House Activity
The Ohio House passed House Bill (HB) 352, sponsored by Reps. Rachel Baker (D-Cincinnati) and Sara Carruthers (R-Hamilton), by a vote of 89-5. This bill would establish the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study Commission. The bill now heads to the Ohio Senate for consideration.

The House also voted to agree with the Senate’s amendments to HB 50, sponsored by Reps. Latyna Humphrey (D-Columbus) and Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati) by a vote of 85-8. HB 50 now heads to the Governor for his signature. This bill includes provisions that would:

  • Modify a property tax exemption for improvements to certain residential development property by requiring that property owners apply for the exemption with the county auditor, rather than the Tax Commissioner.
  • Remove provisions that require the board of education to be notified of an application for such an exemption and that allow a board to participate in any hearing on an application.
  • Prohibit the filing of property tax complaints by third parties challenging a residential development property exemption. 

Senate Activity
The Senate passed Senate Bill (SB) 208, sponsored by Sen. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson), by a vote of 31-0. This bill would require a district to include in its open enrollment policy an exception for military children. SB 208 now heads to the House for consideration. 

House Government Oversight
The committee heard proponent testimony on HB 499 sponsored by Reps. Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) and Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon). This legislation would create grant programs for housing developments near megaprojects and for townships and municipalities that adopt pro-housing policies. HB 499 would also modify the community reinvestment area law relating to residential property and limit the ten percent nonbusiness property tax credit. 

Senate Finance
The committee heard sponsor testimony on SB 182 from Sen. Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester). This bill would establish the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program and require the Department of Education and Workforce to hire a full-time school foster care liaison. 

Senate Education Committee
The committee held a hearing on SB 208, sponsored by Sen. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson). This bill would require a city, exempted village or local school district to include in its open enrollment policy an exception for military children. No witnesses were present to testify. The committee unanimously passed SB 208.

The committee also heard SB 112, sponsored by Sen. Michael Rulli (R-Salem). This bill would require school buildings to comply with safety standards. No witnesses were present to testify. The committee adopted a substitute version of the bill that includes the following changes:

  • Requires protective door assemblies installed in 2015 or later to comply with National Fire Protection Association 101 standards from 2015, or standards subsequently adopted by the Board of Building Standards.
  • Mandates that doors installed before 2015 comply with NFPA 101 standards in place at the time of installation.
  • Clarifies that both "serious" and "less significant" examples of noncompliance must be addressed by schools once they are notified.
  • Removes language requiring fines for noncompliance and instead requires inspectors to issue citations to schools if they fail to address an issue within 18 months.
  • Mandates that schools provide notice of their noncompliance on their websites until the issue has been resolved.
  • Assigns responsibility for enforcement to the State Fire Marshal's office. 

The committee heard interested party testimony on SB 219, sponsored by Sen. Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati). This bill would make changes to the educator licensure grade bands. The committee accepted a technical amendment. No witnesses were present to testify on the bill.

The committee heard sponsor testimony from Sen. Teresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) on SB 259. This bill would make changes regarding participation in interscholastic athletics for students subjected to harassment, intimidation, bullying or other offenses.

The committee held a hearing on HB 147, sponsored by Reps. Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) and Adam Miller (D-Columbus). This bill would make changes regarding teacher licensure revocation, teacher hiring practices and conduct unbecoming to the teaching profession. No witnesses were present to testify on the bill.

The committee heard opponent testimony on SB 205, sponsored by Sen. Terry Johnson (R-McDermott). This bill would require districts to provide annual, developmentally appropriate instruction on the harmful effects of drug use including marijuana. SB 205 also requires the Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW) to work with the Department of Addiction Services to develop a list of evidence-based curricula, materials, programs and instructional strategies. The bill would also require ODEW to conduct a survey on school district compliance with the required health curriculum. No witnesses were present to testify on the bill. 

Joint Committee on Property Tax Review and Reform
The Joint Committee met and heard public testimony. The committee is expected to compile their recommendations and issue a report in the coming months. 

House Primary and Secondary Education Committee
The committee heard interested party testimony on HB 432, sponsored by Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport). This bill would make changes regarding the teaching of career-technical education. The committee passed HB 432.

The committee heard proponent testimony on HB 407, sponsored by Reps. Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville) and Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati). This bill would:

  • Establish new reporting requirements for chartered nonpublic schools that enroll students participating in a general scholarship program (either the Ed Choice Scholarship Program or the Cleveland Scholarship Program);
  • Require public money held by a chartered nonpublic school that enrolls general scholarship students to be accounted for separately from other funds;
  • Require the Department of Education and Workforce to issue a state report card for qualifying chartered nonpublic schools that enroll general scholarship students and to report other specified student performance and family adjusted gross income data;
  • Eliminate exceptions that permit general scholarship students to take alternative assessments instead of state assessments and qualify for a high school diploma based on alternative assessments;
  • Establish or modify reporting requirements regarding the Ed Choice Scholarship Program for chartered nonpublic schools and ODEW;
  • Require each public and chartered nonpublic school to maintain student disciplinary records and to transmit a transfer student’s disciplinary record with the student’s school records upon request of the student’s new school. 

OSBA offered proponent testimony in partnership with the Ohio Association of Elementary School Administrators and the Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators. Other proponents included:

The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 440 from Reps. Fowler Arthur and Beth Lear (R-Galena). This bill would make changes regarding the provision of remote services for special needs scholarship recipients and credentialed professionals who provide services under the Jon Peterson Special Needs Scholarship. 

Senate Ways and Means Committee
The committee held a hearing on SB 186, sponsored by Sens. Bill Blessing (R-Colerain Township) and Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati). The bill would require payment of property taxes and assessments when a lot is split or transferred and prohibit tax-delinquent property owners from purchasing tax-foreclosed property. No witnesses were present to testify on the bill. The committee unanimously passed the bill.

The committee heard sponsor testimony on SB 242, sponsored by Sen. Sandra O’Brien (R-Rome). This bill would expand the charitable use property tax exemption.

Senate Select Committee on Housing
The committee held a hearing on SB 245, sponsored by Michele Reynolds (R-Canal Winchester) and Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus). This bill would revise the law governing eviction, real estate representation agreements, residential building code enforcement and real property transfers.

New bills introduced

  • House Concurrent Resolution 17, sponsored by Rep. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond), would express the General Assembly’s opposition to the United States Department of Education’s reinterpretation of Title IX. The resolution would also express support for the Attorney General’s legal challenge to the Department’s interpretation. 

Rules activity
The Department of Education and Workforce does not currently have any proposed rules open for public comment. 

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

Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 5/24/2024