Statehouse Update 14
Introduction
This week the General Assembly concluded second and third readings for the 2025 Legislative Session on their respective deadlines (April 14 and 15). Bills that did not meet these deadlines became ineligible for this session, leaving only about 250 bills left for consideration (about 20% of the originally introduced bills from the beginning of session).
The House and Senate continued with concurrence votes this week for amended bills that returned to their original chambers. Bills that passed a concurrence vote moved to the Governor for signature. Bills for which the author filed a dissent were referred to conference committee, a process in which conferees from each chamber are assigned to negotiate and settle differences on bills. The committee sets an initial meeting, after which a report will be filed and signed by the conferees. Both houses must then vote to accept the conference committee report before the bill then moves to the Governor’s desk for signature. This process will continue to ramp us next week as lawmakers must adjourn session by sine die on April 29.
On Wednesday afternoon, the State Budget Committee received updated Medicaid, economic, and revenue forecasts. These presentations are critical to the budget’s development, because it solidifies legislators’ understanding of the total revenue available to appropriate in the biennium budget, as well as expected Medicaid expenditures. The budget (HB 1001) is scheduled for conference committee on April 21, and House and Senate fiscal leaders will use the April forecast to negotiate the final version of the bill. Once complete, the budget will return to each chamber for a final vote and then proceed to the Governor to be signed into law.
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. This bill passed second reading amendments and third reading on the Senate floor (Yeas: 40, Nays: 9) and was referred to conference committee.
HB 1111 – Indiana National Guard: Increases, from $8,800 to $20,000, the amount that shall be paid by the state if a member of the Indiana National Guard dies in the active service of the state. Provides that a spouse or dependent of a member of the Indiana National Guard is eligible for a state employee death benefit if the member dies while serving on state active duty. Provides that the adjutant general may procure a medical insurance plan for members of the Indiana National Guard who are ordered to state active duty. Adds awards and decorations that may be awarded by the Indiana National Guard. Provides that members of the Indiana National Guard, while serving on state active duty, shall be considered state employees for purposes of receiving worker’s compensation. Provides that a scholarship applicant of the National Guard tuition supplement program may use the scholarship for a credential-certifying program, licensing program, trade certification program, or apprenticeship program for an in-demand occupation as identified by the adjutant general and the department of workforce development, in consultation with the commission for higher education. Provides that if a scholarship applicant of the National Guard tuition supplement program receives a twenty-first century scholars program scholarship, the scholarship applicant may use a National Guard tuition supplement program scholarship awarded to pay for qualified program and educational expenses approved by the commission for higher education and room and board for two years. Makes technical corrections. This bill passed second reading amendments and third reading votes on the Senate floor (Yeas: 49, Nays: 0). Since it was not amended and does not require a concurrence vote, it is eligible to go to the Governor for signature.
HB 1634 - Math Education: Requires each school corporation and charter middle school to automatically enroll a student who meets certain conditions in a middle school advanced math course. Allows a parent of a student to opt out of automatic enrollment. Requires the department of education to submit a report to the legislative council that includes certain middle school advanced math course student percentage information. Establishes requirements regarding: (1) mathematics screening, evaluation, and intervention; and (2) teacher preparation program math curriculum and content. This bill passed a concurrence vote on the House floor (Yeas: 91, Nays: 0) and is now eligible to go to the Governor for signature.
Senate Bills (SB)
SB 146 – Teacher Compensation: Requires the department of education (department) to submit a report to the general assembly before November 1, 2025, that provides an analysis of the feasibility and cost of increasing school corporation employee health plan options. Creates the Indiana teacher recruitment program. Beginning June 30, 2025: (1) increases the minimum salary for a teacher employed by a school corporation to $45,000 (current law requires $40,000); and (2) requires a school corporation to expend an amount for teacher compensation that is not less than 65% of state tuition support (current law requires 62%). Amends the requirements for a school corporation and the department if the school corporation determines that the school corporation cannot meet minimum teacher salary requirements. Provides for certain paid new parent and childbirth recovery leave for teachers. Joins the interstate teacher mobility compact. Removes a provision that provides that the matrix rating system may not rank or compare teacher preparation programs. The author of this bill filed a motion to dissent from House amendments, and it was referred to conference committee.
SB 255 – Education Matters: Requires the department of education to grant an initial practitioner license to an individual who: (1) holds a bachelor's degree with a major in any combination of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics; (2) successfully completes a total of at least nine academic credits regarding certain instruction in teaching; and (3) meets other specified requirements. Requires a principal to allow a student who is enrolled in a public secondary school to receive religious instruction for a period or periods that do not exceed the amount of time that is equivalent to attending one elective course at the public secondary school during the week. (Current law provides for a period or periods of not more than 120 minutes in total in any week.) Changes certain requirements regarding the reporting of a bullying "incident" to the reporting of a bullying "investigation". Requires discipline rules to include a provision to make a reasonable attempt to notify both the parent of a targeted student and the parent of an alleged perpetrator that the school is investigating a possible incident of bullying before the end of the calendar day on which the school is made aware of the possible incident of bullying. This bill passed second reading amendments and third reading vote on the House floor (Yeas: 94, Nays: 0). The author of this bill filed a motion to dissent from House amendments, and it was referred to conference committee.
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, or liquidated damages of: (1) $50,000 for a first offense; and (2) $100,000 for a second or subsequent offense. This bill passed third reading on the House floor (Yeas: 67, Nays: 27). The author of this bill filed a motion to dissent from House amendments, and it was referred to conference committee.
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. This bill passed a third reading vote on the House floor (Yeas: 75, Nays: 21), and the author filed a motion to concur with House amendments. It is now eligible to go to the Governor for signature.
Looking Ahead
Next week, the General Assembly will continue to ramp up the conference committees and vote on conference committee reports. Although the 2025 Legislative Session must statutorily adjourn sine die by April 29, legislative leaders are aiming for completion of work by the end of next week. The Governor must either sign or veto all bills within seven days of receipt. If he does not, they will become law after seven days. Our office will continue to monitor important legislation and provide updates.
