Governor activity
Director of Health Dr. Amy Acton modified the existing public health orders. Click here to access the updated health order. Gov. Mike DeWine also announced the resuming of skills training for sports under certain conditions. Click here to read the new health advisory, and click here to read the skills training guidance. 

House activity
The House passed House Bill (HB) 609 by a vote of 95-0. The bill requires the tax commissioner to administer a temporary amnesty program from Jan. 1, 2021, to Mar. 31, 2021, with respect to delinquent state taxes and fees. A substitute bill was accepted and amended May 19 by the House Ways and Means Committee. Click here for a synopsis of the changes in the substitute version.

Senate activity
The Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 248 by a vote of 32-0. The bill extends until Nov. 30, 2022, the moratorium on the requirement for storm shelters to be constructed for new school construction projects.

The Senate rejected SB 1 by a vote of 0-32. The bill would limit all orders issued by the state director of health to 14 days, including the school-closure order, and extensions may be authorized only by the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review (JCARR). The bill now moves to conference committee.

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 239, which revises high school state testing requirements and requires each school district to form a working group to evaluate the amount of time students spend on testing. The revised version now provides an opt out from the ACT or SAT but maintains all high school end-of-course exams. Click here for a synopsis of the changes in the substitute version.

Two board members offered testimony:

The committee held a second hearing on HB 321, sponsored by Reps. P. Scott Lipps (R-Franklin) and Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati), which requires public schools to provide age-appropriate instruction in child sexual abuse and sexual violence prevention and requires in-service staff training in child sexual abuse prevention.

Finally, the committee held a fifth hearing on HB 322, which revises the Ohio Resident Educator Program.

House Criminal Justice Committee
The committee held a third hearing on HB 83, which increases the penalties for the offense of failing to stop for a stopped school bus; allows images captured by a camera installed on a school bus to be used as corroborating evidence for such offense; appropriates $1 million in fiscal year (FY) 2020 for purchasing and installing cameras on buses; and requires deputy registrars to display information on how to yield and stop for school buses.

Several administrators offered testimony:

The committee held a first hearing on SB 134, sponsored by Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green), which increases the penalties for the offense of improperly passing a stopped school bus, allows images captured by school bus cameras to be used as corroborating evidence for such an offense and appropriates $500,000 for FY 2020 and 2021 for purchasing and installing cameras on school buses.

The committee passed SB 10, which increases the penalty for theft in office when the value of stolen property or services is $150,000 or more.

House Ways and Means Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 485, sponsored by Reps. Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill) and Gary Scherer (R-Circleville), which removes the requirement that owners of farmland enrolled in the Current Agricultural Use Value (CAUV) program must file a renewal application each year to remain in the program.

The committee held a fifth hearing on HB 255, which requires the state’s tax expenditure report to include information on property tax exemptions and requires a periodic review of each property tax exemption.

The committee held a second hearing on HB 541, sponsored by Rep. Rick Perales (R-Beavercreek), which revises the process for adjusting property values due to instances that result in injury or destruction to the property and increases from $100 to $1,000 the limit by which property valuation deductions may be made in cases of destruction or injury.

Finally, the committee held a first hearing on 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.

House State and Local Government Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 218, which permits school districts, among others, to enter into public-private initiatives with a private party regarding public facilities. Click here for a synopsis of the changes in the substitute version.

The committee held a second hearing on HB 450, sponsored by Rep. Jason Stephens, which requires fiscal officers of school districts, among other local governments, to provide certificates of transition to their successors when leaving office and modifies the duties of school district treasurers to ensure delivery to a treasurer's successor all papers related to the affairs of the district.

House Finance Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 13, which establishes the residential broadband expansion program. Click here for a synopsis of the changes in the substitute version.

Senate General Government and Agency Review Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 308, sponsored by Rep. Thomas F. Patton (R-Strongsville), which provides workers’ compensation or disability retirement for peace officers, among others, who are diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder arising from employment without an accompanying physical injury.

The committee held a second hearing on SB 293, sponsored by Sens. Nathan H. Manning (R-North Ridgeville) and Louis W. Blessing, III (R-Colerain Township), which creates a procedure within the court of claims to hear complaints alleging a violation of the Open Meetings Act.

Senate Health, Human Services and Medicaid Committee
The committee passed SB 126, which appropriates $5 million to ESCs to assist with hiring social workers or mental or behavioral health professionals and authorizes a mental health professional to provide a crisis assessment to a suicidal minor without parental consent.

The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 311, sponsored by Sens. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) and Kristina D. Roegner (R-Hudson), which prohibits the governor or any executive agency from prohibiting or limiting in-person high school graduations for the 2019-20 school year; rescinds the April 30 stay-at-home order; and limits all orders issued by the state director of health to 14 days, including the school-closure order, unless approved by JCARR.

Senate Finance Committee
The committee held a hearing to discuss the reopening of K-12 schools for the 2020-2021 school year. OSBA provided testimony to the committee, which can be accessed here, as did the Buckeye Association of School Administrators. Its testimony can be access here.

Ohio Department of Education
The Ohio Department of Education released new information regarding educator licensure.

Posted by Nicole Piscitani 05/22/2020