Ohio's last-minute lame duck bills
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Ohio lawmakers wrapped up their final lame duck session of the year with a flurry of bills passed late Wednesday evening and into Thursday morning.
🔎 A quick look at some of the new legislation headed to Gov. Mike DeWine's desk:
🏳️🌈 The "Parents' Bill of Rights" would require school employees to notify parents about "sexuality content" at school, which includes "gender ideology."
- Parents would also be notified about "student health and well-being," including requests for counseling, gender identity questions and changes in name or pronouns.
- Public school districts would need to let students leave during the day for private religious instruction.
⚖️ Another education reform bill would expand schools' authority to deliver lengthier suspensions for actions that pose "imminent and severe endangerment" to other students, including hit lists, manifestos and social media posts.
📜 A massive legislative package featuring a 441-page amendment was signed into law after 2am. It would include:
- Banning the state medical board from infringing on "medical free speech."
- A renewable energy credit for a coal-burning plant.
- Requiring health insurers to cover hearing aids for people 21 and under.
- A specialty license plate for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library.
🗣️ Senate Bill 237 would curb "Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation," or SLAPP, a legal action taken against people exercising free speech.
- The bill was backed by a variety of news and legal associations.
🪪 House Bill 29 would make it harder for Ohio drivers to lose their licenses and easier to have a suspended license reinstated.
❌ Many bills didn't make it, including proposed raises for elected officials, penalties for planting a flag at the center of Ohio Stadium and revived energy efficiency programs.