It’s a treasure trove of stuff

COLUMBUS

Medicaid and taxes and school funding will be the focus of newspaper headlines over the next couple of months, as lawmakers debate and amend state government spending plans for the next two fiscal years.

But there are a lot of other policy and law changes proposed in the 4,000-plus page document.

Here’s a list of some of the things House Republicans added this week, as outlined by the state’s Legislative Service Commission:

Changes the politically correct but ridiculous-sounding “ombudsperson” with “ombudsman” in Department of Aging language. Apparently, federal officials won’t recognized the former.

Lowers the age of eligibility to serve on the Ohio Advisory Council on Aging, the Chemical Dependency Professional Board, the State Board of Optometry and the Insurance Education Advisory Council to 50 from 60.

Gives barbers who have let their state licenses expire more time to seek restoration without retaking required exams. They would have six years, up from three.

Provides an exemption for “religious corporations, associations, educational institutions and societies” from part of the state’s civil rights law.

Allows chiropractors to check student athletes for concussions.

Blocks schools from forcing kids to repeat kindergarten “based solely on the student’s age.”

Calls for the development of a statewide database to track short-term and small loans.

Exempts water systems not used for human consumption from permit and license requirements.

Changes process for parents to apply for and receive subsidies to cover transportation costs when school transportation is impractical.

Requires school boards to have a public hearing 30 days in advance of approving school year calendars.

Creates a “Joint Legislative Committee on the Affordable Care Act” to study President Obama’s signature law.

Extends to 20 years from six the timeframe during which an individual could be prosecuted for human trafficking crimes.

Allows spouses of men and women serving in the military who are transferred to receive unemployment compensation.

Provides funding to pregnancy-related nonprofits that focus on alternatives to abortion. The amended legislation also included language that could cut funding to Planned Parenthood. Opponents of the move protested during a finance committee hearing last week, feigning death by falling out of their chairs onto the floor during testimony.

Requires people driving farm tractors to have a driver’s license if they’re transporting people on a trailer or farm machinery.

Requires sales tax collections for purchases by Ohioans from certain Internet retailers.

Keep in mind, those and other provisions in the budget are likely to change in coming weeks. The Ohio House is expected to vote on the legislation next week, and the Ohio Senate and a conference committee of the two chambers will make additional amendments before final passage in late June.

Marc Kovac is The Vindicator’s Statehouse correspondent. Email him at mkovac@dixcom.com or on Twitter at OhioCapitalBlog.