House activity
The House passed several bills, sending them to the Senate. Those bills include:
• House Bill (HB) 378, which creates the Ohio Broadband Development Grant Program, appropriates $100 million for the program and allows school districts, among others, to apply for grants under the program;
• HB 360, which prescribes suspensions and expulsion policies for incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying;
• HB 508, which establishes the OhioCORPS Pilot Project for at-risk students to participate in mentorship programs and receive scholarships to attend higher education institutions and technical colleges;
• HB 318, which prescribes qualifications and training requirements for school resource officers and appropriates $10 million for grants to public and private schools for school safety programs and training.
Senate activity
The bill passed Senate Bill (SB) 82, which requires public schools, within two hours of the start of a school day, to notify the parent of a student who fails to arrive at school and is not excused from attendance. The bill now goes to the House.
House Education and Career Readiness Committee
The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 591, sponsored by Rep. Mike Duffey (R-Worthington). The bill revises the state report card rating system for public schools.
The committee heard proponent testimony on HB 540, sponsored by Reps. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) and Nathan H. Manning (R-North Ridgeville). The bill revises the statewide teacher evaluation framework.
Finally, the committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 549, sponsored by Rep. Steven M. Arndt (R-Port Clinton). The bill would require public and private schools to open for instruction after Labor Day.
House Ways and Means Committee
The committee heard proponent testimony on HB 524, sponsored by Reps. Gary Scherer (R-Circleville) and John Patterson (D-Jefferson). The bill would extend Ohio’s income tax deduction to contributions made to any 529 plan established by another state or by a postsecondary institution.
House Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee
The committee conducted a third hearing on HB 110, which would establish a subprogram of the College Credit Plus Program to allow students to participate in certified apprenticeship programs. No witnesses were present to testify.
House Health Committee
The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 559, sponsored by Reps. Anne Gonzales (R-Westerville) and Al Landis (R-Dover). The bill would require health care providers to use state-developed immunization forms when documenting a child's immunization history.
Senate Education Committee
The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 87, sponsored by Rep. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson). The bill requires funds that are returned to the state because of a community school enrollment audit to be credited back to certain public school districts.
The bill also heard sponsor testimony on HB 438, sponsored by Reps. Stephen D. Hambley (R-Brunswick) and Darrell Kick (R-Loudonville). The legislation deals with the composition and annexation of educational service centers (ESCs) and local school districts.
Finally, the committee conducted its fourth hearing on HB 21, which deals with the verification of community school enrollment.
Senate Finance Committee
The committee conducted a fourth hearing on SB 246, which deals with positive behavioral intervention supports and suspension and expulsion policies for students in grades prekindergarten through three.