House activity
The House passed House Bill (HB) 17 by a vote of 90-0. The bill permits an enhanced homestead exemption of $50,000 for surviving spouses of public safety personnel killed in the line of duty.

Meanwhile, the House refused to concur in the Senate’s amendments to HB 2, effectively sending the bill to a conference committee. The bill permits a collaboration of school districts, among others, to partner with industry sectors in order to be eligible for state grants to assist with hiring employees, developing curricula and educational resources and marketing workforce partnerships.

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee passed HB 111 by a vote of 15-1. The bill requires public and private schools to transmit a transferred student’s records within five school days.

The committee held a second hearing on HB 322, sponsored by Reps. Don Jones (R-Freeport) and Don Manning (R-New Middletown), which revises the Ohio Teacher Residency Program. Several educators and administrators offered testimony in support of the bill, including:
• Dr. David Quattrochi, superintendent, Carrollton EV;
• Bob Priest, principal, Van Wert City;
• OSBA, the Buckeye Association of School Administrators, the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators and the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators.

Finally, the committee held a second hearing on HB 367, sponsored by Reps. Jessica E. Miranda (D-Forest Park) and Susan Manchester (R-Waynesfield), which requires the state to recommend a job description for school counselors; requires public schools to consider those recommendations when preparing job descriptions and assigning duties for school counselors; and requires the designation of a school counselor liaison at the Ohio Department of Education.

House Finance Committee
The committee held a sixth hearing on HB 305, which creates a new school-funding formula. Testifying in support of the bill were:
• Ryan Pendleton, treasurer, Akron City;
• Douglas C. Ute, superintendent, Newark City;
• Claudia Zaler, treasurer, Waverly City.

House Civil Justice Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 369, sponsored by Reps. Brett Hudson Hillyer (R-Uhrichsville) and Michael J. Skindell (D-Lakewood), which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.

Senate Ways and Means Committee
The committee held a second hearing on Senate Bill (SB) 212, sponsored by Sen. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton), which provides 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.

The committee held a third hearing on SB 125, 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.

Senate Transportation, Commerce and Workforce Committee
The committee held a third hearing on HB 4, which requires the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation to act as a liaison between the business community and the Ohio Department of Education or the chancellor of higher education with regard to industry-recognized credentials or certificate programs. No witnesses were present to testify. 

Posted by Will Schwartz on 11/22/2019