Thursday, June 17, 2010

COLUMBUS — The Ohio House and Senate last month restored $15 million to programs that benefit students in Catholic and other chartered nonpublic schools. The restoration offers partial relief from several rounds of budget cuts during 2008 and 2009.

The measure returns $10.5 million to the Auxiliary Services Program and $4.5 million to the Administrative Cost Reimbursement Program. Both programs were reduced last year. The restored funds will make it possible for many schools to secure remedial teachers, counseling services, textbooks, and computer software for students during the next school year.

The Catholic Conference of Ohio commended Ohio’s elected officials  for acting for the common good of all young people.

In other legislative actions during the past session, the conference advocated on behalf of unborn children, poor persons, and immigrants. The conference continued efforts to end the death penalty, provide relief for payday borrowers, secure fair health care policies, revisit state bingo laws, and further restrict the scourge of human trafficking.

The Ohio General Assembly has recessed for the summer. As a result, further legislative action on many of these issues will not occur until after the November general election.

Additional information can be found on the Catholic Conference of Ohio’s website: www.ohiocathconf.org