House Leadership
The House Republican caucus met and selected Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova Township) to be the speaker in the upcoming General Assembly that begins January 3, 2023. In addition, the other majority leadership members selected are as follows:

  • Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) as speaker pro tempore;
  • Rep. Scott Wiggam (R-Wooster) as majority floor leader;
  • Rep. Susan Manchester (R-Lakeview) as assistant majority floor leader;
  • Rep. Brian Baldridge (R-Winchester) as majority whip;
  • Rep. Brian Stewart (R-Ashville) as assistant majority whip.

The House Democratic caucus will hold their leadership vote at a later date. The official votes for both leadership slates will occur in January when the new General Assembly convenes.

Senate Leadership
The Senate Republican caucus reelected Sen. Matt Huffman (R-Lima) as Senate President. The other majority leadership members are as follows:

  • Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton) as president pro tempore;
  • Sen. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) as majority floor leader;
  • Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) as majority whip.

The Senate Democratic caucus elected Sen. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) as minority leader. The other minority leadership members are as follows:

  • Sen. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) as assistant minority leader;
  • Sen. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) as minority whip;
  • Sen. Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) as assistant minority whip.

The official votes for both leadership slates will take place in January when the new General Assembly convenes.

House activity
The House unanimously passed House Bill (HB) 403, sponsored by Reps. Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Rock Creek) and Adam Miller (D-Columbus). The bill would require school district superintendents to file a report with the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) regarding a teacher who retired under threat of disciplinary investigation in addition to those who resigned under threat of disciplinary investigation. The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate for consideration.

Senate activity
The Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill (SB) 33, sponsored by Sens. Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) and Andrew O. Brenner (R-Delaware). The bill would expand the income tax deduction allowed for contributions to Ohio’s 529 college savings plan and would include contributions to 529 plans established by other states. The bill was amended on the floor to correct a technical issue regarding the date. The bill now heads to the Ohio House for consideration.

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 115, sponsored by Reps. Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati) and Adam C. Bird (R-New Richmond), which would eliminate the right of first refusal for certain schools in the acquisition of school district real property and modify rules regarding the sale of certain school property.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 643, sponsored by Reps. Thomas Hall (R-Madison Township) and Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria), which would require school districts to grant excused absences to students for participation in scheduled 4-H activities or programs unless the absence occurs during a scheduled administration of state assessments or if the student has been disciplined, suspended or expelled.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 374, sponsored by Reps. Stephanie D. Howse (D-Cleveland) and Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo), which would create the Loving State Index and Commission to evaluate and rank municipal corporations in Ohio on critical supports that are vital to student academic success. The bill would also require school districts to provide data to the commission upon request.

The committee also held sponsor testimony on HB 565, sponsored by Reps. Lisa A. Sobecki (D-Toledo) and Hicks-Hudson, which would add five students as nonvoting members to the State Board of Education (SBOE).

Additionally, the committee held sponsor testimony on HB 619, sponsored by Reps. Willis E. Blackshear Jr. (D-Dayton) and Jessica E. Miranda (D-Forest Park), which would allow school districts to permit K-12 students to take up to three mental health days per school year as excused absences or for an in-school mental health program. The bill also would allow school districts to refer a student, who uses the mental health day, to the appropriate school health and support services, such as counseling, social work, or psychological services.

Finally, the committee held sponsor testimony on HB 748, sponsored by Rep. Bird, which would require school districts, community schools, and STEM schools to adopt a policy regarding professional co-worker relationships and the performance of staff member duties. Additionally, the policy must prohibit each professional staff member from engaging in political, partisan, ideological, or religious advocacy by compelling a student to adopt, affirm, or adhere to a specific belief; and unfairly evaluating a student’s work because it does not reflect a specific political, partisan, ideological, or religious belief.

Senate Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 178, sponsored by Sen. Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin), which would reform the functions and responsibilities of the State Board of Education (SBOE), the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and ODE. A substitute version of the bill is forthcoming. However, Sen. Reineke spoke to provisions that will be included in the substitute bill which include:

  • creating a Department of Education and Workforce with a cabinet-level director appointed by the Governor and approved by the Senate;
  • dividing the agency into two divisions, the Division of Primary and Secondary Education, which will also include preschool and the Division of Career Technical Education;
  • authorizing the new department to be responsible for the rulemaking process and the enforcement of current rules;
  • maintaining the current structure of the SBOE but limiting its duties to teacher licensure, educator or staff conduct and territory transfer decisions.

Click here to read Sen. Reineke’s sponsor testimony for additional details regarding the substitute bill. Chairman Brenner stated that it is his intent to hold several hearings on the bill over the next few weeks and hold a committee vote before the end of the year.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 554, sponsored by Reps. Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville) and Bird, which would require the SBOE to issue two-year temporary educator licenses to applicants with expired professional teacher's certificates and professional educator licenses as long as certain requirements are met.

Finally, the committee held sponsor testimony on HB 606, sponsored by Reps. Bird and Ingram, which would require public and chartered nonpublic schools to create an individualized seizure action plan for each enrolled student who has an active seizure disorder diagnosis. The bill also would require each school to have at least one employee trained in implementing seizure action plans and would require students to receive age-appropriate instruction on seizure disorders.

Senate Finance Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 329, sponsored by Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton), which would provide a full or partial tax exemption to developers and owners of newly constructed homes within specified areas during the construction period and for 10 years after the home is occupied.

House Finance Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 618, sponsored by Rep. Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland), which would require the distribution of information regarding the U.S. Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program and the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program. Additionally, the bill would establish the Navigator Pilot Program to assist public servants in navigating the U.S. Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program; and would appropriate $200,000 in fiscal year 2023 to support the Navigator Pilot Program.

Senate Ways & Means Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 335, sponsored by Sens. Frank Hoagland (R-Mingo Junction) and George F. Lang (R-West Chester), which would modify the homestead property tax exemption for disabled veterans to be determined by multiplying the current taxes charged by the percentage of the disabled veteran’s disability rating.

The committee also held a second hearing on SB 268, sponsored by Sen. Hoagland, which would exempt from property tax the homestead of a veteran discharged under honorable conditions.

Senate Local Government and Elections Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 458, sponsored by Rep. Hall, which would eliminate the August special election, except in instances when the August special election is to nominate or elect candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives or if a school district is under a fiscal emergency. The bill also would allow a school district whose entire territory is located within the congressional district that is on the August ballot to put certain levies on the August ballot.

The committee amended SB 260, sponsored by Sen. Lang, which would expand political subdivision joint purchasing authority to expressly include purchases for construction services. The amendment specifies that construction services for purposes of the bill does not include professional design services or services related to the scope of practice of an architect, a landscape architect, professional engineer or surveyor.

Senate Workforce and Higher Education Committee
The committee passed SB 251, sponsored by Sens. Tim Schaffer (R-Lancaster) and Tina Maharath (D-Canal Winchester), which would allow a person under age 16 to be employed between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. during the school year if the person has parental or legal guardian consent.

House Government Oversight Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 294, sponsored by Reps. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) and Sharon Ray (R-Wadsworth), which would make changes to election law, including creating an Automated Voter Registration and Verification System; modify the procedures for voter roll maintenance; and make changes to absentee voting. The substitute version removes provisions related to Automated Voter Registration and Verification System and voter roll maintenance. Additionally, it includes provisions that would remove the August special election, among other changes to the bill. Click here to read the substitute bill comparison document.

House Criminal Justice Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 459, sponsored by Reps. Al Cutrona (R-Canfield) and Jeffrey LaRe (R-Canal Winchester), which would prohibit an individual in the restricted offender category from being in a position as an employer, employee, independent contractor or a volunteer with any person, group or organization that has extensive contact with minor children. The substitute bill removed provisions related to employment and now only pertains to volunteer positions. Click here to read the substitute bill comparison document.

The committee amended HB 462, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Miller (R-Franklin Township), which would prohibit swatting. The amendment changes the offense from a first-degree felony to a second-degree felony.

The committee amended HB 689, sponsored by Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati), which would change from two years to four years the prosecution for a violation of failure to report child abuse or neglect after a violation of the offense is committed. The amendment pertains to civil action against a child sexual abuse registrant.

House Families, Aging and Human Services Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 454, sponsored by Reps. Gary Click (R-Vickery) and Diane Grendell (R-Chesterland), which would prohibit certain procedures to alter a minor child’s sex. The bill also would prohibit all school personnel from encouraging or coercing a student to withhold from his or her parent the fact that the minor’s perception of his or her gender is inconsistent with his or her sex and prohibit all school personnel from withholding information related to the minor’s perception of his or her gender if inconsistent with his or her sex. Additionally, the bill would designate this act as the Save Adolescents from Experimentation Act. The substitute bill removes the provisions regarding school personnel. Click here to read the substitute version of the bill.

House Insurance Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 540, sponsored by Reps. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) and Haraz N. Ghanbari (R-Perrysburg), which would require the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) and the School Employees Retirement System (SERS), among others, to disclose certain financial information regarding alternative investments.

The committee held a second hearing on HB 541, sponsored by Reps. Kelly and Ghanbari, which would prohibit STRS the SERS, among others, from doing business with a former state retirement system employee, officer or board member.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 539, sponsored by Reps. Kelly and Ghanbari, which would require STRS and SERS, among others, to publicly broadcast and archive board meetings.

Senate Judiciary Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of SB 288, sponsored by Sen. Nathan Manning (R-N. Ridgeville), which would update employment laws as they pertain to Head Start agencies along with other changes. Click here for a link to the substitute bill comparison document.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 83, sponsored by Reps. C. Allison Russo (D-Upper Arlington) and Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield), which makes changes to child support laws with regard to caretakers.

House Civil Justice Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 533, sponsored by Reps. Jeffrey A. Crossman (D-Parma) and Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo), which would increase penalties regarding filing false or fraudulent claims with the state and defrauding the state of money or property.

State Board of Education
The State Board passed a resolution that would recommend to the General Assembly pass a repeal of the provision mandating the  retention of third-grade students who do not meet the minimum score on the third-grade English language arts assessment. Click here to read the resolution.

The State Board also passed a resolution that would start the process of selecting a search firm to assist in hiring a state superintendent of public instruction.

The State Board of Education’s Executive Committee passed a resolution regarding the proposed federal changes to Title IX. The State Board will vote on the resolution at the December board meeting. Click here to read the resolution.

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

Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 11/18/2022