Labor & Employment (Professional Licensing)

To amend section 1321.21 and to enact sections 1320.01, 1320.02, 1320.03, 1320.04, 1320.05, 1320.06, 1320.07, 1320.08, 1320.09, and 1320.10 of the Revised Code to regulate the provision of earned wage access services.

HB 559 allows peace officers (such as police and sheriff's deputies) to skip mandatory refresher training under specific circumstances, declared as an emergency. The bill's key provision is creating a process for state authorities to grant waivers, bypassing standard training requirements. This directly affects active peace officers who would otherwise need to complete annual training. The emergency declaration suggests urgency, likely related to staffing shortages or crisis response needs, though the abstract doesn't detail specific waiver conditions. (1-2 sentences as it's a procedural bill.)

SB 74 creates a "fair paycheck workplace certificate" for employers with two or more employees, requiring them to demonstrate gender pay equity by showing that the average compensation for male and female employees differs by less than 5% in the previous calendar year. To obtain the certificate, employers must submit detailed payroll data (including gross compensation for each gender) and pay a fee to the director of commerce, who will issue the certificate if the pay gap meets the standard. The certificate is valid for six months initially and can be renewed annually for one year, with the director maintaining a public database listing all certified employers and their certificate status. Employers denied certification may appeal the decision, and the program does not mandate pay adjustments - only verification of existing pay practices.