b'related laws and court case interpretations. OftenLegislat or Sponsorship. ?My idea for this bill is so a lawmaker might want to amend current law togrand, that the entire General Assembly will reverse the result of a court?s legalunanimously pass it without delay!? Now for a determination.To accomplish that, the wordingreality break. hio elects 99 State Representatives requires precision as to the court?s interpretation. and 33 Senators by Political Party Primary. Ohio legislators serve part-time; this is not a full-time Words coupled together create a myriad ofjob.Therefore, one is a firefighter, one is a design interpretations. Should the approach be in theengineer, few are lawyers. Sixty percent are nature of a prohibition or an affirmativeRepublicans in the Ohio General Assembly today. authorization? Is the idea to create a general,Diversity of opinion on any bill is a certainty.philosophical standard, or to list discreet conditions" Per sonal dr afting of the bill for a public program funding? contr ols the lik ely outcom e Sometimes simple is the best solution. Look at the Constitution, and notice how succinctly thefr omits bir th thr ough passage."provisions provide for the entire concept and law.A bill cannot contain more than one subject, toSimilarly, Ohio Supreme Court Justices are elected prevent ?log-rolling? where a legislator has to votethrough partisan Party Primaries. Some for a bad law to avoid being perceived as votingrepresented injured parties who sue businesses; against a necessary law.[v] others defended those businesses. All read newspapers.The Justices? job is not to listen to As a practical matter, here is how anyone mightwitness testimony, but to confirm statewide policy draft a bill. First, download a current bill into a newbased on existing law applied to each case document.Then, cut-and-paste a current statute ofscenario. Without doubt, this is the very essence of the subject-matter at issue. Add additionala political process (notwithstanding that judges sentences with an underline; strike undesiredwear black robes to present an appearance of language with a strike-through (not deletion.) LSCneutrality.)will do the rest.Truly, to draft your idea into a billWhen advocating an idea, presenting a 15-minute does not require paying a professional. argument to the Supreme Court, or talking for Personal drafting of the bill controls the likely2-minutes to a State Senator, the message must fit outcome from its birth through passage.Theto that individual?s background.drafter becomes a necessary party for choices inTherefore, choosing a sponsor is critical. If your amending the bill to meet other goals or concerns,idea requires funding, financial appropriations just like the kitchen cook decides to add salt orConstitutionally must begin in the House. During pepper. budget hearings, the Senate is not as busy. Is there Int erest ed Part ies. Meeting with everyonesuch an urgency that both a Senator and a concerned before pursuing legislation is the mostRepresentative separately might introduce two important part of this process. Compromise is notversions simultaneously? Which Political Party is in the first concern; transparency is the immediatethe majority (and holds the leadership) in each necessity, involving all as they wish to be involved.chamber? What Committee likely will hear the Sometimes they just want to say their peace, neversubject-matter, such that a Committee Member as to be heard from again.That?s building consensus. sponsor might shepherd the new bill through that Committee? Is your idea local to one part of the Inconsistently, often a proponent will introduce aState, such that it might appeal to regional bill without letting any affected party know.legislators?Instead, the proponent expects that interestedFor all of what might seem confusing or hopeless, party conversations will arise only after the bill isthe political process in the legislature is public.This turns the conversation into anremarkably predictable.Typically, less than 10% of adversarial contest, instead of a cooperative effortbills introduce are passed and sent to the Governor toward a mutual solution. No one likes surprises,for signature. So, an insider?s trick is to find a creating instant opposition instead of invitingrecent bill similar to your new idea that passed. participation of an ally. Profile the sponsors of that successful bill, review Consider all persons who might be positively orthe committees and testimony, understand the negatively affected by the new law, including thetimeline. Now, follow that path.administrative agency designated to implementCommit t ee Hearings. The legislature?s real work the law. Inviting other?s ideas gains diversity ofis done in the Committee. After introduction, the solutions, while uncovering support for passage.Rules and Reference Committee consisting of each While this process takes time, it is the healthiestchamber?s leadership assigns the bill to a nature of democratic government. Committee, typically reflecting the subject-matter of the bill. Continued on Page 95www.ohioroofing.com 8'