Read the full stored bill text
As Introduced
136th
General Assembly
Regular
Session
H. B. No. 101
2025-2026
Representatives Mohamed, Williams
Cosponsors: Representatives Brennan,
Rogers, Sigrist, Synenberg, Thomas, C., Upchurch
A
BILL
To
establish
the Law Student Encouragement Scholarship Pilot Program and to make
an appropriation.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF OHIO:
Section
1.
All
items in this act are hereby appropriated as designated out of any
moneys in the state treasury to the credit of the designated fund.
For all operating appropriations made in this act, those in the first
column are for fiscal year 2026 and those in the second column are
for fiscal year 2027. The operating appropriations made in this act
are in addition to any other operating appropriations made for these
fiscal years.
Section
2.
1
2
3
4
5
A
BOR
DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION
B
General
Revenue Fund
C
GRF
235440
Law
Student Encouragement Scholarship Pilot Program
$0
$350,000
D
TOTAL
GRF General Revenue Fund
$0
$350,000
E
TOTAL
ALL BUDGET FUND GROUPS
$0
$350,000
LAW
STUDENT ENCOURAGEMENT SCHOLARSHIP PILOT PROGRAM
(A)
The foregoing appropriation item 235440, Law Student Encouragement
Scholarship Pilot Program, shall be used by the Chancellor of Higher
Education to establish the Law Student Encouragement Scholarship
Pilot Program to support underrepresented undergraduate students
pursuing admission to law school.
(B)
Under the pilot program, the Chancellor shall distribute money from
the foregoing appropriation item 235440, Law Student Encouragement
Scholarship Pilot Program, to the Ohio State Bar Association, which
shall do all of the following:
(1)
Establish procedures and criteria for awarding scholarships under the
pilot program;
(2)
Select an initial cohort of ten to twenty Ohio resident students from
groups who are underrepresented in the legal profession who are
enrolled full-time at a baccalaureate degree-granting postsecondary
institution in this state;
(3)
Provide each of the program's students with an academic scholarship
in the amount of $4,000 per academic year;
(4)
Organize events and programming, including one-on-one mentoring to
familiarize enrolled students with law school and legal careers;
(5)
Provide the program's students free test preparation materials,
academic support, and registration for the Law School Admission Test
(LSAT) examination.
(C)
The Ohio State Bar Association may use a portion of the funds it
receives under this section to employ staff to support the program's
operations.
(D)
Not later than January 30, 2028, the Ohio State Bar Association shall
submit a report to the Chancellor and to the chairpersons and ranking
members of the Senate and House of Representatives standing
committees that consider higher education legislation. The report
shall include an accurate and detailed account of the pilot program,
its outcomes, and its revenues and expenses, including the use of all
state moneys appropriated in this section.
Section
3.
Within
the limits set forth in this act, the Director of Budget and
Management shall establish accounts indicating the source and amount
of funds for each appropriation made in this act, and shall determine
the manner in which appropriation accounts shall be maintained.
Expenditures from operating appropriations contained in this act
shall be accounted for as though made in, and are subject to all
applicable provisions of, the main operating appropriations act of
the 136th General Assembly.