Charleta B. Tavares
Assistant Minority Leader
15th Senate District / Co-Chair
William G. Batchelder, Speaker
69th House District
Ohio Constitutional Modernization Commission
MEMORANDUM
To: Speaker Batchelder & Senator Tavares, Co-Chairs
From: Roger L. Beckett and Herb Asher
Date: May 8, 2014
Re: Report of the Joint Meeting of the Public Education and Information Standing Committee and the Liaison with Public Offices Standing Committee for
May 8, 2014
Members Present: Representative Amstutz, Dr. Asher, Mr. Beckett, Representative Curtin, Professor Saphire, and Governor Taft.
Topics Discussed: Mr. Beckett gave an update on the Commission’s web site. The site has been updated with more detailed Committee information and an announcements section has been added to the homepage. A more thorough redesign of the web site will take place after the Commission’s Communications Director has been hired.
The Committees discussed how the Subject Matter Committees and the full Commission can ensure that the Citizens of Ohio can have the full opportunity to provide input for Commission recommendations. The Committees agreed to propose rules changes to the Organization and Administration Committee requiring three readings for proposed recommendations in Subject Matter Committees. The Committees also agreed to propose rules changes requiring the inclusion of recommendations being considered in the meeting notices of the Subject Matter Committees and the Full Commission. Mr. Beckett, Representative Curtin, and Professor Saphire will draft language that will be sent to the Committees and to the Organization and Administration Committee.
Mr. Hollon gave an update on the search for a Communications Director. Over 100 applicants have applied. Mr. Hollon will include Committee members in the search process, and he hopes to have a recommendation for hiring to the Commission by the July meeting.
Next Meeting: The Committees will next meet in a Joint Meeting on June 12, 2014. Agenda items will include:
· Update on Communications Director Search
· Proposed Commission Rules Changes
· Discussion of Future Committee Topics