To enact section 3321.044 of the Revised Code regarding attendance at school during participation in district-approved activities.
Summary
HB125 would require Ohio school districts to grant excused absences to students in kindergarten through grade 12 who miss school to participate in scheduled 4-H or FFA activities or programs. To qualify, a 4-H or FFA educator must provide written documentation to the school principal or attendance officer verifying the student’s participation. The bill also requires districts to allow students to make up missed work and prohibits those absences from negatively affecting class grades.
The bill limits this excused-absence protection in two situations: it cannot be used during scheduled state assessments, and it cannot be used during periods when a student is otherwise barred from participating in extracurricular activities because of discipline, suspension, or expulsion. In effect, the bill creates a specific attendance accommodation for agricultural youth programs while preserving school authority over testing schedules and disciplinary restrictions.
Impact
HB125 would add a new section to the Revised Code governing school attendance and excused absences, specifically requiring districts to treat participation in 4-H and FFA as an excused reason for missing class when properly documented. It would affect school districts, principals, attendance officers, students in grades K-12, and families involved in agricultural education programs, while also creating a corresponding obligation to permit make-up work and protect grades from adverse impact. The bill would not broadly change attendance law for all extracurriculars, but it would carve out a targeted statutory exception for these two programs.
Sentiment
The available voting history suggests strong bipartisan support and little opposition: the bill received a unanimous favorable committee vote and passed the House 95-0. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, so there is no recorded floor or committee debate to indicate significant controversy. Overall, the bill appears to have been viewed positively as a support measure for student participation in long-standing agricultural youth organizations.
Contention
The main policy tension in HB125 is between accommodating student participation in 4-H and FFA and preserving school control over attendance, testing, and discipline. Supporters are likely focused on the educational and civic value of these programs and the need to prevent students from being penalized for participation. The bill’s explicit exceptions for state testing days and for students under discipline reflect the primary limiting concerns: schools may worry about missed instructional time, assessment integrity, and consistency with existing extracurricular eligibility rules. However, the unanimous votes indicate these concerns did not generate notable opposition in the available record.
To amend sections 3517.12, 3517.13, and 3517.155 of the Revised Code to modify the Campaign Finance Law regarding foreign nationals and statewide initiatives and referenda and to declare an emergency.
To amend sections 3517.12, 3517.13, and 3517.155 of the Revised Code to modify the Campaign Finance Law regarding foreign nationals and statewide initiatives and referenda and to declare an emergency.
To amend sections 3505.01 and 3505.10 of the Revised Code to modify the deadline for a political party to certify its nominees for President and Vice-President to the Secretary of State.
To delay the deadline for a major political party to certify its presidential and vice presidential candidates to the Secretary of State for the 2024 general election.