COLUMBUS — Ohio doesn't lead the nation very often — particularly off the football field — but a proposed ballot issue would make Ohio the first state in the nation to mandate that businesses give workers seven paid sick days a year.

The proposal is backed by labor unions and other groups and opposed by the Ohio Chamber, National Federation of Independent Businesses and other trade groups.

Gov. Ted Strickland is leading negotiations between the two sides to strike a compromise by Sept. 5 — the last day the issue can be removed from the ballot.

In a poll released in June, Quinnipiac University found that 71 percent of Ohio voters support the sick leave proposal, while 25 percent believe it would encourage employers to leave the state.

Dale Butland, a spokesman for the sick leave issue, said 2.2 million workers in Ohio have no paid sick time and another million aren't allowed to use their sick days to care for their ill children.

Tony Fiore, labor and human resources policy director for the Ohio Chamber of Commerce, said adding mandated benefits would make Ohio less competitive at a time when businesses face rising health care costs, unemployment insurance premiums and other expenses.

"It's the wrong prescription for Ohio's ailing economy," Fiore said.

Meanwhile, the payday lending industry is working to stop a new law from taking effect this fall. They want voters to reject part of a comprehensive law that caps short term loan annual interest rates at 28 percent, instead of the current 391 percent. The law, signed by Strickland on June 2, is scheduled to take effect Sept. 1 unless the payday lenders submit 241,365 valid signatures by Aug. 31.

Attorney General Nancy Hardin Rogers said if the ballot measure passes, there could be conflict in Ohio law over what interest rates are permissible. Kim Norris, spokeswoman for the payday lending issue, said consumers would simply have a choice of which loans they want.

After state lawmakers exempted the payday lending industry from usury laws in 1995, the number of stores grew from 107 stores in 1996 to 1,562 in 2006.

"If you think charging people 391 percent interest is a good thing, you're probably working for the payday lending industry. They're the only ones who think it's a good idea," said Sandy Theis, spokeswoman for the Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, which lobbied for the law.

"It's a drain on the economy. It's bad for consumers. Ohio doesn't need this, especially right now."

Contact this reporter at (614) 224-1624 or lbischoff@DaytonDailyNews.com.

Six likely ballot issues:

Great Lakes Compact: This is a constitutional amendment to affirm property owners rights to ground water or streams flowing through their land. Lawmakers agreed to put this on the ballot to calm fears by some that the new Great Lakes Compact would somehow infringe on property owners' rights.

House Joint Resolution 3: This is a constitutional amendment to change the current deadlines mandated for putting an initiative or referendum before voters. Lawmakers agreed to put this on the ballot as a way to solve the problem of ballots needing to be printed before all questions are resolved about what is qualified to be on the ballot.

Clean Ohio Fund: This authorizes the state to borrow $400 million to be used for environmental conservation and clean up projects, farmland preservation and protecting streams and lakes. It is a renewal of an existing program. Lawmakers and the Strickland administration agreed to put it on the ballot.

Casino gambling: This is a constitutional amendment to allow one $600 million casino at the intersection of I-71 and Ohio 73 in Clinton County near Wilmington. Operators would contribute up to 30 percent of its casino gross receipts to the state's 88 counties. Backers need 402,275 valid signatures by Aug. 6.

Paid sick leave: This is an effort to pass a law requiring businesses and organizations with 25 or more workers to give employees seven paid sick days per year. The labor unions and other backers need 120,683 signatures by Aug. 6.

Payday lending: This is a referendum to reject part of a comprehensive payday lending law passed by the General Assembly in May. Backed by the payday lending industry, it seeks to continue allowing 391 percent annual interest rate loans, instead of the 28 percent cap instituted by the new law. Supporters need 241,365 signatures by Aug. 31 – the date the new law is scheduled to take effect.