Jim Hughes began his career in public service as a prosecutor in the Columbus City Prosecutor's Office and later, as an Assistant County Prosecutor for Franklin County. In 2000, he was selected to serve the remainder of a term in the Ohio House of Representatives and was re-elected to that post four times. In 2008, he was elected to the Ohio Senate to represent Ohio's 16th Senate District, which includes the western portion of Franklin County.

Hughes' service in the Ohio General Assembly has allowed him to put his legal experience to work for the benefit of all Ohioans, helping pass a number of crime initiatives to crack down on offenders and keep families safe. Hughes worked to keep schoolchildren safe by sponsoring legislation that requires community and chartered public schools to adopt school safety plans and conduct a safety drill on a yearly basis. He also sponsored the bill that increased the penalties for identity theft against seniors and disabled individuals and pushed for stronger laws to keep sex predators off the streets and away from children. His leadership on these and in other areas allowed him to rise through the ranks to serve as chairman of the Juvenile and Family Law Committee and a member of both the Civil and Commercial Law and the Criminal Justice Committees while a member of the Ohio House of Representatives.

Now a State Senator, Hughes' leadership earned him the post of Chairman of the Senate State and Local Government and Veterans Affairs, as well as Vice Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee - Criminal Justice. In these roles, Senator Hughes deals with a variety of issues related to all aspects of governance, including elections issues and ensuring a high quality of life for Ohio veterans, as well as working to keep Ohio neighborhoods safe from crime. Senator Hughes also serves as a member of the influential Finance and Financial Institutions Committee, the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee and the Insurance, Commerce and Labor Committee for the 128th General Assembly.

Since joining the Ohio General Assembly, Senator Hughes has also played a critical role in efforts to revitalize the economy, make higher education more affordable, and to ensure state policies help, and not hinder, the ability of local communities to attract new jobs and economic investment. He was a strong supporter of tax reform, including a 21 percent state income tax cut for all Ohioans and of state investments in high-tech research and development through the Third Frontier Program, which has resulted in millions of dollars for Franklin County as it works to become a leader in high-tech fields like polymers, biotechnology and fuel cells, among other things.

Senator Hughes has been recognized by a variety of groups and organizations over the years for his legislative efforts on behalf of Ohioans. He has received the Ohio Association for Justice Workers Compensation Outstanding Service Award (2009), the Ohio Fire Chief’s Association Legislator of the Year Award (2009) and the Ohio Nurses Association Legislator of the Year Award (2009), among others.

Senator Hughes continues to practice law as an attorney at Wiles, Boyle, Burkholder, and Bringardner. He earned his Juris Doctorate at Capital University School of Law after completing undergraduate degrees in business administration and transportation and logistics from The Ohio State University.

He and his wife Susan live in Clintonville with their daughter Kaela and are active in many local community organizations, including the Ascension Lutheran Church, where Hughes is a deacon, as well as the Agonis Club, Shamrock Club, Charity Newsies, Aladdin Shrine Temple, Central Ohio Crime Stoppers, Kids Voting, Impact Community Action, Dublin Kiwanis and numerous area Chambers of Commerce.

The Ohio Statehouse

Columbus, Ohio 43215

Phone: (614) 466-5981

SD16@senate.state.oh.us