General Assembly activity
The General Assembly sent Senate Bill (SB) 310 to Gov. Mike DeWine. The bill, which originally provided for the distribution of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to local subdivisions and businesses, was amended in conference committee to include the following changes:

  • removes the original bill language regarding CARES act funding to local subdivisions and business;
  • adds capital appropriations, including $385 million for local school construction through the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC);
  • requires unspent Student Wellness and Success Funds to be distributed to schools by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) in consultation with the Office of Budget and Management;
  • includes $3 million in lottery funds to pay for school-funding studies that were included in HB 305;
  • includes provisions from SB 372, which creates the Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission that, among other responsibilities, would find opportunities to provide resources for schools to effectively teach about the Holocaust and genocide;
  • suspends current law that limits a school district's expenditures for the operation of student activity programs in the 2019-20 and 2020-21school years;
  • moves the start date for EdChoice voucher application window to March 2, 2021; 
  • includes an emergency clause.

Click here to read a synopsis of the amendments.

The General Assembly sent House Bill (HB) 231 to the governor. The bill requires ODE to compile and publicize a list of entities that provide free and reduced-price epinephrine autoinjectors and permits school districts to create training for staff and instruction for students on food allergies and allergic reaction treatment. It also permits schools and camps to procure and use injectable or nasally administered glucagon in accordance with prescribed policies and exempts them from licensing requirements related to the possession of glucagon.

The General Assembly sent HB 450 to the governor. The bill requires fiscal officers of school districts and other local governments to provide certificates of transition to their successors and modifies the duties of school district treasurers to ensure delivery to the treasurer’s successor of all papers related to the affairs of the district.

The General Assembly also sent SB 331 to the governor. The bill sunsets the academic standards review committees in English, math, social studies and science, among other committees and councils. It also requires a Sunset Review Committee to be convened during each General Assembly.

Finally, the General Assembly sent SB 10 to the governor. The bill increases the penalty for theft in office when the value of stolen property or services is $150,000 or more, and expands court jurisdiction. The bill was amended in conference committee to specify court financial liability when a county auditor warrants a protest.

House activity
The House passed SB 259 by a vote of 82-2. The bill authorizes the conveyance of state-owned real property. The bill was amended in committee to include provisions from HB 360, which requires the installation of water bottle-filling stations and drinking fountains in new school buildings that are constructed with assistance from OFCC. The bill will go to the Senate for a concurrence vote.

The House passed SB 236 by a vote of 79-3. The bill was amended on the House floor to include provisions from HB 210, which requires preschool programs and other entities licensed by ODE to screen and test prospective employees for tuberculosis as well as annually test certain employees for a five-year period. The bill will go to the Senate for a concurrence vote.

Finally, the House passed SB 68 by a vote of 83-0. The bill requires a state model curriculum for high school students on proper interactions with peace officers during traffic stops and other encounters and requires districts to incorporate this curriculum into at least one course required for high school graduation. The bill will go to the Senate for a concurrence vote.

Senate activity
The Senate passed HB 409 by a vote of 32-0. The bill modifies student attendance requirements at certain e-schools. The bill was amended in committee and on the Senate floor to include the following provisions:

  • exempts districts from retaining a student under the third-grade reading guarantee for the 2020-21 school year;
  • extends the ability of the superintendent of public instruction to adjust or waive the deadlines on a variety of actions regulated by the State Board of Education, including the filling of a vacancy on a board of education;
  • prohibits state report cards for the 2020-21 school year and provides a safe harbor from sanctions or penalties from state report card ratings;
  • provides flexibility to school districts and ESCs, among others, regarding educational requirements of substitute teachers for the 2020-21 school year.

The bill will be sent to the House for a concurrence vote. Click here to read a synopsis of the bill.

The Senate passed HB 436 by a vote of 32-0. The bill requires districts, by the 2022-23 school year, to administer annual dyslexia screenings and establish a multisensory structured literacy certification process for teachers employed by the district or school who provide instruction in grades K-three. The bill also requires all K-three teachers and special education teachers in grades four-12 to complete between six and 18 hours of professional development over a set time frame. The bill was amended in committee to require ODE to do a cost analysis on dyslexia screening programs. The bill removes a provision that would have allowed the use of Student Wellness and Success Funds for dyslexia screening, intervention and training. The bill will now be sent to the House for a concurrence vote. Click here to read a synopsis of the bill.

The Senate passed HB 46 by a vote of 32-0. The bill creates a state government expenditure database that includes school district employee salaries and employment information should a district choose to participate. The bill will be sent to the House for a concurrence vote.

The Senate passed HB 442 by a vote of 28-1. The bill would modify the requirements to obtain a certified public accountant certificate. The bill was amended in committee to change pupil services licenses to require only registration with ODE if the individual was already licensed by another professional board. At one point, the bill contained language that would have eliminated a license for school treasurers, business managers, educational assistants and paraprofessionals. That language was removed from the bill. Testifying in opposition to the elimination of those licenses were:

The bill will be sent to the House for a concurrence vote.

Senate Local Government, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee
The committee amended and passed HB 75, which would require school districts, before filing a property tax complaint, to pass a resolution approving the complaint at a public meeting. The bill also limits the circumstances under which initial, residential property tax complaints may be filed and limits counter-complaint filings only when that initial complaint alleges a change in fair market value of $75,000 or more. The amendment removed the requirement to send a notice of the resolution to both the street address and mailing address and would require the notice to only be sent to the owner’s mailing address. The bill is now pending a vote of the full Senate.

House Ways and Means Committee
The committee amended and passed SB 95, which would require the tax commissioner’s biennial report on state tax expenditures to include information on property tax exemptions. The bill also requires a periodic review of each property tax exemption. The amendments made to the bill removed the provisions of HB 75 that were included in a previous version of the bill. The bill is now pending a vote of the full House.

The committee amended and passed SB 212, which would provide a full or partial tax exemption to developers and owners of newly constructed homes within specified areas during the construction period and for 10 years after the home is occupied. The committee adopted an amendment to limit developer exemptions.

Senate Education Committee
The committee passed HB 111, which would require public and private schools to transmit a transferred student's records within five school days.

The committee held a second hearing on HB 310, sponsored by Rep. Dave Greenspan (R-Westlake), which would revise school discipline, bullying and hazing policies at public schools and colleges.

The committee held a second hearing on HB 367, sponsored by Reps. Jessica E. Miranda (D-Forest Park) and Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield), which would require the state to recommend a job description for school counselors. The bill would also require public schools to consider those recommendations when preparing job descriptions or assigning duties for school counselors. HB 367 would also require the designation of a school counselor liaison at ODE.

Senate General Government and Agency Review Committee
The committee held a sixth hearing on HB 76, which would modify the form of election notices and ballot language for property tax levies. OSBA, BASA, OASBO, the Ohio Library Council and the Ohio Township Association provided opponent testimony. Click here to read the testimony.

Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee
The committee amended and passed HB 425, which would modify the requirement that a concealed handgun licensee must notify a law enforcement officer that the licensee is authorized to carry a concealed handgun and is carrying a concealed handgun when stopped. The amendment added provisions from SB 317, which would expressly exempt the requirement for peace officer basic training for certain employees whom a board of education authorizes to be armed in a school safety zone.

Senate Ways and Means Committee
The committee amended and passed HB 609, which would require the state tax commissioner to administer a temporary amnesty program from April 1, 2021, through May 31, 2021, with respect to delinquent state taxes and fees. The amendments removed the annual requirement for nonprofit charter schools to recertify and reaffirms current law regarding the taxing of nonprofits.

House Health Committee
The committee held a third hearing on House Concurrent Resolution 25, which would urge the governor to declare a state of emergency on childhood trauma in Ohio.

Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 12/18/2020