Research Paper
The Last Six Weeks: Ohio's Lame Duck Session, 2000–2024
This report examines 13 Ohio post-election legislative periods from 2000 through 2024. Of 751 bills receiving final legislative action, 677 became law. It measures legislative volume, compressed voting schedules, amendments, committee hearings, departing legislators' votes, vetoes, and reform proposals without taking a position on whether lame duck sessions should continue.
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RESEARCH Overview
Executive Summary
This report examines 13 Ohio post-election legislative periods from 2000 through 2024. Of 751 bills receiving final legislative action, 677 became law. It measures legislative volume, compressed voting schedules, amendments, committee hearings, departing legislators' votes, vetoes, and reform proposals without taking a position on whether lame duck sessions should continue.
Insights
Key Findings
- 677 bills became law during the 13 lame duck periods studied.
- In 2020 and 2024, lame duck bills accounted for about 51% of bills sent to the governor during each two-year General Assembly.
- House roll calls per voting day rose from 10.7 in 2004 to 23.5 in 2024.
Framework
Methodology & Scope
Bill-level analysis of Legislative Service Commission reports, House and Senate Journals, Secretary of State records, and committee hearing records for the periods with available data.
context & qualifications
Limitations & Notes
Some historical journals were unavailable online; hearing depth, substantive changes to bill text, and hypothetical alternative voting outcomes were not measured.
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