Education Action Alerts!

 

Week of May 8, 2023 Honesty Champions,  THANK YOU for protecting honest education across Ohio! With SO MANY harmful education bills moving in the Statehouse EVERY WEEK, we are sending weekly action alerts with specific ways to TAKE ACTION on fast-moving, high-priority bills. Each weekly action alert includes three important sections: TAKE ACTION - easy ways for YOU to help stop harmful, high-priority bills  HEARING NOTICES - legislative hearings that you can attend or watch NEW BILLS - new legislation impacting honest education You can find these bills and hearings on the Honesty Legislation Tracker page. 🚨 PLEASE SHARE 🚨 the WEEKLY ALERTS with students, educators, family, friends, colleagues, schools, orgs, groups, businesses, and neighboring communities.    TAKE ACTION   STOP HB 8 - The Ohio Unsafe Students Act HB 8 forces schools to out LGBTQ+ students to parents, regardless of harm or danger to student; requires teachers to report the use of any "sexually explicit material" to parents and provide alternative material; bill offers vague definition of "sexually explicit material" that targets LGBTQ+ identities and experiences • Learn More   TAKE ACTION   OPPONENT HEARING ON TUESDAY, MAY 9 - TESTIMONY NEEDED!  House Primary and Secondary Education Committee Tuesday, May 9, 3:30pm, Room 116 1) Submit testimony against House Bill 8 Submit by Monday, May 8, 3:30pm Send PDF of your testimony and this completed witness slip to OHRPrimary&SecondaryEducationCommittee@ohiohouse.gov More Testimony Info HERE 2) PACK the hearing room on Tuesday to oppose HB 8 Show up in opposition to this UNSAFE and dangerous legislation Share this graphic 3) Contact the House Primary and Secondary Education Committee Tell legislators to VOTE NO on House Bill 8 Call HERE Email HERE  STOP HB 6 - Transgender Student Athlete Ban  HB 6 bans transgender students from participating on female sports teams in Ohio K-12 schools, colleges, and universities • Learn More   TAKE ACTION   POSSIBLE COMMITTEE VOTE ON WEDNESDAY, MAY 10 House Higher Education Committee Wednesday, May 10, 10:30am, Room 17 1) Tell the House Higher Education Committee to VOTE NO on House Bill 6! Call HERE Email HERE  2) PACK the hearing room on Wednesday to oppose the HB 6  Show Ohio that ALL students should play! Share this graphic 3) Support & follow LGBTQ+ organizations  EqualityOhio, TransOhio, Kaleidoscope Youth Center,  LOVEBoldly, Trans Allies of Ohio, Diversity Center of NEO, Equitas Health, Trevor Project, Human Rights Campaign, The Buckeye Flame   STOP SB 1 - State Takeover of Public Education State takeover of public education; shifts oversight of State Board of Education and Dept of Education to governor; strips significant roles and duties from State Board and state superintendent Learn More   TAKE ACTION    OPPONENT HEARING ON TUESDAY, MAY 9 - TESTIMONY NEEDED House Economic Workforce Development Committee Tuesday, May 9, 2pm, Room 114 1) Prepare Opponent Testimony HERE - submit by Mon, May 8, 2pm 2) Convert your testimony into an op-ed or letter to editor 3) SHARE with your school & community  4) Contact House Economic Workforce Development Committee Call HERE Email HERE 5) PACK the hearing room on Tu esday to oppose SB 1 Keep partisan power grabs OUT of Ohio education!    STOP HB 151 & SB 83 - Higher Ed Destruction Act  HB 151 & SB 83 are identical higher education bills that ban required DEI training, programs based on gender and race, partnerships with China, and employee strikes; require online posting of syllabi and  reporting and publishing of violations and performance evaluations; withhold state funding and tenure for violations • Learn More HB 151 & SB 83   TAKE ACTION   SPONSOR HEARING HB 151 & POSSIBLE AMENDMENT SB 83 Sponsor testimony for HB 151 on May 10, 10:30am, House Higher Ed Comm Possible amendment for SB 83 on May 2, 10am, Senate Workforce and Higher Ed Comm 1) Contact Committee members and YOUR legislators Tell Ohio Senators and Representatives to REJECT both bills! House Bill 151 Call House Higher Education Committee HERE Email HERE  Contact YOUR Representative HERE Senate Bill 83 Call Senate Workforce & Higher Education Committee HERE Email HERE Contact YOUR Senator HERE 2) Prepare Opponent Testimony for HB 151  DO NOT SUBMIT testimony until opponent hearing is announced!  Testimony Information HERE   STOP HJR 1/SJR 2 & SB 92 - Attacks on Direct Democracy HJR1 & SJR2 require 60% vote to approve any constitutional amendment; eliminate the 10-day cure period to gather additional signatures for an initiative petition proposing a constitutional amendment; require petitions proposing a constitutional amendment be signed by at least 5% of the electors in each Ohio county, instead of half of the counties • Learn More HJR 1 & SJR 2     TAKE ACTION   POSSIBLE FULL HOUSE VOTE ON HJR1/SJR2 & SPECIAL ELECTION  House Session: Wednesday, May 10, 2pm 1) Join the Statehouse Rally to Protect “One Person, One Vote” Wednesday, May 10, 12:30pm, Trinity Episcopal Church, Columbus  RSVP & share flyer 2) Contact Ohio Representatives  Urge Reps to vote NO on HJR 1/SJR 2 and NO on special elections! Contact Ohio Reps HERE   Follow these bills and more on our Legislation Tracker    HEARING NOTICES   Senate Workforce and Higher Education Tuesday, May 9, 10am, North Hearing Room Agenda • Watch Senate Bill 117 - Sponsor Hearing Establishes the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society at the Ohio State University, and the Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership at the University of Toledo; entities will use "intellectual diversity" to study the principles and ideals of the US Constitution and Western Civilization values, and develop the "next generation of leaders in the legal profession" • Learn More Senate Bill 83 -  No Testimony, Possible Amendment Higher education bill that bans required DEI training, programs based on gender and race, partnerships with China, and employee strikes; requires online posting of syllabi and reporting and publishing of violations and performance evaluations; withholds state funding and tenure for violations • Learn More House Bill 33 - Informal Hearing + Public Testimony State Budget for FY 2024-2025, establishes appropriations for fiscal years 2024-2025 • Learn More Testimony: IUC Presidents & Public Testimony Testimony due 24 hours before scheduled hearing Email PDF of your testimony and this completed witness slip to jake.dowling@ohiosenate.gov House Economic and Workforce Development Tuesday, May 9, 2023, 2pm, Room 114 Agenda • Watch Senate Bill 1 - All Testimony State takeover of public education; shifts oversight of State Board of Education and Dept of Education to governor; strips significant roles and duties from State Board and state superintendent • Learn More   Senate Education Committee Tuesday, May 9, 3pm, South Hearing Room Agenda • Watch House Bill 33 - Informal Hearing + Public Testimony State Budget for FY 2024-2025, establishes appropriations for fiscal years 2024-2025 •  Learn More Testimony:  Testimony due 24 hours before scheduled hearing Email PDF of your testimony and this completed witness slip to aaron.riggins@ohiosenate.gov House Primary and Secondary Education Committee Tuesday, May 9, 3:30pm, Room 116 Agenda • Watch HB 8 - Opponent Hearing Unsafe Student Act: Forces schools to out LGBTQ+ students to parents, regardless of harm or danger to student; requires teachers to report the use of any "sexually explicit material" to parents and provide alternative material; bill offers vague definition of "sexually explicit material" that targets LGBTQ+ identities and experiences • Learn More House Bill 103 - Proponent & Interested Party Testimony Creates a Social Studies Standards Task Force (with appointees of the Governor, Senate President, and House Speaker) to develop K-12 social studies standards using the American Birthright: The Civics Alliance's Model K-12 Social Studies Standards • Learn More HB 117 - All Testimony, Possible Amendment, Possible Vote Eliminates retention provision in the Third Grade Reading Guarantee • Learn More Testimony: Testimony due 24 hours before scheduled hearing Email PDF of testimony and this completed witness slip to OHRPrimary&SecondaryEducationCommittee@ohiohouse.gov House Higher Education Committee Wednesday, May 10, 10:30am, Room 17 Agenda • Watch House Bill 6 - Interested Party Testimony, POSSIBLE VOTE Bans transgender female student-athletes from female K-12 and higher education sports teams • Learn More House Bill 151 - Sponsor Testimony Higher education bill that bans required DEI training, programs based on gender and race, partnerships with China, and employee strikes; requires online posting of syllabi and reporting and publishing of violations and performance evaluations; withholds state funding and tenure for violations • Learn More     Senate Session   Wednesday, May 10, 1:30pm • Watch   House Session   Wednesday, May 10, 2pm • Watch   Senate Education Committee Wednesday, May 10, 4pm, South Hearing Room Agenda • Watch House Bill 33 - Informal Hearing + Public Testimony State Budget for FY 2024-2025, establishes appropriations for fiscal years 2024-2025 • Learn More Testimony:  Testimony due 24 hours before scheduled hearing Email PDF of your testimony and this completed witness slip to aaron.riggins@ohiosenate.gov Senate Workforce and Higher Education Thursday, May 11, 9am, North Hearing Room Agenda • Watch House Bill 33 - Informal Hearing + Public Testimony State Budget for FY 2024-2025, establishes appropriations for fiscal years 2024-2025 • Learn More Testimony:  Testimony due 24 hours before scheduled hearing Email PDF of your testimony and this completed witness slip to jake.dowling@ohiosenate.gov   Senate Education Committee Thursday, May 11, 11am, South Hearing Room Agenda • Watch House Bill 33 - Informal Hearing + Public Testimony State Budget for FY 2024-2025, establishes appropriations for fiscal years 2024-2025 • Learn More Testimony:  Testimony due 24 hours before scheduled hearing Email PDF of your testimony and this completed witness slip to aaron.riggins@ohiosenate.gov Follow these bills and more on Honesty's Legislation Tracker    NEW BILLS   Senate Bill 117 Establishes the Salmon P. Chase Center for Civics, Culture, and Society at the Ohio State University, and the Institute of American Constitutional Thought and Leadership at the University of Toledo; entities will use "intellectual diversity" to study the principles and ideals of the US Constitution and Western Civilization values, and develop the "next generation of leaders in the legal profession"  Introduced: May 3, 2023 Sponsors:  Sens Jerry Cirino, Rob McColley Committee: Senate Workforce & Higher Education Committee  Learn More House Bill 164 Establish Foster-to-College Scholarship Program Introduced: May 1, 2023 Sponsors:  Reps Dontavius L. Jarrells, Bill Seitz Committee: House Higher Education Committee Learn More STATEHOUSE RESOURCES Legislative Calendar HERE Senate Committee Schedule HERE House Committee Schedule HERE Watch LIVE & Recorded Meeting HERE Honesty Legislation Tracker HERE Learn More to Do More Visit the Honesty website to learn how you can help protect honest education across Ohio!