Status: Enacted — Signed June 30, 2025; cybersecurity and AI policy compliance required by July 1, 2026

Bill Number: OH HB 96 (136th General Assembly, FY 2026-2027 Biennial Operating Budget)

Jurisdiction: Ohio

Category: School Safety, Cybersecurity, AI Governance

Industries: K-12 Education, Higher Education, State and Local Government

Enacted Date: June 30, 2025

Effective Date: July 1, 2026 (cybersecurity program and AI policy adoption deadline for all Ohio public school districts, community schools, and STEM schools)

Summary: Ohio HB 96, the FY 2026-2027 state operating budget, includes statutory mandates that reach well beyond appropriations. Every political subdivision in Ohio — including all public school districts, community schools, and STEM schools — must adopt a board-approved cybersecurity program consistent with a recognized framework such as NIST CSF or CIS Controls. School districts and other governing bodies have until July 1, 2026 to comply. The same bill requires the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) to publish a model AI policy by December 31, 2025, and obligates every district to adopt a written policy on the use of artificial intelligence by students and staff for educational purposes by July 1, 2026. HB 96 also appropriates funding for the Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program, the K-12 Mental Health and Wellness Grant, and the Ohio School Safety Center, providing the funding rails that districts use to acquire AI-powered threat detection, panic alert, and visitor management technology.

Requirements: Board-adopted cybersecurity program aligned with NIST CSF, CIS Controls, or an equivalent framework; written AI use policy adopted by board; policy must address student and staff use of AI for educational purposes, academic integrity, data privacy, and equity; DEW model policy available for districts to adopt or customize; reporting to the State Auditor on cybersecurity program adoption; July 1, 2026 deadline for both policies.

Funding: Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program (continued through the biennium); K-12 Mental Health and Wellness Grant; Ohio School Safety Center operating appropriation; cybersecurity training resources available through the State Auditor's Cybersecurity Policy Program at no cost to school districts.

Affected Entities: All Ohio public school districts, community (charter) schools, STEM schools, and other political subdivisions including counties, municipalities, and townships.

IntelliSee Relevance: Medium-High — HB 96 ties school cybersecurity governance, AI governance, and school safety funding into a single compliance cycle ending July 1, 2026. Districts updating board policies on AI must account for AI used in physical security operations, including AI weapon detection, aggressive behavior detection, and visitor analytics. IntelliSee's overlay-only architecture, on-premise processing, and audit-ready event logs help Ohio districts demonstrate AI policy compliance and align with the data privacy expectations baked into the DEW model policy, while the Ohio K-12 School Safety Grant Program continues to provide a funded path to deploy AI-powered detection on existing camera infrastructure.

Ohio HB 96 — K-12 Cybersecurity Programs and AI Policy Mandate (Operating Budget, 2025-2027)

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