House activity
The House concurred in the Senate amendments to House Bill (HB) 98, which now goes to the governor for his signature. The bill deals with the presentation of career information to students, provides state funding to certain school districts with nuclear power plants in their territories, revises career-technical education teacher licenses and provides for payments to licensed career-technical education teachers who do not have a bachelor’s degree.
The House also passed HB 343 by a vote of 59-38. The bill would require a school board and other specified entities to pass a resolution approving the complaint or counter-complaint at a public meeting before filing a property tax complaint or counter-complaint.
Senate activity
The Senate concurred in the House amendments to two bills, which now go to the governor for his signature. Those bills are:
• Senate Bill (SB) 226, which would provide a permanent sales tax holiday each August and would allow educational service centers, through a county school financing district, to levy a property tax specifically to fund school safety, security and mental health services;
• SB 22, which expands Ohio's 529 education savings plan to make earnings used for K-12 education expenses tax-exempt and to make contributed amounts eligible for a state tax deduction if used to pay K-12 education expenses.
The Senate also amended and passed SB 216 by a vote of 33-0. The amendment removes the bill’s provision regarding educational aide permits and educational paraprofessional licenses.
Finally, the Senate passed HB 529, which makes capital appropriations and reappropriations for the biennium ending June 30, 2020. The bill now goes to the House for a concurrence vote.
House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee
The committee continued to hear testimony on HB 512, which would consolidate the state education agencies and Governor’s Office of Workforce Transformation into a new agency called the Department of Learning and Achievement. It also would transfer much of the duties and authority of the State Board of Education and superintendent of public instruction to the new agency.
House Finance Committee
The committee passed HB 378, which would create the Ohio Broadband Development Grant Program and allow school districts, among others, to apply for grants under the program. Prior to passage, the committee adopted a substitute version of the bill. Click here for a synopsis of the changes.
The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 318 from Reps. John Patterson (D-Jefferson) and Sarah LaTourette (R-Chesterland). The legislation prescribes qualifications and training requirements for school resource officers.
Finally, the committee conducted a fifth hearing on HB 508, which would establish the OhioCORPS Pilot Project for at-risk students to participate in mentorship programs and receive scholarships to attend higher education institutions and technical colleges. No witnesses were present to testify on this bill.
House Education and Career Readiness Committee
The committee passed HB 477, which eliminates nonoperational and outdated provisions that relate to the Ohio Department of Education and the operation of primary and secondary schools.
It also passed and adopted an amendment to HB 491, which would require the State Board of Education to issue substitute licenses to qualified speech-language pathologists, audiologists, registered nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists and social workers. The amendment requires substitute licenses for licensed registered nurses to be issued only to individuals with a bachelor’s degree in nursing.
The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 540, sponsored by Reps. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) and Nathan H. Manning (R-North Ridgeville). The bill revises the statewide teacher evaluation framework.
The committee continued to hear testimony on HB 377, which would require age-appropriate instruction in child sexual abuse and sexual violence prevention as well as in-service staff training in child sexual abuse prevention.
Finally, the committee heard proponent testimony on HB 502 and HB 503, both sponsored by Rep. Marlene Anielski (R-Walton Hills). HB 502 requires specified employees of public schools to undergo annual youth suicide awareness and prevention training, and HB 503 applies the same requirement to private schools.
Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee
The committee heard proponent testimony on HB 338, sponsored by Rep. Timothy E. Ginter (R-Salem). The bill would qualify licensed chiropractors and medical professionals listed on the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners to perform an annual physical on school bus drivers.
The committee conducted its third hearing on HB 312, which deals with the use of credit cards and debit cards by school districts and other public entities. No witnesses were present to testify.
Senate Finance Committee
The committee conducted its third hearing on SB 246, which deals with positive behavioral intervention supports and suspension and expulsion policies for students in grades prekindergarten through three.
House Ways and Means Committee
The committee heard proponent testimony on HB 488, sponsored by Reps. Ron Hood (R-Ashville) and John Becker (R-Union Township). The bill requires the ballot wording on property tax proposals to be in terms of tax per $100,000 of fair market value rather than per $100 of tax valuation.
Joint Education Oversight Committee
The committee received a presentation on early learning and development.