First hearing held on Marriage Equality Act to codify marriage protections in Ohio law

The Civil Justice Committee held a first hearing on House Bill 636, the Marriage Equality Act, which sponsors said would amend the Ohio Revised Code to explicitly protect the right to marry regardless of race, gender or sexual orientation.

Representative Woodett/Simani and co-sponsors described the measure as reconciling state law with federal protections under Supreme Court precedent, citing Obergefell and Loving. "This legislation would remove outdated language and be the first of a 2 part process to explicitly protect the right to marriage for all Ohioans," one sponsor said, noting the bill addresses sections of state code that still contain exclusionary language.

Sponsors shared personal accounts and constituent testimony about the practical consequences of failing to codify protections at the state level, including concerns about access to spousal benefits and medical decision-making. They acknowledged the federal precedents but argued state code should mirror those protections so that rights remain clearly secured in state statute.

The committee concluded the first hearing with no vote recorded; sponsors said this is an initial step and other hearings and legislative work would follow.