The bill introduced by Representatives Lorenz and Deeter seeks to amend the Ohio Revised Code to enhance the regulation of statewide initiative petition circulators. A significant new requirement is the licensing of circulators by the Secretary of State, as outlined in section 3519.11. The bill defines a "statewide initiative petition" and emphasizes the responsibilities of circulators, including the necessity to display their circulator license number on the petition statement. This aims to improve accountability and ensure that only qualified individuals participate in the petition process.

Additionally, the bill establishes an application process for obtaining a circulator license, which includes providing personal information, signing a statement of truth, and notarization. The Secretary of State will maintain a registry of licensed circulators for verification by boards of elections. The legislation also clarifies the verification process for petitions, stating that a petition is not properly verified without a valid circulator license. It repeals existing sections of the Revised Code that are now outdated due to these new provisions, while ensuring that part-petitions signed before the law's effective date remain valid if they meet prior requirements.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 3501.01, 3501.38, 3503.06, 3519.05, 3519.06