Here are 10 things to know about Ohio General Assembly

February 2, 2013 at 12:00a.m.

COLUMBUS

State lawmakers get back to work this month after a few weeks of ceremony, organizational meetings and caucus retreats to outline priorities for the year.

They’ll begin next week with hearings on Gov. John Kasich’s biennial budget proposals.

Here are 10 things to think about as the Ohio General Assembly begins its work for 2013 and 2014:

1. New and old faces: There are 99 representatives in the Ohio House and 33 members of the Ohio Senate. Thirty House members are in their first full terms. More than 20 are in their final term in the House, including Democratic Rep. Bob Hagan from Youngstown.

2. Leadership: The Republican leaders of the House and Senate cannot run for re-election due to term limits.

House Speaker Bill Batchelder, from Medina, began serving in the Ohio House in 1969, left office due to term limits and then returned for another stint. He will serve through the end of 2014.

Senate President Keith Faber, from Celina, also is in his final term; he will serve through the end of 2016.

3. Lawyers: Batchelder, a retired judge, and Rep. Matt Huffman, a licensed attorney from Lima, recently confirmed that the Ohio House has the fewest number of lawyers in its ranks in recent history. Fewer than two dozen hold law licenses.

4. Super majority: Republicans hold super majorities in the Ohio House and Senate, with 60 members in the former and 23 in the latter. That means the GOP has enough votes to override a veto from the governor or to place an issue on the ballot without needing any Democratic support.

5. Paychecks: Legislative salaries range from $60,584 for members to $94,437 for the House Speaker and Senate President. Majority and minority party leaders earn well above the base, and stipends of $2,500 to $10,000 are added for lawmakers who serve as chairmen, vice chairmen and ranking minority members of committees.

6. Arrested: There are other perks to serving in the House and Senate. For example, the state constitution generally blocks members from being arrested during session or as they’re traveling to the Statehouse or home afterward. But that doesn’t mean they can commit crimes without fear of penalty.

Mark Weaver, a former deputy attorney general, said Ohio’s constitutional language prevents members from being detained for the moment, but they’ll have to deal with any criminal charges at a later date.

7. Mileage: Lawmakers are reimbursed for the distance they drive between their home and Capitol Square, at a rate of 45 cents per mile.

8. Phones: Both the House and the Senate prohibit members from using cellphones, pagers and other electronic communications devices while on the floor in session.

9. Pledge: The Ohio House and Senate begin sessions with a prayer, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.

10. Lobbyists: There’s a lots of talk of the influence of lobbyists and special interests on lawmaker decisions. But state ethics laws place limits on those relationships.