Week In Review 11-25-24

Week in Review > Week In Review 11-25-24

Posted by Buckeye Association of School Administrators on November 25th, 2024

BALLOT ISSUES

The Ohio Ballot Board unanimously certified the “Ohio Voters Bill of Rights” as a single issue during its meeting on Monday. Secretary of State Frank LaRose questioned the merits of the proposal during the hearing and said he thought it included three “broad subject areas,” but ultimately moved to approve the constitutional amendment as a single issue. Jyoti Jasrasaria, an attorney with Elias Law Group, provided testimony in support of the amendment. Attorney General Dave Yost previously rejected the amendment based on its title, but the Ohio Supreme Court found the AG does not have the authority to review the title of proposed ballot initiatives.

CHILDREN/FAMILIES

Many indicators in The Columbus Foundation’s “Community Benchmarking Report” show that the mid-Ohio region is trending in the right direction overall, but leaders discussing the report at the Columbus Metropolitan Club (CMC) on Wednesday agreed the region can’t be satisfied to rest on its laurels while still facing issues like infant mortality, public health and racial gaps as the region continues to grow. “We can’t give up on any of this stuff, and we can’t get discouraged, even though it’s hard,” said Matt Martin, director of community research at The Columbus Foundation.

ECONOMY

The Ohio Council of Retail Merchants (OCRM) released its annual holiday spending forecast in a virtual press conference Thursday, with $30.4 billion expected for this year’s season. That would represent a 1.1 percent increase over 2023. Increases are expected in all nine of the state’s major metro areas as well. The University of Cincinnati (UC) Economics Center prepared the report, and the center’s Executive Director Brad Evans detailed its findings. OCRM President and CEO Gordon Gough also said the forecast shows growing confidence in the economy and the benefits of post-pandemic economic recovery.

EDUCATION

Witnesses on both sides of the issue packed the hearing room Tuesday for a Senate Education Committee meeting on whether schools should be required to adopt policies allowing students to be released for a portion of the school day for religious instruction like that offered by LifeWise Academy. The day’s hearing included testimony from all comers on SB293 (Reynolds), which would make religious release time policies a requirement for Ohio school districts rather than an option. Hundreds of people signed up to speak or submitted written remarks. Westerville City Schools recently rescinded its release time policy and Worthington is reconsidering its policy.

The Ohio Department of Development (DOD) is awarding $300,000 to five organizations to develop educational programs and curriculum in K-12 schools around energy efficiency and renewable energy, according to the department. “Our responsibility to create a more sustainable future starts with ensuring our young people understand the importance of investing in renewable energy,” said Lydia Mihalik, DOD director. “The students who benefit from this curriculum today will be the ones who help create a better Ohio tomorrow.”

Changes to new reporting and academic requirements for private schools were not enough to win over school choice groups Wednesday in the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee. The committee adopted a substitute version of HB407 (Manning-Seitz). Rep. Sarah Fowler Arthur (R-Ashtabula), vice chair of the committee, said the new version drops a requirement for scholarship students to take state and national assessments and comply with state graduation requirements, as well as a requirement to report family income of funding recipients from scholarship granting organizations (SGOs), among other changes. Multiple representatives of private school organizations said they appreciated the changes but maintained concerns about HB407. Some testified as interested parties, others as outright opponents.

A charter school on the West side of Columbus filed this week what it hopes will be a class action lawsuit against Columbus City Schools over the ongoing dispute on whether the district is wrongly refusing to bus students to charter and private schools. The district already faces litigation from Attorney General Dave Yost and from private schools in two Ohio Supreme Court cases. On Tuesday, Franklinton High School filed a lawsuit in Franklin County Common Pleas Court, alleging that at least 10 students have left the school over the loss of busing, and prospective families have declined to enroll because of the lack of transportation. The school estimates it gets about $10,000 in funding per student, meaning the accumulation of funding losses over high school careers could stretch into the millions, the complaint argues.

ELECTIONS 2024

Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced Tuesday that the formal convening of Ohio’s 56th Electoral College will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, in the Senate Chamber of the Ohio Statehouse. At the ceremony, Ohio will cast its 17 electoral votes for Donald Trump as president and JD Vance as vice president of the United States, with the electoral votes representing each of Ohio congressional districts and two U.S. Senate seats.

Final election results affirmed U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur’s (D-Toledo) re-election victory over Rep. Derek Merrin (R-Maumee), with a margin that fell just outside the threshold for an automatic recount.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY/STATEHOUSE

Rep. Allison Russo (R-Upper Arlington) will keep her position as House minority leader next year, House Democrats decided in a Tuesday gathering where they also affirmed support for her and three other caucus leaders. Returning alongside Russo will be Rep. Dontavius Jarrells (D-Columbus) as assistant minority leader, Rep. Dani Isaacsohn (D-Cincinnati) as minority whip and Rep. Michele Grim (D-Toledo) as assistant minority whip. The votes were unanimous, according to a statement from the caucus.

The Joint Sunset Review Committee Tuesday adopted its report, which was drafted in bill format. Chair Sen. Shane Wilkin (R-Hillsboro) said 31 entities will be sunset, including 16 which requested that. The list of abolished entities includes the following:

– Agricultural Commodity Marketing Programs, Coordinating Committee.

– Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Dementias Task Force.

– Child Care Advisory Council.

– Committee to Assist the State Fire Marshal in Adopting Fireworks Rules.

– Director of Health’s Advisory Group on Violent Deaths.

– Electrical Safety Inspector Advisory Committee.

– Engineering Experiment Station Advisory Committee.

– Federally Subsidized Housing Study Committee.

– Governor’s Residence Advisory Commission.

– Hemp Marketing Program Operating Committee.

– Infant Hearing Screening Subcommittee.

– Joint Legislative Study Committee Regarding Career Pathways and Post-secondary Workforce Training Programs in Ohio.

– Joint Legislative Task Force to Examine Transportation of Community School and Nonpublic School Students.

– Land Use Advisory Committee to the President of Ohio University.

– Law Enforcement Training Funding Study Committee.

– Legislative Committee on Public Health Futures.

– Ohio Aerospace and Aviation Technology Committee.

– Ohio Business Gateway Steering Committee.

– Ohio Children’s Behavioral Health Prevention Network Stakeholder Group.

– Ohio Fire Code Rule Recommendation Committee.

– Ohio Health Reinsurance Program Board of Directors.

– Ohio Physician and Allied Health Care Workforce Preparation Task Force.

– Ohio Private Investigation and Security Services Commission.

– Performance Indicators for Children’s Hospitals Study Committee.

– Public Assistance Benefits Accountability Task Force.

– Select Committee on Sports Gaming and Problem Gambling.

– State Report Card Study Committee.

– Study Commission on the Future of Gaming in Ohio.

– Study Committee Regarding Students Retaking Grade 12.

– Supervisory Investigative Panel of the State Dental Board.

– Task Force to Evaluate Current Operational Structures and Procedures at Wright State University’s Lake Campus.

– Unemployment Compensation Advisory Council.

– Unemployment Compensation Modernization Improvement Council.

Rep. Elliot Forhan (D-South Euclid) has filed a lawsuit in the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court and the Ohio Court of Claims against House Minority Leader Allison Russo, House Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill), and others, arguing that they performed “a political hit job” against him “to achieve benefits for their political campaign objectives.” Forhan, who lost his re-election bid in a primary earlier this year, was removed from committee assignments and “disallowed caucus staff services” last year by Russo, who cited a “pattern of harassment, hostility, and intimidation of colleagues.” Stephens later asked Attorney General Dave Yost, also a named defendant in Forhan’s lawsuit, to investigate the allegations against Forhan. Forhan has also feuded with Rep. Juanita Brent (D-Cleveland), who filed for a protection order against him, citing social media posts and other behavior. Brent is also a named defendant in the legal action, along with former House Minority Chief of Staff Jordan Plottner.

Incoming and re-elected House Republicans chose Senate President Matt Huffman (R-Lima) as their candidate for House speaker in the 136th General Assembly at a Wednesday night caucus gathering. Rep. Tim Barhorst (R-Fort Loramie), who’d announced a bid for the role earlier in the week, ultimately was not nominated, leading to Huffman’s win by acclamation. Huffman expanded the incoming leadership team, which he said would help improve communication among caucus members. The rest of the team is as follows:

– Rep. Gayle Manning (R-North Ridgeville) as speaker pro tempore

– Rep. Phil Plummer (R-Dayton) as assistant speaker pro tempore

– Rep. Marilyn John (R-Shelby) as majority floor leader

– Rep. Adam Bird (R-New Richmond) as assistant majority floor leader

– Reps. Riordan McClain (R-Upper Sandusky), Steve Demetriou (R-Chagrin Falls), Nick Santucci (R-Niles) and Josh Williams (R-Oregon) as majority whips.

Republican senators chose Sen. Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) as president for the next General Assembly, with Sen. Bill Reineke (R-Tiffin) to serve as president pro tempore, Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Grene) as majority floor leader and Sen. George Lang (R-West Chester) as whip.

Senate Democrats re-elected Sen. Nickie Antonio (D-Lakewood) as minority leader of for next year, also returning Sen. Hearcel Craig (D-Columbus) as assistant minority leader and Sen. Kent Smith (D-Euclid) as minority whip. Sen.-elect Beth Liston (D-Dublin) joins the team as assistant minority whip.

Wednesday’s Senate session included approval of SJR4 (Chavez-Craig), which would authorize $2.5 billion in borrowing to continue the Ohio Public Works Commission’s State Capital Improvement Program, which funds local infrastructure projects around the state; HB5 (Ray-Baker), which would modernize adoption laws; HB70 (Fowler-Gross), which requires schools to develop policies on over-the-counter drugs; HB107 (Patton), a road naming bill; and SB207 (Kunze-Craig), which designates Sept. 19 as “Stillbirth Prevention Day.”

The House Finance Committee Wednesday unanimously approved legislation after one hearing that would provide $10 million in drought relief funds for areas hit hard over the summer. Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport), a primary co-sponsor of HB683 (Jones-Edwards), said he fears that $10 million will not be enough, but he tried to ask for the lowest amount possible in respect for state revenues. “The drought is an ongoing issue that will not be fixed over the winter. Hay fields will need to be reseeded and hay yields will be down significantly next year. By doing this bill now, we can provide immediate relief to farmers as they prepare to ramp up for next season,” he said.

In other legislative action, the House Economic and Workforce Development Committee reported out SB155 (Romanchuk) which removes the mandate to build an interstate interchange in Brunswick; the House Transportation Committee reported out HB279 (Willis), the “School Bus Safety Act”; and naming bills HB641 (Williams-Rogers), HB648 (Lorenz-Lear), HB562 (Swearingen), HB664 (Ray) and HB673 (Schmidt); the Senate Government Oversight Committee reported out SB210 (Sykes-Reynolds) to designate “Ohio Black Media Week”; House Behavioral Health Committee reported out HB571 (White), requiring schools and colleges to publicize the national suicide and crisis prevention hotline; House Insurance Committee reported out HB382 (Brown), regarding prescription drug readers for visually impaired patients; House Public Health Policy Committee reported out HB602 (Fowler-McClain), to exempt home education groups from child care and zoning regulations; and HB89, regarding intimate examinations of anesthetized patients; House State and Local Government Committee reported out HB426 (Peterson-Klopfenstein), to designate the first week of October as “Stormwater Awareness Week”; Senate Insurance Committee reported out HB78 (Seitz-J. Miller), regarding the State Teachers Retirement System board; and Senate Transportation Committee reported out SB178 (Wilson), regarding stationary vehicles.

HIGHER EDUCATION

Institutions of higher education in Ohio are now allowed to directly compensate college athletes for use of their name, image and likeness (NIL), Gov. Mike DeWine wrote in an executive order Monday. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and several athletic conferences have entered into a proposed settlement agreement that would allow colleges and universities to provide direct compensation to student-athletes for NIL The executive order can be viewed HERE. In addition, further name, image and likeness (NIL) legislation is necessary to ensure Ohio colleges and universities can keep up with other top sports institutions across the country, the sponsors of HB660 (Edwards-Mathews) and HB687 (Stewart) told the House Civil Justice Committee on Tuesday. Reps. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville) and Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) said the bill would mostly codify DeWine’s executive order allowing Ohio institutions of higher education to directly pay college athletes for use of their NIL.

The Ohio State University Police Division (OSUPD) recently named Dennis Jeffrey campus chief of police. Jeffrey replaces Kimberly Spears-McNatt who retired from the role in August 2024. Jeffrey has served as a deputy chief for OSUPD since 2022. Prior to joining OSUPD, Jeffrey served 27 years at the Columbus Division of Police.

A former Youngstown State University (YSU) graduate left a $2.3 million estate gift to establish a scholarship in her memory. The Bessie K. Veck Scholarship will provide over $80,000 annually to support students. According to the university, recipients of the scholarship can be undergraduate or graduate students who are enrolled part-time or full-time with a minimum 2.5 GPA. Owing to Veck’s long career as a teacher, at least one recipient each year will be a student pursuing a career in education.

Public universities and colleges in Ohio would not be allowed to ask applicants seeking admission or employment their preferred pronouns under legislation considered Wednesday in the House Higher Education Committee. Rep. Gail Pavliga (R-Atwater), sponsor of HB86, said pronoun information provides no indication of readiness to study or work at a college, but could be used for ideological screening.

MENTAL HEALTH

A group of lawmakers and members of the Ohio Perinatal Task Force Tuesday afternoon called for the General Assembly to pass a resolution to raise awareness for the mental health struggles of expecting and new mothers. The group said passage of HCR16 (Somani-Ray) is the first step to address the issue, with lawmakers stating their intention to seek funding for programs in the next biennium. Rep. Anita Somani (D-Dublin), one of HCR16’s sponsors, said she has seen the effect of mental health issues on pregnancy in her practice. She said the time from the beginning of pregnancy through a child’s first birthday can bring rapid changes and mental health challenges for women, saying about 75 percent do not receive adequate treatment.

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) announced recently that eligible graduates of the Great Minds Fellowship program are able to receive up to $10,000 in bonuses in an effort to bolster recruitment and retention in the behavioral health field across the state. Applications are open now. Under the new initiative, eligible Great Minds Fellowship program graduates will receive the following:

– $5,000 sign-on bonus upon accepting a position at an OhioMHAS-licensed community behavioral health center.

– An additional $5,000 bonus after completing one year of employment at a community behavioral health center.

PENSIONS

The State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) provided Hannah News additional information on Aaron Hood who the Board of Trustees selected Thursday, Nov. 14 to serve as the pension’s interim executive director as the search for a permanent executive director continues. Hood succeeds Lynn Hoover who is retiring effective Dec. 1. He began Monday, Nov. 18. Hood is currently a finance senior fellow at the United States Military Academy at West Point. Previously, he served as the interim CFO and director of Emerge Energy Services/Superior Silica Sands in Texas. He also worked as the executive vice president and CFO of Summit Carbon Solutions in Iowa.

The House Pensions Committee voted 12-3 Tuesday to recommend legislation that would gradually increase the contributions local governments provide toward the retirement benefits for first responders in the Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund (OP&F) after adopting a sub version of HB296 (Abrams-Hall). Local governments argued for the committee to hold off on the vote to allow more time for negotiations, arguing that increasing their pension obligations could be counterproductive by impeding efforts to hire more first responders and pay them higher wages — efforts that also put more money into the system. The sub bill added a very small increase in employees’ contribution rates, from 12.25 percent to 12.5 percent starting in 2030, while spreading out the employer increases over six years instead of four.