Budget Testimony Opportunity 

Next week, the committee will begin to hear public testimony on the education provisions of the state budget. We encourage districts to submit testimony for the Senate Education Committee hearings on either May 7 at 4:00 pm or May 14 at 9:00 am.  

The work you've already done -- sharing your district's story with staff, your community, and legislators -- can serve as a strong foundation for your testimony. Simply highlighting how proposed changes impact your students and schools is powerful and should be a part of the conversation as the Senate considers the biennial budget.  

  • Submit via the Ohio Senate website at least 24 hours before the scheduled hearing. 
  • The testimony submission link will be available on the Senate Education Committee's webpage – linked here. Click the date of the hearing you wish to attend and follow the instructions under the "Upload Testimony" tab. 

HB 96 Advocacy resources: cash balance reduction policy  

The House-passed state budget proposal includes a provision that would require county budget commissions to reduce local funding for school districts with a cash balance or carryover exceeding 30%. If enacted, this could result in significant cuts to student programs or result in districts going to the ballot earlier than planned. 

We are sharing several resources to help you better understand and communicate the potential impact of these proposed changes with legislators and your community.  

  • Cash balance one-pager: This document offers an overview of district cash balances, explaining the various reasons behind these balances and how they’re used to support students.
  • District-specific one-pager: Designed for you to customize, this document allows you to outline your district’s unique financial situation, providing clear context for your cash balance and how those funds will be used.
  • Cash balance whitepaper: School leaders are encouraged to adopt clear policies, with a minimum and maximum balance, that explain and guide the use of general fund cash balances. This should include a review of their current reserves with an understanding of their rationale. 
  • Legal and economic development insights: For legal insights, please refer to the FAQ prepared by Rebecca Princehorn and Paul Rutter of Bricker Graydon LLP. For insights into potential economic impacts, please refer to the Memorandum prepared by J. Caleb Bell, Price Finley, Rob McCarthy and Jeffry Harris of Bricker Graydon LLP. 

Senate activity  

The Senate passed House Bill (HB) 15, sponsored by Representative Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland), with a vote of 33-0. This bill makes changes to the competitive retail electric service law and makes changes regarding electric company property taxation. The chamber voted on a substitute version of the bill which passed out of the Senate Energy Committee earlier in the week. The substitute bill merges HB 15 with Senate Bill (SB) 2, the Senate’s version of the bill. This final version of HB 15 makes the following changes:  

  • Decreases the Tangible Personal Property (TPP) tax on new generation and energy conversion equipment from 25% to 7% starting in tax year 2027. Existing infrastructure needs to be converted or repowered to qualify for the 7% reduction. 
  • Reduces TPP tax on new transmission, distribution and pipeline infrastructure from 88% to 25% starting in tax year 2027. 
  • Directs the Solar Generation Fund to pay projects their expected revenue at a discount for "net present value" of the money, and the remaining amount to transfer to the School Energy Performance Contracting Loan Fund custodial fund administered by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC). Allows the OFCC to issue a loan from the Fund to a school board that applies for a loan to pay all or part of an installment contract for the purchase and installation of energy conservation measures or shared-saving contracts for energy saving measures if various other requirements are met. 

House activity  

The House concurred with the Senate’s changes to HB 15, with a vote of 94-2. The bill now goes to the governor for signature.  

Senate Education Committee  

On Tuesday, the committee held a second hearing on SB 158 , sponsored by Senator Jane M. Timken (R-Canton). This bill would generally prohibit cell phone use in public schools. The committee heard proponent testimony from:  

  • Jeff Greenley, superintendent, Belpre City Schools 
  • Aaron Wex, superintendent, Wapakoneta City Schools 
  • Dr. David Glasner, superintendent, Shaker Heights City School District 

The committee amended SB 158 to require a school district to allow a student to use a cellphone to monitor a health concern if they have a written statement from a physician. 

The committee also heard invited testimony on HB 96, the FY26-27 state operating budget, from:  

  • Michelle Gillcrist, director, Ohio Lottery Commission 
  • Joy Blasdoe, director, Ohio Facilities Construction Commission 
  • Christopher Dragone, director, Ohio Racing Commission 
  • Dr. Lou Maynus, superintendent, Ohio Deaf and Blind Education Services 

On Wednesday, the committee continued hearing invited testimony on the state operating budget from Steve Dackin, director, Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW).  

House Education Committee  

The committee heard sponsor testimony from Reps. Thomas Hall (R- Middletown) and Haraz N. Ghanbari (R-Perrysburg) on HB 189. This bill would create a statewide behavioral threat management operational process for public and chartered nonpublic schools. 

The committee also heard sponsor testimony from Reps. Jonathan Newman (R- Troy) and Josh Williams (R- Sylvania Township) on HB 190. This bill would enact the “Given Name Act” regarding the use of gendered pronouns in public schools. 

HB 57, sponsored by Reps. Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) and Williams, received its fourth hearing. HB 57 would require any public or nonpublic school that elects to keep a supply of an overdose reversal drug for emergency use to adopt and implement a policy regarding the supply’s maintenance and the drug’s use. The committee favorably reported the bill out of committee.  

Finally, the committee held its fourth hearing on HB 62, sponsored by Reps. Justin Pizzulli (R-Franklin Furnace) and Adam C. Bird (R-New Richmond). This bill makes changes to the College Credit Plus program, including requiring notice to school districts when a student drops a college course, transitioning to open-source textbooks and lowering the cost of certain online CCP courses. The committee heard interested party testimony on the bill, as well as a joint presentation from the Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and ODEW on the history and parameters of Ohio’s existing CCP program.  

House Children and Human Services Committee  

The committee held its third hearing on HB 7, sponsored by Reps. Andrea White (R-Kettering) and Sharon A. Ray (R-Wadsworth). HB 7 would make foster caregivers and kinship caregivers eligible for publicly funded child care, regardless of income. The committee heard proponent testimony on the bill. 

House Workforce and Higher Education Committee  

The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 25 from Reps. Jarrells and Ray. This bill is the House companion bill to SB 13, establishing the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program. 

The committee also heard sponsor testimony on HB 98 from Reps. Nick Santucci (R-Niles) and Williams. HB 98 would establish the Community Connectors Workforce Program to support connecting students to jobs, internships and career professionals in their communities and would appropriate $8 million in state lottery funds to the program. 

House Transportation Committee  

The committee amended HB 3, sponsored by Reps. Bernard Willis (R-Springfield) and Cecil Thomas (D-Cincinnati), before favorably reporting the bill out of committee. HB 3, the “School Bus Safety Act,” would create a School Bus Safety Grant Fund at ODEW to assist districts with the cost of installing safety features on new and existing school buses. The bill would also increase the penalties for illegally passing a stopped school bus and designate August as “School Bus Safety Month.” Accepted amendments to the bill decrease the School Base Safety Fund from $25 million in each fiscal year to $10 million annually, aligning the funding profile in this bill with HB 96, the biennial budget. Amendments also add silent panic alert technology and broadband push-to-talk capabilities to the list of school bus safety features that are eligible for grants under the bill. 

House General Government Committee 

The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 153 from Reps. Beth Lear (R-Galena) and Hall. This bill would require state and school district board members to be nominated by primary election and to appear on the ballot with a party designation. 

House Local Government Committee  

The committee held its second hearing on HB 113, sponsored by Reps. Bird and Newman. HB 113 would modify the law regarding annexation and require school district approval of residential community reinvestment area property tax exemptions. The committee heard proponent testimony on the bill from OSBA and BASA, Superintendent Keith Milard, Batavia Local Schools and Rachael Kiplinger, Bethel Local Schools.  

House Public Insurance and Pensions Committee  

The committee heard a presentation from the School Employees Retirement System (SERS). 

House Ways and Means Committee  

The committee held its fourth hearing on HB 22, sponsored by Reps. Brian Lorenz (R-Powell) and David Thomas (R-Jefferson). This bill would authorize a full homestead exemption for surviving spouses of members of the uniformed services killed in the line of duty. No witnesses were present to testify on the bill.  

House Development Committee 
The committee held a second hearing on HB 17, sponsored by Rep. Lorenz. The bill would classify certain storage condominiums as residential property for tax purposes. 

Rules activity  

The Department of Education and Workforce does not have any rules open for public comment at this time. 

The State Board of Education has the following rules open for public comment: 

  • Chapter 3302-20-03: Employment of non-licensed individuals with certain criminal convictions 
  • Chapter 3302-83-23: Employment of school bus and van drivers with certain criminal convictions 

Click here to view the SBOE rules open for public comment. 

Federal update 

Please click here to read the most recent Federal Advocacy Report which includes up-to-date information on federal education efforts. Click here to read the most recent Federal Court Report.  

Posted by Malania Birney on 5/2/2025