Lame Duck Season
After little legislative action for months, the Ohio General Assembly is roaring back this week with multiple education committee hearings. The Ohio Senate Education will consider bills on both Tuesday and Wednesday. The House Education Committee will meet on Tuesday afternoon. In addition, a joint committee on E-school funding will meet on Thursday. Finally, the State Board of Education meets on Wednesday and Thursday.
Both the House and Senate have several sessions scheduled through the middle of December. It is difficult to know which education bills will take priority in what has been in the past a wild legislative time. As committees meet and House leadership is resolved, things should become clearer in the next week or two. One piece of legislation, HB 53, dubbed the “right to work” bill is already drawing opposition.
What does the election mean for education in Ohio½
Governor-elect Mike DeWine has named LeeAnne Cornyn as one first staff picks. She will direct children’s initiatives across state agencies. DeWine indicated in his campaign his support for increased pre-school initiatives. A new budget will be introduced by the DeWine administration by March of 2019.
While the Senate Education committee will likely be led by its current chair, Senator Peggy Lehner, the House Education and Career Readiness committee will be chaired by someone new in 2019. The current chair, Rep. Andrew Brenner, has been elected to the Ohio Senate.
The State Board of Education will see a number of new members in 2019. Three members are term-limited or did not seek re-election. Two incumbents lost their seats. Two others will need to be re-appointed by Governor Kasich, so those seats should remain the same.
