State lawmakers selected state Rep. Bob Cupp (R-Lima) to continue serving as speaker of the Ohio House. Cupp laid out a blue print of how he wants the next two years of the 134th General Assembly to look.
Cupp says he wants the new session to have a robust committee process where representatives can have effective debates where they can "disagree without being disagreeable."
Cupp says success for the House isn't based on how many bills it passes.
"But more broadly in the opportunities we expand, the rights we protect, and the lives we improve because of our efforts," Cupp says.
Cupp continues the leadership post he was first voted to last year after former Speaker Larry Householder was ousted following his arrest on bribery charges.
The future of Householder in the House remains uncertain. Cupp said the House will "develop a consensus" in the coming year on what should happen with Householder, who has said he’s innocent of the charges against him.
The Ohio Constitution allows a House member to be ousted only once for a given reason. Now that Householder has been re-elected to a two-year term, Cupp said it's possible lawmakers could expel Householder.
The rest of the Republican caucus leadership includes:
- Speaker Pro Tempore – state Rep. Tim Ginter (R-Salem)
- Majority Floor Leader – state Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati)
- Assistant Majority Floor Leader – state Rep. Rick Carfagna (R-Genoa Township)
- Majority Whip – state Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport)
- Assistant Majority Whip – state Rep. Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison)
As for the House Minority Caucus, the Democrats selected state Rep. Emilia Sykes (D-Akron) to continue leading in that position. The other leadership posts for the House Democrats are:
- Assistant Minority Leader – state Rep. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus)
- Minority Whip – Rep. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo)
- Assistant Minority Whip – state Rep. Richard Brown (D-Canal Winchester)
- Caucus Chair – state Rep. Phil Robinson (D-Solon)
