Rob McColley

Robert A. McColley (born October 14, 1984) is a Senator for the 1st District of the Ohio Senate, which includes Defiance, Hancock, Hardin, Henry, Paulding, Putnam, Van Wert, and Williams counties, as well as parts of Auglaize, Fulton, and Logan counties. McColley graduated from Napoleon High School (Ohio) in 2003 and then went on to attend Ohio State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Finance. He then attended the University of Toledo College of Law and graduated with a Juris Doctor in 2010.^[1]

Rob McColley
97th President of the Ohio Senate
Incumbent
Assumed office January 6, 2025
Preceded by	Matt Huffman
Majority Leader of the Ohio Senate
In office January 3, 2023 – January 6, 2025
Preceded by	Kirk Schuring
Succeeded by	Theresa Gavarone
Member of the Ohio Senate from the 1st district
Incumbent
Assumed office December 5, 2017
Preceded by	Cliff Hite
Member of the Ohio House of Representatives from the 81st district
In office January 3, 2017 – December 5, 2017
Preceded by	Lynn Wachtmann
Succeeded by	Jim Hoops
Personal details
Born	(1984-10-14) October 14, 1984 (age 40)
Political party	Republican
Education	Ohio State University (BS) University of Toledo (JD)

Prior to being appointed to the Senate, he represented the 81st Ohio House District as a State Representative where he also served in House leadership as Assistant Majority Whip.^[2] Before being elected State Representative, he served in the Community Improvement Corporation of Henry County, where he oversaw economic development efforts for the county and worked to improve local workforce development efforts between manufacturers and schools in Henry and Williams counties.^[3]

McColley lives in Napoleon with his wife, Denise, their daughter Anna, and their twin boys Matthew and Michael.^[4]

In May 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, McColley and Senator Kristina Roegner introduced a bill that would immediately end Ohio's stay-at-home order and limit the state health director's ability to give similar orders. The bill is contrary to the recommendation of the country's top medical experts; Governor DeWine has promised to veto any bill that curb's the health director's authority during the crisis.^[5]

In 2021, McColley was the lead sponsor on legislation that would make it harder to build solar and wind energy projects in Ohio. Solar and wind energy projects could be killed by local officials, whereas natural gas and oil projects could not.^[6]

In 2021, McColley defended a proposed redistricting map for Ohio that was heavily gerrymandered in favor of Republicans.^[7]

Abortion legislation

In 2019, McColley co-sponsored Ohio Senate Bill 23, commonly referred to as the "Heartbeat Bill." This legislation bans abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detectable, typically around six weeks into pregnancy—before many people are aware they are pregnant. The bill includes no exceptions for rape or incest. It was signed into law by Governor Mike DeWine on April 11, 2019.^[8]

McColley’s support for SB 23 was part of a broader legislative agenda to curtail abortion rights in Ohio. The bill was one of the strictest abortion bans enacted in the country at the time and generated significant legal and public backlash.^[9]

In 2022, a Hamilton County court issued a temporary restraining order against enforcement of the law, restoring abortion access in the state up to 22 weeks of pregnancy while legal challenges moved forward.^[10]

Committee assignments

During the 134th General Assembly, McColley was assigned to the following committees:^[11]

• (Chair of) Energy and Public Utilities Committee
• (Vice Chair of) Judiciary Committee
• (Vice Chair of) Government Oversight and Reform Committee
• Workforce and Higher Education Committee
• Rules and Reference Committee