Governor DeWine Signs Multiple Bills into Law Today Including Two Introduced by Rep. Cross

COLUMBUS – State Rep. Jon Cross (R-Kenton) today announced Governor DeWine has signed into law House Bill 82, his legislation that modifies college testing requirements for high school students and creates a new state school report card plan.

Current law requires every Ohio high school junior take the ACT or SAT test in order to graduate. H.B. 82 allows parents or guardians of a high school student to opt the student out of taking a nationally standardized college admissions assessment.

According to the Legislative Service Commission, paying for and administering ACT tests for all high school students costs the State of Ohio nearly $5 million.

“This bill embraces local control for school districts and parents,” said Cross. “Some high school students may have a different career path that doesn’t include going to college, and Ohio taxpayers shouldn’t have to foot the bill for unnecessary testing.”

The Senate added provisions to H.B. 82 that modify Ohio’s report card metrics for K-12 schools by creating a system with five graded components and a five-star rating system in place of letter grades.

Under the plan, the five rated components are Achievement, Progress, Gap Closing, Early Literacy, and Graduation Rate. A sixth component – College, Career, Workforce, and Military Readiness – serves as a report-only, non-graded measure for three years.

The bill also includes a student opportunity profile containing report-only information that is not rated as part of the report card.

“This new report card plan will make it easier for parents and faculty to understand how each school is performing in order to help improve Ohio’s overall education system,” added Cross.

Cross also applauded Governor DeWine for signing into law House Bill 106, his bill that designates January as “Radon Awareness Month.”

Radon is a colorless, odorless, radioactive gas found indoors. It is the number one cause of lung cancer in non-smokers and the number two cause overall.

“Ohioans are 17 percent more likely to get lung cancer compared to the rest of the nation,” said Cross. “It is my hope that this new law will encourage all Ohioans to learn about the health hazards of elevated levels of radon gas in our homes, schools and workplace so we can keep our loved ones safe and healthy.”

Both bills will become effective in 90 days.

The Governor also sign the following bills into law today during private ceremonies:

H.B. 9, introduced by Representative Kyle Koehler (Springfield), prohibits retailers from selling a drug containing dextromethorphan to anyone younger than 18 without a prescription. While safe if used appropriately, misuse of it has increased in recent years among adolescents and young adults.

H.B. 5, introduced by Representative Gayle Manning (North Ridgeville), creates two pathways to become a Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor II. This type of counselor works with those who have substance use disorders and will help fill the shortage of these counselors in Ohio.

S.B. 49, introduced by Senator Jay Hottinger (Newark) and Senator Vernon Sykes (Akron), established a payment assurance program for registered design professionals, including architects, landscape architects, engineers, and surveyors.

S.B.3, introduced by Senator Kristina Roegner (Hudson), enters Ohio into the Nurse Licensure Compact on January 1, 2023, which allows nursing professionals to obtain from their home state a multistate license which allows the nurse to practice in other states who are members of the compact.

S.B. 6, introduced by Senator Kristina Roegner (Hudson) and Senator Steve Huffman (Tipp City) allows Ohio to enter into the Interstate Medical Licensure Compact to help physicians licensed in Ohio get expediated licensure in compact member states.

H.B. 252, introduced by Representative Andrea White (Kettering) and Representative Phil Plummer (Dayton), enters Ohio into the Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology Interstate Compact that allows professionals to practice under their home state license in member states.

H.B. 137, introduced by Representative Terrence Upchurch (Cleveland) and Representative Willis Blackshear (Dayton), establishes March 29th as Ohio Tuskegee Airmen Day in Ohio.

H.B. 222, introduced by Representative Shane Wilkin (Hillsboro) and Representative Terrence Upchurch (Cleveland), specifies that a nonprofit formed or acquired by a county hospital or joint township district hospital is a separate entity from the hospital.

S.B. 80, introduced by Senator Theresa Gavarone (Bowling Green) and Senator Jerry C. Cirino (Kirtland), requires political party affiliation to be listed on general election ballots in judicial elections increasing transparency. Representative D.J. Swearingen (Huron) and Representative Brian Stewart (Ashville) introduced companion legislation in the Ohio House.

H.B. 201, introduced by Representative Jason Stephens (Kitts Hill), prevents local governments from limiting the use of natural gas and propane and ensures individuals access to distribution services or retail natural gas services. Senator George Lang (West Chester) and Senator Michael Rulli (Salem) introduced companion legislation in the Ohio Senate.

S.B. 40, introduced by Senator Tim Schaffer (Lancaster), revises the way cigarettes’ wholesale minimum sale price is calculated by referring to the manufacturer’s gross invoice cost as the basis of a wholesaler’s cost.