House activity
The Ohio House voted to elect Rep. Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) as Speaker of the House by a vote of 54-43. Rep. C. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) was re-elected as minority leader by a vote of 73-14. Additional leadership positions elected include:

  • Speaker pro tempore: Rep. Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton)
  • Assistant minority leader: Rep. Dontavius L. Jarrells (D-Columbus)
  • Minority whip: Rep. Jessica D. Miranda (D-Forest Park)
  • Assistant minority whip: Rep. Tavia Galonski (D-Akron)

The remaining House majority leadership positions have yet to be voted on.

Senate activity
The Ohio Senate voted unanimously to re-elect Sen. Matt Huffman (R-Lima) as Senate president. Sen. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) was unanimously elected as minority leader. Additional leadership positions unanimously elected include:

  • President pro tempore: Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton)
  • Majority floor leader: Sen. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon)
  • Majority whip: Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green)
  • Assistant minority leader: Sen. Hearcel F. Craig (D-Columbus)
  • Minority whip: Sen. Kent Smith (D-Euclid)
  • Assistant minority whip: Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo)

The Ohio Senate also released its committee chair and member assignments. Sen. Andrew O. Brenner (R-Powell) will continue as education committee chair and Sen. Matthew Dolan (R-Chagrin Falls) will continue as finance committee chair. Click here for a complete list of committee assignments.

Governor activity
Gov. Mike DeWine signed the following bills into law:

HB 45-sponsored by Reps. Thomas West (D-Canton) and Bill Roemer (R-Richfield). The bill would allow the state tax commissioner to administer a two-month amnesty program in 2023 with respect to delinquent state, local sales and use taxes and also certain fees. The bill also would provide approximately $1.7 billion in Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund (ESSER) appropriation authority to schools, as requested by the Ohio Department of Education (ODE); would increase the Disadvantaged Pupil Impact Aid (DPIA) phase-in for fiscal year 2023 from 14% to 33.33%; and provides $112 million for additional grants under the School Safety Grant Program. Additionally, the bill would increase certain weights to calculate transportation payments for school districts using miles driven for school bus service; would restore the ability of school districts to conduct a raffle, fixing the change included HB 110; and would  prohibit the Board of Building Standards from requiring the installation of storm shelters in school buildings operated by public or private schools which are undergoing or about to undergo construction, alteration, repair, or maintenance, among other changes.

HB 554-sponsored by Reps. Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville) and Adam C. Bird (R-New Richmond). The bill requires the State Board of Education to issue two-year temporary educator licenses to applicants with expired professional teacher's certificates and professional educator licenses as long as certain requirements are met. The bill also includes provisions from Senate Bill (SB) 356, which increases the eligibility age from six to nine regarding the education of children experiencing developmental delays and state operating funding for districts and schools educating such children. Finally, the bill allows children of a military family who participate in College Credit Plus courses to either complete the courses remotely or withdraw without academic or financial penalty if the military family has to relocate, among other changes.

SB 33- sponsored by Sens. Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) and Andrew O. Brenner (R-Delaware). The bill 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. Additionally, the bill includes provisions of HB 123, which modifies community reinvestment areas (CRAs) by increasing the threshold to exempt school district approval from 50% to 75%. The bill also establishes a revenue-sharing agreement for income over $2 million and annually indexes the amount to inflation. Finally, the bill allows limited home rule townships to use CRAs.

HB 66- sponsored by Rep. James M. Hoops (R-Napoleon). The bill requires the state’s tax expenditure report to include information on property tax exemptions and requires a periodic review of each property tax exemption. The bill also allows a school district to propose to renew an emergency property tax levy and a combination income and property tax levy in a single ballot question.

SB 288-sponsored by Sen. Nathan Manning (R-North Ridgeville). The bill updates employment laws as they pertain to Head Start agencies, along with other changes. The bill also includes HB 105, which requires public schools to provide developmentally appropriate instruction in child sexual abuse and sexual violence prevention and requires in-service staff training in child sexual abuse prevention. Finally, the bill also allows parents to opt their children out of the abuse prevention and dating violence prevention education.

HB 501-sponsored by Rep. Hall. The bill extends the use of the municipal tax increment financing laws to townships and allows townships to create a redevelopment tax increment equivalent fund for payments in lieu of taxes (PILOT), both of which may have an impact on school district local revenue. The bill also clarifies that counties, townships and municipal corporations can regulate small solar facilities and allows the use of general funds to support broadband expansion, among other changes.

SB 131-sponsored by Sens. Kristina D. Roegner (R-Hudson) and Rob McColley (R-Napoleon). The bill requires an occupational licensing authority to issue a license or government certification to an applicant who holds a license, government certification or private certification or has satisfactory work experience in another state under certain circumstances. Additionally, the bill clarifies that a person seeking a license through an already preapproved licensure compact would use the compact method.

HB 462-sponsored by Rep. Kevin Miller (R-Franklin Township). The bill prohibits swatting.

HB 578- sponsored by Rep. Bill Roemer (R-Richfield). The bill creates the Revere Local (Summit) Schools license plate and makes an appropriation on revenues received from the purchase of the license plate. The bill also creates the Stephen T. Badin High School license plate and makes an appropriation. Additionally, the bill creates the Chardon High School State Football Champs license plate and makes a similar appropriation.

HB 281-sponsored by Reps. Dontavius L. Jarrells (D-Columbus) and Tom Young (R-Washington Township). The bill changes terminology in the Ohio Revised Code as it pertains to people with mental illnesses and disabilities.

Ohio Department of Education
The Ohio Department of Education released the following cost studies which were required under SB 310 to be completed by the end of 2022.

Federal update
Please click here to read the weekly Federal Advocacy Education Report that includes education related information.

Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 1/06/2023