Budget Update
The House Finance Committee accepted the omnibus amendment for House Bill (HB) 33, the biennial budget for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. Following its passage out of committee, HB 33 was sent to the House floor for a vote on Wednesday, April 26th. The bill passed 77-19 and is now on its way to the Senate. Click here for a list of education-related changes the omnibus amendment makes to the budget bill. New simulations have recently been released based on the House changes to the funding formula and are available here.

Please make plans to join OSBA, BASA and OASBO for a webinar on the House’s passed version of the biennial budget on Thursday, May 4 at noon. This webinar, which will provide a review of the changes made by the House, is open to members of all three associations. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about the latest version of the budget. Registration must be completed on OASBO's Registration Page:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_EbP8s1TpS0qPEXY99FCy5w#/registration

Senate Activity
The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill (SB) 49, sponsored by Sen. Michelle Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester), which would enact the Religious Expression Days "R.E.D." Act and require school boards to adopt a policy providing students with religious accommodations for up to three days.

Senate Education Committee
The committee held testimony on the biennial budget for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The following individuals provided testimony:

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 38, sponsored by Reps. Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park) and Willis Blackshear (D-Dayton), which would allow school districts to permit students to take up to three mental health days away from school each school year. 

The committee held its second hearing for HB 8, sponsored by Reps. D. J. Swearingen (R-Huron) and Sara P. Carruthers (R-Hamilton). The bill would enact the Parents Bill of Rights to require public schools to adopt a policy on parental notification regarding student health and well-being and instructional materials with sexually explicit content. The committee heard from proponents of the bill. 

The committee held a third hearing on HB 11, sponsored by Reps. Riordan T. McClain (R-Upper Sandusky) and Marilyn S. John (R-Shelby), which would establish the Backpack Scholarship Program beginning in the 2023-24 school year. The bill would also repeal the Educational Choice Voucher Program and the Cleveland Voucher Program on July 1, 2024. OSBA, the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) and the Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) provided opponent testimony. Click here to read the testimony. Additional opposition testimony was provided by:

House Economic and Workforce Development Committee
The committee held a third hearing on SB 1, sponsored by Sen. Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin), which would rename the Department of Education as the Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) and would create the position of Director of Education and Workforce. The bill also would reform the functions and responsibilities of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. OSBA provided opponent testimony on the bill. Click hereto read the testimony.

House Ways and Means Committee
The committee held a seventh hearing on HB 1, sponsored by Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon), which would modify the law regarding property taxation and income tax rates. Opposition testimony was given by:

The committee also held sponsor testimony on HB 90, sponsored by Tom Patton (R-Strongsville), which would authorize a total property tax exemption for the homesteads of totally disabled veterans and their surviving spouses.

House Pensions Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 146, sponsored by Rep. Adam Bird (R-Cincinnati), which would require the School Employees Retirement Board to establish the contribution-based benefit cap (CBBC), a limit on the retirement allowance a member may receive. The bill also requires the Board to calculate a member’s CBBC based on the member’s contributions converted to an annuity and multiplied by the CBBC factor designated by the Board, reducing the member’s retirement allowance to an amount equal to the member’s CBBC if the retirement allowance would exceed the CBBC. If passed, The CBBC provisions would take effect August 1, 2024.

House Higher Education Committee
The committee held a fourth hearing on HB 6, sponsored by Rep. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum), which would enact the Save Women's Sports Act. The bill would require schools, state institutions of higher education and private colleges to designate separate single-sex teams and sports for each sex. Testifying in opposition of the bill: 

House State and Local Government Committee
The committee amended and held a fourth hearing on HB 76, sponsored by Reps. Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township) and Andrea White (R-Kettering), which would modify state agency data storage and notification law. The amendments make the following changes: 

  • Allow individuals to opt into electronic notifications and remote hearings on some occasions, rather than making electronic notices and remote hearings the default practice;
  • Drop several requirements for notarized documents involving the Accountancy Board; Department of Aging; Department of Developmental Disabilities; Department of Insurance; Ohio Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Athletic Trainers Board; Department of Public Safety; and Department of Transportation.

House Commerce and Labor Committee
The committee held a third hearing on Senate Bill (SB) 30, sponsored by Sen. Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster), which would allow a person aged 14 or 15 to be employed between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. during the school year if the person has parental or legal guardian consent.

House Health Provider Services
The committee passed HB 47, sponsored by Reps. Richard D. Brown (D-Canal Winchester) and Adam C. Bird (R-New Richmond), which would require the placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in each public and chartered nonpublic school and each public recreational facility. The bill would also require the Ohio Department of Health to develop a model emergency action plan for the use of AEDs.

New Bills Introduced

  • SB 112, sponsored by Sen. Michael Rulli (R-Salem), which requires school buildings to comply with national life safety standards and to name this act the Ohio Childhood Safety Act. It has been referred to the Senate Education committee.

 

Posted by Scott Palider on April 28, 2023