This lineup include the finishing touches on a $4.2 billion capital budget, which includes a $717 million pool of state surplus funds that have already been earmarked for local projects and billions in capital improvements throughout the state, including $10 million to get moving on a new state behavioral health hospital in Dayton.
Whatever the schedules set by House and Senate leaders, they may not be exhaustive — individual legislators can try to amend bills on the floor with other proposals that have intentionally been stalled by leadership.
This is a possibility for Senate Bill 83, a controversial higher education reform bill that has become a priority for the Senate and an albatross for House leadership, which has often told reporters that there’s simply not enough votes to pass the bill. Republican members of the House, including Rep. Tom Young, R-Washington Twp., who chairs the House Higher Education committee, have been counting votes in the background in preparation for this week.
Some of the more than 50 bills are expected to receive concurrence votes Wednesday, too, which would send them on their way to the desk of Gov. Mike DeWine. The rest that pass through only one chamber will be in good standing for when lawmakers return from their summer break.
House session is slated to start at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, with the Senate expected to follow at 1:30 p.m.
House session
Here are some of the bills slated for a Wednesday vote in the House:
• The House added over 100 pages of amendments to Senate Bill 94, which already covered an array of topics from powers of attorney, judgment leans and towing laws. With the recent amendments, private and public colleges would be required to adopt policies on racial, religious and ethnic harassment and intimidation; provide financial cost and aid report forms to new students; among many other changes.
• A bill to make the walleye Ohio’s official state fish is expected to pass in House Bill 599.
• The House is expected to advance Senate Bill 214, which would make it easier for human trafficking victims to expunge certain charges on their record, including for misdemeanors and fourth or fifth degree felonies.
• Senate Bill 112, which would require that all school buildings’ entryways are compliant with the National Life Safety Code, is expected to pass. The bill is aimed at making it harder for nefarious individuals to enter schools and to crack down on school gun violence.
• A proposal to formally recognize and adopt nuclear energy into the state’s green energy standards is expected to advance in House Bill 308.
• The House is also expected to more forward with House Bill 349, a measure to incentivize more natural gas pipelines by creating a $20 million loan program for local municipalities to buy easements for new pipelines.
• Also expected to pass is House Bill 79, which would encourage electric utilities to develop energy savings programs in an effort to help customers use less energy.
• The week will also see deliberations on House Bill 315, a regularly scheduled update on the state’s laws regarding townships’ powers and responsibilities, which is expected to pass. The bill is carried by Rep. Thomas Hall, R-Madison Twp.
• House Bill 87 would prohibit Ohio governments from buying foreign-produced American or Ohio flags. The bill has been awaiting floor consideration for over a year following a unanimous passage in House committee.
• A local effort to place further restrictions on the buying and selling of cars’ catalytic converters with the aim of reducing car thefts will be heard this week. The bill is House Bill 328, carried in part by Rep. Phil Plummer, R-Butler Twp.
• House Bill 366 would establish an organized retail theft task force to investigate all complaints involving retail thefts in the state.
• House Bill 452, by Rep. Andrea White, R-Kettering, would require hospitals to establish security plans for preventing workplace violence and managing aggressive behaviors toward nurses and other hospital staff.
Editor’s note: This is a developing news story and may be updated as more information becomes available.
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Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below.
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