Model Legislation

For Ohio

E.L.E.C.T. Bill – Elected Leaders Encourage Care Totally

Empathy for and responsibility to all human beings are the soul and heart of our republic and its democratic institutions. The ELECT Bill is a series of proposed amendments to the Ohio Revised Code to [a] require candidates for any office and elected representatives to declare their commitment to the duty to care for and protect human rights and freedoms, and [b] structure political parties to promote, protect, and facilitate elected party member cooperation that aligns their actions around the freedoms provided by the US Constitution and the human rights enumerated by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Email admin@empathysurplus.com with your name, address, and cell phone to add your name as a citizen sponsor.

C.A.R.E. – Cultivate All Rights with Empathy – Education Bill

The C.A.R.E. Education Bill [a] repeals the 2025 Ohio SB 1, [b] amends the Ohio Revised Code for academic standards in social studies to declare that empathy is the soul of democracy, ethical businesses, and a caring society, [c] adds the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) to social studies academic standards for K-12, and [d] requires a sponsoring entity for release time instruction of religious studies it acknowledge the UDHR and its Article 18, its core values of empathy for and responsibility to humanity, and provide a copy of the UDHR to its release time students. Email admin@empathysurplus.com with your name, address, and cell phone number to add you as a citizen sponsor.

Let’s Create State or Federal Legislation to Implement Human Rights Treaties

We all have a duty to care for one another’s freedom and human rights. The best way to implement that care is to protect and empower one another’s human rights with the rule of law. Here are links to Human Rights Treaties that state or federal elected representatives have a duty to implement and enforce:

• GENOCIDE – Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide – Adopted 1948 by the UN General Assembly – President Harry Truman signed in 1948, Ratified in 1987, and Implemented in 1988
• CERD – International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination – Adopted 12/21/1965 by the UN General Assembly Resolution 2106 (XX) – President Lyndon B. Johnson signed in 1966, and the US Senate Ratified with Reservations, Declarations, and Understandings in 1994.
• CESCR – International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights – Adopted 12/16/1966 by the UN General Assembly Resolution 2200A – President Jimmy Carter signed in 1977, and the US Senate has not ratified or implemented it.
• ICCPR – International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights – Adopted 12/16/1966 by the UN General Assembly Resolution 2200A (XXI) – President Jimmy Carter signed in 1977, and the US Senate Ratified with Reservations, Declarations, and Understandings in 1992.
• CEDAW – International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women – Adopted 12/18/1979 by the UN General Assembly Resolution 34/180 – President Jimmy Carter signed it in 1980, and the US Senate has not ratified or implemented it.
• CAT – International Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment – Adopted 12/10/1984 by The UN General Assembly Resolution 39/46. President Ronald Reagan signed the 1988, and the US Senate ratified it with Reservations, Declarations, and Understandings in 1994.
• CRC – Convention on the Rights of the Child – Adopted 11/20/1989 by the UN General Assembly Resolution 44/25- President Bill Clinton signed it in 1995, and the US Senate has failed to ratify it.
• CMW – International Convention on the Protection of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families – Adopted 12/18/1990 by The UN General Assembly Resolution 45/158. No President has signed.
• CRPD – Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – Adopted 12/12/2006 by the UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/61/106 – President Barack Obama signed it in 2009, and the US Senate failed to ratify it by five votes in 2012.
• CED – International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance – Adopted 12/20/2006 by The UN General Assembly Resolution 61/177. No President has signed.