Representatives Odioso and Adam Mathews Announce Passage of Bill Clarifying Ohio Law on Court Procedures

COLUMBUS, OH - State Representatives Mike Odioso (R-Green Twp.) and Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) announced that House Bill 260 - legislation clarifying the law regarding rules adopted by the Ohio Supreme Court of Ohio - recently passed the House of Representatives.

House Bill 260 modifies and repeals sections of the Ohio Revised Code that overlap or conflict with the Rules of Practice and Procedure and the Rules of Superintendence that have been adopted by the Supreme Court pursuant to its constitutional authority and the 1968 Modern Courts Amendment.

"The unanimous approval of H.B. 260 in committee and Wednesday on the House Floor reflect the legislature's bi-partisan support for the balance of powers between the Judicial and Legislative branches and commitment to remove unnecessary, confusing statutory language," said Odioso.

"This is a simple, good governance bill that eliminates conflicting, unnecessary sections of code and restores the proper separation of powers between the legislative and judicial branches," said Mathews.

House Bill 260 is designed to alleviate the conflicts between the Rules of Practice and Procedure and the Ohio Revised Code. Because the General Assembly is given the opportunity every year to disapprove of any proposed practice and procedure-related rule amendments, once those amendments take effect, any conflicting law in the revised code is considered void.

House Bill 260 therefore reduces confusion, streamlines the Ohio Revised Code, and protects and better defines the constitutional separation of powers.

The bill now goes to the Senate for further consideration.