CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF OHIO. Article. 1. Bill of rights. 2. Legislative. 3. Executive. 4. Judicial. 5. Elective franchise. 6. Education. 7. Public institutions. 8. Public debt and public works. 9. Militia. 10. County and township organiza tion. Schedule. Section. not be tried twice for the same offense. 11. Freedom of speech and of the press.-Trials for libel. 12. Transportation for crime forbid den.-Conviction not to work corruption of blood or forfeito ure of estate. 13. Quartering of soldiers. 14. Exemption from Illegal seizures and searches. 15. No imprisonment for debt in any civil action, or mesne or final process, except fraud. 16. Right of Justice Courts to be open. 17. Hereditary emoluments, honors or privileges not to be granted. 18. Laws may be suspended only by General Assembly. 19. Private property taken for pube lic use to receive just compen sation. 20. Other rights not denied or im paired, and all powers not herein delegated to remain with the people. ARTICLE I. ARTICLE II. Bill of Rights. Section. 1. All men are by nature free and have certain inalienable rights. 2. Political power inherent in the people.Object of government, right to alter and reform it. 3. The people have the right to meet together peaceably to consult for the common good. 4. Right to bear arms for defense and security.-Standing armies forbidden.-Military subor dinate to civil power. 5. Right of trial by jury. 6. Slavery forbidden. 7. Religious freedom; test oaths not to be required, witnesses not to be excluded on account of religion. 8. Writ of habeas corpus. 9. Excessive bail and fines and cruel punishments forbidden. 10. Rights of persons accused of crimes, witnesses, counsel, may Legislature. 1. Legislative power vested in General Assembly.-How com posed. 2. Senators and Representatives to be elected biennially. 3. Residence of the same. 4. Persons holding office under the United States or lucrative offices in the State, not eligible to Legislature.-Exceptions. 6. Persons convicted of embezzle. ment of public funds and nonaccounting holders of public moneys are debarred from office. Section. 26. General laws to be uniform in their operation. 27. The election of officers in the filling of vacancies not otherwise provided for, to be made according to law.-The vote to be viva voce. 28. General laws to be passed for certain purposes. 29. Extra compensation to contract ors and public officers forbid den. 30. Limit in formation of counties, removal of county seats. 31. Pay of officers and members of General Assembly to be fixed, extra pay in any form not al lowed. 32. Divorces not to be granted by General Assembly. Section 1. Each house to judge of the re turns of its own members.Quorum.-Powers of the mi nority. 1. Organization of house to be pre scribed by law. 1. Each house to choose its own officers.--May punish members. -Power of expulsion. 1. Each house to keep a journal. Majority of all members electmust concur in the passage of laws. 10. Right of entering protest in journal. 1. Vacancies in either house, how filled. 12. Privileges of Senators and Rep resentatives from arrest, free dom of debate. 13. Proceedings to be public unless two-thirds require secrecy. 14. Adjournments restricted. 15. Bills may originate in either house.-They shall embrace but one subject. 16. Every bill shall be distinctly read.-No bill shall contain more than one subject. 17. Signature of bills and joint ed must concur in the passage of laws. 18. Style of laws. 19. Senators and Representatives not eligible to certain offices during term nor for one year after. 20. General Assembly to fix terms of office and compensation, salaries not to be affected dur ing term. 21. Contested elections to be deter mined as the law may provide. 22. No money to be drawn from the Treasury except by laws. 23. The house to have sole power of impeachment.-Tried by Senate.-Concurrence of twothirds necessary for convic tion. 24. Officers who may be impeached, limit of judgments. 25. Beginning of sessions, first ses sion. ARTICLE III. Erecutive. 1. Officers included in executive department.-Time ot their election. 2. Terms of certain officers of the same. 3. Election of return of officers of the same.--In case of tie how decided. 4. Proceeding in case of non-ses sion. The General Assembly January next after election. 5. Supreme executive power vested in the Governor. 6. He may require information of officers in the executive department.--He is to see that the laws are faithfully exe cuted. 7. He is to communicate by meg. sage. 8. May, on extraordinary occa. sions, convene the General As. sembly. 9. May adjourn General Assembly in case of disagreement. 10. To be commander-in-chiet of militia. 11. Pardoning power, limited in cases of treason or impeachment. а Section ! Section 12. Great seal to be kept by Gov. 11. Classification of judges of Suernor. preme Court. 13. Grants and commissions, how 12. Judges of the Court of Common sealed and signed. Pleas to reside in their dis tricts. 14. What persons may not act as 13. Vacancies in office of judge to Governor. be filled by Governor. 15. In case of vacancy, the duties to devolve OD Lieutenant-Gov 14. Salaries of judges not to be in creased or diminished, they ernor. 16. Lieutenant-Governor to be Presi hold no other office. dent of the Senate.-Casting 15. General Assembly may increaso vote.-To act as Governor in or diminish number of judges, case of vacancy. may establish other courts, but 17. President of Senate to act as not to vacate the office of any Governor in a certain case. judge. 18. Governor may All certain offices 16. Court of Common Pleas to havo clerk elected from each of executive department till disa bility is removed or elec county, his terms and duties. tion keld. 17. Removal of judges from office. 19. Pay of officers of executive de 18. Judges to have powers and jurispartment. diction of Chambers, as may 20. Officers of executive department be directed by law. 19. Courts of Concilllation may be to report to Governor before each regular session of General established, parties to agree to Assembly. abide by their judgment. 20. Style of process. ARTICLE V. 1. Judicial power, how vested. Elective Franchise. 2. Supreme Court, how composed, 1. Qualifications of electors. jurisdiction and terms, elec 2. Elections to be by ballot. tion of judges. 3. Privilege of electors from arrest 3. Nine Common Pleas districts to at elections. be formed, terms, etc. 4. Exclusion from voting for bri4. Jurisdiction of Courts of Com bery, perjury or other infamon Pleas and of judges to be mous crime. fixed by law. 6. Persons in military, marine or 5. District Courts, how formed. naval service not to acquire To be held in each county. residence by being officially 6. Jurisdiction of District Courts. stationed. 7. A Probate Court to be estab 6. Idiots and insane persons may lished in each county, to be a not vote. ARTICLE VI. Education. 9. Justices of the Peace to be 1. Funds granted ,or Intrusted to elected. terms and powers to State for educational and rebe fixed by law. ligious purposes to be invio10. All judges other than those pro late. vided in the Constitution to be 2. Funds to be provided for mainelected.-Terms not to exceed taining schools.-No sect to five years. have control of school funds. ARTICLE VII. Section Public Works to be fixed by law. Public Institutions. Section 1. Institution for insane, deaf and dumb to be fostered and sup ported. 3. Election of Directors of Peniten tiary and trustees of other State institutions appointed by Governor and Senate. 3. Governor may fill vacancies in offices aforesaid until successors are appointed. ARTICLE IX. Militia. 1. Persons liable to military duty. 2. Officers elected by persons sub ject to military duty. 3. Appointment of staff officers. Non-commissioned officers and musicians. 4. Officers to be commissioned by Governor.--He may call out militia, execute the laws, suppress insurrection and repel invasion. 6. General Assembly shall provide by law for the safe keeping and protection of public arma ARTICLE VIII. Public Debt and Public Works. 1. Restrictions on the formation of State debts. 2. Debts to repel invasion and sup press insurrection. To redeem present indebtedness.-Debts payable from sinking fund. 3. With these exceptions, no debts shall be created by the State. 4. State credit not to be given or loaned.-May not become a stockholder in any company. 6. State not to assume county or other local debts, except in time of war. 6. State not to authorize any county, city or township to become a stockholder, or to raise money or to loan credit to cor porations. 7. Faith of State pledge for pay ment of public debt.-Sinking fund. 8. Commissioners of the sinking fund, how organized. 9. Duties of these commissioners, to estimate and make provision for raising and disbursing the fund. 10. Duty to apply fund to the pay ment of interest and principal of debt. 11. To report semi-annually to the Governor.-To report to Legis lature. 12. Board of Public Works.---Mem bers to be elected. 13. Powers and duties of Board of ARTICLE X. County and Township Organization. 1. General Assembly to provide for election of county and town. ship officers. 2. Time of elections.-Term not to exceed three years. 3. Sheriffs and county treasurers, not to hold more than four years in six. 4. Election of township officers. Time.—Towns. 5. Money to be paid from county or township treasury only by law. 6. Removal of justices of the peace and county and township off cers. 7. Powers of commissioners and counties.-Trustees of town. ships are to be fixed by law. ARTICLE XI. Apportionment. 1. To be made once in ten years after 1851. 2. Ratio of counties for Representa tives.-How adjusted. 3. Fractions.-How assigned.-Rule prescribed. 4. Counties.-when entitled to sepa rate representation.-Changes only to be made at regular decennial periods. |