House activity
The House passed House Bill (HB) 2 by a vote of 91-5. The bill establishes the residential broadband expansion program. The bill was amended in committee to provide additional funding of $150 million in fiscal year (FY) 2022 and includes an emergency clause.
Senate activity
The Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 22 by a vote of 25-8. The bill would establish the Ohio Health Oversight and Advisory Committee to provide legislative oversight of the governor's executive orders and public health orders. The bill was amended in committee to reduce the size of the advisory committee from 10 to six, include all executive orders issued during an emergency and require a vote by the General Assembly.
House Finance Committee
The finance subcommittees held hearings on HB 110, sponsored by Rep. Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton), which makes operating appropriations for the FY 2022 and FY 2023 biennium. The Finance Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education will begin to hold hearings in the upcoming week.
House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee amended HB 67, sponsored by Reps. J. Kyle Koehler (R-Springfield) and Adam C. Bird (R-New Richmond), which waives state testing requirements for the 2020-21 school year and requires the Ohio Department of Education to seek a federal waiver from testing. The amendment would permit, for the 2020-21 school year, the flexibility for schools to use a final course grade in lieu of an end-of-course exam to satisfy the requirements for a high school diploma if that exam was canceled. OSBA, the Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO), the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA), the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators, the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators and the Alliance for High Quality Education provided proponent testimony. Click here to read the testimony. Additional proponent testimony was provided by:
- Paula Crew, superintendent, Tecumseh Local (Clark);
- Chris Hanke, superintendent, Garfield Heights City;
- Dr. Robert F. Hill, superintendent, Springfield City;
- Brent May, superintendent, Plain Local (Stark);
- Troy Roth, superintendent, Findlay City;
- Bradley C. Neavin, interim superintendent, Loveland City;
- Mark Tyler, superintendent, Hamilton Local (Franklin);
- Michael Roberto, superintendent, Aurora City;
- Billy Smith, superintendent, Fairfield City;
- Dr. David Glasner, superintendent, Shaker Heights City;
- Dr. Christine Palumbo, director, Lakewood City;
- Dr. Eugene T.W. Sanders, superintendent, Sandusky City;
- Stephanie Eichenberg, board member, Toledo City.
Senate Ways and Means Committee
The committee amended SB 19, which establishes a property tax exemption for certain property used for wetland mitigation projects. The amendment added wetlands created as part of the H2Ohio program as long as they are on property owned or held by a 501(c)(3) organization.
The committee held a second hearing on SB 33, sponsored by Sens. Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) and Andrew O. Brenner (R-Powell), which expands the income tax deduction allowed for contributions to Ohio’s 529 college savings plan and includes contributions to 529 plans established by other states.
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 57, sponsored by Sens. Bob D. Hackett (R-London) and Nickie J. Antonio (D-Lakewood), which exempts from property taxation qualifying housing provided by a charitable organization to individuals diagnosed with mental illness or a substance use disorder.
House Ways and Means Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 51, sponsored by Rep. Brian E. Lampton (R-Beavercreek), which revises the process for adjusting property values due to instances that result in injury or destruction to the property.
The committee held a second hearing on HB 66, sponsored by Rep. James M. Hoops (R-Napoleon), which requires the state’s tax expenditure report to include information on property tax exemptions and requires a periodic review of each property tax exemption. OSBA, OASBO and BASA provided proponent testimony. Click here to read the testimony.
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 71, sponsored by Reps. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) and Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo), which exempts from property taxation qualifying housing provided by a charitable organization to individuals diagnosed with mental illness or a substance use disorder.
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 18, sponsored by Sens. Kristina D. Roegner (R-Hudson) and Tim Schaffer (R- Lancaster), which expressly incorporates changes in the Internal Revenue Code into Ohio law as it relates to changes in federal adjusted gross income that impacts school districts that levy income taxes.
House Families, Aging and Human Services Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 83, sponsored by Reps. C. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield), which makes changes to child support laws with regard to caretakers.
House State and Local Government Committee
The committee amended HB 6, sponsored by Rep. Bill Roemer (R-Richfield), which modifies the laws governing school nurses who have a bachelor's degree and pharmacy technician trainees who are enrolled in an approved career-technical school program. The amendments pertain to extending licensure deadlines for temporary nurse licenses and to also allow unspent funds for low-income households to provide energy efficiency services to be spent in 2021.
The committee held a second hearing on HB 90, sponsored by Reps. Scott Wiggam (R-Wayne County) and Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville), which would establish the Ohio Health Oversight and Advisory Committee to provide legislative oversight of all orders of administrative agencies, boards and commissions affecting public health emergencies.
House Commerce and Labor Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 23, sponsored by Reps. Plummer and Thomas West (D-Canton), which requires peace officers to undergo dementia-related training.
Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 2/19/2021