Five things to know for Friday, Nov. 7

Ohioans file more unemployment claims, numbers show

Ohioans filed 46,768 unemployment claims for the week of Oct. 26 to Nov. 1, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services said.

That tally includes 6,117 initial unemployment claims last week, which was 654 more than the previous week, and 40,651 continued unemployment claims last week, which was 259 more than the previous week. Roughly 1,076 of the initial unemployment claims were flagged for confirmation that they are not fraudulent.

Measure aims to protect parents’ vaccine exemptions rights in schools

State Reps. Melanie Miller, R-City of Ashland, and Monica Robb Blasdel, R-New Waterford, have introduced House Bill 561, the Parental Clarity on Health Options and Information on Conscientious Exemptions, or C.H.O.I.C.E., Act.

The legislation aims to ensure that parents know their rights, that exemptions are sustained, and that schools do not exclude students because of their vaccine status. Ohio law includes conscientious, religious, and medical vaccine exemptions, allowing children to attend licensed daycares and schools, including K-12 public and nonpublic chartered schools.

Measure would strengthen protections for public university students

State Reps. Justin Pizzulli, R-Scioto County, and Dontavius Jarrells, R-Columbus, are spearheading House Bill 511, which would strengthen protections for students on Ohio’s public university campuses. The measure, pending before the House Workforce and Higher Education Committee, will provide $10 million for the Campus Student Safety Grant Program, which the previous General Assembly established under House Bill 606, the CAMPUS Act.

The Ohio Department of Higher Education-administered program provides resources to enhance security measures on college campuses. House Bill 96, the state’s two-year budget, also allocated another $2 million over the next two years for the program.

DeWine signs bill to allow police agencies to fill positions without exams

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed House Bill 44, a measure that gives local police departments the power to fill vacant civil service positions without unnecessary exams.

“House Bill 44 will expedite the process to get well-trained officers on the field, ultimately increasing the safety of our communities and directly addressing workforce needs,” state Rep. Kevin D. Miller, R-Newark, said in an earlier release. Miller sponsored the measure with Joseph A. Miller III, D-Amherst.

Lawmakers to review, update Ohio Athletic Commission

Lawmakers are considering House Bill 538, legislation to overhaul the Ohio Athletic Commission, formerly the Ohio Boxing Commission, after the Joint Committee on Agency Rule Review discovered that every one of the OAC’s 106 rules was outside of their five-year rule review period.

State law mandates that administrative rules subject to JCARR’s oversight be reviewed by the committee at least every five years to determine whether they are overburdensome, duplicative, or outdated. Additionally, officials found that the OAC had not promulgated any rules concerning its oversight of athlete agents.