The Ohio Senate elected its slate of leaders and a clerk and adopted two organizational resolutions during the inaugural session of the 136th General Assembly.

Elected officers and outcomes (roll-call results as recorded): Bill Reineke was elected president pro tempore (31-0); Teresa Gavarone was elected majority floor leader (31-0); George Lang was elected majority whip (31-0). On the minority side, Nikki Antonio was elected minority leader (31-0); Herschel Craig was elected assistant minority leader (31-0); Kent Smith was elected minority whip (31-0); and Beth Liston was elected assistant minority whip (30-0 as recorded at the time the clerk kept the roll open). Vincent Kearin (name appears variably in the transcript) was elected clerk of the Senate (31-0).

The chamber also adopted two organizational resolutions: Senate Resolution No. 1 (relative to salaries of officials and employees of the Senate), adopted 32-0, and Senate Resolution No. 2 (relative to mileage reimbursement), adopted 32-0. Sen. Bill Reineke described SR 1 as carrying the same language used in prior years and said it allows the chief of staff to set salaries and titles and puts employees and premises under the jurisdiction of the chief of staff and the clerk. SR 2 provides for quarterly mileage reimbursement for eligible senators pursuant to the Ohio Revised Code.

Nominations for each office were made from the floor and seconded by colleagues; nominations were routinely closed by voice motion before roll-call votes. The record shows nominators praising nominees’ experience, integrity and leadership; the votes reflected unanimous or near-unanimous support in the roll calls recorded.

Speakers most directly associated with these items in the transcript include Sen. Bill Reineke (nominator for president pro tempore; sponsor of SR 1 and SR 2), Sen. Teresa Gavarone (majority floor leader nominee), Sen. George Lang (majority whip nominee), Sen. Nikki Antonio (minority leader nominee), Sen. Herschel Craig (assistant minority leader nominee), Sen. Kent Smith (minority whip nominee), Sen. Beth Liston (assistant minority whip nominee), and Vincent Kearin (clerk nominee).