Statehouse Update 13
Introduction
This week was filled with activity at the Indiana Statehouse. As the House and Senate considered second reading amendments, third reading votes, and concurrence/dissent votes, bills continue to move to the Governor for signature.
Please see below for a list of bills being tracked by Ball State Governmental Relations that have moved during the last week. As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to our office at gov@bsu.edu.
Bills That Moved
HB 1002 - Civil immunity related to COVID-19: The bill protects health care providers from professional discipline for certain acts or omissions related to the provision of health care services during a state disaster emergency. Provides that the protection applies to the provision of health care services after February 29, 2020, and before April 1, 2022. The bill was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 7-1 Vote and is now eligible for a 2nd reading in the Senate.
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. The bill received unanimous support from the Senate and is now eligible for the House’s concurrence or dissent.
HB 1437 - Electronic communication at public meetings: The bill allows, with certain exceptions, a governing body of a political subdivision (except for an airport authority or a local department of aviation) to allow its members to participate in a meeting of the governing body by any means of electronic communication if the public agency adopts a written policy establishing the procedures for electronic participation and the means of communication permits simultaneous communication between the members and allows the public to attend and observe the meeting. The bill received unanimous support from the Senate and is now eligible for the House’s concurrence or dissent.
HB 1553 - Higher education matters: The bill changes the eligibility requirements for the next generation Hoosier educators scholarship and provides that a student may qualify for the scholarship by achieving a cumulative grade point average upon graduation of at least a 3.75 on a 4.0 grading scale during grades 9, 10, 11, and 12. The bill received unanimous support from the Senate and is now eligible for the House’s concurrence or dissent.
SB 54 - FAFSA awards: The bill was amended to provide that a school corporation may receive a FAFSA completion improvement award and establishes a formula for calculating the award amount. The bill was approved by the House with an 87-6 vote and is now eligible for the Senate’s concurrence or dissent.
SB 205 - Teacher training: The bill requires a teacher preparation program to include curriculum that instructs teachers about social emotional learning practices that are helpful in supporting students who have experienced trauma. Also provides an additional avenue for alternative licensure for teachers. The bill received a second hearing in the House Education Committee and will be considered by the committee again next week for a final committee vote.
Looking Ahead
Next Thursday will be the committee report deadline for both chambers. We should also see the Senate’s version of HB 1001, the biennial budget, on or before April 8.
Floor activity will continue to increase as legislation receives second and third readings on the House and Senate floors. Once a bill is voted out of the second chamber on a third reading vote and there are no changes made to the bill, it moves to the Governor for signature or veto.
