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Bill would require residency and licensing for paid petition circulators, sponsors say
Summary
Sponsors of House Bill 299 told the committee the measure would require statewide petition circulators to be Ohio residents and licensed by the Secretary of State, aiming to curb out-of-state paid signature-gathering and increase accountability for ballot initiatives.
Representative Lorenz introduced House Bill 299 to the House General Government Committee, saying the bill would require individuals who collect signatures for statewide ballot initiatives or referenda to be legal residents of Ohio and licensed by the Secretary of State.
"House Bill 299 ensures that individuals who collect signatures for statewide ballot initiatives or referenda are legal residents of the state of Ohio," Lorenz said, arguing that paid, out-of-state circulators lack long-term ties to the communities affected by the laws they help propose.
Representative Dieter, a joint sponsor, told the committee the change would provide multiple benefits: ensuring circulators have a stake in Ohio policies, strengthening accountability, and giving elections officials clearer authority to investigate and challenge improper petition practices.
Committee members asked whether other states have similar rules and whether prior court decisions would affect enforceability. Dieter said it was her understanding that six states have comparable residency or certification requirements and acknowledged legal questions raised by Project Vogt v. Blackwell (2006) but said the bill is tailored to preserve First Amendment protections while improving integrity.
The sponsors said the bill is intended to be narrow and not to impede legitimate grassroots petitioning; they asked the committee for support and for further review of the proposed certification process.
