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.

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.