What to know as the state budget deadline approaches
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State lawmakers have until Friday night to pass a massive two-year budget, but they might not meet the deadline.
Why it matters: The state budget features consequential spending decisions and serves as a repository for other policies lumped into the legislation that could affect schools, law enforcement and even teens' social media use, Axios Columbus' Tyler Buchanan reports.
Details: Among the many topics debated in the two legislative chambers is education. Both chambers want to boost public school funding by varying amounts, while the Senate axed a proposed increase to the minimum salary for teachers.
- One Senate proposal would eliminate the requirement for private charter schools participating in the EdChoice or Cleveland Scholarship programs to waive any additional tuition above the scholarship amount for a student with a family income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.
- Another provision would permit a student residing in the Cleveland Municipal School District to use the Cleveland Scholarship to attend any private school outside the district.
Zoom in: The budget also allocates money for several Northeast Ohio projects and institutions, including $2 million toward a $3.5 billion redevelopment at and around Tower City Center.
- The budget earmarks $5 million in funds to support the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and $4 million for Cleveland Water Alliance's Sustainable Water Technologies Initiative.
What else we're watching: The fate of proposals requiring parental consent for social media users under 16 years old and lowering the minimum age of a police officer from 21 to 18.
- Senators want to learn the potential cost of creating a Joint Law Enforcement Training Center, an idea critics liken to the controversial "Cop City" project in Atlanta.
What's next: Lawmakers will meet today and tomorrow in an attempt to reach a deal — the deadline for Gov. Mike DeWine to sign the budget is Friday — or they can pass a stopgap spending bill and continue negotiating next week.
- Once the budget passes, DeWine can veto specific items he opposes.