You can watch even more Senate debates now

More Ohio Senate committee meetings will be broadcast online this session, giving the public additional chances to see how bills are being debated.

Senate President Larry Obhof, R-Medina, said that in addition to the Senate Finance Committee, which hears spending bills including the two- year state budget, three additional committees will be broadcast this session. He has not yet named those committees.

“This is the people’s house,” Obhof said. “Technology gives us the opportunity to increase transparency and participation by bringing the legislative process to Ohioans wherever they are. We look forward to using it to provide our constituents with greater access.”

Obhof took over as the new Senate president at the beginning of the month, and this move marks a shift in attitude for the Senate, which over the past few years has been the more resistant of the two chambers to embrace the use technology to provide more transparency.

The House started broadcasting Finance Committee hearings in 2013. The Senate did not immediately follow suit, and in fact blocked the broadcast of the joint conference committee that convened to work out the final two- year budget that year.

The Senate eventually began broadcasting its Finance Committee, and both chambers have set up web sites for individual committees where legislative documents and written testimonies from witnesses are posted.

Committees will be broadcast by the Ohio Channel, found at ohiochannel. org. Full House and Senate sessions have been streamed live there for several years.

“Televising more committees will be a tremendous public service for the citizens of Ohio — many of whom are unable to travel to the Statehouse because of other commitments,” said Senate Minority Leader Joe Schiavoni, D-Boardman.

As of now, the House has announced no plans to expand committee broadcasts.

“Transparency continues to be a very important priority for the caucus, and this will be one of the many issues that the Speaker and members will address in future discussions,” said Brad Miller, spokesman for Speaker Cliff Rosenberger, R- Clarksville.