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Current Bills and Legislation

Legislation We Are Monitoring
Bills are listed first by House then by Senate in ascending bill number, not by priority.

House Bill 141  •  Senate Health Committee

Regards prescribed pediatric extended care centers
Sponsored by:
Representative Baker (D-Cincinnati) & Representative Abrams (D-Harrison)
STATUS:
  • Passed on the House Floor (6/18/25)
     
  • ​Referred to Senate Health Committee (6/25/25)
Early Learning
& Child Care
Establishes Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (PPEC) centers in Ohio for children with complex medical needs, often unable to attend traditional child care centers safely.

| Read Groundwork Testimony >

House Bill 371  •  House Children and Human Services Committee

Make elected officials mandatory child abuse, neglect reporters
Sponsored by:
Representative Plummer (R-Dayton) & Representative Young (R-Washington Township)
STATUS:
  • 3 hearings so far
     
  • Not yet voted out of committee
Early Childhood
Trauma Prevention
The bill requires elected officials, whether in their formal or personal capacity, to function as mandated reporters alongside other already established mandated reporters, such as social workers, nurses, teachers, etc.

House Bill 464  •  Senate Armed Services, Veterans Affairs, and Public Safety Committee

Exempt military-certified child care centers from licensure
Sponsored by:
Representative Richardson (R-Marysville)
STATUS:
  • Passed the House Floor (3/18/26)
     
  • Referred to Senate committee
Early Learning
& Child Care
Eliminates duplicative licensing  requirements for licensed child care providers who are also military certified child care providers through the U.S. Department of Defense.

| Read Groundwork Testimony >

House Bill 484  •  House Children and Human Services Committee

WIN Pilot Program
Sponsored by:
Representative Click (R-Vickery) & Representative Odioso (R-Green Twp)
STATUS:
  • Received 3 hearings
​
  • Not yet voted out of committee
Early Learning
& Child Care
Creates the Workforce Investment Now (WIN) Child Care pilot program, establishing PFCC categorical eligibility for child care workers.

| Read Groundwork Testimony >

House Bill 532  •  Senate Judiary Committee

Regards custody of children who cannot be released to a parent
Sponsored by:
Representative Miller (R-Newark)
STATUS:
  • Passed on the House Floor (2/25/26)
​
  • Received sponsor testimony in Senate committee
Early Childhood
Trauma Prevention
Requires county CPS agencies to provide temporary emergency care for non-resident children when they cannot be safely released to a parent or guardian. Currently, CPS will respond and take custody of children who reside within their county, but if a child is from outside the county, CPS does not assume custody and responsibility falls to local law enforcement.

House Bill 537  •  House Children and Human Services Committee

Regulate midwifery, birth centers, designate Day of the Midwife
Sponsored by:
Representative McClain (R-Upper Sandusky) & Representative Miller (R-Ashland)
STATUS:
  • 3 hearings
​
  • Not yet voted out of committee
Health Care
Access and Quality
This bill distinguishes between Certified Nurse-Midwives, licensed under the Board of Nursing, and a new category of “licensed midwives” to be overseen by the Department of Commerce, and includes protections for traditional midwives. Includes language to improve transfer agreements with local hospitals, and designates the Day of the Midwife.

House Bill 561  •  House Children and Human Services Committee

C.H.O.I.C.E. Act
Sponsored by:
Representative Miller (R-Ashland) & Representative Blaisdell (R-New Waterford)
STATUS:
  • 3 hearings
​
  • Not yet voted out of committee
Health Care Access and Quality; Early Learning and Child Care
Requires child care centers and K-12 institutions to provide clear communication about vaccine exemption options for young children, including exemptions for religious reasons or reasons of conscience (exemptions already protected in Ohio law). The bill also eliminates the requirement for Hepatitis B vaccinations. Vaccination education standards would be tied to child care licensure.

| Read Groundwork Testimony >

House Bill 635  •  House Children and Human Services Committee

Child Protection Reform Act
Sponsored by:
Representative Plummer (R-Dayton) & Representative Young (R-Washington Township)
STATUS:
  • Received 1st hearing
Early Childhood
Trauma Prevention
Corrects reporting requirements, expands information sharing, and reduces gaps between local law enforcement and children’s services. This bill strengthens mandatory reporting and would enhance the flow of information between counties if a child is in out-of-county placement. Finally, the bill requires DV response data to be entered into a statewide child-welfare system, and requires children's services agencies to review domestic violence incidents during investigations.

House Bill 647  •  House Children and Human Services Committee

Regards publicly funded child care, the Child Care Cred Program
Sponsored by:
Representative Plummer (R-Dayton) & Representative Young (R-Washington Township)
STATUS:
  • Received 6 hearings
​
  • Not yet voted out of committee
Early Learning
& Child Care
Includes a $5M appropriation to support PFCC program integrity, covering cost of additional oversight within the Ohio Department of Children and Youth, enabling the Department to to respond quickly and appropriately when program integrity questions arise.

| Read Groundwork Testimony >

House Bill 649  •  House Children and Human Services Committee

Child Care Fraud Prevention Act
Sponsored by:
Representative Williams (R-Sylvania Twp) & Representative Swearingen (R-Huron)
STATUS:
  • Received 4 hearings
​
  • Not yet voted out of committee
Early Learning
& Child Care
An alternative response to PFCC program integrity investigations. Earlier versions of the bill would have required child care centers to capture photo or video evidence of a child's attendance for families receiving PFCC. More recent amendments have refined the language to prohibit DCY from storing surveillance data of children in favor of a method capturing photo sign-in data on tablets, and using AI technology to verify a child's identity.

| Read Groundwork Testimony >

Senate Bill 352  •  Senate Finance

Regards behavioral health screenings in the perinatal period
Sponsored by:
Senator Weinstein (D-Hudson) & Senator Timken (R-Jackson Township)
STATUS:
  • 1st hearing in Senate Committee
Health Care
Access and Quality
Includes a $2M appropriation from state GRF to ensure that resources are available to expand and strengthen Ohio’s perinatal behavioral health infrastructure. The bill aims to improve the connection between assessment, referral, and treatment access.

Additional Bills by Policy Area:

Archived Bill Activity:

Public Comments:

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