General Assembly activity
The General Assembly sent House Bill (HB) 164 to Gov. Mike DeWine for his approval. The bill was substantially revised in committee by the Senate and now provides flexibility to districts for the 2020-21 school year, as well as additional state funding to certain districts. Click here for a discussion of the changes made to HB 164.

The legislature also approved and sent to DeWine HB 481, which includes the distribution of Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding to local subdivisions and businesses; capital reappropriations for certain agencies, including the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission, for the biennium ending June 30, 2022; and language that allows the director of the Ohio Office of Budget and Management (OBM) to freeze state employee pay increases for fiscal year (FY) 2021. The bill also contains its original provisions that authorize the conveyance of state-owned real property.

House activity
The House passed Senate Bill (SB) 4 by a vote of 78-17.  The bill originally added $100 million to the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission budget for eight districts with shovel-ready projects, and was previously incorporated in HB 166. The bill was amended on the House floor to include $300 million new dollars for K-12 school building construction.

The House passed HB 13 by a vote of 81-8. The bill establishes the residential broadband expansion program. The House Finance Committee amended the bill on Tuesday and Thursday to remove language regarding a sales tax exemption and create a pilot program for electric distribution utilities to provide “middle mile construction.”

The House passed HB 679 by a vote of 90-3. The bill establishes and modifies requirements regarding the provision of telehealth services of school psychologists, speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists, among others. The House Insurance Committee on Tuesday accepted a substitute bill that provided clarifying information. On the House floor, the bill was further amended to include language addressing dental images.

The House passed HB 436 by a vote of 87-5. The bill requires professional development for screening and intervention for children with dyslexia; requires school districts to establish structured literacy certification procedures; and requires districts to employ specified ratios of structured literacy certified teachers.

The House passed HB 450 by a vote of 91-0. The bill requires fiscal officers of school districts, among other local governments, to provide certificates of transition to their successors when leaving office and modifies the duties of school district treasurers to ensure delivery to a treasurer’s successor all papers related to the affairs of the district.

Finally, the House passed SB 10 by a vote of 88-0. The bill increases the penalty for theft in office when the value of stolen property or services is $150,000 or more. On the House floor, the chamber adopted amendments that were corrective language for HB 197 that deals with statutes of limitation and other time limitations. Additionally, language from HB 272 was added to the bill that prohibits any public official from causing an election to be conducted other than in the time, place, and manner prescribed law and expands court jurisdiction.

Senate activity
The Senate rejected the House’s changes to Senate Bill (SB) 310 by a vote of 22-10. The content of the bill, however, was amended into HB 481, which is on its way to Gov. DeWine.

The Senate passed SB 293 by a vote of 32-0. The bill creates a procedure within the court of claims to hear complaints alleging a violation of the Open Meetings Act. On Tuesday, the Senate General Government and Agency Review Committee amended the bill to allow the court of claims to move items to other courts and addressed some additional processing requirements.

Senate Education Committee
The committee held a second hearing on SB 319, sponsored by Sen. Matt Huffman (R-Lima), which makes changes to the law for school district operations for the 2020-21 school year, among other changes. OSBA, the Ohio Association of School Business Officials and the Buckeye Association of School Administrators provided proponent testimony. Click here to read the testimony.

The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 292, sponsored by Sen. Louis W. Blessing III (R-Colerain Township), which establishes student attendance requirements at e-schools that are not dropout prevention and recovery schools.

The committee passed SB 288, sponsored by Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green), which allows student religious expression in interscholastic athletics and extracurricular activities; permits officials to limit the wearing of religious apparel if a legitimate danger to participants is identified but requires an administrator or official to offer all reasonable accommodations; and provides civil immunity for schools and school districts, among others.

The committee amended HB 123, which requires public schools to implement certain programs on and provide instruction in suicide awareness and prevention and violence prevention. The amendment requires evidence-based resources to be included in the model threat assessment portion of a school’s emergency management plan.

The committee held a fifth hearing on SB 121, which requires the State Board of Education to develop K-12 health education standards and revises the law regarding venereal disease education standards and curriculum.

Finally, the committee held sponsor testimony on SB 320, sponsored by Sen. Matt Huffman (R-Lima), which requires school districts to determine whether to open for instruction for the 2020-21 school year; determine what health safety measures and guidelines to implement to address COVID-19; and prohibits other public officials from preventing a school district from opening its schools, causing its schools to close or requiring it to adopt health safety measures and guidelines to address COVID-19.

Senate Finance Committee
The committee amended and passed SB 313, sponsored by Sen. Terry Johnson (R-McDermott), which requires an additional state payment in FY 2020 or FY 2021 to certain school districts that experience a specified decrease in the taxable value of the district’s public utility tangible personal property. The amendment includes joint vocational school districts and expands the language to include districts that had a 10% decrease in the taxable value of public utility tangible personal property between tax years 2018 and 2019, between 2017 and 2018 or tax years 2019 and 2020. Dr. Howard Fleeter of the Ohio Education Policy Institute provided interested-party testimony. Click here to read the testimony.

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 322, which revises the Ohio Resident Educator Program. The substitute version provides technical corrections and clarifies language. Specifically, it does not allow a mentor in the Peer Assistant Review Programs to also serve as a mentor in the Resident Educator Teacher on Assignment.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 612, sponsored by Reps. Lisa Sobecki (D-Toledo) and Joseph A. Miller III (D-Amherst), which delays the requirement for public schools to submit a new five-year forecast prior to Dec. 31, 2020.

House Ways and Means Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB125, sponsored by Sens. Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) and Andrew O. Brenner (R-Powell), which expands the income tax deduction allowed for contributions to Ohio’s 529 education savings plans to include contributions to 529 plans established by other states.

The committee passed HB 541, which revises the process for adjusting property values due to instances that result in injury or destruction to the property.

The committee passed 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.

Finally, the committee amended HB 485, which removes the requirement that owners of farmland enrolled in the Current Agricultural Use Value program must file a renewal application each year to remain in the program. The amendment modifies language for county auditors on the verification of eligible properties.

Senate Ways and Means Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 609, sponsored by Rep. Thomas West (D-Canton), which requires the state tax commissioner to administer a temporary amnesty program from Jan. 1, 2021, to Mar. 31, 2021, with respect to delinquent state taxes and fees.

The committee held a second hearing on SB 35, sponsored by Sen. Andrew O. Brenner (R-Powell), which allows an enhanced homestead exemption for surviving spouses of public safety personnel killed in the line of duty.

House Finance Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 651, sponsored by Rep. Brian Baldridge (R-Winchester), which requires an additional state payment in fiscal year (FY) 2020 or 2021 to certain school districts that experience a specified decrease in the taxable value of the district’s public utility tangible personal property.

House State and Local Government Committee
The committee held a fourth hearing on HB 671, which limits the authority of local boards of health to issue orders under certain circumstances.

The committee amended HB 218, which permits school districts, among others, to enter into public-private initiatives with a private party regarding public facilities. The amendment was to clarify language regarding surety bonds.

Senate Health, Human Services and Medicaid Committee
The committee held a third hearing on SB 311, which prohibits the governor or any executive agency from prohibiting or limiting in-person high school graduations for the 2019-20 school year; rescinds the April 30 stay-at-home order; and limits all orders issued by the state director of health to 14 days, including the school-closure order, unless approved by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review.

Senate Judiciary Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 606, sponsored by Rep. Diane V. Grendell (R-Chesterland), which prohibits bringing a civil action for damages for injury, death or loss to person or property against businesses, the state, local governments and schools, among others, if the cause is due to exposure to COVID-19.

The committee held a fourth hearing on SB 16, which requires public high schools to instruct students in proper interactions with peace officers during traffic stops and other encounters.

House Civil Justice Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 555, sponsored by Reps. C. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield), which allows child support to caretakers.

Posted by Nicole Piscitani 6/12/2020