Senate activity
The Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 246 and sent the bill to the House for consideration. Sponsored by Sen. Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering), the bill deals with positive behavioral intervention supports and suspension and expulsion policies for students in grades prekindergarten through three. Click here for an analysis of the bill.
Senate Finance Committee
The committee heard sponsor testimony on House Bill (HB) 318, sponsored by Reps. John Patterson (D-Jefferson) and Sarah LaTourette (R-Chesterland). The bill 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 Education Committee
The committee heard proponent 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. Mark H. Curtis, board member, Twinsburg City, testified in support of the bill. Click here for a copy of his testimony.
The committee passed and amended 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 and local school districts. The bill’s amendment requires the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission to conduct a third round of classroom facilities grant funding for high-performing community schools. The bill now goes to the Senate for a full vote.
The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 360, sponsored by Rep. Dave Greenspan (R-Westlake). The bill prescribes suspensions and expulsion policies for incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying.
Finally, the committee conducted its fifth hearing on HB 21, which deals with the verification of community school enrollment. No witnesses were present to testify. Several amendments to this bill are expected to be offered at next week’s hearing.
House Education and Career Readiness Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 591, sponsored by Rep. Mike Duffey (R-Worthington). The bill revises the State Report Card rating system for public schools. OSBA, the Ohio Association of School Business Officials and Buckeye Association of School Administrators testified in support of the bill. Click here for a copy of the testimony, and click here for a synopsis of the changes made by the substitute version.
The committee amended HB 540, which revises the statewide teacher evaluation framework. The amendment requires Cleveland Municipal Schools to comply with the bill’s changes to the framework, and it revises the student growth aspect of the framework.
The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 544, sponsored by Reps. John Rogers (D-Mentor-on-the-Lake) and Rick Perales (R-Beavercreek). The bill prescribes safety enhancement standards for new school facilities.
The committee heard sponsor testimony on SB 216, sponsored by Sen. Matt Huffman (R-Lima). The bill would enact the Ohio Public School Deregulation Act dealing with the administration of preschool and primary and secondary education programs.
Finally, the committee passed HB 517, sponsored by Reps. Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster) and David Leland (D-Columbus). The bill, which now goes to the House for a full vote, designates the month of October as Ohio Principals Month. Prior to passage, the following school district representatives testified in support of the bill:
• Dustin Miller, principal, Dublin City’s Dublin Jerome High School;
• Olympia Della Flora, principal, Columbus City’s Ohio Avenue Elementary School.
Senate Ways and Means Committee
The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 343, sponsored by Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova Township). The bill would require a school board or the legislative authority of a county, municipal corporation or township to pass a resolution approving the complaint or counter-complaint at a public meeting before filing a property tax complaint or counter-complaint.
House Health Committee
The committee amended HB 559, sponsored by Reps. Anne Gonzales (R-Westerville) and Al Landis (R-Dover). The bill would require health care providers use state-developed immunization forms when documenting a child's immunization history. The bill’s amendment applies the requirements to students newly enrolled in a school.
Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee
The committee passed and amended HB 338, sending the bill to the Senate for a full vote. The bill would qualify licensed chiropractors and medical professionals listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners to perform an annual physical on school bus drivers. The committee amended the bill to make a non-education change to the law regarding the manufacture and sale of mesh crib liners.