Bill Seitz

William J. Seitz III was born on October 29, 1954, in Cincinnati, Ohio. A lifelong resident of western Hamilton County, he has worked as an attorney since 1978. Seitz began his legal career as an associate at the Taft, Stettinius and Hollister law firm, becoming a partner in 1986 and serving as Of Counsel until 2013. He subsequently joined Dinsmore & Shohl as Of Counsel in 2014. He has been listed in the Best Lawyers in America book for over ten years and was named Southwest Ohio's Best Antitrust Lawyer in 2014.

Prior to his state legislative service, Seitz engaged in local public service. He served as a member and Vice President of the Cincinnati Board of Education and was a member of the St. Antoninus Parish Education Commission. He was twice elected as a Green Township Trustee, serving as Chairman on one occasion, and served as President of the Hamilton County Township Association.

Seitz is a Republican who announced his decision to retire at the end of his term in 2024 after 24 years in the Ohio General Assembly. During his legislative career, he supported House Bill 6 in 2019, a controversial energy law later tied to a corruption scandal involving bribes from FirstEnergy Corporation. Campaign finance records indicate Seitz received $7,000 from the FirstEnergy political action committee in 2018. While he was not charged in the federal bribery case, his support for the bill and the contributions drew criticism from watchdog groups. Additionally, during the 134th Ohio General Assembly, Seitz was among the 21 Republican members who voted against the expulsion of former House Speaker Larry Householder, who was convicted in connection with the scandal.

Education

Seitz is an alumnus of the University of Cincinnati. He graduated in 1975 with a Bachelor of Arts in History, earning summa cum laude honors. He attended the University of Cincinnati School of Law, obtaining his Juris Doctor in 1978. During law school, he was selected for the Law Review and named a member of the Order of the Coif.

Political Experience

Seitz has served in both chambers of the Ohio General Assembly representing districts in Hamilton County.

Ohio House of Representatives
Seitz first served in the Ohio House of Representatives from 2001 to 2007, representing the 30th district. During this tenure, he rose through leadership ranks to serve as Assistant Majority Whip and Majority Whip. He also chaired the Civil and Commercial Law Committee. He was instrumental in Ohio's tort reforms between 2001 and 2004.

After being term-limited in the Senate, Seitz returned to the Ohio House in 2017, once again representing the 30th district, which includes Cheviot, Delhi Township, Green Township, and portions of Cincinnati. He served as Majority Leader of the Ohio House from June 7, 2017, to January 6, 2025, serving under five different speakers. He also sat on the House Criminal Justice Committee. In a 2016 ranking by Columbus Monthly Magazine, Seitz was rated as the best speechmaker, savviest, funniest, and most knowledgeable legislator.

Ohio Senate
Seitz served in the Ohio Senate from 2007 to 2016, representing the 8th district. He was appointed in October 2007 to finish the term of Patricia Clancy and was subsequently elected to full terms in 2008 and 2012. In the Senate, he served as Chairman of the Public Utilities Committee and Vice-Chairman of the Government Oversight and Reform Committee. During the 129th General Assembly, Senate President Tom Niehaus stripped Seitz of his chairmanship of the Senate Government Oversight Committee after Seitz voted against legislation limiting collective bargaining for public employees.

Organizations and Awards
Seitz serves on the board of directors of the American Legislative Exchange Council . He was named State Legislator of the Year by the United States Chamber of Commerce Institute for Legal Reform. Known as a fiscal conservative, he has focused on government efficiency, criminal sentencing reform, and enhancing penalties for violent offenders.