Board members: Register now for the Board Leadership Institute
The virtual Board Leadership Institute - April 23-24 - offers two days of board governance training and networking.
The virtual Board Leadership Institute - April 23-24 - offers two days of board governance training and networking.
House activity
The House concurred in the Senate amendments to House Bill (HB) 98, which now goes to the governor for his signature. The bill deals with the presentation of career information to students, provides state funding to certain school districts with nuclear power plants in their territories, revises career-technical education teacher licenses and provides for payments to licensed career-technical education teachers who do not have a bachelor’s degree.
On March 7, a Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals panel held that employers cannot discriminate against employees based on their transgender or transitioning status, notwithstanding the employer’s sincere religious objections.
House Education and Career Readiness Committee
The committee passed House Bill (HB) 360, which deals with suspension and expulsion policies for incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying. Prior to passage, the committee adopted an amendment that would permit a district to impose measures it deems appropriate during a student’s suspension or expulsion and would exempt private schools from the bill’s provisions.
Earlier today, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine released an updated version of Ohio Sunshine Laws: An Open Government Resource Manual, which is commonly referred to as the “Yellow Book.” The manual includes information about Ohio’s Public Records Act and Open Meetings Act (collectively referred to as the Sunshine Laws) and includes recent updates.
House activity
The House of Representatives passed House Bill (HB) 87 by a vote of 94-2. Sponsored by Rep. Kristina Roegner (R-Hudson), the bill requires funds that are returned to the state due to a community school enrollment audit to be credited back to the applicable school districts.
In the wake of 17 deaths in the shooting at Marjory Stoneham Douglas High School on Feb. 14, students across the country are organizing public statements, letters to the editor and planned walkouts to protest what students perceive as a lack of effective response by leaders.
House activity
The House of Representatives informally passed House Bill (HB) 371, sponsored by Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Monclova Township). This means that the bill was not voted on and, instead, is placed on the House calendar for a potential vote at a later date. The bill would exempt from property tax the increased value of unimproved land that has been subdivided for residential development until construction begins or the land is sold.
On Monday, Feb. 26, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Janus v.