HB 311 designates the third full week of May each year as "EMS Week in Ohio" under Ohio law. This bill directly affects Ohio residents and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel by establishing a recognized period for public acknowledgment of their work. The key provision is the statutory designation of the specific week, creating no new policies or funding but formally honoring EMS contributions. As a ceremonial resolution, it has no direct impact on healthcare operations or regulations.
HB 393 requires community-based correctional facilities (like halfway houses or work release programs) to help inmates obtain state identification cards before their release. This applies specifically to individuals transitioning from community-based programs back into the general population. The bill mandates facilities provide assistance with ID applications, including necessary forms and documentation. This ensures released individuals have essential identification for accessing housing, employment, and public services.
To amend section 2903.22 and to enact section 2927.31 of the Revised Code to prohibit a person from knowingly harassing or impeding an emergency service responder who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty and to clarify that heightened penalties apply for menacing a probation officer.
SB 276 ratifies the Interstate Compact for School Psychologists, enabling Ohio to join a multi-state agreement. This allows school psychologists licensed in Ohio to practice in other participating states without obtaining additional licenses. The key provision removes licensing barriers for these professionals, directly affecting school psychologists seeking to work across state lines within the compact. The bill implements this by enacting specific provisions in Ohio's Revised Code.
To amend sections 153.011, 153.99, 3333.071, and 5525.21 of the Revised Code to require iron or steel that is produced in the United States be used on projects supported by state funds.
To enact sections 1357.01, 1357.02, 1357.03, 1357.04, 1357.05, 1357.06, 1357.07, 1357.08, 1357.09, 1357.10, 1357.11, and 1357.12 of the Revised Code to create a regulatory relief division within the common sense initiative office and to establish a universal regulatory sandbox program.
To enact sections 3301.96 and 3333.89 of the Revised Code to establish the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program, to require the Department of Education and Workforce to hire a full-time school foster care liaison, and to make an appropriation for the Foster-to-College Scholarship Program.
HB 59 requires all occupational licensing boards (like those for nurses, electricians, or contractors) to undergo regular reviews to determine if they still serve a public need. Each board must submit detailed reports on their purpose, costs, staffing, and effectiveness, and then prove to legislative committees that their regulation is necessary for public safety, not duplicative, and not unduly restrictive. Committees must evaluate boards using 23 specific criteria, including whether less restrictive alternatives exist or if the board serves private interests. This law directly affects every state occupational licensing board by shifting the burden to demonstrate continued necessity, rather than assuming boards should remain in place. The goal is to eliminate unnecessary regulations that could increase costs or hinder economic activity.
HB 134 creates a registration program allowing home kitchens to legally sell certain homemade foods, like baked goods or jams, directly to customers. It updates state rules to establish a microenterprise home kitchen registration system, replacing the need for a full commercial kitchen license. Home cooks must register under this new program to sell qualifying foods, which are limited to low-risk items meeting specific safety standards. The law directly affects small-scale home food producers seeking to sell their goods without operating a commercial kitchen.
HB 338, "Andy's Law," increases criminal penalties for assaults or causing death of staff or inmates at Ohio state or local correctional facilities. It amends specific Ohio Revised Code sections to impose stricter sentencing for these offenses and updates policies and procedures for the Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. The law directly affects correctional facility staff, inmates, and the state's criminal justice system by changing how such incidents are prosecuted and managed. These changes focus on enhancing accountability for violence within correctional settings.