Statehouse Update 15
Introduction
The General Assembly concluded the 2025 Legislative Session this week as it adjourned Sine Die at approximately 1:30 am on April 25, four days ahead of the statutorily required April 29 deadline. Legislators worked into the early morning completing concurrence votes, committee conference reports, and final votes for the session. Throughout the week, the House, Senate, and their respective Rules and Legislative Procedure Committees met multiple times a day to facilitate conference committees, publish reports, and adopt final versions of bills. Bills that survived the legislative session will continue to go to the Governor to be signed into law.
Most importantly, the legislature passed the state budget, which determines spending for state agencies such as healthcare, public safety, and education for the next two years. The April 16 update to the state revenue forecast revealed a $2.4 billion shortfall in anticipated revenue, coupled with steep increases in Medicaid, which forced lawmakers to make hard decisions on how to adjust the budget to account for the shortfall. This included the addition of a $2 cigarette tax, as well as cuts to nearly all state agencies and programs. While some agencies experienced significant budget cuts, higher education as a whole saw a 5% reduction.
Below is a sampling of bills being tracked by Ball State Governmental Relations that moved during the last week. If you have questions about these or other bills that you may have heard about, please contact the Office of Governmental Relations at gov@bsu.edu.
Bills That Moved
House Bills (HB)
HB 1001 – State Budget: Appropriates money for capital expenditures, the operation of the state, K-12 and higher education, the delivery of Medicaid and other services, and various other distributions and purposes. Extends the review, analysis, and evaluation of tax incentives by the legislative services agency through 2030. The bill also includes language to study dual credit and university space utilization, make adjustments to the IU Board of Trustees, adjust the degree program review process, adjust tenured faculty review, and faculty governance organizations. Both the House (Yeas: 66, Nays: 27) and Senate (Yeas: 39, Nays: 11) adopted this bill’s conference committee report. It is now eligible to go to the Governor for signature.
HB1515 – Education and Higher Education Matters: Provides that accredited nonpublic schools are eligible to participate in the following: (1) The establishment of police departments. (2) The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teacher recruitment grants. (3) The principal institute. Provides that charter schools are eligible to receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics teacher recruitment grants. Establishes requirements regarding a standardized admissions test for state educational institutions that offer certain health education programs. Resolves conflicts. Both the House (Yeas: 62, Nays: 30) and Senate (Yeas: 28, Nays: 22) adopted this bill’s conference committee report. It is now eligible to go to the Governor for signature.
Senate Bills (SB)
SB 289 – Unlawful Discrimination: Repeals provisions concerning university diversity committees. Prohibits unlawful discrimination in education, public employment, and licensure. Allows participation in public contracts by a minority business enterprise, women's business enterprise, and veteran business enterprise, as currently authorized by law. Permits scholarships based on a personal characteristic of the recipient if the scholarship is not funded by state funds or resources, and permits the renewal of specified state funded minority teaching scholarships for those recipients who were initially awarded the scholarship before July 1, 2025. Changes the criteria for certain state funded teaching scholarships from minority status to residence in an underserved county and an agreement to teach in an underserved county. Prohibits requiring as a condition of licensure that a person affirm that a person with a certain personal characteristic: (1) is inherently superior or inferior to a person with a different personal characteristic; (2) should be blamed for actions committed in the past; or (3) has a moral character that is determined by a personal characteristic of the person. Prohibits a public employer from requiring training asserting that, or implementing the theory that, a person with a certain personal characteristic: (1) is inherently superior or inferior to a person with a different personal characteristic; (2) should be blamed for actions committed in the past; or (3) has a moral character that is determined by a personal characteristic of the person. Permits a person injured by a violation to bring a civil action for actual damages, court costs, and injunctive relief. Both the House (Yeas: 64, Nays: 26) and Senate (Yeas: 34, Nays: 16) adopted this bill’s conference committee report. It is now eligible to go to the Governor for signature.
SB 448 – Higher Education and Workforce Development Matters: Establishes additional duties for the governor's workforce cabinet and requires the cabinet to perform certain duties jointly with other state agencies. Requires the Indiana management performance hub, in collaboration with the department of education (department) and commission for higher education (commission), to: (1) collect and compile certain student income data; and (2) compile into a data product on the department's and commission's websites certain data. Requires the secretary of education to establish a plan to develop a market driven stackable credentials and qualifications framework and submit the plan to the general assembly. Provides that the commission shall (instead of may) approve or disapprove certain branches, campuses, centers, new colleges, new schools, degrees, or programs. Provides that before the commission approves or disapproves a degree or program, a state educational institution shall provide, and the commission shall consider, certain information regarding the degree or program. Requires the commission to: (1) review each degree or program for approval or disapproval at least one time every 10 years; (2) outline a process for degree and program monitoring, improvement, suspension, and closure; (3) publish certain information; and (4) take official action regarding the approval or disapproval of certain requests within 90 days. Requires a state educational institution to approve for admission Indiana residents who meet certain requirements. Requires the board of trustees of a state educational institution to do the following: (1) When reviewing tenured faculty members, assess and review the staffing needs of the institution based on the branches, campuses, extension centers, colleges, schools, and degree and programs of the institution. (2) Submit to the commission any review of, renewal of, or amendment to the process or criteria regarding the tenured faculty member review. Requires the commission to promptly review the process and criteria and provide feedback to a board of trustees. Requires the commission to prepare and submit an annual report to the legislative council regarding certain student enrollment data. Adds duties for the department of workforce development. The author of this bill filed a motion to concur with House amendments, and the Senate also concurred (Yeas: 39, Nays: 3). It is now eligible to go to the Governor for signature.
Looking Ahead
Our office extends our appreciation for your time and attention this session. We are grateful to have partners across campus who help us to share our story at the Statehouse and beyond. We look forward to starting our Statehouse Updates once again when the General Assembly convenes for the 2026 short session.
