Bill > HJR4

This joint resolution proposes an amendment to Section 11 of Article XV of the Ohio Constitution to update marriage laws in line with recent federal legal developments. The resolution modifies the previous definition of marriage from "one man and one woman" to "two individuals", effectively legalizing same-sex marriage at the state constitutional level. Additionally, the resolution explicitly prohibits the state and its political subdivisions from preventing marriages between individuals of different races, which serves to constitutionally protect interracial marriages. If approved by a majority of voters, the amendment would take effect immediately, repealing the existing language of Section 11. The key changes represent a modernization of Ohio's constitutional marriage provisions to align with recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions regarding marriage equality and to prevent discrimination based on race or sexual orientation.

Justice

https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hjr4