SB 1 becomes law; Ohio public higher education overhaul bill signed by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Friday afternoon

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 1 — a higher education overhaul bill — into law Friday. [Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine speaks at the State of the State address in Columbus. Credit: Joshua Gunter via TNS]

Ohio Senate Bill 1 — which bans diversity, equity and inclusion programming and faculty striking, limits the teaching of controversial subjects, requires the online publication of course syllabi and more across Ohio’s public higher education institutions — was signed into law by Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Friday afternoon.

SB 1 — formally known as the “Enact Advance Ohio Higher Education Act” and introduced by Ohio Sen. Jerry Cirino (R-Kirtland) — previously passed through the Ohio Senate Feb. 13, per prior Lantern reporting. It then passed the Ohio House of Representatives March 20, at which point it was sent back to the Senate for concurrence, per prior Lantern reporting.

If Ohio public higher education institutions do not comply with the new law’s requirements, they risk losing state funding. Ohio State spokesperson Ben Johnson confirmed the university would “follow the law.”

“Throughout the legislative process, Ohio State advocated for changes to SB 1 that would preserve and enhance academic freedom, embrace diversity of thought, and foster civil discourse on campuses where all individuals feel welcomed and respected,” Johnson said in a statement. “While some improvements were made, we had hoped for more. We will follow the law and continue to work with our legislature and other public officials on policies that advance our priorities.”

Other provisions of the bill — which can be read in full here — include decreased term limits for board of trustee members, a required American civics course for students, a legal requirement for institutions to respond to any student or faculty complaints regarding alleged violations of DEI-banning policies and a faculty evaluation questionnaire students must complete, with the mandated question “Does the faculty member create a classroom atmosphere free of political, racial, gender, and religious bias?”

Though DeWine did not announce he would sign SB 1 prior to doing so, he did say he was open to signing a bill that would “dramatically change Ohio college and university campuses” in the context of SB 1’s ideological predecessor, Ohio Senate Bill 83, according to the Ohio Capital Journal. 

At a Wednesday Q&A session about the state’s proposed budget, DeWine was asked what would happen if he signed the bill and it was later seen as a detriment to higher education statewide, according to ABC6.

“It wouldn’t be the first time something gets passed and everyone looks at it six months, or a year later and says, ‘Hey that is not what we intended,’ or, ‘It did not turn out the way we wanted it to,’” DeWine said Wednesday. “I think with any bill, you are always open, and I think as a state, we should always be open to examining everything.”

Many students, faculty and staff across Ohio’s public universities have spoken out against the bill since it was first introduced. 

On March 20, approximately 200 people participated in a walk out from Ohio State’s campus to the Ohio House to protest the passing of the bill, per prior Lantern reporting.

In addition, approximately 900 students, faculty and staff gathered on the Oval March 4 to protest SB 1 and the university’s recent rollback of DEI initiatives, per prior Lantern reporting.

Before the bill initially passed the Ohio Senate, around 200 people from the state’s top universities — including Ohio State, the University of Cincinnati and Ohio University — presented in-person opposition testimony at the Ohio Statehouse Feb. 11, per prior Lantern reporting.