Senate Passes McColley Bill Making it Easier to File State Agency Appeals

COLUMBUS - The Ohio Senate today passed a bill sponsored by Senators Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) and Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) that will ensure Ohioans have access to their local court system when filing appeals to state agencies.

Senate Bill 21 allows Ohioans to have these appeals heard in their home counties by locally elected judges rather than having to file these appeals in Franklin County, as is often required under current law. Filing in Franklin County likely makes the process more costly and inconvenient than necessary.

"This will save time and money for ordinary Ohioans across the state because they won't have to incur the expense and inconvenience of filing appeals to state agency orders in a county that may be hours away," said McColley. "It also provides greater access to justice by judges familiar with the particular issues and circumstances in their own home counties."

The bill also provides a safeguard against a single official refusing to protect a statute. It does so by allowing the Senate, House, General Assembly as a whole, or Governor to hire private legal counsel to litigate in civil cases where the legality of a duly enacted law is at issue.