Biennial budget update
Late in the evening of June 30, Gov. John R. Kasich acted on Amended Substitute House Bill (HB) 49, the biennial budget legislation for fiscal years 2018 and 2019. Prior to signing the bill, the governor used his line-item veto authority on 47 different provisions, with several impacting primary and secondary education.
Click here for a copy of the governor’s veto message.
Prior to signing the bill, the Ohio School Boards Association, Buckeye Association of School Administrators and Ohio Association of School Business Officials submitted a letter to the governor requesting vetoes of three provisions contained in HB 49. Unfortunately, the governor did not veto any of the requested provisions. Click here for a copy of that letter.
Following the governor’s vetoes, our associations sent a letter to the Ohio House of Representatives and Ohio Senate asking that they consider overriding four of the vetoes impacting local school districts.
Click here for a copy of the letter sent to the House and Senate.
On July 6, the Ohio House returned to session and did override some of the governor’s vetoes but none that involved K-12 education. The legislature has until the end of the current two-year General Assembly session, which runs through Dec. 31, 2018, to override a veto. We encourage members to follow up with their local legislators on these requests.
House activity
The Ohio House passed Senate Bill (SB) 8 by a vote of 97-0. This legislation would require the Ohio School Facilities Commission (OSFC) to establish a program to help school districts purchase technology and make alterations to improve technology infrastructure and school safety and security. The bill also would allow districts that received funding from the emergency assistance program to be eligible for the program as long as they have not received funds through OSFC’s Classroom Facilities Assistance Program. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration of the amendments made in the House.
The House also passed HB 233 by a vote of 64-31. This legislation provides that when a concealed handgun licensee or qualified military member is discovered carrying a deadly weapon in a prohibited place or in a prohibited manner, they are subject to removal, but not guilty of violating the prohibition. These individuals may be charged with a crime if they refuse to leave or knowingly return within 30 days with a deadly weapon. The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration.