Voucher update
The General Assembly passed Senate Bill (SB) 120, which pushes the application window back to April 1 for the Educational Choice Scholarship (EdChoice) Program. Gov. Mike DeWine is expected to sign the legislation into law tonight.
Senate activity
The Senate amended and passed House Bill (HB) 9, which revises the EdChoice and Cleveland Scholarship programs and dissolves the academic distress commission for Lorain City. Click here for a description of the changes in HB 9.
House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee held a third hearing on HB 409, which modifies student attendance requirements at certain e-schools. No witnesses testified.
The committee also held fourth and fifth hearings on SB 89, which revises the law regarding career-technical education and joint vocational school districts. No witnesses testified.
Senate Education Committee
The committee held a sixth hearing on SB 102, which requires public schools to conduct screenings of specified students and provide intervention services for those displaying risk factors for dyslexia; provide parents of identified children with information about dyslexia, certain treatments and services; and offer services.
OSBA, the Buckeye Association of School Administrators and the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators offered testimony on the bill, which can be read here.
The committee also held an eighth hearing on SB 34, which revises school employment policies and revises procedures regarding educator licensure and conduct. No witnesses testified.
House Ways and Means Committee
The committee held a third hearing on HB 255, which requires the state’s tax expenditure report to include information on property tax exemptions and requires a periodic review of each property tax exemption.
The committee also held a first hearing on HB 109, sponsored by Rep. John Patterson (D-Jefferson), which authorizes a property tax exemption for maple forest lands and reimburses local taxing units up to $3 million per year for the revenue losses.
House Insurance Committee
The committee amended HB 308 during its third hearing. The bill qualifies peace officers, among others, who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder to receive compensation and benefits for up to one year, regardless of whether they suffered an accompanying physical injury. The amendment removes the one-year limitation.
Posted by Will Schwartz on 1/31/2020.