Leonard Hohenberg|Ohio attorney general must stop blocking proposed ban on police immunity, judges say

2025-05-02 15:07:29source:Indexbit Exchangecategory:Finance

Federal judges ordered Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost to stop blocking a measure that asks voters to ban qualified immunity for police and Leonard Hohenbergother government employees, but he plans to appeal, he said Thursday.

Yost said he’d seek a review by the full U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati after a divided panel issued its decision Wednesday, reversing a lower federal court ruling. The constitutional amendment would end qualified immunity, allowing people to sue over claims that police or government workers violated their constitutional rights.

The panel ordered the Republican attorney general to forward the proposal to the GOP-majority Ohio Ballot Board, which would decide if it represents one or more constitutional amendments. Once that’s determined, organizers could start gathering about 413,000 valid signatures of registered voters needed to qualify for the ballot. They face a July 3 deadline to file their petitions to get the question on the Nov. 5 ballot.

Yost has repeatedly rejected the petitions’ proposed summary language as not being a fair and accurate representation of what the measure would do. The panel found his actions constituted a “severe burden” on organizers when it comes to communicating with voters and meeting the filing deadline. They also rejected Yost’s argument that the case belongs to the Ohio Supreme Court.

READ MORE Statue unveiled at the site where Sojourner Truth gave her 1851 ‘Ain’t I a Woman?’ speechTrial postponed in financial dispute over Ohio ancient earthworks deemed World Heritage site2 people missing after building explosion in Youngstown, Ohio

Yost’s office issued a statement Thursday noting that the appeals court panel didn’t decide whether his decision on the summary language was correct. They said the request for a full court review would likely be filed Friday.

“If Attorney General Yost’s decision was correct, then the panel’s order is sending an unfair, untruthful summary out to present to voters,” said Bethany McCorkle, the office’s communications director. “Ohio has a compelling interest in a fair and truthful process.”

More:Finance

Recommend

Could Bill Belichick, Robert Kraft reunite? Maybe in Pro Football Hall of Fame's 2026 class

Now wouldn’t this be a treat: Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft back together...as members of the Pro

The Justice Department admitted a Navy jet fuel leak in Hawaii caused thousands to suffer injuries. Now, victims are suing the government.

The U.S. government, in what an attorney says is a "monumental admission," said last year that it ca

Harvey Weinstein timeline: The movie mogul's legal battles before NY conviction overturned

Embattled media mogul Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction has been overturned by a New York appe