Marijuana, vetoes top early 2024 Statehouse agenda

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- At the Ohio Statehouse, there are some bills that will likely continue to move forward in the new year, and some new bills that lawmakers will undertake.

Before the new year, legislators were working on several bills, including legislation to tweak the state’s newly enacted recreational marijuana law. A bill did pass the Senate, but the House did not take it up. Now there are competing bills and ideas in both chambers. The speaker of the Ohio House said he wants to get something done “early” this year.

“We can also schedule a session once we’re able to figure all this out and get this done if we need to do that,” Speaker of the Ohio House Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) said.  

As for new legislation, the state's capital budget – a multi-billion dollar bi-annual bill — will likely be introduced within the next few weeks. It appropriates money for construction and renovations across the state, and parts of it focus on community investments.  

“What is something that that local community needs, or the area needs that is really going to make a difference and move the needle,” Stephens said.  

This year, the capital budget also has a $700 million fund that was appropriated in the state’s operating budget. Stephens said this money allows communities to be flexible and “think outside the box” when applying for funding. The capital budget will likely pass from the statehouse in the spring or early summer.  

At least two veto overrides could also be on deck this year. Action has already been taken to override the governor’s veto on a provision that would ban local municipalities from barring the sale of flavored tobacco products.  The House overrode the veto before the new year.  

“Just for uniformity sake, but also from a job standpoint, we felt it was best, 60 of us felt it was best, to override that veto,” Stephens said.  

“It was, I think, a very poor decision and I am surprised that that kind of energy was put into this override,” Ohio House Minority Leader Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) said. “But it speaks to how powerful the tobacco lobby remains, even here at the statehouse.” 

A Senate Republican spokesperson said the tobacco veto override would have support within their chamber, but there is no timeline for when that might be done at this point.  

House Bill 68 may also have a veto override vote. That bill is the SAFE and Save Women’s Sports Act; the governor vetoed that legislation on Friday. Republican lawmakers are already gearing up to take the vote to override the governor’s decision.

The veto override must start in the House. On Tuesday afternoon, Stephens announced the session, which was not previously scheduled, for Wednesday, Jan. 10.  

Meanwhile, a Senate Republican spokesperson said he is “confident” the veto will be called to the floor on the first day of session if the House takes it up. Right now, the Senate’s first scheduled session for the year is Jan. 24.  

Lawmakers have until the end of the general assembly, which is the end of this year, to override any of the governor’s vetoes.