SB 4 — Create Election Integrity Unit; revise election law prosecution

As ReportedPassed by the Senate General Government Committee 136th General Assembly Regular Session Am.

4 2025-2026 Senator Gavarone ACosponsors: BILL To amend section 3501.05 and to enact section 1 3501.055 of the Revised Code to establish the 2 Election Integrity Unit in the Office of the 3 Secretary of State and to modify the law 4 governing the prosecution of Election Law 5 violations.

Senators Cirino, Reynolds, Timken A BILL To amend section 3501.05 and to enact section 1 3501.055 of the Revised Code to establish the 2 Election Integrity Unit in the Office of the 3 Secretary of State and to modify the law 4 governing the prosecution of Election Law 5 violations.

16 (D) Publish and furnish to the boards from time to time a 17 sufficient number of indexed copies of all election laws then in 18 Am.

4 Page 2 As ReportedPassed by the Senate Generalsufficient Governmentnumber Committeeof indexed copies of all election laws then in 18 force;

43 (L) Require such reports from the several boards as are 44 provided by law, or as the secretary of state considers 45 necessary;Am.

46 Am.

4 Page 3 As ReportedPassed by the Senate Generalnecessary; Government Committee (M) Compel the observance by election officers in the 47 several counties of the requirements of the election laws;

46 (M) Compel the observance by election officers in the 47 several counties of the requirements of the election laws;

of the Revised 73 Code for the removal by boards of elections of ineligible voters 74 from the statewide voter registration database and, if 75 Am.

4 Page 4 As ReportedPassed by the Senate Generalfrom Governmentthe Committeestatewide voter registration database and, if 75 applicable, from the poll list or signature pollbook used in 76 each precinct, which rules shall provide for all of the 77 following:

103 (T) To the extent feasible, provide copies, at no cost and 104 Am.

4 Page 5 As ReportedPassed by the Senate General(T) GovernmentTo Committeethe extent feasible, provide copies, at no cost and 104 upon request, of the voter registration form in post offices in 105 this state;

128 (X) Ensure that all directives, advisories, other 129 instructions, or decisions issued or made during or as a result 130 of any conference or teleconference call with a board of 131 elections to discuss the proper methods and procedures for 132 conducting elections, to answer questions regarding elections, 133 Am.

4 Page 6 As ReportedPassed by the Senate Generalconducting Governmentelections, Committeeto answer questions regarding elections, 133 or to discuss the interpretation of directives, advisories, or 134 other instructions issued by the secretary of state are posted 135 on a web site of the office of the secretary of state as soon as 136 is practicable after the completion of the conference or 137 teleconference call, but not later than the close of business on 138 the same day as the conference or teleconference call takes 139 place.

157 (BB) Disseminate information, which may include all or 158 part of the official explanations and arguments, by means of 159 direct mail or other written publication, broadcast, or other 160 means or combination of means, as directed by the Ohio ballot 161 board under division (F) of section 3505.062 of the Revised 162 Code, in order to inform the voters as fully as possible 163 Am.

4 Page 7 As ReportedPassed by the Senate GeneralCode, Governmentin Committeeorder to inform the voters as fully as possible 163 concerning each proposed constitutional amendment, proposed law, 164 or referendum;

the filing of a declaration of candidacy 192 and petitions or a statement of candidacy and nominating 193 Am.

4 Page 8 As ReportedPassed by the Senate Generaland Governmentpetitions Committeeor a statement of candidacy and nominating 193 petition together with the applicable filing fee;

218 In any action involving the laws in Title XXXV of the 219 Revised Code wherein the interpretation of those laws is in 220 issue in such a manner that the result of the action will affect 221 the lawful duties of the secretary of state or of any board of 222 elections, the secretary of state may, on the secretary of 223 Am.

4 Page 9 As ReportedPassed by the Senate Generalelections, Governmentthe Committeesecretary of state may, on the secretary of 223 state's motion, be made a party.

4 Page 10 As ReportedPassed by the Senate General Government Committee (4) Submit a report to the governor and the general 252 assembly not later than the fifteenth day of January of each 253 year.

4 Page 11 As ReportedPassed by the Senate General Government Committee explaining the reason for declining to prosecute the referral or 279 requesting any additional evidence needed to meet the prima 280 facie standard established under section 3599.42 of the Revised 281 Code.