Ohio Website www.ohio.gov
House Web Site www.house.state.oh.us
Senate Web Site www.senate.state.oh.us
How to Write Your Legislator:
Every legislator considers many bills on a wide range of subjects. Therefore, the first essential aspect of an effective letter to a legislator is a specific reference to the particular bill which interests you. The second important element is a brief description of the bill’s provisions will have on you. The third component of a convincing letter is your advice on how you think he or she should vote on the bill.
Sample letter to urge support from Representative
(Use critical arguments when writing against bills you oppose.)
Date (Month, day, year)
The Honorable (First and last name)
Ohio House of Representatives
77 South High Street
Columbus, Ohio 43215-6111
RE: (Insert bill number and brief description. Example) HB 1234 Right of First Refusal.
Dear Mr. /Mrs. /Ms. (Last name only):
(Briefly state what you want hear. Example) I am writing you to ask you to vote for HB ####, which would give manufactured home owners, before anyone else, the opportunity to purchase the community in which they live.
I am ____ years old and a resident in a manufactured home community in ________(Your city). I purchased my home because of the affordable housing it provides me. I am retired/disabled/preparing to retire/ moderate income family (whatever your situation is).
(Address two to four points about the bill that demonstrate why the Representative should support it). This bill would allow the residents of a community to own the land on which their home is installed. It would give them the opportunity to control their rents costs which consistently is being raised usually yearly. Undoubtedly they would be more inclined to keep up the quality of their home which would raise the value of their investment. This could help keep them off government financial assistance.
(Sum up your position in a personal context). If HB #### does not law, many more residents will need to make the choice of rent or food/medicines. The real truth of the matter is, no one should be forced into a position like that.
(End with a polite, respectful closing). Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Sign your name
Your address
Your city, state and zip code
Phone
Email
Sample letter to urge support from Senators
(Use critical arguments when writing against bills you oppose)
Date (Month, day, and year)
Senator (First and last name)
Senate Building
Room # ______, _______ Floor (Insert room and floor number)
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Dear Senator (Last name only):
(Briefly state what you want here. Example). I am writing to ask you to vote for Senate Bill ####,which would give manufactured home owners equal opportunity for an Equity Loan.
(Give a brief description information of yourself. Example). I am a manufactured home owner in (Your town), Ohio. I purchased my home because of the affordable housing it provides. I am retired/disabled/preparing to retire/moderate income family (Whatever your situation is).
(Address two to four points about the bill that demonstrate why the Senator should support it. Example). This bill would require local financial institutions to extend Equity Loans to those who qualify for one. It would give these home owners the same APR as those who live in a stick built home. It would give the homeowner the ability to keep their home up to date quality wise and protect their investment.
This is important because currently once a resident buys a manufactured home they cannot obtain an Equity loan under any circumstances. Any financing obtained must come on a Personal loan at a higher rate of interest.
(Sum up your position in a personal context. Example). If Senate Bill #### does not become law, one day I will not be able to give my home the attention it will need. The value of my investment in my home will be reduced. As it is, I am faced many times with the decision for either medicine or food but not both.
(End with a polite, respectful closing). Thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
Sign your name
Your address
City, state, zip
Phone
Email
How to Lobby
It is important to know the steps in the legislative process to understand how an idea or issue becomes a bill and how a bill becomes law. After reviewing the legislative process, a strategy must be plotted to increase the chances of the bill’s passage or defeat.
In the Ohio General Assembly, each citizen is represented by a state representative and a state senator. The state is divided into 99 House districts and 33 Senate districts.
Members of the Ohio Senate are elected to serve 33 separate geographic areas of the state called "districts." The boundaries of each district are determined according to population size. Each senator represents an equal number of constituents, about 330,000 people per district. For that reason, some senators from rural areas may represent districts which are geographically larger than more densely populated urban areas.
General elections for the Ohio Senate are held every two years, with half the members of the Senate elected each time. Senators are elected to four-year terms. The Ohio legislature is subject to term limits, restricting senators to two consecutive four-year terms
Once introduced, legislation is referred to one of 14 standing committees in the Ohio Senate. Generally, a committee chair will schedule at least two hearings on a bill to hear testimony from bill sponsors and opponents as well as to vote. Witnesses testifying before the committee may be professionals representing interest groups or concerned individual citizens. Witnesses are not under oath, as in a courtroom, but they are required to register with the committee chairperson at the beginning of the hearing.
Senators want to hear the views of Ohioans. The dates of committee hearings are often published in newspapers and are posted in the Senate Clerk's Office and at the rear of the Senate chamber. You may call 1-800-282-0253 (466-8842 in Columbus) to find out the status of a bill and when the next hearing is scheduled.
State representatives listen to the concerns of their constituents and speak for them. They develop solutions to the needs of their districts through legislative action. State representatives work together, balancing the best interests of each state district.
House members attend many meetings of their local, civic, religious and business groups. Through these contacts and suggestions from individual citizens, state representatives gauge public opinion and develop proposals for changes in the state law. These proposals are prepared in the form of a bill and are then formally considered by the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Governor before becoming law.
Each state representative is assigned to several standing committees which meet weekly while the House is in session to closely review each bill. In committee meetings, they hear testimony from individuals interested in specific legislative issues. Often members are assigned to special committees or boards that investigate items of pressing concern, or they regularly review actions of state agencies. When a committee recommends a bill for passage and the Rules and Reference Committee schedules it for consideration, the bill then comes before the House for a vote. During the floor session, representatives debate the merits of the proposal. After the debate is closed, it is the duty of each member to cast a vote in favor of or against the bill.
Of equal importance to their legislative roles, each state representative also acts as a liaison between groups and individuals in their districts and state and federal agencies. This interaction empowers constituents by providing the personal assistance necessary to receive important services or benefits from the state departments and commissions.
The bill process begins with an idea that often comes from an individual or group who brings the issue to a legislator and asks the legislator to author the bill. The individual or group become’s the bill’s sponsor.
The proposed legislation goes to Legislative Service Commission (LSC). The LSC prepares a detailed narrative description of each bill that is scheduled for a hearing in committee. This bill analysis is updated as the bill moves through the legislative process. Each analysis contains (1) a heading consisting of the bill number, the version of the bill being analyzed, and the bill's sponsors, (2) brief statements summarizing the bill, (3) a content and operation section that describes the bill in more detail, and (4) the bill's legislative history. An analysis usually is easier to understand than the bill itself because it is written in narrative style and organized by topic, with the bill's key provisions described first.
When a bill is passed, the LSC staff prepares a final analysis of the act. The final analysis contains a detailed, narrative description of the bill as passed by the General Assembly, reflecting any changes made on the floor of the second house or in conference committee, if any. A final analysis is prepared as quickly as possible after a bill's passing and may not reflect the Governor's decision to either sign, veto, or let become law without the Governor's signature.