Senate Education Committee 

The committee voted to pass Senate Bill (SB) 156, sponsored by Senator Al Cutrona (R-Canfield). This bill would require school districts to provide “success sequence” instruction in at least one course required for high school graduation. 

The committee held its third hearing on SB 144 , sponsored by Senator Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati). The committee amended the bill to revert the educator licensure grade bands to the bands utilized before House Bill (HB) 33 of the 135th General Assembly – grades pre-K through 5, grades 4 through 8, and grades 7 through 12. The amendment also permits school districts to employ individuals who have at least one year of experience as a licensed classroom teacher to teach outside of the designated band. The committee heard proponent testimony on the amended bill, including from Dr. Wendy Strickler, Forest Hills School District, and Kelli Cogan, superintendent, Independence Local Schools. 

House Education Committee  

The committee held their first hearing on HB 500  and heard sponsor testimony from Reps. Ty D. Matthews (R-Findlay) and Kevin Ritter (R-Marietta). This bill would designate a JROTC program offered by a school district as a career-technical education program. 

The committee held their second hearing on HB 304 sponsored by Reps. Tom Young (R-Washington Township) and Melanie Miller (R-Ashland). This bill would permit students to use club sports or other athletic activities to fulfill the high school physical education requirement and require recess time for K-8 students. The committee heard proponent testimony on the bill. 

The committee held a second hearing on HB 326, sponsored by Reps. Ritter and Jonathan Newman (R-Troy). This bill would make changes regarding the Classic Learning Test entrance exam. The committee heard proponent testimony. 

HB 415, sponsored by Reps. Juanita O. Brent (D-Cleveland) and Jamie Callender (R-Concord) had its second hearing. This bill would enact the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act to prohibit discrimination by a public school against an individual based on hair texture and protective hair styles. The committee heard proponent testimony on the bill from the following: 

  • Dr. Mary E. Rice, East Cleveland City 
  • Angela Abram, Reynoldsburg City  
  • Gabe Crenshaw, Cleveland Heights-University Heights City  

House Ways and Means Committee 

HB 186, sponsored by Reps. James M. Hoops (R-Napoleon) and David Thomas (R-Jefferson), got its eighth hearing. HB 186 would cap tax growth for districts on the 20-mill floor to inflation through a retroactive tax credit. The committee heard public testimony on the bill, including interested party and opponent testimony from:  

  • Stephanie Starcher, Dalton Summers, and Jeff Dornbush, Coalition of Rural and Appalachian Schools 
  • Mike Hearn, superintendent, Fairless Local (Stark) and Mark Phillips, treasurer, Fairless Local and Tuscarawas Valley Local (Tuscarawas) 
  • Brett Yeagley, superintendent and Nicole Nichols, treasurer, Lake Local (Stark) 
  • Vince Lindsey, superintendent, Strasburg-Franklin Local (Tuscarawas) 
  • Jason Schatzel, treasurer, Canton Local (Stark) 
  • Terrah Stacy, treasurer and Carrie Hester, superintendent, Springboro Community City 
  • Mark Ingles, treasurer, Jonathan Alder Local (Madison) 
  • Laurena Rouan, treasurer, Champion Local (Trumbull) 
  • Dr. Jim Fritz, superintendent, Oregon City  
  • Phillip J. Oko, treasurer, Garfield Heights City  
  • Patrick Goclano, treasurer, Stow-Munroe Falls City 
  • J. Scott Gooding II, treasurer, Big Walnut Local (Delaware) 
  • Patrick D. Adkins, superintendent, Port Clinton City  
  • Thomas Brockway, treasurer, Pymatuning Valley Local (Ashtabula) 

The committee held its fourth hearing on HB 335. Also sponsored by Rep. Thomas, this bill would cap the inflationary growth on all inside millage beginning in tax year 2026. The committee heard public testimony on the bill, including interested party and opponent testimony from: 

  • Dr. Kevin Miller, superintendent and Todd Griffith, treasurer, Licking Heights Local (Licking) 
  • Terrah Stacy, treasurer and Carrie Hester, superintendent, Springboro Community City 
  • Phillip J. Oko, treasurer, Garfield Heights City 
  • Patrick Goclano, treasurer, Stow-Munroe Falls City 
  • J. Scott Gooding II, treasurer, Big Walnut Local (Delaware) 
  • Kristine Blind, treasurer, London City  
  • Melcie Wells, treasurer and Kyle Newton, superintendent, Warren Local (Washington) 
  • Ronda Johnson, treasurer, Wyoming City  
  • Rebecca Jenkins, treasurer, New Albany-Plain Local (Franklin) 
  • Bill Wade, treasurer, Mentor EV 
  • Casey Wright, superintendent and Kyle Kiffer, treasurer, Nordonia Hills City 
  • Christine Cook Poetter, treasurer, Princeton City  
  • Phillip D. Butto IV, treasurer, Hudson City  

House Finance Committee  

The committee held its first hearing on HB 476, sponsored by Reps. Meredith Craig (R-Smithville) and Thomas. This bill would authorize online raffles under the Charitable Gaming Law. The committee heard sponsor and proponent testimony on the bill.  

House Local Government Committee 

The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 493 from Reps. Thomas and Daniel P. Troy (D-Willowick). This bill would sunset the sale of delinquent property tax certificates on January 1, 2027. 

House Development Committee  

The committee held a fourth hearing on HB 17, sponsored by Rep. Brian Lorenz (R-Powell). The bill would classify certain storage condominiums as residential property for tax purposes. The committee heard proponent testimony on the bill.  

House Agriculture Committee  

The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 364 from Reps. Munira Abdullahi (D-Columbus) and Young. This bill would require food service operations to denote certain allergens on their menus. 

Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee  

The committee held its third hearing on HB 10, sponsored by Reps. Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) and Jack Daniels (R-New Franklin). HB 10 would require public school boards of education and ODEW to adopt policies prohibiting the purchase of “cultivated-protein food” products or food “misbranded as a meat or egg product”. The committee amended the bill then heard both opponent and interested party testimony.   

Senate Local Government Committee  

The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 124 from Reps. Thomas and Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township). HB 124 would modify the process for property tax sales-assessment ratio studies.  

Recently introduced bills  

  • HB 510 – Sponsored by Rep. Levi Dean (R-Xenia), this bill would prohibit any requirement that employees join or pay dues to an employee organization.  
  • HB 512 – Sponsored by Reps. Thad Claggett (R-Newark) and Heidi Workman (R-Rootstown), this bill would modify the law regarding project labor agreements in public improvement contracts. 
  • HB 513 – Sponsored by Reps. Beth Lear (R-Galena) and Craig, this bill would allow political subdivisions, special districts and state institutions of higher education to elect to apply the Prevailing Wage Law to public improvement projects and to increase the threshold amount that triggers application of the Law for certain state public improvements. 
  • HB 518 – Sponsored by Rep. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond), this bill makes changes to the law regarding truancy and contributing to the unruliness or delinquency of a child.  
  • HB 520 – Sponsored by Reps. Thomas and Matthews, this bill would establish and convene a Blue Ribbon Committee in each county to review and assess each taxing unit within the county and each county program or department to identify duplication of services and generally to streamline and improve county efficiency and effectiveness. 
  • HB 523 – Sponsored by Reps. Sean Brennan (D-Parma) and Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville), this bill would enact the Future Educators Support Act regarding financial support for student teachers and teaching as an in-demand job. 

Rules activity  

The Department of Education and Workforce does not have any rules open for public comment at this time.  

The State Board of Education has the following rule open for public comment:  

  • Chapter 3302-89-02 and 3302-89-03: Requests for Territory Transfer 
    • Proposed changes to OAC 3302-89-02 and 3302-89-03 are in the interest of efficiency and clarity regarding the territory transfer processes under Ohio Revised Code sections 3311.06 and 3311.24. Changes include replacing the “25 Questions Form” with the opportunity for each school district and petitioner to submit position statements, directing the State Board of Education to submit the most recent report cards and five year-forecasts as evidence for proceedings and specifying the evidence the Board will review if no hearing is requested. 

Click here to view the SBOE rules open for public comment. 

Federal update 

Please click here to read the most recent Federal Advocacy Report, which includes up-to-date information on federal education efforts.  

Because of the many changes  happening at the federal level, COSSBA is hosting a free virtual webinar for state school boards associations and their members:  

At a Crossroads: The Federal Budget, Education Funding and the Future of the U.S. Department of Education Webinar. Thursday, November 6, at 2:00 p.m. 

Gain insights on how recent actions at the U.S. Department of Education could impact your district and learn what to expect moving forward. 

Please use this link to register: https://zoom.us/meeting/register/pxmYsFpeRGaeNznJYsz26A 

Posted by Malania Birney on 10/17/2025