Bird Sees Progress on Legislation

COLUMBUS –State Representative Adam Bird (R-New Richmond) this week has seen progress on four bills in committee.

Bird first testified in committee on House Bill 554, House Bill 606, and House Bill 748.

H.B. 554 aims to combat teacher shortages that have arisen as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The bill would allow Ohio’s State Board of Education to issue temporary educator licenses to applicants with expired professional teacher’s certificates and professional educator licenses as long as the educator left the profession in good standing.

H.B. 606 requires public and chartered nonpublic schools to create a seizure action plan for each student diagnosed with a seizure disorder. The plan would be created in collaboration with a parents or guardian, the student’s treating practitioner and other components required by the State Board of Education.

H.B. 748 would enforce professionalism among educators. The bill requires local boards of education to adopt a policy in which teachers cannot compel students to adopt any certain belief or evaluate students’ work unfairly based on a certain belief or lack thereof.

“While these pieces of legislation are different, the goal of protecting and assisting children remains the same,” Bird said. “Improving our school systems in any capacity has always been and will continue to be a top priority for me.”

All three pieces of legislation now await further consideration in their respective committees.

Additionally, a House committee today passed House Bill 506, which will make the Office of the Solicitor General permanent under Ohio law and create a Tenth Amendment Center within the Office of the Attorney General. 

“This is a clear-cut, necessary bill,” Bird said. “The Solicitor General does so much for our state and as such, deserves to be permanently recognized.”

H.B. 506 now heads to the House floor for further consideration.