Public Children Services Association Of Ohio (PCSAO)

COA
Legislation
Conference
Univ Partnership
Committees
PCSAO Tools
Publications
Standards
Research

OHIO 128TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY (2009-2010)
PCSAO provides a break down of legislation pertaining to children, families and PCSAs in the current and past General Assemblies.
House Bills Senate Bills

 

HB 10 Child Protective Orders
(Brown, E. - D)

Introduced to House: February 17, 2009
Assigned to Civil & Commercial Law (M. Okey)
Passed House: June 24, 2009
Introduced to Senate: June 25, 2009
Assigned to Judiciary Civil Justice (B. Seitz)
Current Status: In Senate committee

HB 10 provides civil protection orders for children in violent dating relationships. It also includes foster parents under the scope of domestic violence laws.

PCSAO supports this legislation.

back
HB 13 Child Victim Offenders
(Garrison, J. - D)

Introduced to House: February 17, 2009
Assigned to Criminal Justice (T. Yates)
Current Status: In House committee

HB 13 prohibits Tier III sex offender/child victim offenders who have committed specified offenses against a victim under 16 years of age from knowingly being present on school premises or preschool or child day-care center premises.

PCSAO is monitoring this legislation.

back
HB 40 Court Ordered Parenting
(Letson, T. - D)

Introduced to House: February 24, 2009
Assigned to Judiciary (S. Harwood)
Current Status: In House committee

HB 40 requires an employer to allow an employee who is a parent to exercise parenting time pursuant to a court order without terminating the parent's employment, reducing the parent's pay, or taking any other similar adverse action against the parent. This only applies to custody cases between parents.

PCSAO is monitoring this bill.

back
HB 62 Social Work Licensure
(Pryor, R. - D)

 

 

Introduced to House: December 17, 2009
Assigned to State, Local Government and Vets Affairs (J. Hughes)

PCSAO was pleased to support an initiative by NASW-OH and the Counselor, Social Worker and Marriage Therapist Licensure Board to meet their goals of Social Worker Title Protection, while ensuring PCSAs have a strong and accessible workforce.  Many thanks to Exec Membership, the statewide PCSAO Legislative Committee that contributed input and ideas in a short span of a few days to ensure the law changes are good ones for Ohio’s children, families and communities and PCSAO’s Greg Kapcar for his effective work on this topic.  PCSAO also greatly appreciates the leadership from Representative Ray Pryor (Ross County area) to ensure good policy.  The amendment language does the following 3 things:

  • Ensures anyone that is licensed falls under the purview of the licensure board, regardless of where they work (thus, if you have an employee that is an LSW or LISW, or some other licensure) they must follow the rules of the board and are subject to the Board’s disciplinary actions.
  • Gives title protection for the term Social Worker – agencies and individuals can’t use the term unless you are / use licensed social workers only, for the job position.  If you have positions with a Social Worker job title now, you can and should change the title (unless you intend to limit hiring to licensed SWkers).
  • Ensures PCSAs are not required to hire LSWs or LISWs.  Amendment language is clear:  verbatim, “Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require licensure or certification for a caseworker employed by a public children services agency under section 5153.112 of the Revised Code.”

Significant education and training is needed to do the complex child welfare mission of keeping children safe and in stable, permanent homes.  Thus, we depend upon our premier Ohio Child Welfare Training Program to prepare professionals in addition to their education.  We also have a great partnership with selected universities in Ohio with specific child welfare curriculum preparation for social work students selected to be in that limited program. Unfortunately, Ohio university schools of Social Work are unable to meet the demand for our entire statewide workforce, especially in rural areas of the state. Our position on this issue is well stated in the Effective Workforce document.

back
HB 182 Felonious Assault – Young Victims
(Hackett, R. - R)

Introduced to House: May 12, 2009
Assigned to Criminal Justice (T. Yates)
Current Status: In House committee

HB 182 requires the imposition of a mandatory prison term of five, six, seven, eight, nine, or ten years on an offender who is convicted of felonious assault or endangering children and is convicted of or pleads guilty to a specification that the victim of the offense was less than five years of age at the time of the commission of the offense and that the victim suffered substantial permanent injury as a result of the offense and requires that the mandatory prison term be served consecutively to and prior to any prison term imposed for the underlying offense.

Also, requires the imposition of a mandatory prison term of five, six, seven, eight, nine, or ten years on an offender who is convicted of voluntary manslaughter, involuntary manslaughter, or reckless homicide and is convicted of or pleads guilty to a specification that the victim of the offense was less than five years of age at the time of the commission of the offense and requires that the mandatory prison term be served consecutively to and prior to any prison term imposed for the underlying offense.

PCSAO is currently monitoring this bill.

back
HB 197 Kinship Care
(Harris, M. - D)

Introduced to House: May 27, 2009
Assigned to Judiciary (S. Harwood)
Current Status: In House committee

This bill expands the HB 130 Power of Attorney forms to a caregiver of parental choice and Caregiver Authorization Affidavit forms to qualified relatives, plus other federal requirements in the Fostering Connections bill (relative notification within 30 days of placement; value of sibling connections; authorized use of federal parent locator services).   

PCSAO supports this bill. 

Also, PCSAO Trustees unanimously support amendment request from OCDA that would have child support orders follow the child (thus provide paper trail to court for these cases), and an amendment to clarify and close a loophole so PCSAs, without question, can use kinship placements as options for care without having to get court approval. 

back
HB 242 Felony Database
(Letson, T. - D /Huffman, M. - R)

Introduced to House: June 25, 2009
Assigned to Criminal Justice (T. Yates)
Current Status: In House committee

HB 242 creates a database that contains information for every offender in the state who is convicted of a felony offense against a person who was under eighteen years of age at the time of the offense.

PCSAO supports this bill in concept, with concerns about the cost of implementation in light of recent budget cuts to child welfare, adoptions, and human services.

back
HB 293 Ohio Prevention First Act
(Yates, T. - D)
(Companion Bill - SB 176, HB 332, HB 333, HB 316)

Introduced to House: September 30, 2009
Assigned to House Health Committee (B. Boyd)
Current status: Currently in committee

HB 293 promotes comprehensive sex education in schools, creates a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Task Force, requires contraceptives to have equitable coverage with other prescription drugs in insurance policies, and ensures emergency contraception is available in hospitals for victims of sexual assault.

PCSAO Board of Trustees unanimously voted in support of this legislation that would help prevent unintended and teen pregnancies. About half of all births in Ohio are the result of unintended pregnancies, and it is estimated that teen childbearing cost the child welfare system at least $2.3 billion nationally in 2004 alone. PCSAO believes that all youth should have access to sexual health services, and should hear a clear and coordinated message about sex from adults.

back
HB 308 Income Tax Rates
(Foley, M. – D /Hagan, R. - D)

Introduced to House: October 13, 2009
Assigned to Ways and Means (T. Letson)
Current Status: In House committee

For taxpayers' taxable years beginning in 2009 or thereafter, the marginal income tax rate applicable under current law to an individual's, trust's, or estate's is 5.925%, for amounts exceeding $200,000 (Marginal tax rates were reduced by H.B. 66 of the 126th General Assembly.  The reduced rates were phased in over five years between 2005 and 2009.  Before 2005, the marginal rate applicable to taxable income in excess of $200,000 was 7.5%.)

The bill increases the marginal income tax rate applicable to taxable income in excess of $200,000 but not in excess of $500,000 to 7.5%.  The marginal income tax rate applicable to taxable income in excess of $500,000 is increased to 8.5%.  The new rates apply to a taxpayer's taxable year beginning in 2009 or thereafter.

PCSAO is analyzing this bill in order to establish a position. 

back
HB 316 Sex Education Reform
(Slesnick, S. - D)

Introduced to House: October 16, 2009
Assigned to Education (B. Williams)
Current Status: In House committee

HB 316 provides an optional comprehensive sex education plan for school systems, and lays out the curriculum and guidelines for teachers. This includes the instruction of HIV/AIDS, contraceptives, and disease prevention methods.

PCSAO supports this legislation.

back
HB 318 Tax Freeze Proposal
(Sykes, V. -D)

Signed by Governor: Dec 22, 2009

HB 318 postpones for two years the final 4.2% reduction in income taxes that was set for 2009, freezing the tax rates at the 2008 level. It also creates the Construction Reform Demonstration Project, and allows a delay in implementing all-day kindergarten, and to make appropriation.

PCSAO supports this legislation.

back
HB 332 Contraceptive Equity
(Stewart, D. - D)

Introduced to House: October 27, 2009
Assigned to Healthcare Access & Affordability (L. Fende)
Current Status: In House committee

HB 332 provides for coverage of prescription contraception by insurance policies that already cover other prescriptions.

PCSAO supports this legislation.

back
HB 333  CARE Act
(Stewart, D. - D)

Introduced to House: October 27, 2009
Assigned to Health Committee (B. Boyd)
Current Status: In House committee

HB 333 requires hospitals with organized emergency services to provide emergency contraception to victims of sexual assault regardless of ability to pay, and in the case of a minor, without requiring the hospital to notify the minor's parent or guardian.

PCSAO supports this legislation

back
HB 371 CHIPS
(Pillich, C. – D)

Introduced to House: November 17, 2009
 Assigned to: Civil and Commercial Law
Current Status: In House Committee
This legislation would refocus limited child protection resources on the needs of Ohio’s children, strengthen families, and maximize consistent treatment of families through risk-based alternative case management system (minimizing state intervention and maximizing child protection); establish new, clearer definitions of circumstances to intervene in order to protect a child from harm. 

PCSAO is carefully tracking and providing input on this important legislation

back
SB 55 Sexual Health Education
(Fedor, T. - D)

Introduced to House: February 17, 2009
Assigned to Education (G. Cates)
Current Status: In Senate committee

SB 55 establishes standards for comprehensive sexual health education in public schools, creates the Office of Healthy Schools within the Department of Education, and requires the State Board of Education to adopt health education standards closely modeled after the National Health Education Standards.

PCSAO is monitoring this legislation.

back
SB 56 Unattended Child - Auto
(Niehaus, T. - R)

Introduced to House: February 24, 2009
Assigned to Judiciary – Criminal Justice (T. Grendell)
Current Status: In Senate committee

Prohibits a person from negligently leaving a child who is less than five years of age unattended in an automobile.

Specifies that the portion of the offense of "involuntary manslaughter" that prohibits a person from causing the death of another or the unlawful termination of another's pregnancy as a proximate result of the offender's committing or attempting to commit any misdemeanor does not apply if the misdemeanor is the new offense described above.

PCSAO is monitoring this bill.

back
SB 155 DMA & Adoption Assistance
(Carey, J. – R /Miller, D. – D)

Introduced to House: July 13, 2009
Assigned to Finance & Financial Institutions (J. Carey)
Current Status: In Senate committee

This bill works to partially decouple Ohio law from recent federal tax law changes (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009), to require the Department of Job and Family Services to operate the Disability Medical Assistance Program in the same manner the program was operated as of June 30, 2009, and to make appropriations.

Importantly, this bill would restore some funding for adoption assistance.  

PCSAO supports this legislation.

Filling Family PortraitsAdoption Advocacy Rally - Representing affected children and families from across the state, a group of adoption advocates have combined forces to sponsor “Filling Family Portraits” to celebrate and promote adoption awareness for waiting children.

back
SB 176 Ohio Prevention First
(Fedor, T. - D)
(Companion Bill - HB 293, HB 332, HB 333, HB 316)

Introduced to House: September 29, 2009
Assigned to Health, Human Services, & Aging (K. Coughlin)
Current status: Currently in committee

SB 176 promotes comprehensive sex education in schools, creates a Teen Pregnancy Prevention Task Force, requires contraceptives to have equitable coverage with other prescription drugs in insurance policies, and ensures emergency contraception is available in hospitals for victims of sexual assault.

PCSAO Board of Trustees unanimously voted in support of this legislation that would help prevent unintended and teen pregnancies. About half of all births in Ohio are the result of unintended pregnancies, and it is estimated that teen childbearing cost the child welfare system at least $2.3 billion nationally in 2004 alone. PCSAO believes that all youth should have access to sexual health services, and should hear a clear and coordinated message about sex from adults.

back
SB 189 Adoption Law
(Goodman, J. - R)

Introduced to House: October 20, 2009
Assigned to Judiciary Civil Justice (B. Seitz)
Current status: Currently in Senate committee

SB 189 is in regards to adoption law, custody of an abused, neglected, or dependent child, and the elimination of acknowledgments of paternity.

PCSAO is analyzing this bill.

back

 

 

The Public Children Services Association of Ohio  510 E. Mound St.,  Suite 200 Columbus, Ohio 43215 Tel: (614) 224-5802  E-mail: pcsao@pcsao.org