Support Senate Bill 173
Close the predatory annexation loophole. Make cities responsible for the students and schools their developments create.
Right now, Ohio law allows cities to annex farmland, approve massive residential developments like Heath Hills, collect the taxes and fees — and then force a neighboring school district to absorb thousands of new students with no additional revenue.
SB 173 fixes this permanently and statewide. It ensures school district boundaries automatically follow annexed territory for large residential developments so the annexing city is responsible for the students it creates.
About Senate Bill 173
Sponsored by Senators Tim Schaffer and Andrew Brenner, Senate Bill 173 amends Ohio Revised Code § 3311.06 to close a dangerous loophole in current law.
Under SB 173, when a municipality annexes territory for a large-scale residential development, the school district territory automatically follows the annexation. This means the annexing city’s school district becomes responsible for educating the new students — eliminating the ability to shift massive education costs onto neighboring taxpayers.
SB 173 would:
- Require school district boundaries to follow municipal annexations for qualifying large residential developments
- Stop the “predatory annexation” playbook that forces neighboring districts (like Granville Schools) to pay for growth they never approved
- Restore fairness and accountability so cities bear the full cost of the students their land-use decisions create
- Protect taxpayers and school districts across Ohio from unsustainable, one-sided development deals
This is the long-term, statewide solution. While Amendment 2479 to SB 19 provides immediate relief for situations like Heath Hills, SB 173 prevents the problem from happening anywhere in Ohio ever again.
A Guide for Contacting State Legislators
Introduce Yourself
- • Your name
- • Where you live
- • How long you have lived in the area
- • Your connection to the issue (parent, taxpayer, Granville Schools alumni, business owner, etc.)
Explain Why You Support SB 173
- • Predatory annexation shifts massive school costs onto neighboring districts and taxpayers
- • Cities should be responsible for the students created by the developments they approve
- • Current law creates unfair, unsustainable growth across Ohio
- • SB 173 restores fairness and accountability without stopping responsible development
Ask Legislators to Support SB 173
- • Request a hearing and passage of SB 173 in the Senate Education Committee
- • Support this common-sense reform before summer recess
- • Protect Ohio schools and taxpayers from predatory annexation
Keep the Tone Respectful
The most effective messages are personal, authentic, respectful, solution-oriented, and written in your own voice. Focus on community impact rather than politics. Thank legislators for their time.
Contact Your State Legislators Today
The bill is currently in the Senate Education Committee (chaired by Sen. Andrew Brenner). Request a hearing and passage before summer recess.
Suggested message (copy & personalize):
“I urge you to support Senate Bill 173 and move it forward immediately in the Senate Education Committee. The Heath Hills annexation in Licking County is a clear example of predatory development that must be stopped. Cities should not be allowed to shift the enormous costs of new schools onto neighboring districts and taxpayers. Please protect our children and Ohio families by closing this loophole.”
Personal stories from parents, taxpayers, and educators are especially powerful.
Key Legislators to Contact
Priority: Senate Education Committee
SB 173 must receive a hearing and be advanced out of the Senate Education Committee. Chairman Sen. Andrew Brenner and the committee control the timeline.