Governor activity
Gov. Mike DeWine announced the procedure to rescind all health orders as they relate to the COVID-19 pandemic. He indicated that once the number of new cases drops below 50 per 100,000 citizens over a two-week period, all health orders will be rescinded.

Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud signed an amended revised executive order to limit and/or prohibit mass gatherings in the state of Ohio, with exceptions. Click here for a link to the signed order.

Additionally, McCloud signed an addendum to the second amended order that provides mandatory requirements for youth, collegiate, amateur, club and professional sports and provides mandatory requirements for entertainment venues. Click here for a link to the signed order.

House activity
The House passed House Bill (HB) 67 by a vote of 93-1. The bill exempts schools from the requirement to administer the American history end-of-course exam; provides flexibility on the administration of state assessments by lengthening the testing windows; extends the use of final course grades in lieu of end-of-course exams through the 2023-24 school year; and requires the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to seek a federal waiver from accountability requirements. The House Primary and Secondary Education Committee accepted a substitute version of the bill earlier in the week. Provisions of the original bill that were removed in committee include exempting school districts from administering all state assessments and requiring ODE to seek a federal waiver from testing.

The House passed HB 6 by a vote of 96-2. The bill 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 bill passed with an emergency clause.

The House also passed HB 51 by a vote of 98-0. The bill revises the process for adjusting property values due to instances that result in injury or destruction to the property.

Finally, the House passed HB 66 by a vote of 98-0. 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.

House Finance Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education
The committee held a fourth hearing on HB 1, which creates a new school-funding formula. Testifying in support of the bill were:

The committee held a fifth hearing on HB 110, which makes operating appropriations for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 and 2023 biennium. OSBA, the Ohio Association of School Business Officials and the Buckeye Association of School Administrators provided interested-party testimony. Click here to read the testimony.

House Finance Committee
The committee held a fourth hearing on HB 110, which makes operating appropriations for the FY 2022 and 2023 biennium. Providing proponent testimony was Craig Burford, Ohio Educational Service Center Association executive director. Click here to read the testimony.

House Ways and Means Committee
The committee held a third hearing on Senate Bill (SB) 18, 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.

The committee held a second hearing on HB 123, sponsored by Reps. Mark Fraizer (R-Newark) and Jon Cross (R-Kenton), which modifies community reinvestment areas by increasing school districts’ approval for an exemption from 50% to 75% and eliminates the requirement for revenue sharing, among other changes.

The committee held a second hearing on HB 126, sponsored by Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova Township), which requires school boards to pass a resolution approving a property valuation complaint or counter-complaint prior to filing that complaint and also send written notice to the property owner indicating intent to file a complaint or counter-complaint.

House Financial Institutions Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 133, sponsored by Rep. Brett Hudson Hillyer (R-Uhrichsville), which provides a reduced property valuation for tax years 2020, 2021 and 2022 for eligible individuals as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other changes.

Senate Financial Institutions and Technology Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 2, sponsored by Reps. Rick Carfagna (R-Genoa Township) and Brian Stewart (R-Ashville), which establishes the residential broadband expansion program.

House State and Local Government Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 22, sponsored by Sens. Terry Johnson (R-McDermott) and Rob McColley (R-Napoleon), which would establish the Ohio Health Oversight and Advisory Committee to provide legislative oversight of all executive orders issued during an emergency and require a vote by the General Assembly.

House Criminal Justice Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 99, sponsored by Rep. Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township), which expressly exempts the requirement that peace officer basic training be obtained by certain employees whom a board of education authorizes to be armed in a school safety zone and requires that the employee meets or exceeds the training requirements for concealed handgun licensees to be eligible.

House Commerce and Labor Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 146, sponsored by Reps. Craig S. Riedel (R-Defiance) and Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield), which maintains the prohibition of a public authority applying prevailing wage requirements to a public improvement for a school district or ESC.

House Insurance Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 122, sponsored by Reps. Mark Fraizer (R-Newark) and Adam Holmes (R-Nashport), which establishes and modifies requirements regarding the provision of telehealth services by school psychologists, speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists, among others.

Ohio Department of Education
ODE provided updated information about the third-grade reading guarantee as it pertains to promotion.

United States Department of Education
Miguel Cardona was sworn in as the U.S. Secretary of Education after the United States Senate voted to confirm him by a vote of 64-33. Click here to read a letter that was sent by Cardona to education leaders.

Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 3/05/2021