122nd Ohio General Assembly explained

The One Hundred Twenty-second Ohio General Assembly was the legislative body of the state of Ohio in 1997 and 1998. In this General Assembly, both the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives were controlled by the Ohio Republican Party. In the Senate, there were 21 Republicans and 12 Democrats. In the House, there were 60 Republicans and 39 Democrats. It used redistricted legislative districts from the 1990 United States Census.

Major events

Vacancies

• January 6, 1997: Senator Dennis Kucinich (D-23rd) resigns to take a seat in the United States House of Representatives.
• February 5, 1997: Senator Joseph Vukovich (D-33rd) resigns to take a seat on the Ohio 7th District Court of Appeals.
• February 5, 1997: Representative Ron Mottl (D-20th) resigns.
• February 8, 1997: Senator Jan Michael Long (D-17th) resigns to take a seat on the Probate Court of Pickaway County, Ohio.
• February 8, 1997: Representative Mike Shoemaker (D-91st) resigns to take a seat in the Ohio Senate.
• August 8, 1997: Representative Bill Thompson (R-1st) resigns to take a seat on the Ohio Industrial Commission.
• October 14, 1997: Representative Mike Fox (R-59th) resigns to become a Butler County, Ohio Commissioner.
• December 5, 1997: Senator Karen Gillmor (R-26th) resigns to become a member of the State Employment Relations Board.
• January 4, 1998: Representative Lloyd Lewis Jr. resigns to become City Commissioner of Dayton, Ohio.
• February 20, 1998: Senator Nancy Dix (R-31st) resigns.
• February 20, 1998: Representative Jay Hottinger (R-77th) resigns to become state Senator of the 31st District.
• May 1, 1998: Representative Jim Mason (R-25th) resigns to become a judge on the 10th District Court of Appeals.
• May 12, 1998: Representative Rocco Colonna (R-18th) resigns.
• September 16, 1998: Representative Frank Sawyer (D-79th) resigns due to health concerns.
• December 8, 1998: Representative Mike Verich (D-66th) resigns.
• December 16, 1998: Senator Jeffrey Johnson (D-21st) resigns.

Appointments

• January 6, 1997: Patrick Sweeney appointed to the 23rd Senatorial District due to the resignation of Senator Dennis Kucinich.
• February 5, 1997: Mike Shoemaker is appointed to the 17th Senatorial District due to the resignation of Senator Jan Michael Long.
• February 5, 1997: Ron Mottl is appointed to the 20th House District due to the resignation of Representative Ron Mottl.
• February 8, 1997: Bob Hagan is appointed to the 33rd Senatorial District due to the resignation of Senator Joseph Vukovich.
• February 8, 1997: Joseph P. Sulzer is appointed to the 91st House District due to the resignation of Mike Shoemaker
• August 8, 1997: John Willamowski is appointed to the 1st House District due to the resignation of Bill Thompson
• October 15, 1997: Greg Jolivette is appointed to the 59th House District due to the resignation of Mike Fox.
• December 5, 1997: Larry Mumper is appointed to the 26th Senatorial District due to the resignation of Senator Karen Gillmor.
• January 6, 1998: Dixie Allen is appointed to the 38th House District due to the resignation of Lloyd Lewis Jr.
• February 20, 1998: David R. Evans is appointed to the 77th House District due to the resignation of Jay Hottinger.
• February 20, 1998: Jay Hottinger is appointed to the 31st Senatorial District due to the resignation of Senator Nancy Dix.
• May 12, 1998: David Goodman is appointed to the 25th House District due to the resignation of Jim Mason.
• June 23, 1998: Erin Sullivan is appointed to the 18th House District due to the resignation of Rocco Colonna.
• September 16, 1998: William J. Hartnett is appointed to the 79th House District due to the resignation of Frank Sawyer.
• December 8, 1998: Chris Verich is appointed to the 66th House District due to the resignation of Mike Verich.

Senate

Leadership

Majority leadership

• President of the Senate: Richard Finan
• President pro tempore of the Senate: Robert R. Cupp
• Assistant pro tempore: Eugene J. Watts
• Whip: Nancy Dix

Minority leadership

• Leader: Ben Espy
• Assistant Leader: Linda J. Furney
• Whip: Jeffrey Johnson
• Assistant Whip: Leigh Herington

Members of the 122nd Ohio Senate

District	Senator	Party	First elected
1	M. Ben Gaeth		Republican	1974
2	Bob Latta		Republican	1996
3	Bruce E. Johnson		Republican	1994 (Appt.)
4	Scott Nein		Republican	1995 (Appt.)
5	Rhine McLin		Democratic	1994
6	Chuck Horn		Republican	1984
7			Republican	1978 (Appt.)
8			Republican	1996
9	Janet C. Howard		Republican	1994
10	Merle G. Kearns		Republican	1991 (Appt.)
11	Linda J. Furney		Democratic	1986
12	Robert R. Cupp		Republican	1984
13	Alan Zaleski		Democrat	1982
14	Doug White		Republican	1996 (Appt.)
15	Ben Espy		Democratic	1992 (Appt.)
16	Eugene J. Watts		Republican	1984
17	Michael Shoemaker		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)
18	Robert A. Gardner		Republican	1996
19	Richard Schafrath		Republican	1986
20	James E. Carnes		Republican	1995 (Appt.)
21	Jeffrey Johnson		Democratic	1990 (Appt.)
22	Grace L. Drake		Republican	1984 (Appt.)
23	Patrick Sweeney		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)
24	Gary C. Suhadolnik		Republican	1980
25	Judy Sheerer		Democratic	1992 (Appt.)
26	Larry Mumper		Republican	1997 (Appt.)
27	Roy Ray		Republican	1986
28	Leigh Herington		Democratic	1995 (Appt.)
29	Scott Oelslager		Republican	1985 (Appt.)
30	Gregory L. DiDonato		Democratic	1996
31	Jay Hottinger		Republican	1998 (Appt.)
32	Anthony Latell Jr.		Democratic	1992
33	Bob Hagan		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)

House of Representatives

Leadership

Majority leadership

• Speaker of the House: Jo Ann Davidson
• President pro tempore of the House: William G. Batchelder
• Floor Leader: Randy Gardner
• Assistant Majority Floor Leader: Pat Tiberi
• Majority Whip: Jim Buchy
• Assistant Majority Whip: Bill Harris

Minority leadership

• Leader: Ross Boggs
• Assistant Leader: Johnnie Maier
• Whip: Charleta Taveres
• Assistant Whip: Tom Roberts

Members of the 122nd Ohio House of Representatives

District	Representative	Party	First Elected
1	John R. Willamowski		Republican	1997 (Appt.)
2	George E. Terwilleger		Republican	1992
3	Sean D. Logan		Democratic	1990 (Appt.)
4	Randy Gardner		Republican	1985 (Appt.)
5	Ross Boggs		Democratic	1982
6	Jon D. Myers		Republican	1990
7	Ron Amstutz		Republican	1980
8	C.J. Prentiss		Democratic	1990
9	Barbara Boyd		Democratic	1992
10	Troy Lee James		Democratic	1967
11	Peter Lawson Jones		Democratic	1996
12	Vermel Whalen		Democratic	1986 (Appt.)
13	Barbara C. Pringle		Democratic	1982 (Appt.)
14	Ed Jerse		Democratic	1995 (Appt.)
15	Mike Wise		Republican	1992
16	Ed Kasputis		Republican	1990
17	Dan Brady		Democratic	1996
18	Erin Sullivan		Democratic	1998 (Appt.)
19	Dale Miller		Democratic	1996
20	Ron Mottl		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)
21	Otto Beatty Jr.		Democratic	1980 (Appt.)
22	Charleta Tavares		Democratic	1993 (Appt.)
23	Amy Salerno		Republican	1994
24	Jo Ann Davidson		Republican	1980
25	David Goodman		Republican	1998 (Appt.)
26	Patrick Tiberi		Republican
27	E. J. Thomas		Republican
28	Priscilla D. Mead		Republican	1992
29	Bill Schuck		Republican
30	Samuel T. Britton		Democratic	1994
31	Mark Mallory		Democratic	1994
32	Dale N. Van Vyven		Republican
33	Jerome F. Luebbers		Democratic	1978
34	Cheryl Winkler		Republican	1990 (Appt.)
35	Patricia Clancy		Republican	1996
36	Bob Schuler		Republican	1992
37	Jacquelyn K. O'Brien		Republican	1986
38	Dixie Allen		Democratic	1998 (Appt.)
39	Tom Roberts		Democratic	1986 (Appt.)
40	Jeff Jacobson		Republican
41	Don Mottley		Republican	1992
42	Bob Corbin		Republican	1976
43	Bob Netzley		Republican	1967
44	Vernon Sykes		Democratic	1983 (Appt.)
45	Bryan C. Williams		Republican	1996
46	Kevin Coughlin		Republican	1996
47	Betty Sutton		Democratic	1992
48	Twyla Roman		Republican	1994
49	Jack Ford		Democratic	1994
50	John Garcia		Republican	1994
51	Lynn Olman		Republican	1995 (Appt.)
52	Sally Perz		Republican	1992	-	53	Darrell Opfer		Democratic	1992
54	William J. Healy		Democratic	1974
55	Kirk Schuring		Republican	1994
56	Johnnie Maier Jr.		Democratic	1990
57	Ron Hood		Republican	1994
58	Gary Cates		Republican	1995 (Appt.)
59	Greg Jolivette		Republican	1997 (Appt.)
60	Gene Krebs		Republican
61	Dan Metelsky		Democratic	1996 (Appt.)
62	John Bender		Democratic	1992
63	Bill Taylor		Republican	1994
64	Sylvester Patton		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)
65	Ron Gerberry		Democratic	1974
66	Chris Verich		Democratic	1998
67	June Lucas		Democratic	1986
68	Diane Grendell		Republican	1992
69	Ron Young		Republican
70	Jamie Callender		Republican	1996
71		Sam Bateman		Republican
72	Rose Vesper		Republican
73	David Hartley		Democratic
74	Joe Haines		Republican	1980	-	75	Ann H. Womer Benjamin		Republican	1994
76	Marilyn Reid		Republican	1992
77	Jay Hottinger		Republican
78	Larry Householder		Republican	1996
79	William J. Hartnett		Democratic	1998 (Appt.)
87	Joan Lawrence		Republican	1982
81	William G. Batchelder		Republican	1968
82	Richard Hodges		Republican	1992
83	Lynn Wachtmann		Republican	1984
84	Jim Buchy		Republican
85	Jim Jordan		Republican	1994
86	Chuck Brading		Republican
87	Ed Core		Republican
88	Dennis Stapleton		Republican	1996 (Appt.)
89	Rex Damschroder		Republican	1994
90	Randy Weston		Democratic	1990
91	Joseph P. Sulzer		Democratic	1997 (Appt.)
92	William L. Ogg		Democratic	1994
93	Bill Harris		Republican	1994
94	John Carey		Republican	1994
95	Joy Padgett		Republican	1992
96	Tom Johnson		Republican	1976
97	Kerry R. Metzger		Republican	1994
98	Jerry W. Krupinski		Democratic	1986
99	Charlie Wilson		Democratic	1996

Appt.- Member was appointed to current House Seat

See also

• Ohio House of Representatives membership, 126th General Assembly
• Ohio House of Representatives membership, 125th General Assembly

References

• Ohio House of Representatives official website
• Project Vote Smart – State House of Ohio
• Map of Ohio House Districts
  • Ohio District Maps 2002–2012
• Ohio House of Representatives: November 5, 1996 Ohio Secretary of State