COLUMBUS, Ohio — Bills about parental rights, firearms and fentanyl went around the Senate floor as legislators passed a number of bills in this last lame-duck session.

What You Need To Know

  • A couple of House bills passed are HB 7 Maternal and Infant Health and HB 28 Child Support

  • Debate continues over the Parents Bill of Rights as it would require teachers to notify parents for any sexually explicit materials

  • There are three bills heading to the governor's desk

A couple of House bills passed are HB 7 Maternal and Infant Health and HB 28 Child Support.

But the Parents Bill of Rights drew more attention as this bill would require teachers to notify the parents for any sexually explicit materials.

One proponent said this bill would give parental control for their children’s education opponents emphasized that this bill should be focusing on the kids.

“We’re telling parents, ‘you don’t get the say. Culture gets the say and you follow what we say,’ State Sen. Michele Reynolds, R-Canal Winchester, said. “But at what point will we tell culture, ‘you need to stand down’ and tell parents ‘you need to stand up?’”

In the meantime State Sen. Kent Smith, D-Minority Whip, objected.

“This is a culture war on marginalized Ohioans to placate a fringe element of the political spectrum,” Smith said. “It’s showboat politics, and it’s true goal is to grab a headline. I think we’re looking at this legislation completely backwards, and we should be thinking about kids.”

President Matt Huffman, R-Lima, said HB 8 School Curriculum, which is the Parent’s Bill of Rights, was one of those he wanted passed.

“A lot of these things are where you’re going to draw a particular line,” Huffman said. “We obviously want kids to have counseling to be able to do the things they want but I think it’s a good bill I’m glad we did it.”

Sen. Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood, said she’s concerned with this bill.

“Not everyone is included in the bill of rights,” Antonio said. “But as far as parents being able to say what goes on and knowing about their children of course, you know, my concerns are around those children who are the exceptions to the rule.”

After the Senate, the bill of rights is headed back to the House where they would have to vote on some changes in the language.

Some other bills that are now heading to the governor’s desk are:

  • SB 58 Weapons: this would ban requiring fees for the possession of guns or fees for the possession of knives.
  • SB 95 Remote Pharmacies: this would authorize the operation of remote dispensing pharmacies.
  • SB 237 Protected Speech: it aims to protect freedom of speech in relation to legal actions.

One bill that passed with bipartisan support was to regulate drones. Huffman said they wanted to make it clear what you could and couldn’t do.

“We don’t control the airspace above our home, I think it’s above 200 feet,” Huffman said. “So, it’s to regulate those things now. Is it controlled anything or pursuant to the federal government? Well, no, it’s just that in this case the General Assembly, our General Assembly’s a little bit further ahead than the federal government.”

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