Ohio lawmakers are trying once again to remove slavery from state's constitution

Juneteenth flag. (Getty images)
Ohio Democratic lawmakers want to eradicate slavery from the Ohio Constitution.
State Reps. Dontavius Jarrells, D-Columbus, and Veronica Sims, D-Akron, are working on a joint resolution that would remove slavery from the state's foundational document.
'This isn't political,' Jarrells said Wednesday during an Ohio Legislative Black Caucus press conference. 'This isn't personal. This is a moral overdue journey to change our constitution once and for all. Other states have already done it. We simply want Ohio to live up to this promise of freedom.'
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The 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for being convicted of a crime. The Ohio Constitution currently says 'There shall be no slavery in this state; nor involuntary servitude, unless for the punishment of crime.'
Seven states have removed the slavery loophole from their constitution — Alabama, Oregon, Tennessee, Vermont, Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska, according to the Abolish Slavery National Network.
'I submit that slavery and or involuntary servitude in any shape, form or fashion, should be disembodied from the sacred pages of the founding document of our great state,' Sims said. 'It is time to remove any exception under any circumstances, slavery is a vile, despicable imposition upon another human being.'
This is not the first time there have been legislative attempts in Ohio to remove slavery from the state's constitution. Jarrells had a bipartisan joint resolution that was unable to get out of committee during the last General Assembly. A Senate Joint Resolution was also unsuccessful back in 2020.
If the House and Senate pass the new joint resolution, it would go to the statewide ballot for the voters to decide.
Wednesday's press conference was hosted by members of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus in honor of Juneteenth, a federal holiday Thursday remembering the end of slavery in the United States on June 19, 1865 — two years after the Emancipation Proclamation.
'Juneteenth signifies the end of slavery, and it's a time to celebrate,' said State Rep. Terrence Upchurch, D-Cleveland. 'Although we are proud of the progress we have made, that does not negate the fact that there are still several challenges Black Ohioans face across the state. People are still struggling with finding housing, healthy foods, good paying jobs, satisfactory education, fair treatment in the justice system, and so much more.'
Jarrells introduced House Bill 306 last month, also known as the Enact the Hate Crime Act.
'It empowers victims with real civil remedies and gives law enforcement clear, enforceable tools to hold perpetrators accountable,' he said. 'This bill says that every single person in this state deserves to live without fear, and if you are targeted for who you are, this state will stand with you.'
State Rep. Darnell T. Brewer, D-Cleveland, talked about recent gun legislation he is working on.
'Gun violence is devastating our communities,' he said. 'We can no longer afford to be silent or inactive.'
Black youth are 11 times more likely to die from firearm homicide than their white peers, according to Brady: United Against Gun Violence.
Brewer said he plans on introducing a resolution to encourage responsible gun ownership by promoting safe storage practices to prevent children from accessing guns and a resolution on safe firearm storage education.
'Gun violence is not just an emergency,' he said. 'It's a daily reality.'
Infant mortality, when a child dies before their first birthday, is higher for Black babies compared to white babies. The national infant mortality rate is 5.5 per 1,000 live births for babies and 10.9 for Black babies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The infant mortality rate for Ohio Black babies in 2022 was 13.4 per 1,000 live births.
'Why do we stop caring about babies after they're born?' State Rep. Derrick Hall, D-Akron, asked.
State Rep. Ismail Mohamed, D-Columbus, talked about House Bill 281, a bill that would withhold Medicaid funding from hospitals that do not cooperate with the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. State Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Twp., introduced the bill last month.
'What this bill does is essentially force medical providers to choose between honoring your oath as medical providers or complying with the state's political agenda,' Mohamed said. 'It will discourage immigrant communities from seeking life saving treatment care out of fear.'
Mohamed also talked about House Bill 1, a piece of legislation that would place restrictions on foreign ownership of land. State Reps. Angie King, R-Celina, and Roy Klopfenstein, R-Haviland, introduced the bill earlier this year.
'It is arbitrary,' Mohamed said. 'It is discriminatory in its face, and will negatively impact economic development in the state of Ohio.'
Follow Capital Journal Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky.
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