Legislative Alerts & Articles

AOS Levy Guidance Released

By Katie Johnson posted 08-22-2023
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This afternoon, the Auditor of State (AOS) released the highly anticipated levy guidance, which includes frequently asked questions (FAQs) and best practice recommendations related to levy and bond issue campaigns. The FAQs are intended to provide school districts and other political subdivisions with guidance as to what AOS considers to be permissible under Ohio Revised Code Section 9.03 when conducting campaigns. Click here for a copy of the guidance. The FAQs are broken out into nine categories, with an appendix of sample survey questions. There is crossover between questions and responses, so please take time to review the guidance ...
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Budget, Analysis, & Discussion Seminar Recordings

By Callie Wells posted 08-11-2023
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Earlier this month, OASBO, OSBA, and BASA held a comprehensive seminar providing insights on the budget process and the final version of the legislation. Key takeaways included: Learn about the school funding changes in the biennial budget bill and what’s to come. Hear about provisions in the budget bill that will impact schools and how they will be implemented. Get all of your budget questions answered. Recordings of this seminar are available via the links below for those who didn't previously attend the seminar. If you attended the seminar you can access the ...
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Immediate Outreach is Critical – Conference Committee Members Announced

By Katie Johnson posted 06-22-2023
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On Wednesday, the House voted not to concur with the Senate’s changes to House Bill (HB) 33, the fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 budget bill. The differences between the House and Senate versions of the budget will now be reconciled in conference committee. We recently sent a letter to the members of the conference committee outlining our preferred outcomes. A copy of that letter is available below. The HB 33 conferees include: From the Ohio House of Representatives: Rep. Jay Edwards (R-Nelsonville), chair, House Finance Committee; email: rep94@ohiohouse.gov ; phone: 614.466.2158 Rep. Jeff LaRe (R-Canal Winchester), ...
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Senate Finance Committee Accepts Omnibus Amendment — Important Next Steps

By Katie Johnson posted 06-15-2023
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Yesterday, the Senate Finance Committee made its second round of changes to the budget bill and accepted the omnibus amendment before voting the budget bill, House Bill 33, out of committee. The full Senate voted to approve the budget bill this afternoon. The Senate-passed budget bill will now go back to the House for consideration. Conference Committee The House is scheduled to meet Wednesday, June 21, at 2 p.m., when it’s expected to vote not to concur with the Senate’s changes. A conference committee will then be convened to reconcile the differences between the House-passed and Senate-passed versions of HB 33. Click here for a comparison ...
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Senate Unveils Budget Changes; Simulations Released

By Katie Johnson posted 06-07-2023
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The Senate Finance Committee made its first round of changes to the state’s biennial budget bill, House Bill (HB) 33. The Senate’s budget proposes to increase voucher funding by $181.5 million more than the House version (for less than 10% of students in the state) while decreasing K-12 traditional school district funding (who serve more than 80% of students) by $245.6 million from the House proposal. Please contact your Senate and House members to share your concerns regarding the following changes: The Senate maintained the updated FY22 base cost inputs in the Fair School Funding Plan, but modified the capacity (state and ...
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Biennial Budget Update – Opportunity to Testify in Senate

By Katie Johnson posted 05-25-2023
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School district leaders have an opportunity to testify on the biennial budget next week in Senate Finance Committee. The committee will hear testimony on House Bill 33’s education-related items on Wednesday, May 31, at 9 a.m. This is the last opportunity to be heard prior to the Senate releasing its substitute bill on or around June 6. Please consider submitting written or in-person testimony to ensure legislators hear from the public school community. See the testimony template in the resources section below. Whether you are submitting in-person or written only testimony, please complete the witness slip provided below and send it ...
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The Power of Student Stories in Advocacy

By Callie Wells posted 05-02-2023
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Sharing districts' and students' stories with our elected officials shows lawmakers the real lives of the students and staff affected by their decisions at the statehouse. Recently, a group of students from Chesapeake Union Exempted Village Schools took the time to share their stories and how supporting the Fair School Funding Plan impacts them during an Ohio House Finance Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education meeting. The impact of their testimony was moving and powerful. The emotion was palpable in the hearing room, as evidenced by how moved Rep. White was in her response to the student's testimony. By sharing their stories, these students were ...
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Continue Connecting with Your Legislators!

By Callie Wells posted 05-02-2023
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The 135th General Assembly's biennial budget work continues, and your involvement in advocacy continues to be more important than ever. Please make time to connect and reconnect with your legislators throughout the biennial budget process. One of the most effective things you can do to advocate for public schools is develop a relationship with lawmakers and get them into your school buildings to share the wonderful things students, teachers, and staff are doing in Ohio. It is never too late to start building that relationship and continue nurturing it throughout the year. We have much to be proud of in public education. Make sure you share the amazing things ...
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Biennial Budget Update Webinar - House Passed Version of the Budget Bill on May 4 at 12 p.m.

By Callie Wells posted 05-02-2023
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OASBO, BASA, and OSBA will be presenting a webinar on the House-passed version of the biennial budget bill on May 4 at noon. Click here to register.
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Thanking the House for Continued Fair School Funding Plan Support - Record Your Message by Friday at 10 a.m.

By Callie Wells posted 05-02-2023
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Thank you for your continued advocacy in support of the Fair School Funding Plan. Your outreach to legislators emphasizing the importance of continuing the phase-in and the necessity of updating the base cost inputs from FY18 values to FY22 values has made a difference, with both being included in the House passed version of he biennial budget bill! We will need to continue our advocacy as the bill moves to the Senate. While it is imperative that we connect with our lawmakers and help them understand Ohio public schools' issues, it is just as imperative that we thank them. Please take a moment to record a video sharing your appreciation and thanks ...
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Annual OASBO/SERS Joint Meeting on May 5

By Callie Wells posted 05-02-2023
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The School Employees Retirement System of Ohio (SERS) is looking forward to engaging with OASBO members during the Annual OASBO/SERS Joint Meeting via Zoom on May 5, from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. Please contact Chris Collins at ccollins@ohsers.org or Katie Johnson at katie@oasbo-ohio.org with any questions or needs prior to the meeting. Click here to register.
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Budget Update – House Passed Version – Simulations Released

By Katie Johnson posted 05-02-2023
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The Ohio House released school district simulations reflecting the changes in the House passed version of Sub. House Bill 33. The simulations reflect the continued implementation of the Fair School Funding Plan with updated base cost inputs from fiscal year 2022. Click here for the simulations. (If you have trouble with this download, be sure to disable your pop-up blockers). Please reach out to your senators and communicate the importance of the Fair School Funding Plan and the need to keep the updated base cost inputs from fiscal year 2022 in the budget. We hope you will join us next ...
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Budget Update

By Katie Johnson posted 05-02-2023
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Today, the Ohio House passed its version of the state’s two-year budget (Substitute House Bill 33) by a 77-19 vote. Earlier in the week, the House Finance Committee accepted an omnibus amendment. Click here for a list of education-related changes to the bill. This is not a comprehensive list of items in the budget bill. Click here for a comparison document outlining the entire list of education-related items in the bill. The Ohio Senate has begun budget testimony and will continue receiving testimony in May. Please reach out to your senators and communicate the importance of the Fair School Funding Plan and the need ...
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House Bill 33 – Budget Bill Update

By Katie Johnson posted 04-19-2023
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Yesterday, the House Finance Committee voted to accept the substitute bill reflecting the first round of changes to House Bill (HB) 33 — the fiscal year (FY) 2024-25 biennial budget bill. We are thrilled to see the House update the base cost inputs to FY 2022 data ! Thank you for your continued advocacy in support of the Fair School Funding Plan. Your outreach to legislators makes a difference. Please take the time to send an email to House Finance Committee members, thanking them for updating the inputs to FY 2022 values. Click here for a list of education-related highlights in the bill. Click here for the Legislative Service Commission’s ...
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Budget Bill Update - Your Outreach Is Critical!

By Katie Johnson posted 03-31-2023
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We crossed an important milestone in the budget process this week with the full House Finance Committee wrapping up its first round of hearings on House Bill (HB) 33, the FY24-25 biennial budget. Members from the Fair School Funding Plan Workgroup testified on Wednesday, emphasizing the importance of continuing the phase-in and the necessity of updating the base cost inputs from FY18 values to FY22 values. You can find their testimony here . The House Finance Committee members need to hear from school district leaders stressing that same message and sharing the difference this will make for students in your district. To ensure ...
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HB 1 – Opposition Testimony – Submit by 2:30 p.m. on Monday, March 27

By Katie Johnson posted 03-27-2023
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Opposition testimony on House Bill (HB 1) will be heard in the House Ways & Means Committee on Tuesday, March 28 at 2:30 p.m. in hearing room 122. Please see the instructions and other information for submitting testimony below: HB 1 - Bill text, LSC analysis, and Fiscal Notes HB 1 testimony template to use as a starting point Witness Information Form Instructions for submitting testimony: All witness testimony should be submitted to the Chair's office 24 hours prior to committee. Anyone testifying (whether in person or written) must fill out and submit the Witness Information Form (linked above). While testimony is not required ...
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Your Testimony is Needed This Week on the Budget Bill!

By Katie Johnson posted 03-20-2023
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Please consider submitting testimony on House Bill (HB 33) this week in the House Finance Subcommittee on Primary and Secondary Education. Information on the three hearings is as follows: Tuesday, March 21, at 10 a.m. in hearing room 114; Wednesday, March 22, at 10 a.m. in hearing room 116; and Thursday, March 23, at 12:30 p.m. in hearing room 116. OASBO, BASA, and OSBA plan to testify on Wednesday, March 22. If you missed it, members of the Fair School Funding Plan (FSFP) Workgroup did an excellent job testifying on the bill last Tuesday. You can find a copy of their testimony here . Ryan Jenkins, CFO of Olentangy Local Schools, also ...
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HB 1 – Income and Property Tax Reform – Bill Fiscal Analysis

By Katie Johnson posted 03-17-2023
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House Bill (HB) 1 is scheduled for another hearing on Tuesday, March 14th at 2:30 p.m. We anticipate a presentation on Ohio property tax law to be given by the Legislative Service Commission (LSC). You can watch the hearing live on the Ohio Channel, linked here . The LSC Fiscal Note & Local Impact Statement was released last week ( linked here ) and confirms a number of things, including the application of HB 920. Since HB 920 applies, residential and agricultural property taxpayers will have their taxes automatically increased to offset the reduction in valuation created by the bill’s proposed decrease in the assessment ...
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Fair School Funding Plan Webinar Recordings & Simulations Follow-Up

By Katie Johnson posted 03-17-2023
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Recently, the Fair School Funding Plan (FSFP) Workgroup held several webinars. At the first, Former Speaker Bob Cupp and former Rep. John Patterson joined the session to discuss the importance of continuing the work to implement the Fair School Funding Plan and to provide context on where we are to date. Members of the FSFP Workgroup also discussed updated simulations, prepared by the workgroup, that reflect current base cost inputs. Please note that the updated simulations are different from the “as introduced” simulations provided by the Legislative Service Commission (LSC) which reflect the governor’s proposal for the FY24-25 budget. It is important ...
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House Bill 1 Webinar on Monday, March 6 at 2:30 p.m. - Discussing the bill's impact, and introducing a calculator to help!

By Katie Johnson posted 03-03-2023
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Join the OASBO Legislative Committee on Monday, March 6 at 2:30 p.m. for a webinar discussing the impact of House Bill 1 on school districts. During the webinar, a calculator will be introduced to help districts quantify and communicate the potential impact of this legislation on their communities and funding. Click here to register.
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