As Adopted by the Senate

136th General Assembly

Regular Session S. R. No. 354

2025-2026

Senator Chavez

Cosponsors: Senators McColley, Antonio, Blackshear, Blessing, Brenner, Cirino, Craig, Cutrona, DeMora, Gavarone, Hicks-Hudson, Huffman, Ingram, Johnson, Koehler, Landis, Lang, Liston, Manchester, Manning, O'Brien, Patton, Reineke, Reynolds, Roegner, Romanchuk, Schaffer, Smith, Timken, Weinstein, Wilkin, Wilson

A R E S O L U T I O N

In memory of James E. Carnes.

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the 136th General Assembly of Ohio were deeply saddened to learn of the death of James E. Carnes and pay tribute to his memory; and

WHEREAS, Jim Carnes will be remembered fondly by all those who knew him, and his absence will leave an irreparable void in our society. A local business leader who was widely respected for his tenure with the Ohio General Assembly, he was an advocate for the growth and progress of our state and its people, and over the course of his nine years in the Ohio Senate, he served on such important committees as Energy, Natural Resources, and Environment and Finance and Financial Institutions as well as the State Controlling Board. He then continued to serve our state with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Ohio Liquor Control Commission. Clearly, his tremendous concern and commitment to duty gained him the appreciation of his colleagues and constituents alike; and

WHEREAS, Jim Carnes' passion for community service was always evident in his own approach to public life, and he dedicated his time to numerous organizations, including the Belmont County Republican Party Central and Executive committees, the Ohio Republican State Central and Executive committees, the Belmont County Board of Elections, the State Mining Board, the Ohio Commission on Aging and Advisory Council on Aging, the Area Agency on Aging, The Ohio State University President's Club, the A.B. Graham Club, the Ohio 4-H Foundation, and the Barnesville and St. Clairsville education foundations. The recipient of numerous awards, he was admired by his fellow citizens, friends, and family for his positive philosophy of life, and he has left a stalwart legacy to our state that will surely live on; and

WHEREAS, Without question, Jim Carnes made the world much fuller, and he was especially devoted to the individuals who had a treasured relationship with him, including his wife, the late Frankie Lee, his six children, Kelly, Jeffrey, Leslie, J. Scott, Karen, and Kristi, his nine grandchildren, Ashley, Amanda, Morgan, Jessica, Kayla, Matthew, Kristen, Julie, and Rebekah, and his nine great‑grandchildren, Elizabeth, Isabelle, Katherine, Eliana, Ezra, Ella, Elsie, Milo, and Luke. Those who cherished him can find strength and solace in the happy moments shared with this great man. Most assuredly, the State of Ohio has benefited exponentially from his life's work, and he will be remembered for his visionary example of citizenship; therefore be it

RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Senate of the 136th General Assembly of Ohio, in adopting this Resolution, offer our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of James E. Carnes and express a profound sense of loss and sincere regret on the sorrowful occasion of his death; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a duly authenticated copy of this Resolution to the family of James E. Carnes.