General Assembly activity
The General Assembly sent the following bills to the governor for his consideration:
• House Bill (HB) 291, which allows school districts, among others, to purchase an “employee dishonesty and faithful performance of duty policy” instead of individual surety bonds for officers, employees and appointees who are otherwise required to give a bond;
• HB 58, which requires the Ohio Department of Education to include supplemental instructional materials on handwriting in the English language arts model curriculum.
House activity
The House passed Senate Bill (SB) 21 by a vote of 56-28, which now goes to the Senate for a concurrence vote. The bill was amended in committee to include the provisions of HB 342, which 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.
Senate activity
The Senate passed HB 502 by a vote of 31-0. It now goes to the House for a concurrence vote. The bill requires certain public school employees to undergo biennial youth suicide awareness and prevention training.
Senate Ways and Means Committee
The committee passed HB 343, which limits the authority of boards of education to challenge property valuations. Prior to passage, the committee adopted a substitute version of the bill. Click here for a synopsis of the changes made by the committee.
House Government Accountability and Oversight Committee
The committee conducted sponsor testimony on HB 776, sponsored by Rep. Marlene Anielski (R-Walton Hills). The bill requires public schools and public universities to create training for staff and instruction for students on food allergies and allergic reaction assistance.