Jay Hottinger

Senator Jay Hottinger, a lifelong resident of Newark, Ohio, has spent a lifetime dedicated to public service. Jay has served as a public official since the age of 21 in capacities as a Newark city councilman, a state representative and a state senator.  After 28 years of continuous service in the General Assembly, Senator Hottinger retired as President Pro Tempore of the Ohio Senate at the conclusion of the 134th General Assembly. During his legislative tenure, Jay held the chairmanship of several key committees and represented all or portions of Licking, Athens, Coshocton, Hocking, Holmes, Perry, Pickaway, and Tuscarawas Counties.

In addition to his public service, Jay has also been vice president of sales for Truck One, Inc., a Newark-based trucking company.  It is his business experience and understanding of the Appalachian region which has equipped Jay to advocate on behalf of Appalahcian Ohioans.

As a leader at the Statehouse, Jay sponsored dozens of bills which have affected policy change across the Ohio Revised Code, including:

• The elimination of Ohio’s estate tax

• Lowering Ohio’s DUI limit to .08

• Tort reform and civil justice initiatives

• Providing programs and funding for at-risk youth and families in crisis

• Helping families save for higher education and future expenses for children with special needs

• Applying Ohio’s Sex Offender Registration and Notification Law (Megan’s Law) to juvenile sex offenders

• Treatment for opioid dependence and addiction

• Protecting the sanctity of life

• Increasing benefits to families of fallen first responders

• Creation of Roth IRA’s in the Deferred Compensation Program

• Numerous criminal justice measures

• School safety measures

Additionally, Senator Hottinger has played a pivotal role in legislative initiatives for Appalachia including the creation of the Appalachian Community Grant Program in House Bill No. 377 which allocated $500 million to support community projects in Ohio’s Appalachian counties.

Jay’s legislative work has been recognized by several organizations in numerous awards including:

• 2022 Human Services Champion from Advocates for Ohio’s Future and The Center for Community Solutions (first-ever award recipient)

• 2022 Public Children Services Association of Ohio (PCSAO) Lifetime Achievement Award (first-ever award recipient)

• 2022 YMCA’s of Ohio Champion

• 2022 Andrew Carnegie Award from the Ohio Library Council

• 2021 Champions of Business from the Ohio Chamber of Commerce

• 2020 Ohio Alliance of Boys and Girls Clubs Champion of Youth Award as well as honorary lifetime club member

• 2020 National Security Leadership Award from Mission: Readiness Ohio

• 2019 Legislative Listener Award from Groundwork Ohio

• 2018 Boys & Girls Club of America’s National Award of Merit

• 2018 Ohio History Connection’s Ohio History Leadership Award

• 2017, 2019, 2021 American Conservative Union Foundation’s Award for Conservative Excellence

• 2017 Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Ohio Distinguished Alumni

• 2017 Ohio Public Children Services Association Legislator of the Year

• 2017 National Assn. of Social Workers – Ohio Chapter Region 8 “Public Official of the Year”

• 2017 Humane Hero Award from Licking Co Humane Society

• 2017 Association of Independent Colleges & Universities of Ohio Distinguished Alumni

• 2016 Ohio Association of County Boards (Developmental Disabilities) Legislator of Year

• 2016 Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Legislator of Year

• 2016 “Champion of Public Education” from Ohio School Board Assn. (inaugural winner)

• Ohio Farm Bureau Federation “Friend of Agriculture”

• “Distinguished Alumni Award” (Newark City Schools)

• 2014 American Conservative Union “Buckeye State True Conservative”

• 2011 Defender of Liberty Award” from American Conservative Union

• 2012 Ohio Sportsman League’s Legislator of the Year

• “Friend of Ohio Community Colleges” (Legislator of the Year)

• Ohio Society of CPAs Outstanding Legislator of the Year

• 2012 Ohio Conservation Legislator of the Year

• “Watchdog of the Treasury” (10 time winner)

• National Federation of Independent Business/Ohio perfect voting record

• “Guardian of Small Business” (Legislator of the Year) Award by NFIB

• “Community Development Award”

• “Friend of Ohio's Taxpayer”

• “The Outstanding Young Man of Licking County”

• “Distinguished Service Award of Licking County”

• Kenneth J. Martin Award for Outstanding Contribution to Political Science

• Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels

Jay is a lifelong resident of Newark.  He is a 1988 graduate of Newark High School and a 1992 graduate of Capital University, where he graduated summa cum laude in political science and public administration. He and his wife, Cheri, reside in Newark where they have raised their three daughters Savannah, Heather, and Jayme and have recently welcomed their first grandchild. The Hottingers are active members of their church as well as a number of civic organizations.