House Education and Career Readiness Committee
The committee heard sponsor testimony from Reps. John Patterson (D-Jefferson) and Sarah LaTourette (R-Chesterland) on House Bill (HB) 318. The bill seeks to define certain qualifications and responsibilities for school resource officers.
The committee also heard sponsor testimony from Rep. Timothy E. Ginter (R-Salem) on HB 338. The bill addresses medical exams for school bus drivers under Ohio Revised Code Section 3327. HB 338 would amend current law to include licensed chiropractors as medical professionals who are qualified to perform an annual physical.
Representatives passed HB 98 out of the committee. HB 98 seeks to establish minimum access standards for universities, trade schools, employers and military recruiters to have the opportunity to present information at least two times per year to students in grades nine through 12.
The last bill the committee heard was HB 200, which would establish an income-based voucher with the only eligibility criteria being a family household income of no higher than 400% of the federal poverty level for a family of four ($98,400). The committee heard proponent and opponent testimony. OSBA, the Buckeye Association of School Administrators and the Ohio Association of School Business Officials offered opponent testimony on the bill. Click here for a copy of the testimony.
Senate Education Committee
The committee heard sponsor testimony from Sen. Sandra Williams (D-Cleveland) on Senate Bill (SB) 197, legislation that would require a tiered disciplinary procedure for harassment, intimidation or bullying in school. The bill also would require annual student instruction about bullying prevention and designate the offense of aggravated bullying as a third-degree misdemeanor.
The committee also heard proponent testimony on HB 170. This bill calls for developing optional academic content standards and model curriculum for computer science. HB 170 also addresses educator qualifications for teaching computer science. The legislation is expected to be scheduled for possible amendments and a vote at the next hearing, according to the committee chair.
House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee
The committee accepted a substitute version of HB 312 and heard an update on changes to the bill by Rep. Kirk Schuring (R-Canton). The legislation requires school districts to have a board policy on the use of district credit cards as well as specific control measures in place to prevent fraudulent activity. Click here to see a copy of the substitute version accepted by the committee. In addition, Ohio Auditor of State Dave Yost offered proponent testimony on the bill.
The committee also heard sponsor testimony from Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova) on HB 342. The bill eliminates the August special election for local bond issues and tax levies and changes ballot language to reflect millage in terms of $100,000 of property value instead of $100.
House Higher Education and Workforce Development Committee
The committee amended Substitute SB 3 to be identical to Substitute HB 166 in that it designates the first full week in May as In-Demand Jobs Week. The bill specifies that the Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation will organize activities to raise awareness among educators, students and parents of jobs that are in demand. The amendment deleted language allowing for-profit teacher preparation programs, such as Teachers for Tomorrow, to operate in the state. The bill was passed out of committee.
Speaker’s Task Force on Education and Poverty
The task force met Thursday and heard presentations from former state Rep. Jim Buchy, senior advisor at the Batchelder Co.; Todd Whiteman, superintendent of the dropout recovery Foxfire Schools; and Cris Gulacy-Worrel, vice president of national expansion for the Learn4Life dropout recovery schools.
Joint Education Oversight Committee
The committee met Thursday and heard presentations on early childhood initiatives from former state Sen. Shannon Jones, Groundwork Ohio executive director; Robyn Lightcap, Preschool Promise Inc. executive director; and Michelle Connavino, PRE4CLE operations and outreach specialist.