House Bill 33 – State Operating Budget Additional Policy Review
OEA Government Relations staff continued its review of House Bill 33 (Edwards), the state operating budget proposal for State Fiscal Years 2024 and 2025. The review, linked here, contains summaries of various policy changes contained within HB 33 related to public education. As of today, the district-by-district spreadsheets that will indicate what each school district is estimated to receive from the Governor’s proposal in both years of the budget have yet to be released. Once they have been released, OEA Government Relations will share analysis of the district spreadsheets in a future budget edition of the Legislative Watch. For other information on how HB 33 impacts public education in Ohio, please refer to the budget editions of the Legislative Watch released on February 4, 2023, and February 7, 2023.
Senate Bill 14 – Allows Certain Veterans to Teach Without Educator License
Senate Bill 14, sponsored by Senator Frank Hoagland (R-Mingo Junction), would allow military veterans meeting certain eligibility criteria to teach in Ohio’s classrooms without receiving the training and preparation otherwise necessary to obtain a professional educator license. The bill received first hearing sponsor testimony in the Ohio Senate Primary & Secondary Education Committee on February 7, 2023. OEA opposes the bill but welcomes brave and dedicated servicemembers into Ohio’s classrooms when they are appropriately trained and licensed to teach. Additionally, OEA recommends that the General Assembly pursue a comprehensive set of solutions, like the policy recommendations from the OEA Educator Voice Academy Cadre on Teacher Recruitment and Retention, to recruit and retain qualified, committed educators for every public-school student in Ohio.
For an archive of past Legislative Watch releases, visit the Legislative Watch archive.
