Governor activity
Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law House Bill 244, which would:
• prohibit public schools from mandating a vaccine that is not fully approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration;
• prohibit public schools from discriminating against an individual who has not received such vaccine, including by requiring the individual to engage in or refrain from engaging in activities or precautions that differ from the activities or precautions of an individual who has received such a vaccine;
• modify quarantine procedures for individuals who come from a high-risk country as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
• require K-12 schools to allow military children who are relocating, but not yet residents of a district, to enroll electronically and participate in technology-based educational opportunities.
Gov. DeWine also signed into law Senate Bill 52, which would permit a board of county commissioners to designate a restricted area that prohibits the construction of utility facilities in the county and establish a referendum for the approval or rejection of designating the restricted area.
State Board of Education activity
The State Board of Education established a promotion score of 683 for the third-grade English language arts assessment, as part of the state's Third Grade Reading Guarantee. The board also appointed Deputy Superintendent John Richard as interim state superintendent, effective Sept. 25, 2021.
Finally, the board passed a resolution requesting a formal opinion from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost about the board's 2020 resolution condemning racism and advancing equity and opportunity.
Posted by Will Schwartz on July 16, 2021.