LEGISLATION
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Legislative Tracker
GUIDE FOR TALKING TO MEMBERS ABOUT STATE ISSUE 1
OHIO GENERAL ASSEMBLY | 135TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY • 1ST SESSION
Title | Summary | Bill No. | Position |
| To require 60% approval from voters to make changes to the state constitution | Proposing to amend Sections of the Constitution of the State of Ohio to require a vote of at least 60% of the electors to approve any constitutional amendment and to modify the procedures for an initiative petition proposing a constitutional amendment. Read LSC Analysis | S.J.R. 2 | Oppose |
| Revise Education Law and Department duties; rename the department | Renames the Department of Education as the Department of Education and Workforce Development (D.E.W.). Transfers most of the powers and duties of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction to the Department of Education and Workforce (DEW). Read LSC Analysis | S.B. 1 | Oppose |
| Modify the film and theater tax credit | To amend and enact sections of the Revised Code to modify the film and theater tax credit and to authorize a tax credit for capital improvement projects relating to the film and theater industries. | S.B. 4 | Watch |
| Establish the Workforce Voucher Program | Establishes the Workforce Voucher Program, requiring the Director of Development to award vouchers to students at public and private institutions of higher education seeking degrees, certifications, or licenses for in-demand jobs. Read LSC Analysis | S.B. 5 | Watch |
| Enact the Parent Educational Freedom Act | Expands eligibility for Educational Choice scholarships to all students; ceases operation of the Pilot Project (Cleveland) Scholarship Program; increases the amount of homeschooling expenses that a taxpayer can claim as an income tax credit each from, from $250 to $2000. HB 11 is the companion bill. Read LSC Analysis | S.B. 11 | Oppose |
| Expand veteran eligibility to teach without a license | Permits a school district, community school, or STEM school to employ an eligible veteran who does not hold an educator license as a teacher; establishes related service, educational, registration, and mentorship requirements that a veteran must meet in order to be employed as a teacher. Read LSC Analysis | S.B. 14 | Watch |
| Allow person under 16 to work after 7 p.m. during the school year | To amend the Ohio Revised Code to allow a person under sixteen years of age to be employed after 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. during the school year and to require a parent or guardian to sign a work hour notification form for a minor to receive an age and schooling certificate. Read LSC Analysis | S.B. 30 | Watch |
| Prohibit public employer granting paid leave-certain activities | To enact section 4117.091 of the Revised Code to prohibit a public employer from providing paid leave or compensation for a public employee to engage in certain union activities. Analysis Unavailable | S.B. 47 | Oppose |
| Enact Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act | To amend and enact sections of the Revised Code to enact the Ohio Higher Education Enhancement Act regarding the operation of state institutions of higher education. Includes language that would prohibit "employees of any state institution of higher education" from going on strike. Read LSC Analysis | S.B. 83 | Oppose |
| Expand offense of aggravated menacing for utility workers | To amend section 2903.21 of the Revised Code to expand the offense of aggravated menacing to prohibit threatening a utility worker, cable operator worker, or broadband worker with intent to obstruct the operation of a utility. | S.B. 88 | Support |
| Revise Ohio's Unemployment Compensation Law | To amend and enact sections of the Revised Code to make changes to Ohio's Unemployment Compensation Law. | S.B. 116 | Oppose |
| To require 60% approval from voters to make changes to the state constitution | Proposing to amend Sections of the Constitution of the State of Ohio to require a vote of at least 60% of the electors to approve any constitutional amendment and to modify the procedures for an initiative petition proposing a constitutional amendment. Read LSC Analysis | H.J.R. 1 | Oppose |
| Modify the law regarding property taxation and income tax rates | To amend and repeal sections of the Ohio Revised Code to modify the law regarding property taxation and income tax rates. Read LSC Analysis | H.B. 1 | Oppose |
| Continue phasing-in the school financing system | To express the intent of the General Assembly to 1 continue phasing in the school financing system 2 established in H.B. 110 of the 134th General 3 Assembly and, if practicable, fully phase it in. Read LSC Analysis | H.B. 10 | Support |
| Establish the Backpack Scholarship Program | To amend the Ohio Revised Code to establish the Backpack Scholarship Program to begin operating for the 2023-2024 school year, to repeal the Educational Choice Scholarship Pilot Program and the Pilot Project Scholarship Program on July 1, 2024, and to make an appropriation. SB 11 is the companion bill. Read LSC Analysis | H.B. 11 | Oppose |
| Establishes operating appropriations for fiscal years 2024-2025 | Improves the Fair School Funding Formula. Increases funding for students with disabilities. Also expands the income based EdChoice voucher program by raising eligibility from the current 250% of poverty level to 450%. Read LSC Analysis | H.B. 33 | Watch |
| Reverse H.B. 509/134th GA changes to EMS training, continuing ed | To amend the Ohio Revised Code to restore law related to emergency medical services training and continuing education programs and EMS and fire instructor certification, and to amend the versions of the Revised Code that are scheduled to take effect on December 29, 2023, to continue the changes on and after that date, and to declare an emergency. Read LSC Analysis | H.B. 52 | Support |
US CONGRESS | 118TH CONGRESS • FIRST SESSION
Title | Summary | Bill No. | Position |
| Social Security Fairness Act | The bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from state or local government. Government Pension Offset (GPO)/Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) | H.R. 82/S.B. 597 | Support |
| Pandemic is Over Act | Terminates the public health emergency declared with respect to COVID-19. Read Full Analysis | H.R. 382 | Oppose |
| FAIR Act | To increase the rate of pay under the statutory pay systems and for prevailing rate employees by 8.7 percent, and for other purposes. | H.R. 536/S.B. 124 | Support |
| Richard L. Trumka Protecting the Rights to Organize Act of 2023 | To expand various labor protections related to employees' rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace. | S. 567/H.R. 20 | Support |
LOCAL
Title | Summary | Bill No. | Position |
| Pertaining to Community Benefit Agreements | To supplement the Codified Ordinances of Cleveland, Ohio, 1976, by enacting new Chapter 191A, Sections 191A.01 through 191A.07, related to Community Benefits Agreements. [Read the Ordinance] | CLEVELAND: Ord. No. 297-2023 | Watch |
SCOTUS WATCH
Case | Summary | Status |
| Glacier Northwest, Inc., v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters | A case on whether employers can sue unions for damage to property caused during strike action. Supreme Court ruled against the unions 8-1. | 6/1/23 |
OTHER
| Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless; Ohio Federation of Teachers; Ohio Alliance for Retired Americans; and Union Veterans Council v. Frank LaRose (HB 458 PHOTO IDENTIFICATION LAW) Case #: 1:23-cv-26 Notes: Filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of Ohio Eastern Division. The Plaintiffs believe that House Bill 458 will severely restrict Ohioan’s access to the polls – particularly those voters who are young, elderly, and black, as well as those serving in the military and others living abroad. The law imposes one of the most stringent photo-identification requirements in the country (eliminates ability to provide bank statements, utility bills, government checks, paychecks, and other government documents as acceptable forms of identification when voting in person); significantly advances the deadline during which voters must provide the documents or information necessary to ensure that their provisional ballots or rejected ballots are counted; and significantly advances the deadlines by which voters must submit applications for mailed absentee-voter ballots. • Read the Complaint |
UNION LEADER RESOURCES
HB 458 Legislative Fact Sheet (voter photo I.D.U.S. law, Effective 4/7/23)
HB 458 Final Analysis (Ohio Legislative Service Commission)
HR 1065 Legislative Fact Sheet (Pregnant Worker Fairness Act, Effective 6/27/23)
UPDATED 6/8/2023