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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.

This page was updated on 6/11/26

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 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)
     
  • Received sponsor testimony in Senate (5/20/26)
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. House Bill 464 is a companion bill to Senate Bill 218.

| 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:
  • ​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 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:
  • ​Not yet voted out of committee
Health Care
Access & 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:
  • ​​Not yet voted out of committee
Health Care Access & Quality; Early Learning & 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 (6/9/26)
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:
  • Voted out of committee on 6/9/26, not yet scheduled for a floor vote 
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 >

Senate Bill 177

Workforce Investment Now (WIN) for Child Care pilot
Sponsored by:
L. Blessing (R), J. Timken (R)
STATUS:
  • Received 1st hearing (10/21/25)
Early Learning
& Child Care
This bill would establish a state-funded pilot project providing publicly funded child care (PFCC) to qualifying child care staff members during fiscal years 2026 and 2027. It directs the Department of Children and Youth to treat income differently for eligibility determinations when a caretaker parent works at least 20 hours per week in child care and requires a report to the Governor and General Assembly after the pilot concludes.

Senate Bill 218

Exempt Armed Forces-Certified Child Care Providers from Licensure
Sponsored by:
K. Roegner (R)
STATUS:
  • Received 1st hearing (6/8/26)
Early Learning
& Child Care
This bill creates an exemption for family child care providers certified by a branch of the U.S. armed forces from state child care licensure requirements through the Ohio Department of Children and Youth. This administrative change would remove the need for duplicative processes for child care programs already certified by the Department of War. Senate Bill 218 is a companion bill to House Bill 464.

| 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:
  • Received first hearing (3/3/26)
Health Care
Access & 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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