Budget Bill - Final Push in the House 

The Ohio House Finance Committee is scheduled to hear testimony next week on March 11, 12, and 13 at 10:30 am in room 313. The legislature is planning an accelerated budget timeline this year, with amendments due March 14, a substitute bill expected April 1, an omnibus bill April 8, and House passage April 9.  

Legislators must hear from you next week! Please continue your advocacy with your communities. We have included resources to help below. In addition, consider testifying in House Finance Committee.  

  • Testimony Submission: 
    • Testimony must be submitted 24 hours in advance. Submit a PDF version of testimony and witness slip by 10:30 a.m. the day before the committee hearing, specifying whether your testimony is written or in-person. 
    • Submit Witness Slip and Testimony as PDFs to: OHRFinanceCommittee@ohiohouse.gov 
    • NOTE: If you cannot testify in person, please consider submitting written testimony by submitting the Witness Slip and your testimony. Just note on the Witness Slip that you are submitting written testimony and will not testify in person.  
  • Resources to Engage Your Community:  

House Education Committee  

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

  • Dr. Paul Imhoff, director of government affairs, Buckeye Association of School Administrators; 
  • Melissa Cropper, president, Ohio Federation of Teachers;  
  • Tony Podojil, executive director, Alliance for High Quality Education;  
  • Craig Buford, executive director, Ohio Educational Service Center Association;  
  • Dr. Howard Fleeter, research consultant, Ohio Education Policy Institute;  
  • Ben Cech, government relations specialist, Management Council of the Ohio Education Computer Network 
  • Christopher Edison, superintendent, Pymatuning Valley Local (Ashtabula) School District; 
  • Beth Wilson-Fish, board member, Orange City Schools and Ohio Association for Gifted Children board member;  
  • Tony Thomas, superintendent, and Ann Ferraro, treasurer, Northmont City Schools; 
  • Dr. Angela Chapman, superintendent, and Ryan Cook, treasurer, Columbus City Schools; 
  • Todd Albright, board member, Chardon Local (Geauga) Schools;  
  • Doug Hale, superintendent, Chesapeake Union Exempted Village Schools; 
  • John Spieser, superintendent, Milford Exempted Village Schools;  
  • Dave Hofer, board vice president, Springfield Local (Summit) Schools; 
  • Jocelyn Spencer Rhynard, board member, Dayton City Schools; 
  • Lynn Mangan, board vice president, Loveland City Schools;  
  • Stephanie Harless, board member, Worthington City Schools;  
  • Sally Green, board vice president, Tuscarawas Valley Local (Tuscarawas) Schools;  
  • Jeanne Pritchard, board member, Medina City Schools; 
  • Dr. David Glasner, superintendent, Shaker Heights City Schools; 
  • Dr. Phillip Neal Whitman, board member, Reynoldsburg City Schools;  
  • Dr. Dorothee Bouquet, board vice president, Yellow Springs Exempted Village Schools;  
  • Phillip Oko, treasurer, Garfield Heights City Schools;  
  • Shannon Cox, superintendent, Montgomery County Educational Service Center; 
  • Gabe Crenshaw, board member, Cleveland Heights University Heights City Schools; 
  • Dr. Wendy Strickler, board member, Forest Hills Local (Hamilton) Schools; and 
  • Emily Chesnut, board member, Milford Exempted Village Schools. 

Senate Education Committee  

The committee heard a presentation on department priorities and school transportation from Director Steve Dackin and Jennifer Stump, chief of policy and legislative affairs, of the Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW).  

The committee held its first hearing on SB 113, with Senator Andrew Brenner (R-Delaware) providing sponsor testimony. This bill would prohibit diversity, equity and inclusion in public schools. 

The committee held its second hearing on SB 34, sponsored by Senator Terry Johnson (R-McDermott). This bill would require public school boards to select at least one of the bill's listed historical educational documents to display in each classroom by July 1, 2026. The committee heard proponent testimony on the bill. 

Senate Energy Committee  

The committee held its fourth 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 adopted a substitute version of the bill that, among other things, would permit the Ohio Air Quality Development Authority Track to establish a Solar Fund for Schools loan program to fund solar panel installations on schools using remaining dollars from solar subsidies established in 2019. The committee heard proponent, opponent and interested party testimony on the bill.  

Senate Ways and Means Committee  

The committee held its third 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 opponent testimony on the bill, including from: 

  • Dr. Paul Imhoff, Buckeye Association of School Administrators, and Nicole Piscitanti, Ohio School Boards Association; 
  • Katie Johnson, executive director, Ohio Association of School Business Officials; and 
  • Melissa Cropper, president, Ohio Federation of Teachers.  

Senate Public Utilities Committee  

The committee held its first hearing on SB 103, with Sen. Shane Wilkin (R-Hillsboro) providing sponsor testimony. This bill would allow for alternative rate plans for natural gas companies to serve large load customers and make changes to the process of valuating natural gas company property. 

Senate Judiciary Committee  

The committee held its second hearing on SB 62, sponsored by Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green). SB 62 is the Senate’s version of the “School Bus Safety Act.” This bill would allow civil penalties for illegally passing a school bus if the driver cannot be identified. SB 62 directs fees and fines related to illegally passing a school bus to the bus safety grant fund at ODEW. Additionally, the bill designates the month of August as "School Bus Safety Awareness Month." 

House Local Government Committee  

The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 113 from Representatives Adam C. Bird (R-New Richmond) and Jonathan Newman (R-Troy). HB 113 would modify the law regarding annexation and require school district approval of residential community reinvestment area property tax exemptions. 

House Judiciary Committee  

The committee heard sponsor testimony on HB 79 from Reps. Joesph A. Miller (D-Amherst) and Bill Roemer (R-Richfield). This bill would increase the penalties for assault if the victim were acting as a sports official or the assault were committed in retaliation for the victim's actions as a sports official. 

The committee also heard sponsor testimony on HB 88 – Sponsored by Reps. Cindy Abrams (R-Harrison) and Phil Plummer (R-Dayton), this bill would, among other things, require public schools to incorporate instruction on fentanyl awareness and abuse prevention for grades K-12 and require boards of education to designate one week of the school year as "fentanyl poisoning awareness week". 

House Ways and Means Committee  

The committee held its second hearing on HB 22, sponsored by Reps. Brian Lorenz (R-Powell) and David Thomas (R-Jefferson). This bill would authorize a full homestead exemption for surviving spouses of members of the uniformed services killed in the line of duty. 

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

The committee held its second hearing on HB 40, sponsored by Reps. Tracy M. Richardson (R-Marysville) and Micheal D. Dovilla (R-Berea). HB 40 would increase the enhanced homestead exemption for certain disabled veterans. 

New bills introduced  

  • HB 142 – Sponsored by Reps. Micheal D. Dovilla (R-Berea) and Tex Fischer (R-Boardman), this House companion bill to SB 103 would allow for alternative rate plans for natural gas companies to serve large load customers and to make changes to the process of valuating natural gas company property. 
  • HB 143 – Sponsored by Reps. Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) and Sean P. Brennan (D-Parma), this bill would authorize an enhanced property tax homestead exemption for certain long-term homeowners. 
  • HB 145 -- Sponsored by Rep. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond), this bill would raise the minimum number of school hours.  
  • HB 150 – Sponsored by Reps. Erika White (D-Springfield Township) and Lauren McNally (D-Youngstown), this bill would enact the Clock Out Kids Act to require school employees to report certain minor labor law violations, increase penalties for certain minor labor law violations, create the Minor Labor Law Enforcement Fund and appropriate $150,000 to the fund.  
  • HB 153 -- Sponsored by Reps. Beth Lear (R-Galena) and Hall, this bill would require state and school district board members to be nominated by primary election and to appear on the ballot with a party designation. 
  • HB 154 – Sponsored by Reps. Thomas and Chris Glassburn (D-North Olmsted), this bill would require school district approval of residential community reinvestment area property tax exemptions. 
  • HB 155 – Sponsored by Reps. Lear and Josh Williams (R-Sylvania Twp.), this bill would prohibit diversity, equity, and inclusion in public schools. 
  • HB 156 -- Sponsored by Reps. Hall and Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati), this bill would authorize a property tax freeze for certain owner-occupied homes. 

Rules activity  

The Department of Education and Workforce has the following draft rules open for public comment at this time:  

  • Chapter 3301-11: Educational Choice Scholarship Program 
    • OAC 3301-11-01: Definitions 
    • OAC 3301-11-04: Eligibility for program participation 
    • OAC 3301-11-05: Application for program participation 
    • OAC 3301-11-07: Awarding scholarships 
    • OAC 3301-11-09: Termination of eligibility 
    • OAC 3301-11-10: Payment of scholarship amounts 
    • OAC 3301-11-11: Participation by chartered nonpublic schools 

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

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.  Click here to read the most recent Federal Court Report. 

Posted by Malania Birney on 3/7/2025