• About Us
    • What is Honesty in Education?
    • Profile of an Honesty Leader
    • Our Partners
    • Become An Honesty Partner
    • Jobs
    • Give To The Coalition
  • Statehouse
    • Legislation Tracker >
      • SB 1
      • SB 11
      • SB 14
      • SB 17
      • SB 29
      • SB 30
      • SB 49
      • SB 83
      • HB 6
      • HB 8
      • HB 9
      • HB 10
      • HB 11
      • HB 12
      • HB 38
      • HB 48
      • HB 63
      • HB 103
      • HB 117
    • TAKE ACTION
  • State Board of Ed
    • About the State Board
    • Superintendent
    • Gerrymandering
    • Title IX Resolution
    • Anti-Racism Resolution
    • TAKE ACTION
  • Schools
    • Honesty & DEI
    • Book Bans
    • Know Your District
    • TAKE ACTION
  • Events
    • Lunch & Learn
    • Education Exchange
    • Teach-In
  • News & Updates
    • Media
  • Youth Coalition
    • Events
  • Resources
    • Know Your Rights
    • Elections
    • Support Honesty
HONESTY FOR OHIO EDUCATION
  • About Us
    • What is Honesty in Education?
    • Profile of an Honesty Leader
    • Our Partners
    • Become An Honesty Partner
    • Jobs
    • Give To The Coalition
  • Statehouse
    • Legislation Tracker >
      • SB 1
      • SB 11
      • SB 14
      • SB 17
      • SB 29
      • SB 30
      • SB 49
      • SB 83
      • HB 6
      • HB 8
      • HB 9
      • HB 10
      • HB 11
      • HB 12
      • HB 38
      • HB 48
      • HB 63
      • HB 103
      • HB 117
    • TAKE ACTION
  • State Board of Ed
    • About the State Board
    • Superintendent
    • Gerrymandering
    • Title IX Resolution
    • Anti-Racism Resolution
    • TAKE ACTION
  • Schools
    • Honesty & DEI
    • Book Bans
    • Know Your District
    • TAKE ACTION
  • Events
    • Lunch & Learn
    • Education Exchange
    • Teach-In
  • News & Updates
    • Media
  • Youth Coalition
    • Events
  • Resources
    • Know Your Rights
    • Elections
    • Support Honesty

Senate Bill 49

SPONSOR
Senator Michele Reynolds, District 3

​​TARGETS
K-12 Local Schools

​
​​DESCRIPTION​
Provides up to 3 days excused absence days for religious holiday observance for K-12 public school students and staff
COMMITTEE
Senate Education Committee

INTRODUCED 
January 26, 2023

WATCH HEARINGS
Read Testimony | Watch Testimony
​
BILL
General Info | 
As-Written | Analysis

​SB 49 Details

Senate Bill 49 requires K-12 public schools to adopt a policy that gives students, teachers, and staff up to three days of religious expression days to observe holidays under an excused absence policy.

Provisions that impact school staff members:
  • The board of education of a city, exempted village, local, or joint vocational school district shall adopt a religious expression day policy under which each person who is employed by the board, except for substitute teachers, shall be entitled, during each school year, to up to three days of religious expression leave at the employee's regular compensation.
  • Religious expression days may be used to take holidays for reasons of faith or religious or spiritual belief system or participate in organized activities conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or other religious or spiritual organization

Provisions that impacts students:
  • Any K-12 student is permitted to be absent for up to three religious expression days each school year to take holidays for reasons of faith or religious observance
  • The district cannot impose an academic penalty as a result of a student being absent as permitted in the policy
  • Students must be provided  with alternative accommodations with regard to examinations and other academic requirements missed due to an absence
  • In order to have an absence covered by this policy, the student must provide their classroom teacher with written notice of the specific dates for which the student requests alternative accommodations
  • A classroom teacher shall accept without question the sincerity of a student's religious or spiritual belief system, and keep all requests for alternative accommodations confidential
  • About Us
    • What is Honesty in Education?
    • Profile of an Honesty Leader
    • Our Partners
    • Become An Honesty Partner
    • Jobs
    • Give To The Coalition
  • Statehouse
    • Legislation Tracker >
      • SB 1
      • SB 11
      • SB 14
      • SB 17
      • SB 29
      • SB 30
      • SB 49
      • SB 83
      • HB 6
      • HB 8
      • HB 9
      • HB 10
      • HB 11
      • HB 12
      • HB 38
      • HB 48
      • HB 63
      • HB 103
      • HB 117
    • TAKE ACTION
  • State Board of Ed
    • About the State Board
    • Superintendent
    • Gerrymandering
    • Title IX Resolution
    • Anti-Racism Resolution
    • TAKE ACTION
  • Schools
    • Honesty & DEI
    • Book Bans
    • Know Your District
    • TAKE ACTION
  • Events
    • Lunch & Learn
    • Education Exchange
    • Teach-In
  • News & Updates
    • Media
  • Youth Coalition
    • Events
  • Resources
    • Know Your Rights
    • Elections
    • Support Honesty