Statehouse News Bureau

Ohio votes down Issue 1, rejecting conservative lawmakers' attempt to change the constitutional amendment process ahead of a vote on reproductive rights this November.

Voters in Ohio will decide on Tuesday whether to make it harder to pass future constitutional amendments, including one on the ballot in November that would codify abortion access.

Ohio wants to become a key part in scaling up the hydrogen economy through a federal clean energy initiative. Advocates hope it could be an economic and environmental win for the state.

Ohio Republicans set up an August special election to decide whether to make it harder to amend the state constitution, before voters might see an amendment on abortion access.

Mike Curtin, a former Democratic state representative and former newspaper editor, weighs-in on the resolution being considered that would make it harder to pass a change to Ohio's constitution.

Lawmakers made a change to the resolution that raises the bar for constitutional amendments to include legislative initiatives.

The new funding would be from the state's general revenue funds along with a federal match.

Hamilton County's party chair says he's running for the Ohio Republican Party leadership post, and another county leader says he won't be.

“We primarily are dealing with the initial response, the emergency part of the event," Commander of Ohio Task Force One Jack Reall said.

Some of the Ohio Republican Party's Central Committee tried, unsuccessfully, to replace Ohio Republican Party Chair Bob Paduchik at a meeting Friday.