Governor activity
Gov. Mike DeWine met with public school district superintendents to provide information about the current data on children and COVID-19. Click here to watch the meeting. Additionally, click here to view an infographic and click here to read a letter from the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association.
Ohio Redistricting Commission
The Ohio Redistricting Commission voted to approve the General Assembly district maps by a vote of 5-2. The approved maps did not receive bipartisan support, which makes the approved maps effective for only four years. Click here to view the Ohio House of Representatives map and click here to view the Ohio Senate map.
Budget activity
The Legislative Service Commission published the Department of Education Greenbook, which is a detailed analysis of the enacted version of the current budget for K-12 education and is produced by the Legislative Budget Office. Click here for a link to the Greenbook.
Ohio Department of Education
The Ohio Department of Education provided information on how school districts can request COVID-19 test kits. Click here for the required spreadsheet. All fields in the spreadsheet need to be completed. Submit the spreadsheet to the State Testing Team at TestingRequests@odh.ohio.gov.
Senate Ways and Means Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on House Bill (HB) 126, sponsored by Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova Township), which requires school boards to pass a resolution approving a property valuation complaint or counter-complaint prior to filing that complaint and also send written notice to the property owner indicating intent to file a complaint or counter-complaint.
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 140, also sponsored by Merrin, which would modify the form of election notices and ballot language for property tax levies.
Senate Health Committee
The committee held sponsor testimony on HB 122, sponsored by Reps. Mark Fraizer (R-Newark) and Adam Holmes (R-Nashport), which would establish and modify requirements regarding the provision of telehealth services of school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, occupational assistants and physical therapy assistants, among others.
The committee amended Senate Bill 100, which would appropriate $70,000 in grants to each ESC to assist with hiring a licensed independent social worker and authorize a mental health professional to provide a crisis assessment to a suicidal minor without parental consent. The amendment specifies that, when making a good faith effort to contact a minor's parent, legal guardian, or custodian after conducting a crisis assessment without the knowledge or consent of that individual, a mental health professional must contact the individual by telephone, text message, or email using the emergency contact information on file for the minor.
United States Department of Education
The U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Miguel Cardona announced the Return to School Road Trip. Cardona will be in Toledo on Sept. 22 to discuss youth sports and extracurricular events. Click here for information on the road trip.
Posted by Nicole Piscitani on 9/17/2021