OH HB644

Enacts section 182.01 of the Revised Code to create the Loving State Index Commission and establish the Loving State Index ranking system.

Commission must evaluate and rank Ohio municipal corporations on 24 critical factors affecting student academic success, including early childhood education, gifted classes, suspension alternatives, teacher experience, health insurance access, mental health services, healthy food access, parks, public transportation, affordable housing, and livable wages.

Commission consists of eight members including the superintendents of public instruction, directors of health/commerce/natural resources/environmental protection/transportation, JobsOhio's chief investment officer, and the executive director of the governor's office of faith-based and community initiatives (or designees).

Commission must publish and submit annual reports to the General Assembly by July 1, 2021, and annually thereafter, with reports available online through multiple state department websites and containing scoring strategies, data, and analysis used.

Political subdivisions must provide requested data to the commission unless exempt from disclosure under public records law; the index focuses on identifying opportunity gaps for low-income and minority individuals.