Lt. Gov. Jon Husted celebrated the signing of House Bill 432 in a December 11 post on X, stating, “Our administration has prioritized career tech because we believe it’s the best value in education, providing opportunities for students to be career-ready without the burden of debt.”
“This legislation is a big win for Ohio’s workforce development efforts, making it easier for skilled professionals to share their expertise with students in in-demand fields,” said Husted, Lt. Governor. “Our administration has prioritized career tech because we believe it’s the best value in education, providing opportunities for students to be career-ready without the burden of debt. We appreciate Representative Don Jones for championing this bill and the Ohio Legislature’s partnership on boosting and expanding career-technical education across the state. Our career tech educators are invaluable in preparing the next generation of Ohio’s workforce by sharing their real-world knowledge and field experience.”
Sponsored by Representative Don Jones, House Bill 432 outlines how schools should approach technical education. It specifies a sponsor’s responsibilities for technical experience and oversight of the program. Additionally, it sets rules for issuing professional career technical teaching licenses and renewing those licenses. The bill also addresses the revocation of licensure if an individual is found guilty or pleads guilty to a felony crime, violent offense, theft, or drug-related crime.
According to House Bill 432, applicants for an advanced career-technical workforce development educator license must complete a career-technical workforce development educator program with an existing teacher preparation program aligned with career-technical education and workforce development competencies. This program must include at least 24 semester hours of coursework, including three semester hours in teaching reading in the subject area. An individual applying for an educator license is not required to have a post-secondary degree to work as a substitute teacher in career technical education classes.
The bill further explains that applicants for an advanced career-technical workforce development educator license must have completed a relevant program with at least 24 semester hours of coursework, including three semester hours focused on teaching the subject area. Applicants are not required to possess a post-secondary degree under this code to work as substitute teachers in these classes. The legislation also details the process for designating a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) program as one of excellence—a designation lasting five years—and explains circumstances under which such recognition might be revoked.
Husted was adopted and raised in Northwest Ohio’s Williams County and earned multiple degrees from the University of Dayton. Before entering public service, he served as vice president at the Dayton-Area Chamber of Commerce. According to his official biography, Husted has held positions as Ohio Secretary of State and House Speaker. First elected Lt. Governor in 2018, he was reelected in 2022. He and his wife Tina have three children.
