COLUMBUS–Three CCV-backed bills will go before their respective committees today, Tuesday, April 23, beginning at 3:00 pm. Learn more about these critical bills, contact your lawmakers, and get the links to watch the hearings below.

House Bill 8–The Parents' Bill of Rights

HB8, sponsored by Representatives D.J. Swearingen (R-Huron) ) and Sara P. Carruthers (R-Hamilton), is receiving its third hearing and a possible vote before the Senate Education Committee today at 3:00 pm.

HB8, also known as the Parents' Bill of Rights, recognizes the fundamental right of parents to make decisions regarding their child’s upbringing, care, and education. HB8 protects parents' right to know when their child is being taught sexual content at school, to opt their student out of such curriculum, and to be notified if their child requests a change of gender recognition at school.

Watch CCV's Ohio Christian Education Network Executive Director Troy McIntosh give proponent testimony.

Click here to tell your State Senator to pass the Parents' Bill of Rights.

If you're unable to watch the hearing live, you can view the recording here once it's posted.

House Bill 445–School Religious Released Time

HB445, sponsored by Representatives Al Cutrona (R-Canfield) and Gary Click (R-Vickery), is receiving its first hearing before the Ohio House Primary and Secondary Education Committee today at 3:00 pm.

HB445 would change just one word, "may" to "shall," in this line of law: "A school district board of education may shall adopt a policy that authorizes a student to be excused from school to attend a released time course in religious instruction..."

Organizations like LifeWise Academy and School Ministries Ohio are legally allowed to provide private religious instruction, such as Bible studies, to public school students during the school day, but some school districts have not permitted such instruction because the law said that they simply "may" do so. This single-word change would remove that loophole.

Watch Reps. Cutrona and Click give their sponsor testimony.

If you're unable to watch the hearing live, you can view the recording once it's posted.

House Bill 295–The Innocence Act

HB295, sponsored by Representative Steve Demetriou (R-Bainbridge Township), is receiving its second hearing before the House Criminal Justice Committee today at 3:30 pm. 

HB295, also known as The Innocence Act, would protect children from the porn industry by requiring Ohioans to provide ID for age verification when accessing obscene websites. The bill also prohibits a person’s image from being used against their will to create sexual content, such as artificial intelligence “deepfakes.”

Watch CCV's Policy Director David Mahan give proponent testimony. 

Click here to tell your State Representative to pass the Innocence Act.

If you're unable to watch the hearing live, you can watch the recording once it's posted.

To become law, a bill must go through both Chambers of the Ohio Statehouse to be sent to the governor for his approval.