House Finance Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education
The committee held testimony on the biennial budget for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. The following individuals provided testimony:

Senate Education Committee
The committee held a third hearing on Senate Bill (SB) 1, sponsored by Sen. Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin), which would rename the Department of Education as the Department of Education and Workforce and would create the position of Director of Education and Workforce. The bill also would reform the functions and responsibilities of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Senate Education Chair Andrew O. Brenner (R-Powell) informed the committee that amendments would be introduced at the next committee hearing. Testifying as an interested party of the bill was:

The committee held a second hearing on SB 17, sponsored by Sen. Steve Wilson (R-Maineville), which would require the State Board to update the standards and model curriculum for financial literacy and entrepreneurship in grades nine-12 to include free market capitalism content.

The committee held sponsor testimony on SB 29, sponsored by Sen. Stephen A. Huffman (R-Tipp City), which would enact laws pertaining to technology providers for education records and data and require school districts to make public certain information regarding the technology providers they use. The bill also limits what school districts can access or monitor on a school-issued device.

The committee amended SB 49, sponsored by Sen. Michelle Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester), which would enact the Religious Expression Days "R.E.D." Act and would require school boards to adopt a policy providing students, teachers and staff with religious accommodations for up to three days. The amendment removes teachers and staff from the bill provisions.

New Bills Introduced
The following bills were introduced this week:

  • HB 1, sponsored by Rep. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon), which would modify the law regarding property taxation and income tax rates;
  • HB 2, sponsored by Reps. Al Cutrona (R-Canfield) and Terrence Upchurch (D-Cleveland), which declares the intent of the General Assembly to direct state funds to projects across the state for economic growth and community development;
  • HB 3, sponsored by Reps. Gail Pavliga (R-Atwater) and Lauren McNally (D-Youngstown), which formally states the General Assembly's intention to authorize an affordable housing tax credit;
  • HB 4, sponsored by Reps. Tom Young (R-Washington Township) and Angela King (R-Celina), which declares the General Assembly's intention to enact legislation regarding financial institutions and other businesses that conduct economic boycotts or discriminate against certain companies or customers based on certain factors;
  • HB 6, sponsored by Rep. Jena Powell (R-Arcanum), which would enact the Save Women's Sports Act to require schools, state institutions of higher education, and private colleges to designate separate single-sex teams and sports for each sex;
  • HB 8, sponsored by Reps. D. J. Swearingen (R-Huron) and Sara P. Carruthers (R-Hamilton), which would enact the Parents Bill of Rights to require public schools to adopt a policy on parental notification on student health and well-being and instructional materials with sexually explicit content;
  • HB 9, sponsored by Reps. Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville) and Mary Lightbody (D-Westerville), which would establish the Grow Your Own Teacher Program; would establish a loan repayment program for eligible teachers; would make changes to teacher licensing and professional development; and would make an appropriation;
  • HB 10, sponsored by Reps. Jamie Callender (R-Concord) and Bride Rose Sweeney (D-Cleveland), which would express the intent of the General Assembly to continue phasing in the school financing system established in H.B. 110 of the 134th General Assembly and, if practicable, fully phase it in;
  • HB 11, sponsored by Reps. Riordan T. McClain (R-Upper Sandusky) and Marilyn S. John (R-Shelby), which would establish the Backpack Scholarship Program to begin operating for the 2023-24 school year; would repeal the Educational Choice Scholarship Pilot Program and the Pilot Project Scholarship Program on July 1, 2024; and would make an appropriation;
  • HB 12, sponsored by Reps. Don Jones (R-Freeport) and David Dobos (R-Columbus), which would rename the Department of Education as the Department of Education and Workforce; would create the position of Director of Education and Workforce; and would reform the functions and responsibilities of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction;
  • HB 14, sponsored by Reps. Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria) and John, which would consider the allocation of parental rights and responsibilities to grant equal time and responsibility for a child;
  • HB 33, sponsored by Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville), which would make operating appropriations for the biennium beginning July 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025, to levy taxes, and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of state programs;
  • HB 38, sponsored by Reps. Willis E. Blackshear Jr. (D-Dayton) and Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park), which would allow school districts to permit students to take up to three mental health days away from school each school year;
  • HB 46, sponsored by Reps. Dobos and Adam C. Bird (R-New Richmond), which would regard notation of an educator's district or school of employment on license applications and notice of educator disciplinary actions and consent agreements;
  • HB 47, sponsored by Reps. Richard D. Brown (R-Canal Winchester) and Bird, which would require the placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in each public and chartered nonpublic school and each public recreational facility and to require the Ohio Department of Health to develop a model emergency action plan for the use of AEDs;
  • HB 48, sponsored by Rep. Bird, which would require each public school to adopt a policy regarding certain expectations related to the performance of staff member professional duties.

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

Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 2/17/2023