Education

Ohio S.B. 98, 127th General Assembly - Autism Diagnosis Education Program
Introduced by Senator J. Kirk Schuring (R), District 29

Senate sponsors are: Schuring, Padgett, Gardner, Spada, Clancy, Boccieri, Kearny,
Miller, D., Miller, R., Goodman

Summary: To enact section 3701.135 to create Autism Diagnosis Education Pilot Program and to provide funding for the Pilot Program by making an appropriation for the biennium beginning on July 1, 2007.

Date Introduced: 3/6/07
Committee Assigned: Finance and Financial Institutions, Chair: John Carey (R)

Ohio Am. Sub. S.B. 311, 126th General Assembly - Ohio Core Curriculum and Parental Involvement
(As Passed by the General Assembly)
Sens. Gardner, Padgett, Harris, Clancy, Mumper, Jacobson, Cates, Goodman, Niehaus
Reps. Webster, Blessing, Combs, D. Evans, Martin, Schlichter, Setzer

Summary: Establishes the Ohio Core curriculum of 20 specified units of study as the minimum curriculum required for high school graduation from all school districts, community schools, and chartered nonpublic schools, beginning with the Class of 2014.

The act applies the requirement to adopt a parental involvement policy to community schools.  It also directs the State Board of Education to adopt recommendations for the development of parental involvement policies by districts and schools.  The State Board must consult with the National Center for Parents at the University of Toledo in developing its recommendations.

Signed into law by Gov. Ted Strickland on April 4, 2007. View bill as signed into law.

Ohio H.B. 341, 127th General Assembly - Healthy Farms and Healthy Schools Grant Program
Introduced by Representative Dodd (D), District 91; Co-Sponsors: Dyer, Barrett, Goyal, Domenick, Seitz, Heard, Fende, Sayre, Book, Harwood, Celeste, Okey, Williams, B., Strahorn, Luckie, and Bolon

Creates the Healthy Farms and Healthy Schools Grant Program, to be administered by the Director of Agriculture, to provide grants to public and private schools with kindergarten programs to educate kindergarten students and their families about choosing healthy, locally grown or produced foods and to increase awareness of Ohio agriculture. 

Date Introduced: 10/3/07
Committee Assigned: Education, Chair: Arlene Setzer (R)

Federal H.R. 3419, 110th Congress - Reducing Barriers to Learning
 Introduced by Representative David Loebsack (D), Iowa, 2nd District

To establish an Office of Specialized Instructional Support Services in the Department of Education and to provide grants to State educational agencies to reduce barriers to learning.

Reducing Barriers to Learning Act of 2007 - Amends the Department of Education Organization Act to create an Office of Specialized Instructional Support Services within the Department of Education to improve specialized instructional support services in schools.

Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a Reduced Barriers to Learning program authorizing the Secretary of Education to award competitive matching grants to states to: (1) establish or expand specialized instructional support services and programs at the state level that are designed to provide technical assistance, coordination, and support to specialized instructional support services and programs that address barriers to learning within local educational agencies and individual schools; and (2) to hire and support specialized instructional support services coordinators to provide such assistance, coordination, and support.

Replaces pupil services and pupil services personnel with specialized instructional support services and specialized instructional support personnel.

Defines such services as those provided by school counselors, social workers, psychologists, and other qualified professionals that provide assessment, diagnosis, counseling, educational, therapeutic, and other necessary services as part of a comprehensive program to meet student needs.

Date introduced: 8/3/2007
Committe Assigned: House Committee on Education and Labor, Chair: George Miller (D),
California, 7th District
Referred to: Subcommitte on Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education
 on 9/19/2007

Ohio S.B. 331, 127th General Assembly - Evaluations of Community Schools and Community School Teachers
Introduced by Senator Tom Roberts (D), 5th District; Co-Sponsors: Fedor, Mason, Miller, D., Morano, Sawyer, Miller, R.

To require regular on-site evaluations of community schools, to require certain community school teachers to be "highly qualified," and to make other changes regarding public schools.

Annually the department of education shall report for each school district and each school building in a district all of the following:

• The extent to which the school district or building meets each of the applicable performance indicators created by the state board of education
• The performance index score of the school district or building
• Whether the school district or building has made adequate yearly progress
• Whether the school district or building is excellent, effective, needs continuous improvement, is under an academic watch, or is in a state of academic emergency

The department shall include on each report card the percentage of teachers in the district or building who are highly qualified, as defined by the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," and a comparison of that percentage with the percentages of such teachers in similar districts and buildings. The department shall include on the report card the number of master teachers employed by each district and each building once the data is available from the education management information system.

The department will also approve entities to be sponsors of community schools and monitor the effectiveness of those sponsors in their oversight of the schools with which they have contracted. By December thirty-first of each year, the department will issue a report to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the chairpersons of the house and senate committees principally responsible for education matters regarding the effectiveness of academic programs, operations, and legal compliance and of the financial condition of all community schools.

Date introduced: 5/6/2008

Ohio Sub. S.B. 273, 127th General Assembly - Classroom Facilities Assistance Funds
Introduced by Senator Niehaus (R), District 14; Co-Sponsors: Mumper, Buehrer, Amstutz, Padgett, Faber, Fedor, Harris, Roberts, Schaffer, Schuler, Seitz, Spada, Wilson, Grendell, Cafaro, Miller, R.

Requires the calculation of an alternate ranking of school districts for FY 2008, based on open enrollment net gain for the previous year, for purposes of determining school districts' eligibility for assistance under the Classroom Facilities Assistance Program (CFAP) and their local shares in FY 2009.

Requires the recalculation of the local share of a current project under CFAP for certain districts that had a net gain in open enrollment when they became eligible for assistance under the program.

Requires the calculation of an alternative ranking, based on a one-year adjusted valuation per pupil, for FY 2009 funding under CFAP and the Exceptional Needs School Facilities Assistance Program for certain districts with large one-year reductions in tax valuation.

Specifies the local share of new CFAP projects for school districts that previously received assistance under CFAP or the Exceptional Needs Program within the prior 20-year period.

Increases from 2% to 3% the percentage of classroom facilities appropriations in FY 2008 that may be used for assistance to joint vocational school districts.

Passed in the Senate on March 11, 2008. View bill as passed by the Senate. The Ohio House now begins debate on the bill and will pass its own budget before the two chambers present a version for Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

House Committee Assigned: Finance & Appropriations on 3/12/08, Chair: Representative Matthew Dolan (R), District 98.

Ohio H.B. 517, 127th General Assembly - Committee to Study per Pupil Cost for Public Education
 Introduced by Representative S. Williams (D), District 11

To enact section 3317.018 of the Revised Code to establish a committee to study the actual per pupil cost of educating students in public schools and make recommendations regarding the funding of public schools.

A committee to study the actual per pupil cost of educating students enrolled in the public schools of this state is hereby created. The committee shall examine evidence and take testimony as necessary to develop a method to determine the actual per pupil cost of educating public school students, including the variances in that cost among urban, suburban, and rural school districts and community schools and among regions of the state. The committee shall use that method to derive a per pupil cost figure for computing state aid to public schools. The committee shall report its findings in a written document, which shall be distributed to each member of the general assembly and to the governor not later than December 31, 2008.

Date introduced: 3/31/2008
House Committee Assigned: Finance & Appropriations on 4/2/08, Chair: Representative Matthew Dolan (R), District 98.

Ohio H.B. 519, 127th General Assembly - Require Parents to Volunteer in Schools
 Introduced by Representative S. Williams (D), District 11; Co-Sponsors: Dyer, Hagan, R., Szollosi, Boyd, Mallory, Luckie

To amend sections 109.57, 5733.01, 5733.98, and 5751.98 and to enact sections 124.1311, 3313.88, 3321.30, 5733.54, 5747.124, and 5751.54 of the Revised Code to require parents of students enrolled in school districts to perform volunteer service for the district, to grant state employees paid leave to participate in a child's educational activities, to allow a nonrefundable credit against the corporate franchise or commercial activity tax for employer-paid leave enabling employees to participate in school-related activities, and to require school districts to establish mentoring programs for students.

Each state employee shall be granted up to sixteen hours of leave with pay during each calendar year to use during those hours when the employee is absent from work because of the employee's participation in an educational activity of the employee's child at the child's elementary or secondary school. An appointing authority shall compensate a state employee who uses the leave at the employee's regular rate of pay for those regular work hours during which the employee is absent from work. An appointing authority shall make reasonable efforts to schedule the leave in a manner that does not unduly disrupt the appointing authority's operations.

The board of education of each city, exempted village, local, and joint vocational school district shall adopt a policy establishing a mentoring program for students. The board shall create a division of mentoring consisting of a distinct unit of staff to implement the program.

The parent of each student enrolled in any of grades kindergarten through twelve in a city, exempted village, or local school district shall do both of the following:
(1) Prior to the opening date of each school year, attend an orientation seminar described in division (D) of this section conducted by the district; (2) Perform at least thirteen hours of volunteer service for the district each school year. However, if a student is enrolled in a joint vocational school district, the student's parent may perform any or all of that volunteer service for the joint vocational district rather than for the city, exempted village, or local district in which the student is also enrolled.

Date introduced: 3/31/2008
House Committee Assigned: Ways & Means on 4/2/08, Chair: Representative Bob Gibbs (R), District 97.

Ohio S.C.R. 18, 127th General Assembly - Changes to the State Academic Accountability System

Introduced by Senator Padgett (R), District 20.

Approves the Department of Education's proposed changes to the state academic accountability system (1) to implement a growth model as another option for school districts and school buildings to make adequate yearly progress (AYP) and (2) to establish a uniform minimum subgroup size of 30 students for calculating the proficiency rate component of AYP.

As part of a pilot program, the U.S. Department of Education has indicated that it will approve up to ten states to implement a growth model that uses longitudinal student data to hold districts and buildings accountable for making AYP.  Ohio has been conditionally approved to participate in the pilot program.  If approved, the Ohio Department of Education intends to use a growth model that would allow districts and buildings to make AYP if they show that students who are not currently proficient in reading or math are on a trajectory to be proficient within three years.  This option for making AYP would be in addition to the two options presently available under NCLB (see below).
According to the U.S. Department of Education, in order to receive final approval for the growth model pilot program, Ohio must establish a uniform minimum subgroup size for the purpose of calculating the proficiency rate component of AYP.  Currently, the Ohio Department of Education calculates AYP for subgroups that contain at least 30 students, except that the subgroup of students with disabilities must have at least 45 students before it is counted for AYP purposes.  On September 11, 2007, the State Board of Education recommended reducing the minimum subgroup size for students with disabilities to 30 to conform to the minimum size for all other subgroups.  There is no proposed change to the minimum subgroup sizes (45 for students with disabilities and 40 for all other subgroups) for calculating the test participation rate component of AYP.

Date introduced: 10/4/07
Senate Committee Assigned: Education, Chair: Senator Joy Padgett (R), District 20.

Passed in the Senate on November 14, 2007. View bill as passed by the Senate. The Ohio House now begins debate on the bill and will pass its own budget before the two chambers present a version for Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

State Programs Funding

Ohio H.B. 119, 127th General Assembly - Operating Appropriations

To make operating appropriations for the biennium beginning July 1, 2007 and ending June 30, 2009, and to provide authorization and conditions for the operation of state programs.

Passed in the House on May 1, 2007. View bill as passed by the House. The Ohio Senate now begins debate on the bill and will pass its own budget before the two chambers present a version for Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

Passed in the Senate on June 12, 2007. View bill as passed by the Senate. The bill will now be passed on to Conference Committee, and once concurrence is achieved, the bill will be presented to Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

Signed into law by Gov. Ted Strickland on June 30, 2007. View bill as signed into law.

Older Adults

Ohio S.B. 5, 127th General Assembly -PASSPORT, assisted living, residential supplement-revise laws
Introduced by Senator John Carey (R), District 17; Co-sponsors: Cates, Coughlin, Schuring, Austria

Makes permanent a budget provision under which an individual admitted to a nursing facility while on a waiting list for the PASSPORT program can be placed in the program if it is determined that PASSPORT is appropriate and the individual would rather participate in PASSPORT than reside in the nursing facility.

Requires the Department of Job and Family Services to apply for a federal waiver authorizing additional enrollments in PASSPORT under the newly permanent provision.

Provides for an individual admitted to a nursing facility while on a waiting list for the Residential State Supplement program to participate in that program if it is determined that the program is appropriate for the individual and the individual would rather participate in it than continue to reside in the nursing facility.

Requires that an individual admitted to a nursing facility who is eligible for Medicaid to be provided with information about applying for the Assisted Living Program.

Expands eligibility for the Assisted Living Program.

Makes an appropriation.

Date introduced: 2/20/07
Senate Committee Assigned: Finance & Financial Institutions, Chair: John Carey (R), District 17

Passed in the Senate on March 13, 2007. View bill as passed by the Senate. The Ohio Senate now begins debate on the bill and will pass its own budget before the two chambers present a version for Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

Ohio S.B. 74, 127th General Assembly - Kinship Permanency Incentive Program
Introduced by Senator R. Miller (D), District 23; Co-sponsor Senator Smith (D), District 21

To amend Section 206.67.08 and Section 206.66 of Am. Sub. H.B. 66, 126th General Assembly

To increase the TANF block grant earmark for the Kinship Permanency Incentive Program by $50 million in FY2007 and to make an appropriation.

The Department of Job & Family Services will prepare reports about the stability and permanency outcomes for children for whom Kinship Permanency payments are made. They will also prepare reports about the total amount of Kinship Permanency payments, patterns of expenditures made per child, and cost savings due to kinship placements rather than out-of-home placements.

Date Assigned: 2/20/07
Committe Assigned: Finance and Financial Institutions, Chair: John Carey (R)

Ohio Sub.S.B. 87, 127th General Assembly - Emergency Alert Program
 Introduced by Senator Carey (R), District 17; Co-Sponsors: Sens. D. Miller, Mumper, Padgett, Clancy, Boccieri, Schaffer, Schuler, Mason, Cafaro, Austria, Fedor, Gardner, Goodman, Grendell, Harris, Niehaus, Roberts, Sawyer, Spada, and Stivers

To amend sections 2901.30 and 2901.42 and to enact section 5502.522 of the Revised Code to create the statewide emergency alert program to aid in the identification and location of missing individuals who have a mental impairment or are sixty-five years of age or older and to establish activation criteria for the implementation of the program and to make changes in the Missing Persons Law relating to missing persons between the ages of 18 and 21 and missing children under age 18.

Passed by the Senate on November 14, 2007. View bill as passed by the Senate. The Ohio House now begins debate on the bill and will pass its own budget before the two chambers present a version for Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

Passed by the House on March 11, 2008. View bill as passed by the House. The bill will now be passed on to Conference Committee, and once concurrence is achieved, the bill will be presented to Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

Signed into law by Gov. Ted Strickland on March 21, 2008. Bill will be effective June 20, 2008. View bill as signed into law.

Ohio .S.B. 272, 127th General Assembly - Areas Served by the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
Introduced by Senator Stivers (R), District 16; Co-Sponsors: Sens. Schuring, Miller, R., Padgett, and Cafaro

Federal law permits a state to include in its Medicaid program a component known as the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Under the PACE component, the state agency administering the PACE component and the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services enter into an agreement with a provider under which the provider, directly or by contract with other entities, provides medical services to individuals enrolled in the PACE component.

To be eligible for the PACE component, a Medicaid recipient must be (1) at least 55 years old, (2) require the level of care required by the state's Medicaid program for coverage of nursing facility services, (3) reside in an area of the state in which the PACE component is available, and (4) meet all other eligibility requirements included in a PACE agreement with a provider.  A PACE enrollee may maintain eligibility despite no longer requiring a nursing facility level of care if losing eligibility for PACE would reasonably cause the individual to reacquire the need for a nursing facility level of care within the succeeding six-month period.

Current law does not specify the areas of the state to be covered by the PACE component.  The bill requires that the PACE component be available to eligible residents of Cuyahoga, Franklin, and Hamilton counties and eligible residents of other counties, or parts of other counties, the Department of Aging selects.

Date introduced: 1/10/08

Passed by the Senate on May 13, 2008. View bill as passed by the Senate. The Ohio House of Representatives now begins debate on the bill and will pass its own budget before the two chambers present a version for Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

Child Welfare

Ohio H.B. 181, 127th General Assembly -Student Records of Children Reported Missing and Alternative Placement Caregivers Presenting Evidence at Certain Hearings
Introduced by Rep. Arlene Setzer (R), District 36; Co-Spopnsors: Reps. Stebelton, Evans, Healy, Combs, Yuko, Harwood, Huffman, Collier, Webster, Brown, Patton, Williams, B., Lundy, Dyer, Heard, Barrett, Boyd, Budish, Chandler, DeBose, Distel, Domenick, Driehaus, Fende, Flowers, Foley, Garrison, Gibbs, Hagan, J., Hagan, R., Hite, Letson, Luckie, Mallory, Miller, Oelslager, Okey, Otterman, Schindel, Schlichter, Schneider, Strahorn, Szollosi, Uecker, Wagoner, Williams, S., Zehringer

Allows a law enforcement agency that takes a missing child report to notify the public or nonpublic school in which the missing child is or was most recently enrolled that the child is the subject of a missing child report and that the child's school records are to be marked.

Requires each public and nonpublic school to mark the records of a pupil currently or previously enrolled in the school when the school receives notice from a law enforcement agency that the pupil has been reported to be a missing child and to notify that law enforcement agency whenever it receives a request for a copy of or information regarding that pupil's records.

Requires a law enforcement agency that took a missing child report and receives notice that the missing child has returned to the home of, or to the care, custody, and control of the child's caregiver, has been released if the missing child was the victim of a specified offense, or otherwise has been located to promptly inform any school that was notified under the bill's provisions that the minor no longer is a missing child.

Specifies that cooperation among law enforcement agencies in missing children cases will be in accordance with agreements the law enforcement agencies have with each other.

Specifies that law enforcement agencies assisting other agencies in missing children cases and the employees of the assisting agencies when outside of their employing political subdivisions are covered under the Sovereign Immunity Law, and that the employees of the assisting agencies when outside of their employing political subdivision are covered by any indemnity fund established by their employer and by the Workers' Compensation Law.

In any review hearing that pertains to a permanency plan for a child who will not be returned to the parent, requires the court to consider in-state and out-of-state placement options and requires the court or a court-appointed citizens board to consult in an age-appropriate manner with the child regarding the permanency plan.

For certain reviews or hearings regarding foster care placement of a child, custody of a child with a relative other than a parent, or adoption of a child, specifies that the foster caregiver, relative, or prospective adoptive parent has the right to (rather than may) present evidence.

** This bill also contains a section regarding additional court costs for moving violations to provide additional funding for certain drug task forces and alcohol monitoring costs for indigent offenders.**

Passed by the House on September 11, 2007. View bill as passed by the House. The Ohio Senate now begins debate on the bill and will pass its own budget before the two chambers present a version for Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

Passed by the Senate on December 11, 2007. View bill as passed by the Senate. The bill will now be passed on to Conference Committee, and once concurrence is achieved, the bill will be presented to Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

Signed into law by Gov. Ted Strickland on June 12, 2008. Bill will be effective September 12, 2008. View bill as signed into law.

Ohio Sub. H.B. 247, 127th General Assembly, As Reported by the House Juvenile and Family Law Committee - Civil Protection Orders and Domestic Violence Law
Introduced by Rep. Edna Brown (D), District 48; Co-Sponsors: Reps. Koziura, Chandler, Ujvagi, Williams, S., Williams, B., Yuko, Brady, Miller, DeGeeter, Otterman, Domenick, Luckie, Wagoner, Strahorn, Skindell, DeBose, McGregor, J., Driehaus, Hughes, Garrison, Combs, Schneider, Letson

To amend sections 2151.23, 2903.214, 2919.25, 3113.31, and 3113.33 of the Revised Code to allow a court to issue a civil protection order to a child who has had or has a dating relationship with the respondent if certain offenses are alleged and to include foster parents under the scope of the domestic violence laws.

Permits any person who is 18 years of age or older to file a motion for a protection order on behalf of a child, upon the child's request.

Creates an additional ground upon which a protection order may be sought to protect a child to include that (1) the respondent committed felonious assault, aggravated assault, assault, menacing by stalking, menacing, or aggravated trespass, or a substantially similar municipal violation, against the child, (2) the person to be protected by the protection order was less than 18 years of age at the time of the alleged violation, and (3) the child is a person with whom the respondent has or had a dating relationship.

Expands the jurisdiction of the juvenile court to hear, determine, and enforce matters involving protection orders against a child.

Permits certain persons to file a motion with the court for a protection order as a pretrial condition of release of the alleged offender, involving children in a dating relationship.

Includes a foster parent in the definition of "family or household member" in the criminal and civil domestic violence laws.

Date Introduced: 5/30/07

Passed by the House on April 30, 2008. View bill as passed by the House. The Ohio Senate now begins debate on the bill and will pass its own budget before the two chambers present a version for Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

Ohio S..B. 366, 127th General Assembly - Sex Offenders' Duty to Register
Introduced by Senator Tim Schaffer (R), District 31; Co-Sponsors: Senators Austria, Goodman, Harris

If the public is provided adequate notice and information about offenders and delinquent children who commit sexually oriented offenses or who commit child-victim oriented offenses, members of the public and communities can develop constructive plans to prepare themselves and their children for the offender's or delinquent child's release from imprisonment, a prison term, or other confinement or detention. This allows members of the public and communities to meet with members of law enforcement agencies to prepare and obtain information about the rights and responsibilities of the public and the communities and to provide education and counseling to their children.

Sex offenders and child-victim offenders pose a risk of engaging in further sexually abusive behavior even after being released from imprisonment, a prison term, or other confinement or detention, and protection of members of the public from sex offenders and child-victim offenders is a paramount governmental interest.

The release of information about sex offenders and child-victim offenders to public agencies and the general public will further the governmental interests of public safety and public scrutiny of the criminal, juvenile, and mental health systems as long as the information released is rationally related to the furtherance of those goals.

Immediately after a sentencing hearing is held on or after January 1, 2008, for an offender who is convicted of or pleads guilty to a sexually oriented offense and is sentenced to a prison term, a term of imprisonment, or any other type of confinement and before the offender is transferred to the custody of the department of rehabilitation and correction or to the official in charge of the jail, workhouse, state correctional institution, or other institution where the offender will be confined, the offender shall register personally with the sheriff, or the sheriff's designee, of the county in which the offender was convicted of or pleaded guilty to the sexually oriented offense.

Immediately after a dispositional hearing is held on or after January 1, 2008, for a child who is adjudicated a delinquent child for committing a sexually oriented offense, is classified a juvenile offender registrant based on that adjudication, and is committed to the custody of the department of youth services or to a secure facility that is not operated by the department and before the child is transferred to the custody of the department of youth services or the secure facility to which the delinquent child is committed, the delinquent child shall register personally with the sheriff, or the sheriff's designee, of the county in which the delinquent child was classified a juvenile offender registrant based on that sexually oriented offense.

Date Introduced: 10/16/08

Ohio Sub. H.B. 209, 127th General Assembly -Sexual Battery of Minors by Peace Officers
Introduced by Rep. Tony Core (R), District 83; Co-Sponsors: Reps. McGregor, J., Bacon, Yuko, McGregor, R., Collier, Adams, Strahorn, Stebelton, Domenick, Fende, Luckie, Setzer, Seitz, Bubp, Dodd, Aslanides, Batchelder, Blessing, Coley, Combs, DeBose, Driehaus, Dyer, Evans, Flowers, Gardner, Gibbs, Goyal, Hagan, J., Hite, Hughes, Letson, Lundy, Mandel, Newcomb, Oelslager, Otterman, J., Reinhard, Schindel, Slesnick, Webster, and Williams, B.

This bill increases the list of persons (presently teachers, administrators, coaches, counselors, mental health professionals, and clergy members) to include law enforcement as individuals who would be committing sexual battery if they have sexual contact with minors. Currently, law enforcement officers are only charged with a misdemeanor if they have sexual contact with a minor; however, under HB 209 they will now be charged with a felony of the third degree.

Date Introduced: 5/8/07

Passed by the House on May 7, 2008. View bill as passed by the House. The Ohio Senate now begins debate on the bill and will pass its own budget before the two chambers present a version for Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.

Transportation

Ohio H.B. 480, 127th General Assembly - Membership in Regional Transit Authority
Introduced by Rep. Gardner (R), District 6; Co-Sponsors: Brinkman, Wachtmann, Fessler, Combs, and Sears

To enact sections 306.322 and 306.55 of the Revised Code to create an additional procedure for subdivisions to join a regional transit authority that levies a property tax and that includes a county having a population of at least 400,000 and to allow a subdivision that is a member of such a regional transit authority to withdraw from the authority.

Any county, municipal corporation, or township may adopt a resolution or ordinance proposing to join a regional transit authority. In its resolution or ordinance, the political subdivision may propose joining the regional transit authority for a limited period of three years or without a time limit.

Date Introduced: 2/14/08
Committee Assigned: Local and Municipal Government & Urban Revitalization, Chair: Rep. Larry Wolpert (R), District 23

Ohio S.B. 300, 127th General Assembly - Public Transit Funding Task Force
Introduced by Sen. Cafaro (D), District 32; Co-Sponsors: Mason, Morano, Miller, R., Miller, D., Kearney, Boccieri, Roberts, Smith, Sawyer, and Stivers

The Public Transit Funding Task Force shall review public transportation funding in Ohio with the goal of improving the efficiency and productivity of transportation services in Ohio through the coordination of transportation services funding for the long-term stability of Ohio's public transportation system. The Task Force shall study the adequacy of Ohio's public transportation funding and the need for a stable, dedicated source of funding for public transportation in Ohio and shall evaluate the state funds being expended by state agencies that provide transportation services.

The Task Force shall issue a report of its findings to the General Assembly and the Governor on June 30, 2008. Upon issuing this report, the Task Force will cease to exist.

Date Introduced: 3/4/08
Committee Assigned: Highways and Transportation, Chair: Sen. Steve Austria (R), District 10

Ohio H.B. 249, 127th General Assembly -Modification of Medicaid Reimbursement Rate for Medical Transport Services
Introduced by Representative R. McGregor (R), District 72; Co-Sponsors: Wagoner, McGregor, J., Flowers, Seitz, Skindell, Stebelton, and Lundy

The director of job and family services shall adopt rules under section 5111.02 of the Revised Code governing the medicaid program's coverage of medical transportation services. The rules shall do all of the following:

(1) Provide for the medicaid program to cover the respond but not transport service as part of medical transportation services.

(2) Include a mechanism by which the medicaid program's reimbursement rate for medical transportation services is adjusted each fiscal biennium.

(3) Beginning not later than July 1, 2011, set the reimbursement rate for each medical transportation service that is also covered by the medicare program at an amount equal to at least eighty per cent of the medicare reimbursement rate for the service.

(4) Beginning not later than July 1, 2011, set the reimbursement rate for each medical transportation service that is not also covered by the medicare program at an amount equal to at least the average of the medicaid reimbursement rates for medical transportation services that are also covered by the medicare program.

Date Introduced: 5/30/07
Committee Assigned: Finance & Appropriations, Chair: Rep. Jay Hottinger (R), District 71

Ohio H.B. 540, 127th General Assembly - Create a Public Transit Funding Task Force
Introduced by Rep. Fende (D), District 62 and Rep. Schindel (R), District 63; Co-Sponsors: Brady, Brown, Chandler, Evans, Harwood, Letson, Newcomb, Sears, Setzer, Ujvagi

There is hereby created the Public Transit Funding Task Force, which shall review public transportation funding in Ohio with the goal of improving the efficiency and productivity of transportation services in Ohio through the coordination of transportation services and funding for the long-term stability of Ohio's public transportation system. The Task Force shall study the adequacy of Ohio's public transportation funding, the sources and potential sources for public transportation funding, and the need for a stable, dedicated source of funding for public transportation in Ohio. The Task Force shall evaluate the state funds being expended by state agencies that provide transportation services.

The Task Force shall make recommendations regarding appropriate levels of funding and sources of funding and shall issue a report of its findings to the General Assembly and the Governor within one year after this act is signed by the Governor. Upon issuing its report, the Task Force shall cease to exist.

Date Introduced: 4/22/08
Committee Assigned: Infrastructure, Homeland Security & Veterans Affairs, Chair: Rep. Steve Reinhard (R), District 82

Health Care

Ohio S.B. 13, 127th General Assembly - Commitment to Deliberation on Improvement of Health Care in Ohio
Introduced by Senator Shirley Smith (D), District 21; Co-Sponsors: Fedor, Roberts, Miller, R., Mason, Boccieri, Cafaro, Kearney, Miller, D., Morano, Sawyer, Wilson, J. 

In its efforts to promote the health, productivity, and well-being of the citizens of this state and in recognition of the importance of affordable and accessible health care to Ohio's economic development, the 127th General Assembly formally states its intention to do both of the following:

(1) Deliberate on how to improve the provision of, and payment for, health care services in Ohio in a manner that promotes Ohio's economic development;

(2) Revise the laws of this state to achieve improvements in the matters described above.

Date Introduced: 2/20/07
Committee Assigned: Health, Human Services, and Aging, Chair: Sen. Kevin Coughlin (R), District 27

OhioSub. S.B. 147, 127th General Assembly - Physician, Dentist, and Nurse Loan Repayment Program
Introduced by Sen. Faber (R), District 12; Co-Sponsors: Schuring, Grendell, Wagoner, Morano, Seitz, Mumper, Buehrer, Coughlin, Harris, Miller, D., Padgett, Schaffer, Spada, Stivers, Cafaro, Amstutz, Sawyer, Jacobson, Fedor, Smith, Mason, Cates, Wilson

Permits the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction to establish a loan repayment program for recruitment of nurses or dentists for the physician's agreement to provide services to inmates of correctional institutions administered by the Department.

The department of rehabilitation and correction may establish a physician recruitment program under which the department, by means of a contract entered into under division of this section, agrees to repay all or part of the principal and interest of a government or other educational loan incurred by a physician, nurse, or dentist who agrees to provide services to inmates of correctional institutions under the department's administration.

If the department elects to implement the physician recruitment program, it shall adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code that establish all of the following:

• Criteria for designating institutions for which physicians, nurses, or dentist, or any combination thereof, will be recruited;
• Criteria for selecting physicians, nurses, or dentists, or any combination thereof, for participation in the program;
• Criteria for determining the portion of a physician's loan which the department will agree to repay;
• Criteria for determining reasonable amounts of the other educational expenses for specific purposes, including fees, books, laboratory expenses, and room and board;
• Procedures for monitoring compliance by physicians a physician, nurse, or dentist with the terms of their contracts the contract the individual enters into under this section;
• Any other criteria or procedures necessary to implement the program.

Date Introduced: 4/19/07
Committee Assigned: Health, Human Services, and Aging, Chair: Sen. Kevin Coughlin (R), District 27

Passed by the Senate on April 9, 2008. View bill as passed by the Senate. The Ohio House now begins debate on the bill and will pass its own budget before the two chambers present a version for Gov. Ted Strickland to sign.  

Ohio H.B. 186, 127th General Assembly - Establish and Operate the Ohio Health Care Plan
Introduced by Rep. Skindell (D), District 13; Co-Sponsors: Hagan, R., Foley, Domenick, Ujvagi, Williams, S., Koziura, Yuko, Luckie, Letson, Mallory, Stewart, D., DeBose, Miller, Brady, Brown, Fende 

The Ohio health care plan shall provide universal and affordable health care coverage for all Ohio residents, consisting of a comprehensive benefit package that includes benefits for prescription drugs. The Ohio health care plan shall work simultaneously to control health care costs, control health care spending, achieve measurable improvement in health care outcomes, increase all parties' satisfaction with the health care system, implement policies that strengthen and improve culturally and linguistically sensitive care, and develop an integrated health care database to support health care planning.

There is hereby created the Ohio health care agency. The Ohio health care agency shall administer the Ohio health care plan and is the sole agency authorized to accept applicable grants-in-aid from the federal and state government, using the funds in order to secure full compliance with provisions of state and federal law and to carry out the purposes of sections 3922.01 to 3922.33 of the Revised Code. All grants-in-aid accepted by the Ohio health care agency shall be deposited into the Ohio health care fund established under section 3922.09 of the Revised Code.

There is hereby created the Ohio health care board. The Ohio health care board shall consist of fifteen voting members, consisting of the director of health and fourteen members elected in accordance with this section.

For purposes of representation on the Ohio health care board, the state shall be divided into seven regions.

All Ohio residents and individuals employed in Ohio, including the homeless and migrant workers, are eligible for coverage under the Ohio health care plan. The Ohio health care board shall establish standards and a simplified procedure to demonstrate proof of residency. The Ohio health care board shall establish a procedure to enroll eligible residents and employees and to provide each individual covered under the Ohio health care plan with identification that providers may use to determine eligibility for health care services under the Ohio health care plan.

The Ohio health care board shall establish a single health benefits package.

Date Introduced: 4/25/07
Committee Assigned: Healthcare Access & Affordability Chair: Rep. James T. Raussen (R), District 28

Ohio S.B. 61, 127th General Assembly - Door-to-Door Health Checks in Traditionally Underserved Areas
Introduced by Senator R. Miller (D), District 15; Co-Sponsors: Miller, D., Smith, Mason

To enact section 3701.142 of the Revised Code to require the Director of Health to establish pilot programs in seven counties for the purpose of providing door-to-door health checks by nurses or other health professionals in neighborhoods or areas that have traditionally lacked access to health care providers or services and to make an appropriation for the biennium beginning on July 1, 2007.

Date Introduced: 2/20/07
Committee Assigned: Finance & Financial Institutions Chair: Senator John Carey (R), District 17