What are the most tracked bills in Ohio (136th Legislature (2025-2026))?

The top 5 most tracked bills are SB 56: Revise medical and adult-use marijuana laws; levy marijuana taxes, SB 155: Revise the real estate wholesaler law, HB 186: Regards school district property taxes, school funding formula, HB 96: Make state operating appropriations for FY 2026-27, HB 371: Make elected officials mandatory child abuse, neglect reporters, SB 1: Enact Advance Ohio Higher Education Act

Why do I need bill tracking for Ohio?

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites! Thousands of bills get filed in each state legislature across the US every year (about 180,000 bills per year nationwide). Legislation gets introduced by bill sponsors, heard in committees, amended, passed and becomes law. If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know what action to take and when to take it. We can help you stay up to date on bills you care about, so you can take timely action.

What are the benefits of FastDemocracy Professional?

FastDemocracy Professional is a full-suite lobbying and bill tracking software for government relations professionals. Get accurate, realtime legislative tracking alerts for state legislatures and Congress, generate professional legislative reports for clients and stakeholders, collaborate with colleagues, organize your advocacy and save hours of work every week.

Free bill tracking for Ohio

How does a bill become law in Ohio?

1. Introduction of a Bill:A legislator identifies a need for legislation.
Legislator requests the Legislative Service Commission (LSC) to draft a proposed bill.
The LSC drafts the bill.
2. Filing and First Consideration:The bill is filed with the House or Senate Clerk and assigned a number.
It undergoes first consideration, where its title is read and referred to the Rules and Reference Committee.
3. Committee Assignment:The bill is assigned to a standing committee for review.
The committee may hold hearings, amend, or substitute the bill.
4. Second Consideration:The committee reports its findings back to the House or Senate.
The Rules and Reference Committee schedules the bill for third consideration (floor action).
5. Floor Action (Third Consideration):Bill is debated and voted on in the full House or Senate.
If passed, it is sent to the other chamber (House/Senate) for a similar process.
6. Resolving Differences:If the second house amends the bill, it returns to the originating house for concurrence.
If there are disagreements, a conference committee may be formed to resolve issues.
7. Signature by Presiding Officers:If both houses agree, the bill is signed by the Speaker of the House and the President of the Senate and becomes an act.
8. Action by the Governor:The act is presented to the Governor.
If the Governor does not sign or veto it within ten days (excluding Sundays), it automatically becomes law.
If vetoed, the legislature can override with a three-fifths vote.
9. Filing and Effective Date:The final act is filed with the Secretary of State and goes into effect 91 days after filing unless specified otherwise (e.g., for emergency legislation).

How can a member of the public get involved in the legislative process in Ohio?

A member of the public can get involved in the legislative process in Ohio in several ways:
Suggest Legislation: Individuals can propose ideas for new laws or changes to existing laws. These ideas can be shared with members of the General Assembly, who can draft them into a bill.
Attend Committee Hearings: Public members can attend hearings held by standing committees after a bill has been assigned to them. This is an opportunity to provide testimony, either in support of or against a bill.
Submit Written Testimony: In addition to speaking at hearings, community members can submit written testimony regarding their opinions on proposed legislation.
Contact Representatives: Individuals can reach out to their representatives in the Ohio General Assembly to express their views on pending legislation. This could include providing feedback, lobbying in favor or against specific bills, and sharing personal stories or data related to the legislation.
Follow Legislative Processes: Citizens can track the status of bills and resolutions through a bill tracking service, which provides information about pending legislation, committee schedules, and legislative calendars.
Join Advocacy Groups: Many organizations work to influence legislation on various issues. Joining or supporting these groups can amplify an individual's voice on specific policy areas.
Participate in Public Forums or Town Halls: Many legislators host events where constituents can come and discuss issues, ask questions, and provide input on local and state matters.
Vote: Ultimately, participating in elections is a key aspect of influencing the legislative process. Individuals can vote for candidates whose policies align with their views on legislation.

How can FastDemocracy help me with that?

Tracking bills is hard, especially if you rely on state legislature websites, which are often hard to navigate. Thousands of bills get filed in Ohio every year (and about 180,000 bills nationwide). If you want to be an effective advocate, you need to know where legislation of interest stands, and act quickly.

FastDemocracy's free version allows you to track an unlimited number of bills - no strings attached. We'll send you a daily or weekly email on your priority bills and give you tools to research bills and legislators.

FastDemocracy Professional is for anyone who tracks bills in a professional capacity. It features

real-time bill, amendment and hearing alerts
automated reporting
team collaboration
bill tagging for clients and stakeholders
bill similarity detection
...and much more

Learn more about FastDemocracy Professional

How do I track bills in Ohio?

1. Sign up here for a free FastDemocracy account.

2. Head to Tracked Topics to select issue areas you care about.

3. Use the search bar on top if you're looking for something specific.

4. Click "Track Bill" for any legislation you'd like to monitor a bit closer. That's how you add it to your Tracked Bills. You can also click on a bill to learn more, see the bill summary, most recent actions, votes, news and tweets. You can also contact legislators or share your bills on social media.

5. You can track an unlimited number of bills for free and we'll send you a daily or weekly email if your tracked legislation moves.

6. Do you need real-time alerts, outreach tools, bill lists, and professional functions? Then FastDemocracy Professional is the right fit for you.

7. Track bills on your smartphone using our free mobile app.