CALL TO ACTION: To all Ohio registered voters:

This petition pushes for transparency and fairness, and calling for urgent reforms to Ohio’s civil rights laws and Ohio Civil Rights Commission (OCRC) procedures to ensure fairness, transparency, and accountability in discrimination investigations. These reforms are necessary to modernize outdated practices and protect all Ohioans from discrimination.

This reform initiative aims to bring Ohio’s civil rights laws into the 21st century by aligning enforcement with today’s realities, promoting operational efficiency, and reducing costs through updated laws and procedures.

The Ohio Civil Rights Commission was established by the Ohio General Assembly to enforce state anti-discrimination laws. These laws, codified in the Ohio Revised Code and detailed further through the Administrative Code, were created by the legislature to protect all Ohioans fairly. Funded by state and federal taxpayer dollars, including through work-sharing agreements with the EEOC and HUD—the Commission is legally entrusted to conduct impartial investigations and uphold the legislators’ intent to prevent discrimination, not to favor any party such as respondents.

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Key Reforms Demanded

1. Grant Charging Parties Access to Respondent’s Position Statement and Supporting Evidence

Problem: Charging parties, those filing discrimination complaints, cannot view the respondent’s position statement (defense) or it's supporting documents during the preliminary investigations. This creates an unfair imbalance and may allow fabrications or misleading statements and supporting evidence to go unchallenged during the preliminary investigation. Currently, charging parties may only request to see the respondent’s position statement after the case is closed, with no guaranteed timeline for access.

Solution: Amend ORC 4112.05 and OAC 4112-3-03 to require the OCRC to share the respondent’s position statement and supporting evidence with the charging party during the preliminary investigation. Many states and the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) allow charging parties to review the respondent’s position statement and supporting documents during preliminary investigations, promoting transparency and fairness.

The EEOC's stated purpose for this policy is to "ensure the charging party has an opportunity to respond" and to help investigators "focus the investigation and secure the evidence needed to make a merit determination." It creates a more transparent and efficient process by getting all relevant arguments and evidence on the table early.

2. Stop Respondents from Setting Unfair Conditions

Problem: Respondents may add disclaimers or conditions to their statements, such as claiming their position statement is not an affidavit, demanding to see new allegations, or insisting their statement be used to move the commission to a no probable cause decision. When such language is directed only to the commission, it introduces potential bias into the investigative process.

Solution: Amend OAC 4112-3-04 to clarify that only the OCRC, not respondents, can set terms and conditions for position statements, ensuring a fair and consistent process.

3. Recognize Systemic Discrimination in Public Spaces

Problem: Ohio law does not explicitly address policies or technologies (such as the misuse of AI or technology using seemingly neutral practices) that disproportionately harm marginalized groups.

Solution: Amend ORC 4112.02 to include desperate impact discrimination as a form of enforcement prohibiting practices that have a disparate impact on protected groups, even if those practices appear neutral.

4. Right to Sue in Public Accommodation Cases

Problem: Victims of discrimination in public spaces (like stores, hotels, hospitals or restaurants) after filing a charge of discrimination despite the decision should be permitted to be issued a "right to sue".

Solution: Amend ORC 4112.02 to provide charging parties with the option to request a "right to sue" letter, which serves as evidence that they have exhausted administrative remedies and grants them the opportunity to pursue legal action in court when administrative remedies fail to provide adequate relief

5. Use AI Responsibly to Improve Investigations

Problem: Preliminary investigations, in general, can face challenges such as high case backlogs, staff shortages, and growing workloads. While experiences may vary between commissions, these factors can sometimes slow the process and create inefficiencies, making it harder to manage cases promptly and fairly.

Solution: Amend OAC 4112-3-04 to allow the responsible use of AI tools in preliminary     investigations, with clear rules to prevent bias and guarantee human review.

The AI would serve as a support tool during the preliminary investigation, reviewing the statements and evidence submitted by both parties to assess whether the claims meet Ohio’s anti-discrimination standards. It would flag potential issues, identify inconsistencies, generate suggested probing questions, and make merit-based recommendations, promoting impartiality and efficiency. Importantly, the AI operates under human oversight, addressing concerns about accuracy and ensuring responsible use. Its analysis would become part of the official case file, contributing to a more transparent and accountable investigative process.

Why These Changes Matter

Fairness: Charging parties deserve equal access to evidence and a transparent process. The current system often favors respondents.
Accountability: Systemic discrimination, especially through “neutral” policies or technology, must be addressed to protect all Ohioans.

Efficiency: Modern tools like AI can reduce delays, lower taxpayer costs, and improve accuracy.

Our Goal:

Collect 10,000 signatures to show overwhelming public support for these reforms. We urge Ohio legislators to sponsor and enact these changes.

Join us in the effort to bring much-needed change by aligning our civil rights laws with the realities of today. This reform strengthens protections, closes loopholes, and promotes fairness in enforcement, ensuring that the original intent of these laws is upheld in a modern context. It's a step toward a system that serves everyone, grounded in truth, transparency, and equal treatment.

Sign and share this petition on social media (#OHCivilRightsReform) to demand justice for all Ohioans.

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