Couch to Capitol: May 2026 Legislative Updates

Send us Fan MailPolicy can feel far away until it lands in a session as grief, fear, shame, or burnout. Join the Ohio Counseling Conversations Team as we bridge the gap between the clinical couch and the Ohio Statehouse with a rapid, practical briefing on the bills most likely to affect counselors, and clients across Ohio.We start with House Bill 698 and its push to withhold public university funding based on DEI compliance, including annual certification requirements and tracking of prior DEI roles. We talk plainly about why that matters for counselor educators trying to uphold CACREP expectations and the counseling profession’s ethical commitments to beneficence and social justice. From there, we break down Senate Bill 156’s “success sequence” curriculum mandate for public schools and why a one-size-fits-all definition of success can invalidate students from LGBTQ communities, non-traditional families, and many real-life paths our clients live every day.We also cover House Bill 347’s 24-hour waiting period tied to reproductive care and the risk created by scripted, legally loaded requirements for providers. On the practice side, we dig into Senate Bill 162, a critical insurance reform aimed at limiting insurer clawbacks and reducing administrative burdens that can destabilize small practices and shrink access to mental health care. We round out the update with House bills on an all-payer claims database and behavioral health well checks, privacy protections for mental health professionals, Ohio’s Senate Bill 113 DEI ban, and a national legal challenge that could restrict federal student loans for counseling and other professional degrees.Connect with the Ohio Counseling Association's Legislative Advocacy CommitteeFind your Ohio Senator LookupFind you House Rep LookupOPPOSE House Bill 698- withholding higher-ed funding tied to DEI compliance and annual certification requirements OPPOSE  Senate Bill 156- the “success sequence” requirement in public schools plus likely harm for marginalized students OPPOSE House Bill 347- creating a 24-hour waiting period for reproductive care and adding provider compliance risks SUPPORT Senate Bill 162- reducing insurance takeback timelines and easing appeals to protect small practices and client access WATCHING House Bill 716- proposal for an all-payer claims database to support data-driven health care improvements SUPPORT House Bill 724 requiring coverage for behavioral health well checks without a diagnosis WATCHING House Bill 718- changes to the Behavioral Health Professionals Board and why legislative language matters WATCHING House Bill 837- aiming to protect residential and familial information for mental health professionals OPPOSE Senate Bill 113- banning DEI efforts in K-12 and why OCA submits formal opposition SUPPORT the National lawsuit challenging federal student loan rules that narrow what counts as a professional degree, including counseling Connect with Us on Any or All Socials at our Link Tree!OCA Link Tree: https://linktr.ee/ohiocounselingCreated by the OCA's Media, Public Relations, and Membership (MPRM) Committee & its Podcast Subcommittee·Hosted by Victoria Frazier & Lauren Collins-Knight·Pre-Production & Coordination by Marisa Cargill, Lauren Collins-Knight, Victoria Frazier, Mariah Payne, and Chase Morgan-Swaney·Editing by Victoria Frazier