Register now for State Legislative Conference!  

Registration is now open for the 2025 State Legislative Conference. Jointly sponsored by OSBA, BASA and OASBO, this event will be held on Tuesday, March 18 at the Athletic Club of Columbus from 8:00 am – 1:00 pm, with a legislative luncheon served at noon. Join us for a day of legislative panels on key education issues and the state budget, then meet with your Representative and Senator to share your local story. Click this link to register.  

House activity 

The House passed House Bill (HB) 43 sponsored by Representatives Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula) and David Thomas (R-Jefferson) with a vote of 91-6. HB 43 would waive minimum instructional hours for Ashtabula Lakeside High School due to extreme winter weather conditions this school year. The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration. 

House Education Committee  

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the committee heard invited testimony on HB 96, the House’s version of the FY26-27 state operating budget, from:  

  • Steve Dackin, director, Department of Education and Workforce  

The committee also heard public testimony on HB 96, from:  

  • Jennifer Hogue, director of legislative services, Ohio School Boards Association;   
  • Katie Johnson, executive director, Ohio Association of School Business Officials, with Jennifer Bruns, treasurer, St. Henry Consolidated Schools and Terrah Stacy, Springboro Community City Schools; 
  • Scott DiMauro, president, Ohio Education Association;  
  • Dr. Micheal Hanlon and Ryan Pendelton, Fair School Funding Workgroup; 
  • Kara Coates, board president, Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools;  
  • Randy Drewyor, treasurer, Perrysburg Exempted Village School District; 
  • Thomas Lowe, treasurer, Southwest Local Schools (Hamilton);  
  • Nicole Marshall, treasurer, Westerville City Schools;  
  • Todd R. Meyer, superintendent, and Timothy Ryan Jenkins, treasurer, Olentangy Local Schools;  
  • Jermaine Ferguson, board member, Marysville Exempted Village;  
  • Heather Weingart, board member, Shaker Heights City Schools;  
  • Lynn Mangan, board member, Loveland City Schools;  
  • Mike Broadwater, superintendent, Loveland City Schools; 
  • John Espy, treasurer, Loveland City School District; 
  • Lindsey Wyckoff, board member, North Canton City Schools; 
  • Malia Lewis, board president, Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District;  
  • TJ Cusick, treasurer, Worthington City Schools; 
  • Amanda Fontana, board member, New Philadelphia City;  
  • Jeffery T. Wise, superintendent, Pandora-Gilboa Local Schools;  
  • Kirk Koennecke, superintendent, Indian Hill Exempted Village;  and 
  • Vella King, board member, Hillsdale Local Schools.  

In committee, legislators have begun asking witnesses what unfunded mandates the General Assembly could remove to free up space in public schools’ budgets. OSBA is collecting responses to this question at this link. Please fill this out if you have specific recommendations. 

The House Education Committee will continue to hear public testimony on HB 96 next week, starting Tuesday, March 4 at 2:15 pm. Should you wish to participate, email your testimony and a witness slip to OHReducationcommittee@ohiohouse.gov by 2:15 pm on Monday, March 3. 

Senate Energy Committee  

The committee held its third hearing on Senate Bill (SB) 2, sponsored by Senator Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin). The bill makes changes to the competitive retail electric service law and makes changes regarding electric company property taxation. The committee heard opposition testimony and adopted a substitute version of the bill, which, among other things, would reduce the Tangible Personal Property tax to 25% on new transmission, distribution and pipeline infrastructure.  

Senate Ways and Means Committee  

The committee held its second hearing on SB 66, sponsored by Sens. Sandra O’Brien (R-Ashtabula) and George Lang (R-West Chester). SB 66 would include emergency levies, substitute levies, all inside millage and school district income taxes in the calculation of a school district's effective millage floor. The committee heard proponent testimony on the bill.  

Senate Finance Committee 

The committee held its second hearing on SB 68, sponsored by Sen. Mark Romanchuk (R-Ontario). This bill would establish a Nonchartered Educational Savings Program at the State Treasury and ODEW and allocate $51 million to the program in FY27. The committee heard proponent testimony on the bill.  

Senate General Government 

The committee held its first hearing on SB 107 with Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware) providing sponsor testimony. SB 107 would require state and school district board members to appear on the ballot with a party designation. The committee adopted a substitute version of the bill, which:  

  • Requires candidates to participate in the partisan primary process, and 
  • Requires school board ballot vacancies to follow the processes established in other partisan races.  

Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee 

The committee heard sponsor testimony from Sen. Steve Huffman (R-Tipp City) on SB 8. This bill would prohibit a public employer from providing paid leave or compensation for a public employee to engage in certain union activities. 

Senate Local Government Committee  

The committee held its third hearing on SB 29, sponsored by Sens. Louis W. Blessing, III (R-Colerain Twp.) and Catherine Ingram (D-Cincinnati). This bill would allow two or more municipalities to create a joint economic development district without involving a township. No witnesses were present to testify.  

House Children and Human Services Committee  

The committee heard invited testimony on HB 96, the House’s version of the FY26-27 state operating budget, from:  

  • Kara Wente, director, Department of Children and Youth. 

House Ways and Means 

The committee held its first hearing on HB 28, with Reps. Adam Matthews (R-Lebanon) and Thomas Hall (R-Madison Twp.) providing sponsor testimony. HB 28 would eliminate the authority to levy replacement property tax levies. 

The committee also held its first hearing on HB 40, with Reps. Tracy M. Richardson (R-Marysville) and Micheal D. Dovilla (R-Berea) providing sponsor testimony. HB 40 would increase the enhanced homestead exemption for certain disabled veterans. 

House Energy Committee  

The committee held its third hearing on HB 15, sponsored by Rep. Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland). This bill makes changes to the competitive retail electric service law and makes changes regarding electric company property taxation. The committee heard interested party and opponent testimony on the bill, including testimony from:  

  • Cajon Keeton, treasurer, Benton Carrol Salem Local Schools; and  
  • Jack Webb, treasurer, Gallia County Local Schools.  

House Technology and Innovation Committee 

The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 78, sponsored by Reps. Joe Miller (D-Amherst) and Hall. The bill would authorize use of a digital driver's license or state ID card. The committee accepted an amendment that prohibited the digital license from being used for voting. 

The committee also held sponsor testimony on HB 18, sponsored by Rep. Steve Demetriou (R-Bainbridge Twp.), which would specify that the state retirement system boards are not prohibited from investing in exchange-traded products, among other provisions. 

New bills introduced  

  • SB 113 – Sponsored by Sen. Brenner, this bill would prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion in public schools. 
  • SB 116 – Sponsored by Sen. Lang, this bill would reduce the tangible personal property tax assessment rate for pipeline companies. 
  • SB 127 – Sponsored by Sen. Brenner, this bill would alter the closure requirements for poor-performing public schools. 
  • HB 117 – Sponsored by Reps. Richardson and Sean P. Brennan (D-Parma), this bill would require the Pledge of Allegiance in schools.  
  • HB 119 – Sponsored by Reps. Josh Williams (R- Sylvania Twp.) and Nick Santucci (R-Niles), this bill would enact the Graduation Readiness and Development (GRAD) Act regarding exit orientation programs at public high schools and designate September as "Workforce Development Month".  
  • HB 124 – Sponsored by Reps. Thomas and Hall, this bill would modify the process for property tax sales-assessment ratio studies.  
  • HB 125 – Sponsored by Reps. Hall and Rodney Creech (R-West Alexandria), this bill would permit excused absences from school to participate in 4-H and FFA programs. 
  • HB 127 – Sponsored by Reps. Mathews and Mike Odioso (R-Green Twp.), this bill would permit schools to withhold directory information and to remove directory information from the public record definition. 
  • HB 129 – Sponsored by Rep. Thomas, this bill would limit the ability of school districts to reallocate unvoted property tax millage and include certain property and school district income taxes in the calculation of a school district's effective millage floor. 

Rules activity  

The Department of Education and Workforce does not have any rules open for public comment at this time.  

The State Board of Education has the following draft rules open for public comment at this time: 

  • Chapter 3302-24: Licensing and Education Programs 
    • OAC 3302-24-22: Career-Technical Workforce Development Teaching Licenses  
    • OAC 3302-24-29: Temporary military duty license  
  • Chapter 3302-25: Educational Aide Permits  
    • OAC 3302-25-01: One-year educational aide permits  
    • OAC 3302-25-03: One-year student monitor educational aide permit  
    • OAC 3302-25-05: Four-year educational aide permit 
    • OAC 3302-25-08: Validity of educational aide permits 

Click here to view the SBOE rules open for public comment.  

Federal update 

Please click here to read the most recent Federal Advocacy Report which includes up-to-date information on federal education efforts.  

Posted by Malania Birney on 2/28/2025