Ohio Government/Constitution Practice Exam

What type of law prevents the General Assembly from passing certain laws after a referendum has been passed?

1. Common law

2. Statutory law

3. Administrative law

4. Constitutional law

The correct answer is: Statutory law

The correct answer is constitutional law. This type of law includes principles that are set forth in the Constitution itself and often governs the relationships between the government and individuals, as well as the structure and powers of government entities. In Ohio, once voters have passed a law through a referendum, constitutional law stipulates that the General Assembly cannot pass legislation that contradicts or effectively changes that law for a certain period. This is designed to protect the will of the electorate and ensure that once a law is established through a direct democratic process, it remains intact without interference from the legislative chamber. Common law refers to laws established by court decisions and precedents rather than statutes, while statutory law is made up of laws enacted by the legislative body, but it does not inherently prevent the General Assembly from acting after a referendum. Administrative law involves regulations that governmental agencies create, and while these might also be shaped by statutory law, they do not specifically relate to the prohibition of legislative action post-referendum.