State Rep. Randy Gardner, R- Bowling Green, and all House Republicans members will soon introduce
legislation re-establishing a requirement that conference committee reports must undergo a two-day
waiting period before consideration on the floor of the Ohio House of Representatives.
The proposed bill is in reaction to Monday’s House vote on the conference report for the $50.5 billion
state budget only hours after the Conference Committee publicly released more than 2000 pages of
changes. No legislator on either side of the aisle other than conference committee members was able to
read the full budget conference report before voting.
"Essentially, this rule respects the rights of House members and the public to know what is in
budget bills," Gardner said.
"Majority legislators were complaining as well that the final outcome of the budget bill and
conference report was kept from them until Monday afternoon."
The legislation seeks to reinstate House Rule 63, adopted in the 121st General Assembly. The rule,
written in 1995 by Gardner in conjunction with then House Speaker JoAnn Davidson and Speaker Pro Tem
Batchelder, states:
The House shall not consider conference committee reports unless they have been approved by the
conference committee at least two calendar days prior to the House consideration, unless otherwise
ordered by a two-third vote of all the members present.
"The budget is the most important piece of legislation to move through state government and the lack
of transparency that accompanied it is truly disheartening," Batchelder said. "This measure
would ensure that the integrity of the legislative process is maintained for the people of Ohio."

"This has been a major problem and embarrassment in Washington, but it should not be our way of
conducting the people’s business at the Statehouse," Gardner added.
All 46 House Republicans have signed onto the bill which is expected to be introduced early next week.