By: Journalist Heba Saleh (TU)
The bill allowed those who are not minors to engage in mutual combat with one another.
It also allowed fighting to the death without criminalizing the winner.
Many representatives did not understand it was not a joke bill, believing that the Senate would not pass a serious bill that brought back duels.
The fact that it was a serious bill was only made clear toward the end of the hearing of the bill when Rep. Alaina Whittington (OSU) asked for clarification on its intent.
As the House was nearing moving to a vote, Sen. Coats had to step out as he was called to compete in Moot Court. The bill was then tabled.
Around 8 p.m., the bill was pulled from the table, and the House deliberated on it once more.
Rep. Jules Yang (TU) voted in favor of the bill even though they understood it was not a joke bill because it was unique.
“It’s interesting. Nobody is thinking about this,” Rep. Yang said. “The best thing about O.I.L. is that we want people to think outside the box, and I don’t think that people should be punished for thinking outside of the traditional box.”
Rep. Gabriel Ivey (TU) was one of the representatives who thought it was a joke bill initially.
After understanding that it was not, he voted against the bill, believing that a bill such as this is better as a joke and is incompatible with society.
“We live in a civil society,” Rep. Ivey said. “I don’t want people out killing each other on the streets.”
The bill eventually passed with a vote of 41-30 and is now on its way to the governor’s desk.