Breaking News on the President's Podcast - Senate Bill 1 Resets Higher Education Reform Effort

Breaking news on the President's Podcast.

Senate Bill 1 will be the Advance Ohio Higher Education Act.

Sponsored by Senator Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, Senate Bill 1 is the rebirth of Senate Bill 83 that passed the Senate as well as the House Education Committee before a full vote on the House floor was stymied by pure partisan politics last year.

Senator Cirino held hours upon hours of hearings on his original bill that was strongly opposed by faculty factions but well received by students and families who have faced the woke cancel culture elements poisoning the learning environment of our public universities.

Senator Cirino's bill has the strong backing and support of Senate President Rob McColley. Both lawmakers were influential in passing legislation that established five institutions of civics, law, and intellectual diversity on the campuses of Ohio State University, Miami University, University of Toledo, Cleveland State University and the University of Cincinnati last year.

The reflexive rancor from the left over the centers quickly disappeared as the results of thoughtful debate emerged and have been well received.

Speaking at the Senate Republican Caucus retreat this week, Governor Mike DeWine congratulated the senators on the success of the program.

Senator Cirino has been a leader in working with university trustees, who are truly in charge and responsible for running Ohio’s public universities. For too long, the faculty has operated under the false pretense that they are in charge while dictating and demanding damaging DEI statements (effectively, woke litmus tests) from candidates applying for faculty positions.

For those who believe that just isn’t happening, watch the eye-opening comments from professors who participated in the first Ohio Public University Trustee Symposium hosted by Senator Cirino.

The level of discriminatory practices applied to qualified candidates puts universities and their trustees at risk of costly employment lawsuits.

Look for more details next week as Senator Cirino holds a news conference to highlight the updates inside Senate Bill 1 that were not in the original Senate Bill 83.

Senate Republicans also discussed potential reforms to taxation here at home.

Since 2017, the General Assembly has reduced the number of state income tax brackets from nine down to today’s two. The potential for a single bracket could bring further tax relief for Ohio families. “Moms and dads in Ohio work very hard for their families,” said President McColley, “Too often government forgets that it’s their paycheck first, and not the government’s money.”

The members of the GOP majority also discussed the much heavier tax burden levied on Ohioans at the local level. For example, in 2004 there were 234 cities in Ohio that raised $3.2 billion in local income taxes. Last year that number climbed to an astonishing 248 cities that raised a whopping $6.5 billion in income taxes.

Additionally, many Senate offices heard from Ohioans outraged by jumps in their property tax bill from recent valuations. These are all topics that will be part of developing the next two-year operating budget that the Ohio Constitution requires be balanced and approved by June 30th.

What a way to end the week! Governor DeWine appointed Lt. Governor Jon Husted as Ohio’s next U.S. Senator. The seat was left open as Senator J.D. Vance prepares to be sworn-in as Vice President of the United States of America. Watch coverage of Governor DeWine's news conference from The Ohio Channel.

Ohio Senate President McColley spoke with Senator Husted on Friday morning before the announcement and reaffirmed their commitment to the importance of returning power to the states.  Read President McColley's statement below.

Ohio put some real economic firepower into motion this week, as a major military manufacturer announced a new $4 billion project in Pickaway County. Anduril Industries announced a $900 million “Rebuild the Arsenal” investment near Rickenbacker Airport.

Senator Michele Reynolds, R-Canal Winchester, who represents that area, praised the project and the work of JobsOhio and the DeWine Administration for their leadership in landing this company that builds high tech autonomous aircraft as part of its 21st century skillset.

The year is just getting started, with a big week planned for new legislation being introduced next week.

Watch Senate President Rob McColley, Senator Jerry Cirino, and Senator Bill Reineke talk about the need for higher education reform with Senate Bill 1, as well as the need for a modern 21st century energy policy that meets the demand for power over the next decade on the President's Podcast available on YouTube and Spotify.