Ohio Campaign Finance Legislation

Effective March 31, 2005, H.B. 1 changed a number of Ohio’s campaign finance laws. Key provisions of the bill include raising campaign contribution limits for individuals and PACs, limiting the amount statewide candidates can accept from local county state candidate funds, banning certain “electioneering advertising” thirty days before an election, requiring disclosure of party operating accounts and disclosure of contributions and expenditures by groups that pay for electioneering advertisements.

On January 2, 2007, then Ohio Governor Taft signed into law Substitute House Bill 694, enacting sweeping changes to Ohio’s pay-to-play laws. The new law places significant restrictions on many political contributors who currently hold, or hope to win, a contract with the state or local government. The new law also extends these prohibitions to many local political subdivisions that were not covered under previous versions of the law, including county commissioners, city council members, township trustees, school board members, and other local boards, commissions, task forces, and other authorities. UPDATE JUNE 2008. Pay-to-play restrictions declared unconstitutional

Resources available on Ohio Campaign Finance Reform

Campaign Finance Legislation: Am. Sub. H.B. 1
Analysis by Bricker & Eckler government relations attorneys of Am. Sub. H.B. 1

Am. Sub. H.B. 1
Full text of the Ohio campaign finance legislation as passed by the Ohio General Assembly.

Status Report of Ohio Campaign and Election Reform Legislation
Bills enacted in the 126th Ohio General Assembly dealing with changes to the Ohio campaign and election procedures.

Resources on Ohio Sub. H.B. 694
Information on 2006 Ohio legislation enacting sweeeping changes to allowable political contributions and June 2008 court decision finding the law unconstitutional.