Judiciary Committee favorably reports House Bill 168, asks LSC to harmonize substitute

The Ohio House Judiciary Committee on Oct. 11 favorably reported House Bill 168 during its fifth hearing and asked the Legislative Service Commission to harmonize the measure as a substitute.

The committee took the procedural action after Vice Chair Swearingen moved to “favorably report House Bill 168 out of committee and recommend its passage.” Chair Thomas then called the roll and members recorded their votes.

The motion to favorably report was made by Vice Chair Swearingen. After roll call voting by members present — including Chairman Thomas, Vice Chair Swearingen and Ranking Member Isaacson — Chair Thomas announced that the bill was “favorably reported” and that the roll would remain open until noon the same day.

The committee did not debate the substance of the bill during the recorded motion; the chair also requested that Legislative Service Commission harmonize the measure as a substitute, a drafting step that aligns competing language into a single bill for floor consideration.

No amendments or formal conditions were recorded on the motion at the hearing. The committee’s action was procedural: it forwarded the bill with a recommendation of passage and asked LSC to prepare a harmonized substitute before further consideration.

With the roll left open until noon, additional votes could be added to the committee record before that deadline. The committee adjourned other business after concluding the fifth and final hearing for House Bill 168.