Rep. Baker's High School Internships Bill Passes Ohio House

State Representative Nan Baker (R-Westlake) today applauded the House passage of House Bill 107, which creates a $1 million pilot project to provide grants to certain businesses for employing high school students to career exploration internships.

The grants are limited to businesses that operate primarily in Ohio and would equal 50 percent of the wages paid to student interns with a maximum of $5,000. Prior to being eligible for a grant, a business must submit both an application and a completion report to the Development Services Agency. Businesses can be eligible for no more than three grants a year.

“The goal in Ohio continues to be creating and filling jobs,” said Baker, the bill’s sponsor. “Expanding the opportunities for high school students to receive first-hand experience in their interested fields will help them to assess the careers they want to pursue in life.”

The project would be funded by money left over in a casino licensing fund that was earmarked for workforce development efforts. Grants would be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

HB 107 passed with bipartisan support and will now be sent to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.