General Assembly activity
The Ohio General Assembly sent House Bill (HB) 2 to Gov. Mike DeWine for his approval. The bill would establish the residential broadband expansion program.

House activity
The House passed HB 176 by a vote of 95-0. The bill would revise the law governing the practice of athletic training by requiring an athletic trainer to practice under a collaboration agreement with a physician or podiatrist. The legislation would allow athletic trainers who have preexisting arrangements with chiropractors to continue these arrangements.

The House passed HB 252 by a vote of 96-0. The bill would enter Ohio into the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact that increases public access to audiology and speech-language pathology services by mutually recognizing other member state licenses. The legislation would allow for telehealth services if allowable under other state’s licenses.

The House passed HB 177 by a vote of 95-2. The bill would permit school districts, among others, to use blockchain technology.

Senate Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee held an eighth hearing on HB 110, which makes operating appropriations for the fiscal year 2022 and 2023 biennium. Superintendent of Public Instruction Paolo DeMaria provided interested party testimony. Also testifying on the bill were:

The committee accepted a substitute version of Senate Bill (SB) 145, sponsored by Sen. Andrew O. Brenner (R-Powell), which would revise the state report card. The substitute version would: 

  • replace the A-F letter grade system with a five-star rating system;
  • delay implementation of the prepared for success measure to 2023;
  • require the State Board of Education to adopt a rule to add a gifted indicator;
  • include value-added data in the equity component;
  • clarify language that the Kindergarten Readiness Assessment is a report-only measure. 

OSBA, along with the Ohio Association of School Business Officials; Buckeye Association of School Administrators; Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators; and Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators, provided interested party testimony. Click here to read the testimony. Also testifying on the bill were:

The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 165, sponsored by Sen. Nathan H. Manning (R-North Ridgeville), which would establish a process for the Lorain City School District to be relieved from oversight of its academic distress commission. The bill would require the school board to develop a three-year improvement plan that requires State Board approval. Additionally, the legislation would require the Ohio Auditor of State’s Office to complete a performance audit.

House Ways and Means Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 45, sponsored by Reps. Thomas West (D-Canton) and Bill Roemer (R-Richfield), which would require the state tax commissioner to administer a temporary amnesty program from April 1, 2021, through May 31, 2021, with respect to delinquent state taxes and fees.

The committee held a second hearing on HB 255, sponsored by Rep. P. Scott Lipps (R-Franklin), which would permit the second publication of a county delinquent property tax list to be made online instead of in a newspaper.

House State and Local Government Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 203, sponsored by Rep. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum), which would require an occupational licensing authority to issue a license or government certification to an applicant who holds a license, government certification or private certification or has satisfactory work experience in another state under certain circumstances.

Senate Financial Institutions and Technology Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 133, sponsored by Rep. Brett Hudson Hillyer (R-Uhrichsville), which would provide a reduced property valuation for tax years 2020, 2021 and 2022 for eligible individuals as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, among other changes.

House Criminal Justice Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 70, sponsored by Rep. Richard D. Brown (D-Canal Winchester), which would allow the use of cameras for images and videos to determine the identity of a driver illegally passing a stopped school bus. The bill would increase criminal penalties for violations and require the Registrar of Motor Vehicle locations to display information and graphics on when motorists should stop for a school bus.

House Technology and Innovation Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 230, sponsored by Reps. Sharon A. Ray (R-Wadsworth) and Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township), which would establish a plan to migrate the state’s information technology systems to the state of Ohio’s computer center and cloud environment and establish a cybersecurity and fraud advisory board.

Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee
The committee passed HB 6, which would eliminate the requirement for a school nurse to hold a degree in the area of nursing in order for that nurse to be exempt from the current requirement to hold a separate pupil services license issued by the State Board. The bill also allows pharmacy technician trainees who are enrolled in an approved career-technical school program to apply for state registration.

The committee accepted a substitute version of SB 17, which would make eligibility changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and amend requirements of SNAP electronic benefit transfer cards. The substitute version of the bill revises the change reporting requirement for households receiving SNAP benefits from 10 days to 30 days and removes Medicaid waiver provisions as they pertain to work and education requirements.

House Families, Aging and Human Services Committee
The committee amended HB 83, which would make changes to child support laws with regard to caretakers. The amendments provide clarifying language to allow both courts and child support agencies to issue orders and would require the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to adopt rules regarding investigations and implementation of the bill changes.

Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 5/7/2021