– Ohio House = 99 members

• Members of each house can present bills, or plans for new laws– Each house works on bill by itself– Bills that are passed by one house are sent

to the other for approval

A Look at State Government

Lincoln Address General Assembly 1861

Ohio Statehouse 1900s

Ohio’s State Capitol Building in Columbus, OH

Ohio’s Executive Branch

• Sees that state laws are carried out• Governor is leader of executive branch• Ohio’s voters elect the governor to

serve a four-year term– Creates a yearly budget (written plan for

how to spend state’s money)• Budget sent to General Assembly for approval

– Reviews bills suggested by G.A.• Approved becomes a law• Veto (reject) bill

– Legislature can still pass a vetoed bill if 3/5 of G.A. vote to make it a law

– Runs many state departments and agencies

Ohio’s Governor, John Kasich

Governor’s Office 1800s

Ohio’s Judicial Branch

• Decides if laws agree with the state constitution

• Made up of all the state courts• All justices in the state are elected

Ohio’s Judicial Branch

• Ohio Supreme Court is the state’s highest court– 1 chief justice– 6 elected justices who serve six-year

terms

• 1922 = Florence Ellinwood Allen first woman elected to OH Supreme Court

Ohio’s Judicial Branch

• Ohio has a system of lower courts– District court of appeals– County and city courts– Courts of common pleas–Mayors’ courts

Ohio Supreme Court

Ohio’s Government and Economy

• OH state government words to bring businesses to the state

• Collects taxes from citizens to provide services

Encouraging Businesses

• Department of Development encourages people in OH to start new businesses– Helps businesses from other states and

countries move to the state– These efforts bring jobs to OH

• Department provides info about the state’s people, resources, and laws– Helps businesses train new workers– Can also show businesses how to use

energy sources wisely

Taxes and Services

• OH collects taxes from citizens• OH General Assembly decides how to

spend the taxes• State taxes pay for costs of running

the state gov.– Pay for building and repairing state

roads, highways, and ports– Keeping state parks safe and clean

Taxes and Services

• State tax money is also spent on public schools and state universities– Almost 4,000 public elementary, middle,

and high schools– Around 1,845,000 students attend these

schools–More than 60 public universities and

colleges• The Ohio State University in Columbus is the

3rd largest university in the USA

The Ohio State University

Taxes and Services

• Many officials and offices in OH work together to collect and spend state money

• State treasurer and state auditor– Treasurer manages the state’s money

• Jennette B. Bradley was the first African American woman elected to this office in the USA

– Auditor makes sure that state money is spent correctly• Betty Montgomery was the first woman to hold

this office in OH

Ohio State Seal

• Used on all official state papers• Features the Scioto River flowing

across its center– Separates a farm’s field from Mount Logan

• 13 rays of sun shine over the mountain– Represent the 13 original American states

• At the front a bundle of 17 arrows stands for OH as the 17th state to join the union

Ohio State Seal