Around a thousand bills were introduced in the Ohio General Assembly this year, and 52 were passed and signed into law. The bills that didn't pass run the gamut when it comes to issues.
'Enact Ohio Property Protection Act'
The first bill introduced in the House would ban so called “foreign adversaries” from buying property in wide swaths of the state. House Bill 1 and the similar Senate Bill 88 would prevent people from countries defined as adversarial – places like China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or Venezuela – from owning any property within a certain radius of military facilities or critical infrastructure. House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) said lawmakers need time to work out definitions of who might be unable to buy real estate.
“I do think it’s something that we want to move on, there are some complexities involved," Huffman said.
Democrats, like House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati), are largely against the idea, saying it unfairly targets immigrants.
“The bill as drafted is way overbroad. It’s an attack on Ohio businesses, it’s an attack on Ohio families and it’s an attack on Ohio’s future," Isaacsohn said.
But it’s also a bill that many legislators said is at the top of the list to deal with in 2026.
A handful of bills passed on property taxes, most attempting to control inflation-related increases. But there are dozens more that are still pending that have yet to gain traction – bills that would expand homestead tax exemptions to some populations or provide relief once taxes hit a certain proportion of the owner’s income. Some of those bills might come up next year, including some that would completely overhaul the way schools, libraries, and public services are funded.
Election law changes, abortion, and more
There are also voting-related bills pending. One from Rep. Ron Ferguson (R-Wintersville) would require absentee voters present a copy of their photo ID when returning their voted ballots.
“Most of the mail in process would be the same. We would just be requiring a copy of a photo ID that you would currently use to vote in person.”
League of Women Voters of Ohio Executive Director Jen Miller said it’s not necessary since voters already have to give verifiable information when they request a ballot.
“It could be that you are a person with a disability or a senior who is homebound, and getting out to make a photocopy is not possible for you," Miller said.
Abortion-related bills are awaiting action too. One would restrict telehealth from being used to obtain mail-order abortion drugs. Another bill would require a waiting period between the time a woman consults a doctor for an abortion and the time they could actually get it. And the House quickly passed the so-called “Baby Olivia” Act to require public school students starting in fifth grade to watch a video on embryonic development, produced by an anti-abortion group. The bevy of bills that deal with abortion could set up a court challenge to the reproductive rights amendment approved by voters in 2023.
Some perennial bills are also stalled right now, including a bill banning workplace or school discrimination against braids, locs, twists and other natural hairstyles. And there's the Ohio Fairness Act, which would add sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes under Ohio’s anti-discrimination laws. They aren't close to passing, and neither are three bills that would abolish the death penalty.
Ohio lawmakers have until the end of 2026 to pass bills that have been introduced. Otherwise, they will have to start over again in 2027 with the next General Assembly.
