There are six ballot initiatives and referendums being proposed for the Ohio ballot. While the status of these initiatives and referendums could change, below is a summary of these different ballot initiatives and referendums, along with information on the groups supporting and opposing the issues.

Two of the proposed initiatives and referendums had already turned in signatures by August.

-Proposed Casino Constitutional Amendment to authorize one privately-owned casino to operate in Chester Township, Clinton County. The casino amendment is backed by the corporation MyOhioNow, which is working in conjunction with Minneapolis-based Lakes Entertainment. MyOhioNow has turned in twice as many signatures as needed to get on the ballot and is awaiting verification of the signatures.

-Proposed Healthy Families Act which would enact Chapter 4114 of the Ohio Revised Code to require employers to provide a minimum amount of paid sick leave to employees in Ohio. The coalition promoting this act is Ohioans for Healthy Families (OHF); the issue will be opposed by the group Ohioans to Protect Jobs and Fair Benefits, a coalition of business organizations. OHF turned in twice as many signatures as needed to get on the ballot and is awaiting verification of the signatures.

-One other proposal still collecting signatures as of August is the Payday Lending Referendum, which would remove a provision of this year's payday lending law which capped the annual percentage rate on short-term loans at 28 percent, down from the 391 percent permitted before the law passed. The group pushing this referendum is Ohioans for Financial Freedom. The referendum will likely be opposed by the group which pushed for this year's payday lending law, which is the Ohio Coalition for Responsible Lending, a coalition of non-profit, religious and civic organizations. The deadline to turn in the 241,365 needed signatures is August 31.

There are also three other amendments which should be on this year's ballot:

-HJR 3: Amended House Joint Resolution Number 3 (HJR 3) will change the filing deadlines for statewide ballot initiatives and referendums (sometimes called “statewide issues”). It will also require that petitions for all statewide issues brought by electors be filed earlier than they currently are required and change the deadlines for Verifying and Challenging the Petition, requiring the Ohio Secretary of State to determine if there are enough valid signatures on the petition to qualify it for placement on the ballot by the 105th day before the election. Finally, HJR 3 gives the Supreme Court of Ohio the sole authority to hear challenges to any and all statewide petitions and signatures to the petition.

-HJR 5: House Joint Resolution Number 5 (HJR 5) will enable the use of bonds and obligations for the public purposes of conservation and revitalization in the natural areas and agricultural lands in Ohio .

-SJR 8: Senate Joint Resolution Number 8 (SJR8): The purpose of Senate Joint Resolution Number 8 is to protect the rights of Ohio’s property owners, Ohio’s natural resources, and the maintenance of the stability of Ohio’s economy by explicitly recognizing under the constitution the property interests in ground water, lakes, and watercourses.

Source: Ohio Association of Broadcasters