Governor activity
Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 57. The bill would exempt from property taxation qualifying housing provided by a charitable organization to individuals diagnosed with mental illness or a substance use disorder; allow a commercial or industrial tenant who pays 100% of the property tax to be eligible to file a property tax valuation complaint or counter-complaint with the Board of Revision; and permit a reduced property valuation for tax years 2020, 2021 and 2022 for eligible individuals as a result of COVID-19.

Ohio Department of Health Director Stephanie McCloud signed an addendum to the director’s amended order for social distancing, facial coverings and non-congregating. The addendum removes quarantine requirements for students involved in sports and extracurricular activities who are vaccinated and removes quarantine requirements for vaccinated individuals. Click here for a link to the signed order.

Senate activity
The Senate passed House Bill (HB) 2 by a vote of 32-0. The bill establishes the residential broadband expansion program. The bill was amended in committee to create the Ohio Residential Broadband Expansion Grant Program Fund and changes the funding source of the program. The bill returns to the House for a concurrence vote.

Senate Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee held a fifth hearing on HB 110, sponsored by Rep. Scott Oelslager (R-North Canton), which makes operating appropriations for the fiscal year 2022 and 2023 biennium. Testifying in support of the bill were:

Thomas L. Hosler II, superintendent, Perrysburg EV;
Ryan Pendleton, treasurer, Akron City;
Dr. Michael P. Hanlon Jr, superintendent, Chardon Local (Geauga);
Scot T. Prebles, superintendent, Forest Hills Local (Hamilton);
Carrie J. Herringshaw, treasurer, Penta Career Center;
Marlon Styles Jr., superintendent, Middletown City;
Claudia Zaler, treasurer, Waverly City;
Jenni L. Logan, treasurer, Lakota Local (Butler);
Kevin J. Lillie, treasurer, Geneva Area City;
Cajon Keeton, treasurer, Benton-Carroll-Salem Local (Ottawa).

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 244, sponsored by Reps. Andrea White (R-Kettering) and Brian E. Lampton (R-Beavercreek), which would require K-12 schools to allow relocating military children who are not yet residents of the district to enroll electronically and participate in technology-based educational opportunities.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 147, sponsored by Reps. Kristin Boggs (D-Columbus) and Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville), which would require the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to develop a process for requesting an investigation of a school's compliance with its policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation or bullying.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB61, sponsored by Reps. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum) and Reggie Stoltzfus (R-Minerva), which would enact the Save Women's Sports Act to require schools and public and private colleges to designate separate single-sex teams and sports for each sex.

Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee
The committee held a second hearing on SB 135, sponsored by Sen. Jerry C. Cirino (R-Kirtland), which would require school districts to include in career advising policies information for career fields with an associate’s degree and certificates; provide information on the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps; and require school districts to adopt a policy on free speech that includes a process for a student or teacher to file a complaint due to a violation of the policy.

Senate Financial Institutions and Technology Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 133, sponsored by Rep. Brett Hudson Hillyer (R-Uhrichsville), which would provide 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.

House Health Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of and passed HB 176, which would revise the law governing the practice of athletic training by requiring an athletic trainer to practice under a collaboration agreement with a physician or podiatrist. The substitute bill includes language that would allow athletic trainers who have preexisting arrangements with chiropractors to continue these arrangements.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 252, sponsored by Reps. Andrea White (R-Kettering) and Phil Plummer (R-Dayton), which would enter Ohio into the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact that increases public access to audiology and speech-language pathology services by mutually recognizing other member state licenses and allows telehealth services from member state licenses.

House Infrastructure and Rural Development Committee
The committee amended HB 91, sponsored by Rep. Thomas F. Patton (R-Strongsville), which allows school districts, among others, to enter into a public-private agreement as it relates to certain public facilities; establishes a framework for public-private agreements; and provides a property tax exemption on properties involved in a public-private agreement. The amendment would allow county hospitals and township joint hospital districts to participate in public-private initiatives.

Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee
The committee amended HB 6, which would eliminate the requirement for the degree of a school nurse to be in the area of nursing in order for that nurse to exercise the exemption from the current requirement to hold a separate pupil services license issued by the State Board of Education and allows application for state registration of pharmacy technician trainees who are enrolled in an approved career-technical school program. The amendments pertain to parental permission before a minor is administered a COVID-19 vaccination and provides corrective language to maintain the bill’s intent by removing certain references to COVID-19 to ensure that the bill pertains to all states of emergency.

The White House
President Joe Biden announced the American Families Plan, a $1.8 trillion proposal that includes $200 billion for universal preschool to all three- and-four-year-olds; provides $9 billion to address teacher shortages and educator development; and provides $45 billion for child nutrition programs. Click here for a link to a fact sheet on the plan.

Ohio Department of Education
ODE announced that the United States Department of Education has approved a one-year waiver for the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) state plan for accountability and school identification. Click here to read the approved ESSA accountability waiver.

ODE received approval from the United States Department of Agriculture to extend free breakfast and free lunch to all students attending schools on the national school lunch program through the entire 2021-22 school year.

Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 4/30/2021