SR 354

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 RESOLUTION
  In memory of James E. Carnes.  1
     WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the 136th General Assembly  2
of Ohio were deeply saddened to learn of the death of James E. Carnes  3
and pay tribute to his memory; and  4
     WHEREAS, Jim Carnes will be remembered fondly by all those who  5
knew him, and his absence will leave an irreparable void in our  6
society. A local business leader who was widely respected for his  7
tenure with the Ohio General Assembly, he was an advocate for the  8
growth and progress of our state and its people, and over the course  9
of his nine years in the Ohio Senate, he served on such important  10
committees as Energy, Natural Resources, and Environment and Finance  11
and Financial Institutions as well as the State Controlling Board. He  12
then continued to serve our state with the Ohio Department of Natural  13
Resources and the Ohio Liquor Control Commission. Clearly, his  14
tremendous concern and commitment to duty gained him the appreciation  15
of his colleagues and constituents alike; and  16
     WHEREAS, Jim Carnes' passion for community service was always  17
evident in his own approach to public life, and he dedicated his time  18
to numerous organizations, including the Belmont County Republican  19
Party Central and Executive committees, the Ohio Republican State  20
Central and Executive committees, the Belmont County Board of  21
S. R. No. 354  Page 2
As Adopted by the Senate
Elections, the State Mining Board, the Ohio Commission on Aging and        22
Advisory Council on Aging, the Area Agency on Aging, The Ohio State        23
University President's Club, the A.B. Graham Club, the Ohio 4-H  24
Foundation, and the Barnesville and St. Clairsville education  25
foundations. The recipient of numerous awards, he was admired by his       26
fellow citizens, friends, and family for his positive philosophy of        27
life, and he has left a stalwart legacy to our state that will surely      28
live on; and  29
     WHEREAS, Without question, Jim Carnes made the world much fuller,     30
and he was especially devoted to the individuals who had a treasured       31
relationship with him, including his wife, the late Frankie Lee, his       32
six children, Kelly, Jeffrey, Leslie, J. Scott, Karen, and Kristi, his     33
nine grandchildren, Ashley, Amanda, Morgan, Jessica, Kayla, Matthew,       34
Kristen, Julie, and Rebekah, and his nine great-grandchildren,  35
Elizabeth, Isabelle, Katherine, Eliana, Ezra, Ella, Elsie, Milo, and       36
Luke. Those who cherished him can find strength and solace in the  37
happy moments shared with this great man. Most assuredly, the State of     38
Ohio has benefited exponentially from his life's work, and he will be      39
remembered for his visionary example of citizenship; therefore be it       40
     RESOLVED, That we, the members of the Senate of the 136th General     41
Assembly of Ohio, in adopting this Resolution, offer our heartfelt  42
condolences to the family and friends of James E. Carnes and express a     43
profound sense of loss and sincere regret on the sorrowful occasion of     44
his death; and be it further  45
     RESOLVED, That the Clerk of the Senate transmit a duly  46
authenticated copy of this Resolution to the family of James E.  47
Carnes.  48