Portage County (USA) Charter Amendment: community bill of rights and rights of nature

Summary

In 2015, the Portage Community Rights Group led an initiative to get a community charter on the ballot in Portage, Ohio with the help of the Ohio Community Rights Network and CELDF. The community rights-based charter ensures Portage’s right to self-government and recognizes rights of nature. It recognizes the right to local community self-government, municipal autonomy, untainted elections, initiative, referendum, and recall, a healthy environment, a sustainable community, govern corporate activities, own property, peaceful enjoyment of home, and the right to hold private property without threat of expropriation or taking by corporate entities for purposes of private gain. In 2016, the initiative made it to the ballot. However, the elections board declared it unconstitutional and took it off. In 2017, they did not get enough signatures again. The Portage Community Rights Group filed a federal lawsuit against the state of Ohio. That lawsuit is ongoing as of July, 2021.