General Assembly activity
The Ohio General Assembly sent Senate Bill (SB) 89 to Gov. Mike DeWine for his approval. The bill originally revised the law regarding career-technical education and joint vocational school districts but was later amended by the House in February to make changes to the eligibility of Educational Choice Scholarship (EdChoice) Program vouchers. The bill was amended in conference committee to alter eligibility criteria for the performance-based program by designating buildings as EdChoice eligible if they were ranked in the lowest 20% of buildings according to the performance index rankings for the 2017-18 and 2018-19 school years and their district has an enrollment of at least 20% Title I-eligible students. Additionally, the bill increases to 250% from 200% the poverty threshold for the income-based expansion program, among other changes. Click here to read the conference committee synopsis.

The General Assembly also sent House Bill (HB) 404 to the governor. The bill was substantially revised by the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee to:

  • extend the temporary authorization for members of a public body to hold and attend meetings or hearings via electronic technology;
  • extend the summer food service program regulations;
  • extend license deadlines;
  • extend to the 2021-22 school year a prohibition against using value-added data for teacher, principal or school counselor performance evaluations;
  • specify that school districts cannot be penalized for failing to administer diagnostic assessments and health screenings if certain factors apply, among other changes.

The bill was passed with an emergency clause. Click here for a synopsis of the amendments.

Finally, the legislature sent HB 123 to the governor. The bill requires public schools to implement certain programs on and provide instruction in suicide awareness and prevention and violence prevention and provides $2.5 million in payments to dropout prevention and recovery e-schools that are not operated by a for-profit entity and that received an “exceeds standards” rating on their most recent graduation component of the state report card. The bill will now be sent to the governor.

House activity
The House passed SB 311 by a vote of 58-32. The bill prohibits the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) from issuing a general, mandatory statewide or regional quarantine or isolation order that applies to and is enforced against individuals who have not been either directly exposed to or medically diagnosed with the disease that is the subject of the order and allows the General Assembly to adopt a concurrent resolution to rescind certain ODH orders or rules for preventing the spread of contagious or infectious diseases. The bill will now be sent to the governor.

The House passed HB 367 by a vote of 76-10. The bill 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 (ODE). The bill will now be sent to the Senate.

The House passed HB 310 by a vote of 74-14. The bill revises school discipline, bullying and hazing policies at public schools and colleges. The bill was amended on the House floor to change the name of the bill and applicable misdemeanor type. The bill will now be sent to the Senate.

The House passed HB 208 by a vote of 74-13. The bill increases the penalty for assault if the victim is acting as a sports official or the assault is committed in retaliation for the victim’s actions as a sports official. The bill will now be sent to the Senate.

The House passed HB 409 by a vote of 90-0. The bill modifies student attendance requirements at certain e-schools. The bill will now be sent to the Senate.

The House passed HB 255 by a vote of 87-0. The bill 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 bill will now be sent to the Senate.

Finally, the House passed HB 541 by a vote of 86-0. The bill revises the process for adjusting property values due to instances that result in injury or destruction to the property. The bill will now be sent to the Senate.

Senate activity
The Senate passed SB 317 by a vote of 21-10. The bill expressly exempts the requirement that peace officer basic training be obtained by certain employees whom a board of education authorizes to be armed in a school safety zone. The bill will now be sent to the House.

Governor activity
Ohio Department of Health (ODH) Director Stephanie McCloud signed an executive order to set a 21-day order that requires all persons to stay at home during specified hours. Click here for a link to the signed order.

Additionally, click here for a link to the revised mask order, and click here for the social gathering order.

House Finance Committee
The committee held an eighth hearing on HB 305, which creates a new school-funding formula. Testifying in support of the bill were:

Senate Finance Committee
The committee held sponsor and invited testimony on SB 376, sponsored by Sens. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) and Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering), which creates a new school-funding formula. Testifying in support of the bill were:

The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 372, sponsored by Sen. Michael A. Rulli (R-Salem), which creates the Holocaust and Genocide Memorial and Education Commission that, among other responsibilities,  would find opportunities to provide resources for schools to teach effectively about the Holocaust and genocide.

Senate Education Committee
The committee accepted and amended a substitute version of SB 358, which changes education law for the 2020-21 school year to provide school districts continued flexibility and relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. The amendment provides a method for a school subject to an academic distress commission (ADC) to transition out of ADC control. The substitute version makes numerous changes to the introduced version. Click here for the substitute version.

The committee held a fourth hearing on SB 350, which prohibits school districts from providing transit passes for public transportation to students enrolled in grades K through eight for the 2020-21 school year and requires ODE to deduct district payments for noncompliance. OSBA; OASBO and BASA provided opponent testimony. Click here to read the testimony. Additional opponent testimony was provided by Patrick Schymanski, board member, Elida Local (Allen).

Finally, the committee held a third hearing on HB 436, which requires professional development for screening and intervention for children with dyslexia; school districts to establish structured literacy certification procedures; and districts to employ specified ratios of structured literacy-certified teachers. OSBA, OASBO, BASA and Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators provided interested party testimony. Click here to read the testimony.

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 494, sponsored by Rep. Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville), which establishes a loan repayment program for eligible teachers.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 459, sponsored by Reps. Adam C. Miller (D-Columbus) and Joseph A. Miller III (D-Amherst), which prohibits a coach, director or supervisor of an extracurricular activity from restricting student participation in other extracurricular activities.

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 529, sponsored by Reps. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) and Michele Lepore-Hagan (D-Youngstown), which requires one-time performance audits of school districts with a current academic distress commission.

The committee held a third hearing on HB 321, 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 sponsor testimony on HB 756, sponsored by Rep. Jon Cross (R-Kenton), which permits school districts to employ state-licensed substitute teachers for the 2020-21 school year in accordance with their own set of educational requirements.

House Ways and Means Committee
The committee held a second hearing on SB 125, sponsored by Sens. Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) and Andrew O. Brenner (R-Powell), 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.

The committee held a third 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. OSBA, OASBO and BASA provided interested party testimony. Click here to read the testimony.

Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 13, sponsored by Reps. Rick Carfagna (R-Genoa Township) and Michael J. O’Brien (D-Warren), which establishes the residential broadband expansion program.

Senate Health, Human Services and Medicaid Committee
The committee held an eighth hearing on HB 210, which requires ODE-licensed preschool programs and other entities to screen and test prospective employees for tuberculosis and annually test certain employees for a five-year period.

House Health Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 511, sponsored by Reps. John Rogers (D-Mentor on the Lake) and Tracy M. Richardson (R-Marysville), which permits schools and camps to procure and use injectable or nasally administered glucagon in accordance with prescribed policies and to exempt them from licensing requirements related to the possession of glucagon.

House Criminal Justice Committee
The committee held a fourth 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 2020 for purchasing and installing cameras on buses; and requires deputy registrars to display information on how to yield and stop for school buses.

House State and Local Government Committee
The committee passed HB 218, which permits school districts, among others, to enter into public-private initiatives with a private party regarding public facilities.

The committee held a second hearing on Senate Concurrent Resolution 8, sponsored by Sens. Kristina D. Roegner (R-Hudson) and Bob Peterson (R-Washington Court House), which urges Congress to enact The Sunshine Protection Act of 2019, which would permanently extend daylight saving time.

Senate Local Government, Public Safety and Veterans Affairs Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 75, sponsored by Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova Township), which requires school boards to pass a resolution approving a property valuation complaint or counter-complaint prior to filing that complaint and also send written notice to the property owner indicating intent to file a complaint or counter-complaint.

The committee held a second hearing on HB 450, sponsored by Rep. Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill), 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.

Senate Insurance and Financial Institutions Committee
The committee held a second hearing on HB 679, sponsored by Reps. Mark Fraizer (R-Newark) and Adam Holmes (R-Nashport), which establishes and modifies requirements regarding the telehealth services of school psychologists, speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists, among others.

House Civil Justice Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 369, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. The substitute version reduces the sections of the Ohio Revised Code that would be amended to one section. The substitute version reflects the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Bostock v. Clayton County.

Senate General Government and Agency Review Committee
The committee held an eighth hearing on HB 46, which creates a state government expenditure database that includes school district employee salary and employment information.

The committee accepted a substitute version of SB 246, which requires 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 substitute version makes several changes to the introduced version. Click here to read the comparison document.

The committee held a fourth hearing on HB 308, 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 sponsor testimony on SB 331, sponsored by Sen. Kristina D. Roegner (R-Hudson), which sunsets the academic standards review committees in English, math, social studies and science, among other committees and councils.

Finally, the committee held sponsor testimony on SB 334, sponsored by Sens. Hearcel F. Craig (D-Columbus) and Brenner, which establishes June 19, or Juneteenth, as a legal holiday for which government employees receive paid leave and for which school districts may dismiss school.

Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 349, sponsored by Sen. Teresa Fedor (D-Toledo), which modifies Ohio’s campaign finance laws by eliminating continuing associations, requiring a political contributing entity to report expenditures and modifying independent expenditure language.

House Economic and Workforce Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 704, sponsored by Reps. Jon Cross (R-Kenton) and Mark Fraizer (R-Newark), which modifies the law governing community redevelopment areas and the terms under which property may be exempted in such areas.

House Commerce and Labor Committee
The committee amended and passed HB 360, which requires the installation of water bottle filling stations and drinking fountains in new school buildings that are constructed with assistance from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. The amendment addressed the fences around commercial buildings.

Posted by Nicole Piscitani 11/20/2020