Here is a compendium of current issues that affect Ohio’s public entities, plus McGown & Markling news of note.
On February 28, 2022, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed into law Senate Bill 181, which prohibits public and private schools from banning students from wearing religious apparel when participating in athletic and extracurricular activities and events unless such apparel presents a legitimate danger to other participants. To read this bill, click here. Authors: Matthew John […]
On February 28, 2022, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed into law House Bill 229, which – in part – provides qualified immunity to camp operators from injuries arising from a “risk inherent to camping,” which is defined as a danger or condition that is an integral part of camping including, but not limited to, natural […]
On February 28, 2022, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed into law House Bill 4, which requires – in part – that each public children service agency (“PCSA”) both disclose information discovered during child abuse/neglect investigations to a law enforcement agency and notify child abuse/neglect reporters that the PSCA has received the report and completed its […]
On February 25, 2022, the Center for Disease Control (“CDC”) updated its guidance on wearing masks in schools and on buses. In summary, the CDC is no longer recommending that all people, regardless of vaccination status, wear masks in schools and on buses in counties with low or medium COVID-19 community levels. However, in counties […]
UPDATE: Contempt Hearing Ordered for Ohio Redistricting Commission On February 18, 2022, the Ohio Supreme Court ordered the Ohio Redistricting Commission (“Commission”) to appear for a hearing on March 1, 2022, at 10:00 a.m., to explain why the Commission should not be held in contempt for failing to comply with the Court’s prior order directing […]
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) issued a fact sheet to remind public schools of their obligations under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to disabled students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Section 504 is a federal law that guarantees equal access to educational services to disabled students in public […]
On February 17, 2022, Ohio Governor Mike Dewine signed into law House Bill 51, which permits members of public bodies to conduct and attend meetings and hearings by means of teleconference, video conference, or other similar electronic technology until June 30, 2022. Absent this law, public bodies would not be permitted to meet virtually but […]
The Ohio Ethics Commission just published its newest newsletter, “The Voice of Ethics,” which can be viewed here. Past newsletters from the Ohio Ethics Commission can be viewed here. McGown & Markling is often asked to opine on various ethics issues, but the best ethics advice comes straight from the Ohio Ethics Commission itself. To request an […]