Ohio's climate change in higher education legislation returns

Ohio statehouse.

Ohio statehouse.

Ohio's Senate Bill 1 and the identical House Bill 6, if enacted, would require the state's public institutions of higher education to remain in effect neutral about "controversial" beliefs and policies, including climate change policy.

The bills are similar to Senate Bill 83 from the 2023-2024 legislative session, which as introduced would have required neutrality about "climate change," as NCSE previously reported. The provision was subsequently amended to refer to "climate policies" instead, but, as Inside Climate News (December 2, 2023) observed, "opponents said the bill would continue to impair teaching about climate change even with the new wording." As amended, the bill passed the Senate on a 21-10 vote and then the House Higher Education Committee, but never proceeded to a vote in the House, as NCSE previously reported.

Senate Bill 1 was primarily sponsored by Jerry C. Cirino (R-District 18) and is now with the Senate Higher Education Committee. House Bill 6 was primarily sponsored by Tom Young (R-District 37) and is now with the House Workforce and Higher Education Committee.

Glenn Branch
Short Bio

Glenn Branch is Deputy Director of NCSE.

branch@ncse.ngo