Update: SB178 Ohio Senate Primary and Secondary Education Committee
Proponent Hearing – November 30, 2022
First and foremost – Thank you SO much for making phone calls and/or sending emails to oppose SB178 and the elimination of our elected representation through our State Board of Education!
Two days of proponent hearings are complete. The chairman has indicated that there will be additional hearings next week. This is our opportunity to stand up and preserve what our Constitution refers to as “the consent of the governed” — the key element of our constitutional republic. And state education policy affects ALL children in ALL forms of educational choice!
The relevant portion addressing SB178 begins at about the 45-minute mark. There were only 3 proponent witnesses and 1 interested party (neutral) witness. You may find the “interested party” witness the most noteworthy because it wasn’t actually “neutral.” He expressed concerns that were more in opposition. This witness is at the 58:24 minute mark.
The full text of the bill is STILL not available on the committee’s website. I have been provided a copy in pdf form and will begin to review it (It is 2144 pages in length.) Once it becomes available, we will share the link. When you make calls, please respectfully request that they post the sub bill on line for the public to have access to it.
NEXT STEPS:
Your phone calls and emails are so important, but one of the next steps in this process is opponent testimony.
Everyone is understandably busy this time of year, but would you please consider providing opponent testimony when the opportunity is provided next week? This could be done in person OR by simply submitting your testimony in writing. We will provide helpful details from the bill and will give guidance on how to do this when the schedule is posted by the end of the week. Thank you again for all your help to influence this critical legislation!
If you have not seen the original legislative alert and would like to understand the core issue, please click here.
Submitted by Melanie Elsey, CHEO Legislative Liaison
