Statehouse Update 1
Introduction
Welcome to the first Statehouse Update of the 2021 legislative session. During the session, the Ball State Governmental Relations team will produce weekly reports to summarize some of the key activities of the Indiana General Assembly.
The Indiana General Assembly began work on the 2021 Legislative Session on Monday, January 4 and, by statute, must conclude by April 29. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the General Assembly’s work looks a little different this year: fewer, but larger, committee rooms; remote testimony for lobbyists and the general public; less paper floating around; and a new, temporary House Chamber (located in the Indiana Government Center-South). Everyone (legislators, staff, lobbyists, and the public) are making adjustments, and the watchword for this session will be “flexibility.”
During this “long session,” the General Assembly will introduce bills to address a number of issues, including some of the higher profile issues such as civil immunity related to COVID-19, redistricting, school funding for virtual instruction required by the COVID-19 pandemic, and workforce development all while crafting a new biennial budget to fund state government and initiatives from July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2023. To date, over 400 bills have been introduced, nearly 100 of which are being tracked by Ball State Governmental Relations. In order to become law, bills must progress through their house of origin by the third reading deadline in their respective house (February 22 for the House and February 23 for the Senate).
Below is a sample of the bills being followed by Ball State. 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.
Introduced Bills
House Bills
HB 1002 - Civil immunity related to COVID-19: The bill provides broad civil immunity to health care providers, businesses, and other institutions (including educational entities) from legal claims surrounding exposure to COVID-19, unless the exposure, transmission, or contraction of the illness happened because of the gross negligence of the institution in question.
HB 1073 - Nonaccredited nonpublic secondary schools: The bill provides that a high school diploma or credential issued by a nonaccredited nonpublic secondary school that employs less than one employee is legally sufficient to demonstrate that the recipient of the diploma or credential has met the requirements to complete high school. Provides that a state or local agency or institution of higher education in Indiana may not reject or otherwise treat a person differently based solely on the source of a diploma or credential.
HB 1085 - Eligibility for National Guard supplemental grant: The bill provides that the National Guard tuition supplement program may be used by a scholarship applicant for graduate credits.
HB 1086 - Resident tuition for eligible individuals: The bill provides that an individual who meets certain conditions is eligible for the resident tuition rate as determined by the state educational institution. Requires such an individual to verify that the individual meets the criteria to receive the resident tuition rate.
HB 1088 - Tuition caps: The bill requires that the tuition rate and mandatory fees at specified postsecondary educational institutions may not increase from the time the student initially enrolls until the student graduates for an undergraduate student who is an Indiana resident.
HB 1089 - Student hunger and homelessness: The bill establishes the student hunger and homelessness study committee for the purposes of: (1) studying the prevalence of homelessness, housing insecurity, and food insecurity among students at Indiana colleges and universities during the 2021 academic year; and (2) providing suggestions for eliminating these issues.
HB 1160 - Resident tuition for eligible individuals: The bills provides that an individual who meets certain conditions is eligible for the resident tuition rate as determined by the state educational institution. Requires such an individual to verify that the individual meets the criteria to receive the resident tuition rate.
HB 1169 - Cybersecurity incidents: The bill provides that the office of technology shall maintain a repository of cybersecurity incidents. Provides that a state agency and a political subdivision shall report any cybersecurity incident to the office without unreasonable delay and not later than two business days after discovery of the cybersecurity incident in a format prescribed by the chief information officer. Allows the office of technology to assist a state agency with certain issues concerning information technology.
Senate Bills
SB 1 - Civil immunity related to COVID-19: The bill provides civil immunity for damages resulting from exposure of an individual to COVID-19 on the premises owned or operated by a person, on any premises on which the person or an employee or agent of the person provided property or services to the individual, or during an activity managed, organized, or sponsored by the person.
SB 34 - Unlawful assembly: The bill provides that a person convicted of rioting is not eligible: (1) for employment by the state or a local unit of government; and (2) to receive certain state and local benefits. Removes immunity under the Indiana tort claims act for the failure to enforce a law if the failure to enforce the law: (1) occurs in connection with an unlawful assembly; and (2) constitutes gross negligence. Allows for the civil forfeiture of property that is used by a person to finance a crime committed by a person who is a member of an unlawful assembly.
SB 54 - FAFSA requirement: The bill requires all students, except for students at certain nonpublic schools, in their senior year to complete and submit the FAFSA unless: (1) a parent of a student or a student, if the student is an emancipated minor, signs a waiver that the student understands what the FAFSA is and declines to complete it; or (2) the principal of the student's high school waives the requirement due to extenuating circumstances.
SB 93 - Tuition charges for veterans: The bill provides that a: (1) qualified nonresident veteran; or (2) spouse or dependent of a qualified nonresident veteran; who enrolls in a state educational institution not later than three years after the date of the qualified nonresident veteran's discharge or separation from the armed forces of the United States or the Indiana National Guard is eligible to pay the resident tuition rate at a state educational institution. Establishes requirements for eligibility.
SB 101 - Education and higher education matters: The bill, which includes items on the Commission for Higher Education’s legislative agenda, amends requirements regarding the development of a student's graduation plan. Provides that a student who is at least 17 years of age has full legal capacity to enter into a contract for a next generation Hoosier educators scholarship. Provides that the requirement that a postsecondary credit bearing proprietary educational institution that ceases operation submit student records to the Indiana archives and records administration applies regardless of any outstanding debts owed to the institution. Repeals a provision that requires a student to develop an initial graduation plan in grade 6.
Looking Ahead
Next week we can expect to see a number of additional bills introduced. During a typical long session, we generally see between 1,200 and 1,600 bills introduced. Once the bills are introduced, we will also see them begin to be assigned to, and move through, legislative committees.
