Ohio Ballot Initiative on Qualified Immunity Proceeds

The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost's attempts to block a proposed constitutional amendment that would end qualified immunity for police and other public officials, requiring Yost to certify the amendment's summary language. This decision allows proponents to move forward, with the measure now proceeding to the Ohio Ballot Board for further review before signature collection begins. Lower courts found that Yost's repeated rejections placed an undue burden on organizers' First Amendment rights and went beyond requirements for summary clarity. The ruling limits the attorney general's ability to block future ballot initiatives on technical grounds. If passed, the amendment would remove special legal protections that shield police and government employees from lawsuits for constitutional violations. Supporters must collect over 400,000 signatures for the measure to appear on a future statewide ballot.