Governor activity
Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law Senate Bill (SB) 1. The bill requires students who enter the ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2022, to complete at least one-half unit of instruction in the study of financial literacy in either an elective course or in lieu of one-half unit of a mathematics course. The mathematics course cannot be Algebra II, or its equivalent, or a course for which the State Board of Education requires an end-of-course exam, which is Algebra I. Additionally, SB 1 provides flexibility to school districts regarding the educational requirements of substitute teachers for the 2021-22 school year. The provision for substitute teachers is effective immediately.

DeWine also signed into law House Bill (HB) 176. The bill revises 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 allows athletic trainers who have preexisting arrangements with chiropractors to continue these arrangements.

State Board of Education
State Board President Laura Kohler and member Eric Poklar submitted their resignations from the board to DeWine. Vice President Charlotte McGuire will temporarily serve as president until a new president is selected.

Ohio Department of Health
Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff announced the Mask to Stay/Test to Play Option, a new quarantine option for schools. Click here for information on the Mask to Stay/Test to Play Option.

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 229, sponsored by Sen. Louis W. Blessing III (R-Colerain Township). The bill would do the following:

  • temporarily extend the deadline to April 30, 2022, for a school district to submit a blended learning model to the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) for the 2021-22 school year;
  • require each school to complete and submit within 90 days a remediation plan to address the learning loss students experience during the COVID-19 pandemic;
  • permit a school district to adopt a resolution that provides remote learning to a student whose parent requests remote learning;
  • require a school that operates an online learning school to allow a quarantined student in a traditional district school to participate in that online learning school during the period of quarantine;
  • waive the requirement for the 2021-22 school year that a student be automatically withdrawn from an e-school if that student fails to take a state end-of-course exam;
  • prohibit the use of the chronic absenteeism measure on the state report card for the 2021-22 school year;
  • add a school district superintendent to the state report card review committee;
  • require ODE to calculate an adjusted four-year graduation rate for those students who were continuously enrolled in the same district or building in grades nine-12;
  • exempt an online learning school from the current law requirement that school administrators develop an emergency management plan for each building under their control;
  • require a school district prior to entering into a contract to purchase real property that currently is partially or fully leased to a community school, STEM school, or chartered or nonchartered nonpublic school to obtain written consent from the school approving the purchase.
     

The committee held a second hearing on HB 334, sponsored by Reps. Lisa A. Sobecki (D-Toledo) and Catherine D. Ingram (D-Cincinnati), which would require school district, joint vocational school district and ESC board members to complete approved training in ethics and open meeting and public records laws. It also would increase the maximum payment such a member can receive for attending a meeting and a training program. OSBA, the Ohio Association of School Business Officials (OASBO) and the Buckeye Association of School Administrators (BASA) provided proponent testimony. Click here to read the testimony. Additionally, the following school board members provided proponent testimony:

The committee passed SB 181, which would establish restrictions on policies that prevent students from wearing religious apparel when competing or participating in interscholastic athletics or extracurricular activities. The bill also would permit certain officials to limit the wearing of religious apparel if a legitimate danger to participants is identified but requires an administrator or official to offer all reasonable accommodations. Additionally, the bill would provide civil immunity for schools and school districts, among others.

Senate Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 248, sponsored by Sen. Niraj Antani (R-Miamisburg), which would require, rather than permit, school districts to provide a moment of silence each school day.

House State and Local Government Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 327, which would prohibit school districts and state agencies, among others, from teaching, advocating or promoting divisive concepts and allow ODE to withhold funding for noncompliance. The substitute bill specifies the bill regards “the promotion of” rather than “the teaching of” divisive concepts and defines what promote and promotion is as it relates to the bill and divisive concepts. The substitute bill also makes changes to what is not considered a divisive concept, allows withheld funds to be restored for violation corrections and establishes a refund schedule. Additionally, it includes equity training in the requirement of a school district to review training programs for school employees to not include advocating or promoting divisive concepts. Click here for a comparative synopsis of the substitute bill.

The committee also passed House Concurrent Resolution 13, which urges Congress to enact the Sunshine Protection Act of 2021, which would permanently extend daylight saving time.

Finally, the committee amended HB 203, 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. The amendment removes the fantasy contest operator's license from the bill.

Senate Ways and Means Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 123, sponsored by Reps. Mark Fraizer (R-Newark) and Jon Cross (R-Kenton), which would modify community reinvestment areas (CRAs) by increasing the threshold to exempt school district approval from 50% to 75%. The bill also would establish a revenue-sharing agreement for income over $3 million and annually index the amount to inflation. Additionally, the bill would allow limited home rule townships to use CRAs.

The committee held sponsor testimony 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 Ways and Means Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 412, sponsored by Reps. Reggie Stoltzfus (R-Paris Township) and Bill Roemer (R-Richfield), which would require the Board of Tax Appeals (BTA) and each county board of revision (BOR) to publish on the board’s website the mailing address to which tax complaints or appeals must be filed; require the BTA and each BOR to notify filers that a complaint or appeal has been received; and require such complaints or appeals to be accepted, even if received after the filing deadline, if the filer mailed the complaint or appeal before that deadline to an incorrect address published on the board’s website.

The committee held a second hearing on HB 45, sponsored by Reps. Thomas West (D-Canton) and Roemer, 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.

House Economic and Workforce Development Committee
The committee held a second hearing on SB 166, sponsored by Sen. Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin), which would establish the student pathways for career success grant program and require the state to create a program that establishes financial incentives for Ohio businesses to provide work-based learning experiences for students enrolled in career-technical education programs. The bill would permit career-technical schools to use remote or digital learning. Additionally, the legislation would require joint vocational school districts to be included in revenue-sharing agreements from a CRA. OSBA, OASBO and BASA provided proponent testimony. Click here to read the testimony. Additional proponent testimony was provided by Gregory A. Edinger, superintendent, Vanguard-Sentinel Career & Technology Centers.

House Government Oversight Committee
The committee amended HB 298, which would change the voting membership of the State Board to consist of only elected members. The amendment changes the voting membership of the State Board to consist of members elected from electoral districts that coincide with the state’s congressional districts, which would create 15 districts. Additionally, the amendment establishes a transition plan to be implemented in the 2024 and 2026 elections.

The committee amended SB 9, which would require ODE and other state agencies to reduce regulatory restrictions by 30% by 2025. The amendment would require state agencies submitting rules implementing a federal requirement to the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR) to cite its source and provide a statement on whether the rule is more or less stringent or burdensome than the federal requirement. Additionally, the amendment allows JCARR to recommend invalidation and allows JCARR to lessen the reductions in regulatory restrictions required by the bill, if certain conditions are met.

House Higher Education and Career Readiness Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 135, sponsored by Sen. Jerry C. Cirino (R-Kirtland), which would require school districts to include in career advising policies information on career fields with associate degrees and certificates; provide information on the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps; and require school districts to adopt a policy on free speech that includes a process for a student or teacher to file a complaint due to a violation of the policy.

House Public Utilities Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 450, sponsored by Reps. Brian Baldridge (R-Winchester) and Laura Lanese (R-Grove City), which would allow for the development of community solar projects.

House Technology and Innovation Committee
The committee amended and passed HB 230, 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. The amendment removes the state chief information officer’s duty under the bill to implement a strategic roadmap to migrate the state’s information technology systems. The amendment changes requirements of the Biannual Advisory Committee, and also the Cybersecurity and Fraud Advisory Board, to include permissive language. Additionally, the amendment makes changes to the information technology study and changes required provisions to permissive as it pertains to data hosting services.

Senate Small Business and Economic Opportunity Committee
The committee held a second hearing on SB 242, sponsored by Blessing, which would require retail merchants to give customers the option to pay by cash.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 187, sponsored by Reps. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati) and Lipps, which would require an employer to provide earnings and deductions statements to each of the employer’s employees

House Agriculture and Conservation Committee
The committee amended HB 397, which would revise the law regarding agricultural leases. The amendment would allow boards of soil and water conservation districts to provide insurance policies for employees and officers entrusted with funds.

Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 10/29/2021