(COLUMBUS, Ohio) — Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost’s office has officially certified the petition title and summary for a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit the construction of data centers across the state.
The proposal, titled “Prohibition of Construction of a Data Center,” aims to add Section 36a to Article II of the Ohio Constitution. The petition was originally submitted for review on March 16.
Key Details of the Certification
In a formal response to the petitioners, the Attorney General’s Office confirmed that the provided title and summary are “fair and truthful statements” of the proposed amendment.
Important Note: This certification is a procedural requirement and does not serve as a legal opinion on the amendment’s actual constitutionality or its future enforceability if passed.
The Path to the Ballot
Now that the summary has been certified, the proposal moves to the next phase of Ohio’s rigorous citizen-led initiative process:
- Filing: The Attorney General will file the amendment and certification with the Ohio Secretary of State’s Office.
- Signature Collection: Petitioners must collect signatures from registered voters totaling at least 10% of the votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election.
- Geographic Diversity: Signatures must be gathered from at least 44 of Ohio’s 88 counties. Within each of those counties, signatures must equal at least 5% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election.
- Deadline: If the Secretary of State verifies sufficient signatures at least 65 days before an election, the amendment will be placed on the ballot for Ohioans to decide.
