Ohio HB 117: Designate Frank Robinson Day

Bill Text

As Introduced
136th General Assembly
Regular Session H. B. No. 117
2025-2026
Representatives Richardson, Brennan
Cosponsors: Representatives Dean, Hall, T., Workman, Gross, Daniels,
Klopfenstein, Click, Mathews, T., Stephens, Mullins, Williams, Fischer, Holmes,
Troy, Miller, K., McNally, Santucci
To amend sections 3313.602, 3314.03, 3326.11, and
3328.24 and to enact section 3313.6031 of the
Revised Code to enact The Pledge of Allegiance
Act to require the Pledge of Allegiance in
schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section 1. That sections 3313.602, 3314.03, 3326.11, and
3328.24 be amended and section 3313.6031 of the Revised Code be
enacted to read as follows:
Sec. 3313.602. (A) The board of education of each city,
local, exempted village, and joint vocational school district
shall adopt a policy specifying whether or not oral recitation
of the pledge of allegiance to the flag shall be a part of the
school's program and, if so, establishing a time and manner for
the recitation. However, no board of education shall prohibit a
classroom teacher from providing in the teacher's classroom
reasonable periods of time for the oral recitation of the pledge
of allegiance to the flag. The policy adopted under this
division, and a teacher who includes recitation of the pledge in
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H. B. No. 117 Page 2
As Introduced
the classroom, shall not require any student to participate in
the recitation and shall prohibit the intimidation of any
student by other students or staff aimed at coercing
participation.
No board of education or employee of a city, local,
exempted village, or joint vocational school district shall
alter the words used in the oral recitation of the pledge of
allegiance to the flag from the words set forth in 4 U.S.C. 4.
(B) In the development of its graded course of study, the
board of education of each city and exempted village school
district and the governing board of each educational service
center shall ensure that the principles of democracy and ethics
are emphasized and discussed wherever appropriate in all parts
of the curriculum for grades kindergarten through twelve.
(C)(B) Each city, local, exempted village, and joint
vocational school board shall adopt policies that encourage all
certificated and noncertificated employees to be cognizant of
their roles in instilling ethical principles and democratic
ideals in all district pupils.
(D)(C) The board of education of each city, local, joint
vocational, chartered community, and exempted village school
district, and the Cleveland scholarship and tutoring program,
shall require each district school to devote time on or about
Veterans' day to an observance that conveys the meaning and
significance of that day. The amount of time each school devotes
to this observance shall be at least one hour or, in schools
that schedule class periods of less than one hour, at least one
standard class period. The board shall determine the specific
activities to constitute the observance in each school in the
district after consultation with the school's administrators.
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H. B. No. 117 Page 3
As Introduced
Sec. 3313.6031. (A) The board of education of each city,
local, exempted village, and joint vocational school district
shall adopt a policy establishing a time and manner for the
daily recitation of the pledge of allegiance to the flag. The
policy shall not require any person to participate in the
recitation or otherwise infringe on one's constitutional rights.
(B) No board of education or employee of a city, local,
exempted village, or joint vocational school district shall
alter the words used in the oral recitation of the pledge of
allegiance to the flag from the words set forth in 4 U.S.C. 4.
(C) In the interests of promoting excellent citizenship
skills, schools and teachers are highly encouraged to develop
and implement lessons related to the American flag and pledge of
allegiance.
(D) Each district board shall make its policy adopted
under this section publicly available. Each district board shall
post its policy on its publicly accessible web site, if it has
one.
Sec. 3314.03. A copy of every contract entered into under
this section shall be filed with the director of education and
workforce. The department of education and workforce shall make
available on its web site a copy of every approved, executed
contract filed with the director under this section.
(A) Each contract entered into between a sponsor and the
governing authority of a community school shall specify the
following:
(1) That the school shall be established as either of the
following:
(a) A nonprofit corporation established under Chapter
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H. B. No. 117 Page 4
As Introduced
1702. of the Revised Code, if established prior to April 8,
2003;
(b) A publ