Rule 128-4-07 | Lying in state at Capitol Square.
(A) The bodies of the following individuals may lie in state at capitol square:
(1) The current or any former governor of the state of Ohio;
(2) Any current or former president of the Ohio senate or speaker of the Ohio house of representatives;
(3) A current member of the general assembly;
(4) A current statewide office holder in Ohio; and
(5) Anyone approved by a majority of the capitol square review and advisory board.
(B) The capitol square review and advisory board, or the executive director as its designee, should be notified as soon as possible after the individual's death that a request is being made for the decedent to lie in state. The board, or the executive director as its designee, retains the sole discretion to refuse a request if it is not timely made or there is some other scheduling conflict.
(C) While it is anticipated that the decedent will lie in state in the rotunda of the statehouse, the capitol square review and advisory board, or the executive director as its designee, retains the sole discretion to designate another location within the statehouse for the decedent to lie in state.
(D) The body of the decedent shall be delivered to and retrieved from the statehouse by personnel of an appropriately licensed and practicing funeral home in close coordination with the capitol square review and advisory board. The board or any of its members or staff shall not be responsible for any costs associated with the delivery and retrieval of the body.
(E) A decedent may lie in state in the statehouse for a maximum of eight hours. The body shall lie in an appropriate casket. The board or any of its members or staff shall not be responsible for any expense associated with the service.
(F) Persons shall be permitted to pay their respects to the decedent during hours when the statehouse is open. The hours when the statehouse is open shall not be extended for these purposes. The board, or the executive director as its designee, shall retain the sole right and exclusive discretion to change these hours without prior notification to the persons who made the request for the decedent to lie in state or anyone else.
(G) The board shall provide security personnel for the decedent at such times as the statehouse is open. Such security shall be provided at no cost to the persons making the request for the decedent to lie in state.
(H) If any requests for special accommodations are made, the costs associated with such requests and/or special accommodations shall be the responsibility of the requester and shall not be the responsibility of the board or any of its members or staff.
Supplemental Information