COLUMBUS - Secretary of State Frank LaRose issued a statement today on the passage of HB 473 in the Ohio House of Representatives. This legislation was sponsored by Ohio Representative J. Todd Smith and would allow the state motto to be used as part of the state seal. 

“The passage of this bill sends a strong message to those attempting to remove displays of faith from public observance,” said LaRose. “’With God, All Things Are Possible’ is more than a motto, it’s our heritage. It’s that faith in a higher power that made Ohio who we are, and by officially allowing its pairing with our state seal we honor our past and strengthen our hope for the future. I encourage the Ohio Senate to swiftly move to pass this legislation.”

“We have done a good deed here, today,” said Representative J. Todd Smith. "All too often, we allow ourselves to forget the historic traditions and foundational concepts that built our state. By explicitly permitting this pairing, Ohioans can proudly display the seal and motto together.”

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