Ohio students and protesters rally at the Statehouse on March 19, 2025, against Senate-passed Higher Education Bill 1, which, among other things, bans diversity efforts and faculty strikes and establishes rules for classroom discussion. (Photo: David DeWitt, Ohio Capital Journal.)
A Republican lawmaker from Ohio wants to tie compliance with a new higher education law that bans diversity efforts and regulates classroom discussion to state funding of universities.
Recently introduced Ohio State Rep. Tom Young, R-Washington Twp Ohio House Bill 698which would tie some State Participation in Instruction to compliance Ohio Senate Bill 1new law on higher education that bans diversity and inclusion efforts, bans faculty strikes and establishes rules for classroom discussion of “controversial” topics.
The bill also provides for end-of-term reviews, threatens diversity scholarships, introduces an austerity provision that prevents unions from negotiating employment, shortens the term of office of the university’s board of trustees from nine to six years and requires students, among other things, to take an American history course.
The Act entered into force in June 2025 and affects public universities and community colleges in Ohio.
“Senate Bill 1 established the policy framework,” Young said. “… HB 698 strengthens enforcement and transparency. … ANDliability provisions”
He was concerned that the law was passed last year without an enforcement mechanism.
“If the university fails to meet the requirements in the future, a decision will be made to withhold funds,” Young said. “And when those responses are corrected and compliance issues are resolved, the funds will flow.”
Young said professors and students have approached him with concerns about universities not complying with SB 1 requirements.
“I believe these presidents are working really hard on this” said Young. “OhThis event does not define them, but it opens the door to questions.”
The new bill would require universities to take an inventory of all employees who were in diversity, equity and inclusion roles on January 1, 2025, and were reassigned on or before September 25, 2025.
From that point on, the bill requires universities to submit a “justification report” explaining the employee’s transfer, his or her new responsibilities, compensation, and “evidence that the employee’s transfer involves substantially different responsibilities from the diversity, equity and inclusion functions,” according to the bill’s language.
Under the bill, the chancellor of higher education would determine whether a university employee’s new responsibilities differ from his or her existing diversity and inclusion functions.
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“Some universities are just ignoring the law,” said Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima. “Something needs to happen to encourage compliance with the law.”
Ohio House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, said SB 1 is a bad bill.
“It is still bad law,” he said. “…It was a mistake when we passed him. It would be a mistake to double it.”
Rachel Coyle, policy director at Honesty for Ohio Education, said the bill is an overreach.
“It’s the legislature trying to force universities to operate exactly as they want in every way,” she said. “It’s meddling in a way I haven’t seen in a very long time.”
The The Ohio Conference of the American Association of University Professors does not believe this bill is necessary.
“Not even enough time has passed since Senate Pass 1 to make an informed decision on this issue,” said OCAAUP Executive Director Jennifer Price.
“We do not see anything from universities or the chancellor that would indicate compliance problems.”
Hundreds of people testified against Senate Bill 1 before it was passed last year.
“Instead of paying attention to this, instead of acknowledging it, once the bill is passed, these amounts double and triple so quickly,” Coyle said.
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All Democratic members of the Ohio House Higher Education and Workforce Committee asked Young questions during Tuesday’s sponsor testimony.
“Tto me it sounds like we are following the path that the government knows best how to manage what industry professionals do,” said Ohio s.dad Rep. Joe Miller, D-Amherst. “Do you believe they can’t handle it?”
Young replied that it was just an enforcement bill.
“The only thing we are giving the chancellor is the authority to review the aspects outlined in SB 1,” he said.
Ohio State Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio, D-Gahanna, pointed out that the law has only been in effect for less than a year.
“What do you see that makes you feel like this is something that is needed now rather than waiting to see what the impact of SB 1 will be?” she asked.
Young again reiterated that this is an enforcement bill.
State Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland — the author of SB 1 — said last year he wanted funding for higher education be related to compliance with Senate Bill No. 1.
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine in the summer vetoed the state budget entry this would tie some state participation in the instructions to compliance with the SB 1 requirement.
The provision would require each university to submit a report demonstrating compliance to the House and Senate higher education committees.
“This violates the separation of powers embedded in the Ohio Constitution, which defines the content and scope of the powers granted to the three branches of state government, and interferes with the constitutional authority of the executive branch to distribute funds appropriated under this budget bill,” DeWine wrote in his article June veto message.
Follow a Capital Journal reporter Megan Henry in Bluesky.
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