Senate Activity
The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill (SB) 44, sponsored by Sen. Andrew O. Brenner (R-Powell). The bill would require a state occupational licensing agency to accept electronic license applications.

Senate Finance
The committee accepted a substitute version of House Bill (HB) 33, the biennial budget for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. It is important to note that the Senate’s budget decreases funding for traditional K-12 schools (which serve more than 80% of Ohio students) by $542 million over the next two years while increasing private school voucher funding (which goes to less than 10% of students in the state) by $372 million. OSBA, the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) and the Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) released an eAlert highlighting the significant concerns of the bill. A copy of the eAlert can be found here. Click here for a complete list of the changes to bill and here for traditional school district funding simulations. JVSD simulations are forthcoming. OSBA, BASA and OASBO provided joint testimony. Read the testimony here. Additional testimony was provided by:

The Senate Finance Committee is expected to make additional changes to the bill, and vote it out of committee, next week. HB 33 is also expected for a Senate Floor vote on Thursday, June 15. It is important that you reach out to your Senators to share your concerns about the bill.

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee held a third hearing on HB 135, sponsored by Reps. Thomas Hall (R-Middletown) and Rodney Creech (R-W. Alexandria). The bill would require school districts to grant students excused absences from school for participation in 4-H and FFA programs and activities.

The committee amended HB 8, sponsored by Reps. D. J. Swearingen (R-Huron) and Sara P. Carruthers (R-Hamilton). The bill would enact the Parents Bill of Rights, requiring public schools to adopt a policy on parental notification regarding student health and well-being and instructional materials with sexually explicit content. The amendment makes the following changes:

  • Requires schools to ensure that any sexuality content is age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate.
  • Replaces references to "sexually explicit content" with "sexuality content" and defines "sexuality content" as any oral or written instruction, presentation, image or description of “sexual concepts” or “gender ideology.”
  • Excludes instruction on venereal disease, abstinence, child sexual abuse prevention and sexual violence prevention from the definition of "sexuality content."
  • Removes provisions requiring that schools allow parents to review sexually-explicit materials and instead requires schools to disclose any instructional materials that include sexuality content to parents and allow parents to request to excuse their child from such instruction in favor of an alternative class.
  • Permits parents whose written concerns are unresolved after 30 days to request a hearing before the school district's board of education and requires the school board to conduct a hearing and make a determination regarding the parent's concern.
  • Defines "biological sex" as the biological indication of male and female, including sex chromosomes, naturally occurring sex hormones, gonads and unambiguous internal and external genitalia present at birth, without regard to an individual's psychological, chosen or subjective experience of gender.
  • Defines "student's mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being" to include all of the following: a student's academic performance; any sickness, physical injury, or psychological trauma suffered by a student; any pattern of bullying or harassment by or against a student in violation of district policy; any request by a student to identify as a gender that does not align with the student's biological sex; and exhibition of suicidal ideation or persistent symptoms of depression, severe anxiety or other mental health issues.

The committee heard sponsor testimony on SB 49, sponsored by Sen. Michelle Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester), which would enact the Religious Expression Days "R.E.D." Act and require school boards to adopt a policy providing students with religious accommodations for up to three days.

The committee also heard sponsor testimony on HB 147, sponsored by Reps. Sara Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) and Adam C. Miller (D-Columbus), which would make changes to teacher licensure revocation, teacher hiring practices and conduct unbecoming to the teaching profession.

Senate Government Oversight
The committee held a third hearing on SB 91, sponsored by Sen. Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster), which would make changes to laws regarding fraud, waste and abuse of public funds.

Senate Workforce & Higher Education
The committee held a second hearing on SB 104, sponsored by Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) and Sen. Andrew O. Brenner (R-Delaware), which revises the operations of the College Credit Plus (CCP) Program, including requirements for students, public and chartered nonpublic schools, public and private colleges, the Chancellor of Higher Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. OSBA, the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA), BASA and OASBO provided testimony. Click here to read the testimony.

House State and Local Government Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 74, sponsored by Reps. Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township) and Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville), which would establish a plan to migrate the state’s information technology systems to the state’s computer center and cloud environment and establish a cybersecurity and fraud advisory board.

House Ways and Means Committee
The committee passed HB 125, sponsored by Reps. Nick Santucci (R-Howland Township) and Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon), which would modify the income tax deductions for contributions to 529 plans and ABLE accounts.

The committee also held a second hearing on HB 90, sponsored by Tom Patton (R-Strongsville), which would authorize a total property tax exemption for the homesteads of totally disabled veterans and their surviving spouses.

House Higher Education
The committee passed HB 164, sponsored by Reps. Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) and Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati), which establishes the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program. The bill requires the Department of Education to hire a full-time school foster care liaison and make an appropriation for the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program.

Federal Update
Please click here to read the weekly Federal Advocacy Education Report which includes education related information.

Posted by Scott Palider on 6/9/2023