General Assembly Activity
The General Assembly sent House Bill (HB) 68, sponsored by Rep. Gary Click (R-Vickery) to Gov. DeWine for his action. The bill would prohibit certain procedures to alter a minor child’s sex; and would designate this act as the Ohio Saving Adolescents from Experimentation Act. The bill also includes HB 6, which would enact the Save Women's Sports Act to require schools, state institutions of higher education, and private colleges to designate separate single-sex teams and sports for each sex.
The General Assembly sent Senate Bill (SB) 91, sponsored by Sen. Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster), to DeWine for his action. The bill makes changes to laws regarding fraud, waste and abuse of public funds.
Senate Activity
The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill (SB) 162, sponsored by Sen. Andrew O. Brenner (R-Delaware), which would require public schools to provide certain academic intervention services to each student who demonstrates a limited level in math and/or English language arts.
The Senate unanimously passed HB 101, sponsored by Reps. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond) and Jean Schmidt (R-Miami Township), which modifies the law regarding village dissolution and makes several education-related budget corrections. Some corrections include:
- For preschool/school age childcare licensing, clarifying budget language that the new agency for Children and Youth will administer;
- Fixing a JVSD budget engrossing error to make the minimum state share percentage for joint vocational school districts 10% from 5%;
- Clarifying the Autism Scholarship application process to make sure that students can apply in the first year they are eligible, as the budget language is not clear;
- Clarifying that the State Board of Education is responsible for RAPBACK and criminal record checks, and making other corrective changes for the implementation of the new Department of Education and Workforce;
- Clarifying that preservice teacher permits are under STRS not SERS.
The Senate also passed of SB 168, sponsored by Sen. Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester), by a vote of 24-7. The bill makes several regulatory changes, including but not limited to the following:
- Allows school districts to develop and use their own frameworks for teacher evaluation, instead of using a framework developed by the State Board of Education;
- Clarifies that a school district is not required to hold a separate, individual public hearing on a proposed school calendar, but that the calendar may be addressed as part of another public hearing or meeting;
- Modifies license or certificate qualifications for senior or lead professional educators, holders of professional administrator or alternative superintendent licenses, and nonteachers employed as teachers;
- Eliminates seniority as a preference when making reductions in nonteaching staff positions;
- Clarifies when non-licensed individuals working in a school must be entered into the RAPback system and clarifies that the RAPback provision will be overseen by the State Board of Education (SBOE).
Click here for the bill analysis covering all of the above regulatory changes.
House Activity
The House passed HB 147, sponsored by Reps. Sara Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) and Adam C. Miller (D-Columbus), by a vote of 84-4. The bill would make changes to teacher licensure revocation, teacher hiring practices and conduct unbecoming to the teaching profession.
House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee amended and passed HB 312, sponsored by Reps. Andrea White (R-Kettering) and Tom Young (R-Washington Township), which would establish the Regional Partnerships Program. The program would require the Department of Education and Workforce and the Department of Higher Education to create, administer and oversee the prenatal-to-five early childhood to post-secondary regional partnerships program; and to make an appropriation. The amendment makes it clear that participation in the program is not mandated.
The committee held a second hearing on HB 171, sponsored by Rep. Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville), which would modify the revised code to include instruction on the migration, experiences and contributions of a range of communities in the social studies model curriculum. Proponent testimony was provided by Beryl Brown Piccolantonio, board member, Gahanna-Jefferson City.
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 266, sponsored by Rep. Scott Wiggam (R-Wooster), which would require school districts and schools to update emergency management plans to include evacuation procedures for individuals with disabilities.
Senate Education Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 8, sponsored by Reps. D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron) and Sara P. Carruthers (R-Hamilton). This bill would enact the Parents Bill of Rights, requiring public schools to adopt a policy on parental notification regarding student health and well-being and instructional materials with sexuality content. Opposition testimony was provided by Jennifer Adair, Tina Pierce, and Eric Brown, board members, Columbus City.
The committee held a second hearing on SB 112, sponsored by Sen. Michael A. Rulli (R-Salem), which would require school buildings to comply with national life safety standards and names this act the Ohio Childhood Safety Act.
House Public Utilities Committee
The committee held a third hearing and introduced a substitute version of HB 197, sponsored by Reps. James Hoops (R-Napoleon) and Sharon Ray (R-Wadsworth), which would establish the community solar pilot program and the solar development program. The sub bill makes the following changes:
- Requires community solar facilities that cease operation to begin decommissioning sites no longer than 18 months after closure;
- Eliminates language requiring the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to establish a 250-megawatt facility on Appalachian-region sites; and
- Removes verbiage making it state policy to establish a solar development program and allow regional governmental aggregators to purchase any amount of both renewable attributes and electricity generated by a solar field.
House Ways and Means Committee
The committee held a third hearing on HB 274, sponsored by Reps. Adam Matthews (R-Lebanon) and Richard Dell’Aquila (D-Seven Hills), which would authorize an enhanced property tax homestead exemption of $50,000 for long-term homeowners who meet certain eligibility requirements.
The committee also held sponsor testimony on HB 344, sponsored by Reps. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) and Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township), which would eliminate replacement property tax levies and would make changes to the laws regarding property tax valuation complaints, counter-complaints and appeals.
Senate Ways and Means Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 186, sponsored by Sens. Louis W. Blessing, III (R-Colerain Township) and Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati), which would require payment of property taxes and assessments when a lot is split or transferred and generally prohibit tax-delinquent property owners from purchasing tax-foreclosed property.
House Pension
The committee held a third hearing on HB 310, sponsored by Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport), which would change the cost of military service credit for STRS members.
State Board of Education
The SBOE voted to appoint Paul Craft, superintendent of Buckeye Valley Local (Delaware), as the next state superintendent of public instruction. Craft will begin his new post on Jan. 1, 2024.
New Bills Introduced
- HB 361, sponsored by Reps. Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison) and Nick Santucci (R-Howland Township), would expand eligibility for a 40-hour teaching permit.
- SB 205, sponsored by Sen. Terry Johnson (R-McDermott), would require the DEW and the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services to develop a list of evidence-based curricula, materials and instruction in the harmful effects of and legal restrictions against drug abuse, alcoholic beverages, marijuana and tobacco in schools.
Federal update
Please click here to read the weekly Federal Advocacy Education Report which includes education related information.