Following the indictment of former House Speaker Larry Householder on federal racketeering charges in the biggest bribery case in Ohio history, lawmakers are seeking to shed more light on dark money groups through legislation.

House Bill 13, entitled the Light of Day Bill, is currently in committee and requires nonprofit 501(c)(4) organizations to disclose contributions and expenditures.

These organizations currently do not have to disclose contributions and disclose limited information on expenditures on forms filed annually with the IRS.

House Bill 306, entitled the Ohio Anti-Corruption Act, was introduced this week, and requires 501(c)(4) organizations to disclose contributions and more information about the ownership of the organization.

The bill also prohibits foreign companies from making political contributions directly or indirectly through nonprofit organizations.

Cincinnati City Council failed to adopt an ordinance proposing additional campaign finance disclosure.

Ordinance 2021-01549 would have required the mayor and City Council members to report contributions above $200 within 48 hours.

Only Council Member Greg Landsman, who introduced the proposal, voted to adopt the ordinance.

Voters passed two charter amendments in Cincinnati by a 3 to 1 margin.

Issue 1 requires the city solicitor to hire a special prosecutor to consider removal of the council member indicted for a crime to eliminate potential conflicts of interest.

Issue 2, introduced by Councilwoman Betsy Sundermann permits removal of an indicted council member with a vote by seven of their fellow council members, and if convicted, five council members can vote to remove within 10 days of the conviction.

A council member who is convicted or pleads guilty automatically forfeits his or her seat.

Issue 2 also makes ethics training mandatory for all council members.

There was previously no process for removal in the Cincinnati Charter and four of the nine council members have been indicted for crimes in the last year.

As soon as the election results were announced, Sundermann called for Councilman Wendell Young to be suspended.

The vote to remove him cannot happen until the Hamilton County Board of Elections certifies the election in about two weeks.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced special election dates for Congressional District 15 to fill the vacancy due to Steve Stivers resignation to become the president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

The dates August 3 for the special primary and November 2 for the special general election are the same as the special election to fill the vacancy in Congressional District 11 created by the departure of Marcia Fudge, who is now the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

The regularly scheduled primary election for ballot issues and municipalities remains on May 4.

Rep. Steve Stivers announced he is resigning from Congress on May 16 to become the president and CEO of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce.

Stivers has been representing Ohio’s 15th Congressional District since 2011 and had been viewed as a potential candidate to run for the seat held by retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman.

A decision on when to hold the special election for Congressional District 15 will be made by Gov. DeWine and has not been announced.

Voters in Ohio’s 11th Congressional District will choose the successor to former Rep. Marcia Fudge in a special primary on August 3 and the special election on November 2.

A bill to shine light on dark money groups is the latest attempt to ensure better transparency in Ohio’s political spending.

House Bill 13 would end an exception for nonprofit 501(c)(4) groups who are currently not required by Ohio law to disclose who funds them.

While these nonprofits are to promote general social welfare and cannot spend a majority of resources on political activity, there is opportunity for flouting the rules, allowing dark money groups to influence elections without being publicly exposed.

House Bill 13 would require disclosure of donations to the nonprofit meant to influence elections, but would allow groups to separate their accounts to limit such disclosures.

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced a special election for November 2 to fill the vacancy in U.S. House District 11 created by the departure of Marcia Fudge, who is now the U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.

The special primary election will be held August 3, whereas the regularly scheduled primary election for ballot issues and municipalities remains on May 4.

The Ohio Secretary of State’s office released the 2021 Campaign Contribution Limits.

These limits will be effective from February 25, 2021 through February 24, 2023.

Beginning Wednesday, PACs, PCEs and individuals may contribute $13,704.41 per election period to statewide candidates and candidates for the General Assembly; $13, 704.41 per calendar year to other PACs and PCEs with which the contributing PAC or PCE is not affiliated; $41,113.24 per calendar year to state parties; and, $20,556.62 per calendar year to legislative campaign funds.

Two proposed charter amendments establishing procedures to handle council members indicted for crimes will be on the ballot for voter approval on May 4.

There is currently no process in the Cincinnati Charter and three of the nine council members were indicted on federal bribery charges last year.

Both proposals prohibit indicted council members from changing their successor designee.

Vice Mayor Christopher Smitherman’s proposed amendment requires the city solicitor to hire a special prosecutor to consider removal of the council member to eliminate potential conflicts of interest.

A second amendment proposed by Councilwoman Betsy Sundermann permits removal of an indicted council member with a vote by seven of their fellow council members, and if convicted, five council members can vote to remove within 10 days of the conviction.

If no vote is taken, the convicted council member automatically forfeits his or her seat on the 11th day.

Sundermann’s proposal also makes ethics training mandatory for all council members.

Hamilton County Probate Court Judge Ralph “Ted” Winkler appointed Liz Keating, a Republican, as interim replacement for Alexander “P.G.” Sittenfeld.

Sittenfeld is a Democrat who was indicted last month on six counts alleging honest services wire fraud, bribery, and attempted extortion by a government official.

This is the second appointment of a Republican by Judge Winkler in a year where three of the nine council members have been arrested.

Per Ohio statute, the Hamilton County Probate Court appoints a replacement when a council member is suspended.

If Sittenfeld is found guilty of the charges or resigns, four Democrats on Council named in his successor designation certificate would select his replacement.

Cincinnati City Councilwoman Betsy Sundermann proposed a charter amendment to the city charter.

The amendment would allow the city to suspend a council member upon the filing of an indictment or certain criminal charges, and to remove them if convicted.

There is currently no provision in the Cincinnati Charter addressing what happens in the event of public corruption allegations.

The proposed charter amendment also requires ethics training for new council members within 60 days of oath of office.

The amendment also prohibits council members from amending their successor designation certificate after being indicted.

If approved by council, the charter amendment would be submitted to the voters for approval in 2021.

Cincinnati City Councilman Alexander “P.G.” Sittenfeld is the second councilman suspended in a process initiated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost after being arrested on federal bribery charges.

Sittenfeld voluntarily agreed to the temporary suspension without objection.

Additionally, Hamilton County Probate Court Judge Ralph “Ted” Winkler will appoint his temporary replacement next week.

Sittenfeld’s third term on council began in 2018 and ends at the end of 2021. 

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 404 into law, extending expiration dates for licenses issued by state agencies due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lobbyist registrations set to expire at the end of 2020 will remain active until July 1, 2021.

Any lobbyist who does not plan to continue lobbying activity in 2021 must log in and terminate engagement in OLAC.

The new renewal registration window will open in late spring 2021.

All registered lobbyists will receive follow-up information regarding specific dates from JLEC.

This extension is limited to lobbying engagements registered prior to November 22, 2020.

New lobbyists submit registrations in the usual manner, within 10 days of engagement.

This extension does not affect the deadline for activity and expenditure reports required to be filed electronically in OLAC by Monday, February 1, 2021.

Cincinnati City Councilman Jeff Pastor was suspended in a process initiated by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.

Pastor’s suspension comes after he was arrested on federal bribery charges.

This is the first time the city of Cincinnati has used the process through the probate court.

Additionally, Pastor accepted the temporary suspension without objection.

As part of the process, Hamilton County Probate Court Judge Ralph “Ted” Winkler named Cincinnati attorney Steve Goodin as Pastor’s temporary replacement.

Interim Council Member Goodin’s term began immediately after the suspension.

Goodin will continue the term until Pastor’s court case is completed or he is removed from office.

Pastor’s four-year term began in 2018 and ends at the end of 2021.