Ohio on cusp of granting AG Dave Yost new power to reject citizen amendments

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https://www.daytondailynews.com/local/ohio-on-cusp-of-granting-ag-dave-yost-new-power-to-reject-citizen-amendments/G2FDUQYNVVH6PAU5EMPMXKY2KI/

Finishing touches are all that’s left on an Ohio bill that would expand state Attorney General Dave Yost’s power by giving his office the authority to reject citizen ballot initiatives based on their title.

This comes months after Ohio’s top court found he overstepped his authority when denying a voting-rights bill based on its title earlier this year.

The proposed expansion of power came in a quiet amendment to an otherwise unrelated bill that was approved by the Senate Wednesday and sent back to the Ohio House for concurrence, which is expected next week.

If approved by the state’s lower chamber, House Bill 74 would require the attorney general to assess whether or not a statewide ballot initiative’s title is a fair and truthful reflection of the proposal before petitioners can begin gathering signatures.

Ohio’s attorney general is already tasked with assessing a petition’s summary to ensure that it accurately summarizes the proposed changes to the Ohio Constitution or law.

Senate President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, told statehouse reporters Wednesday that the state’s most recent Issue 1 was an example of why the attorney general’s power needs to be expanded in this way.

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1. Icy slope