Welcome back to Facts in a Flash! Now that the Ohio General Assembly is back in session, you can stay up-to-date on all the activity at the Ohio Statehouse.

State Board of Education activity

The State Board of Education adopted a resolution accepting the recommendation of the Superintendent of Public Instruction’s Advisory Committee for High School Graduation Requirements. Click here for the recommendations.

OSBA, the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) and the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators testified in support of the resolution. Click here for a copy of the testimony.

Senate Education Committee

The committee adopted a substitute version of House Bill (HB) 360, sponsored by Rep. Dave Greenspan (R-Westlake), which prescribes suspensions and expulsion policies for cases of harassment, intimidation or bullying. The substitute version revises the types of discipline a district may administer for such cases. Discipline in those cases includes detentions, an in-school or out-of-school suspension of up to ten days or an out-of-school expulsion. Click here for a synopsis of the changes made by the substitute version.

The committee also conducted sponsor testimony on the following bills:
• Senate Bill (SB) 325, sponsored by Sen. Stephanie Kunze (R-Hilliard), which revises background check policies and sexual misconduct policies for public and private schools;
• SB 191, sponsored by Sen. Joe Schiavoni (D-Boardman), which creates the Breakfast After the Bell program to require public schools with high percentages of low-income students to offer breakfast to all enrolled students;
• SB 262, sponsored by Sen. Charleta Tavares (D-Columbus), which requires public schools to annually provide parents of students in any of grades five through 12 with educational information regarding eating disorders;
• HB 428, sponsored by Reps. Sarah LaTourette (R-Chesterland) and Tim Ginter (R-Salem), which deals with student religious expression in public schools;
• HB 502, sponsored by Rep. Marlene Anielski (R-Walton Hills), which requires certain public school employees to undergo biennial youth suicide awareness and prevention training;
• HB 58, sponsored by Reps. Andrew Brenner (R-Powell) and Marilyn Slaby (R-Copley), which requires the State Board of Education to adopt a model curriculum for cursive handwriting instruction for students in grades kindergarten through five;
• HB 477, sponsored by Rep. Kyle Koehler (R-Springfield), which eliminates nonoperational and outdated provisions related to the Ohio Department of Education and school operations.

Senate Ways and Means Committee

The committee conducted its third hearing on HB 343, which requires school boards to pass a resolution approving the complaint or counter-complaint at a public meeting prior to filing a property tax complaint or counter-complaint. Several witnesses testified in opposition to the bill, including:
• Patrick Schymanski, board member, Elida Local (Allen);
• Michael Sobul, treasurer, Granville EV;
• Robert W. Kuehnle, treasurer, Mansfield City;
• Phillip R. Howard, superintendent, Jackson City;
• Bill Wade, superintendent, Kirtland Local (Lake);
• Eric S. Gordon, CEO, Cleveland Municipal.

Click here and select “November 14, 2018” to access their testimony.

House Education and Career Readiness Committee

The committee heard sponsor testimony on the following bills:
• SB 82, sponsored by Sens. Sandra Williams (D-Cleveland) and Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering), which requires public schools, within two hours of the start of a school day, to notify the parent of a student who fails to arrive at school and is not excused from attendance;
• HB 611, sponsored by Reps. Keith Faber (R-Celina) and Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson), which conditions e-school payments on the use of software that tracks attendance, class size and participation;
• HB 619, sponsored by Rep. Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg), which permits public schools to implement instructional programs regarding the humanity of the unborn child, prohibits public schools and their employees from referring a student to an abortion provider and makes other changes regarding pregnancy and child services.

House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee

The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 705, sponsored by Reps. Stephen D. Hambley (R-Brunswick) and Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati). The bill modifies the circumstances under which treasurers of school districts and ESCs may be held liable for loss of public funds.

Senate Local Government, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee

The committee adopted a substitute version of HB 291 during its second hearing. Sponsored by Rep. Scott Wiggam (R-Wooster), the bill now allows school districts, among others, to purchase an "employee dishonesty and faithful performance of duty policy” instead of individual surety bonds for officers, employees and appointees who are otherwise required to give a bond. Click here for a synopsis of the changes made by the substitute version.

OSBA, BASA and the Ohio Association of School Business Officials testified in support of the bill. Click here to read the testimony.