Statehouse Update 16
Introduction
This week marks the end of the 2021 session of the Indiana General Assembly. Legislators worked long hours to finalize conference committee reports before the General Assembly adjourned Thursday afternoon. The legislature will not officially adjourn Sine Die until redistricting has been completed later this fall. The statutory deadline for adjourning Sine Die has been extended until November 15, 2021, as the General Assembly is not expected to receive necessary census data for re-districting until the end of September.
On Tuesday, lawmakers released the final version of the conference committee report to HB 1001, the state’s biennial budget. The budget, which invests $37.4 billion over the next biennium, makes increases in a variety of state agencies and programs. Most notable, is the historic $1 billion increase in K-12 tuition support funding, as well as large one-time spending with both state and federal dollars of about $5.1 billion.
As for higher education, the budget restores university operating appropriations to FY 2021 levels for FY 2022 and increases funding by 2%, about $27 million, in FY 2023. The performance funding pool was set at 7%, which required reallocation of 5% of each institution’s base appropriation from FY 2021. For Ball State, this means a reduction in total operating funding of 1% or $1.4 million, despite increases of on-time completion by Hoosier students by more than 7% in the years considered by the formula.
The budget restores funding to the FY 2021 level for our two principal line items: the Entrepreneurial University ($2.5 million) and the Indiana Academy ($4,384,956). It also includes funding for a portion of repair and restoration of existing academic and administrative facilities and funding for dual credit coursework provided by Ball State University. No expenditures for capital projects are included.
During the legislative session, which began on January 4, legislators introduced 1,031 pieces of legislation. Ball State Governmental Relations tracked approximately 300 of these bills. There were 316 bills that passed from their chamber of origin and moved to the opposite chamber for continued deliberations during the second half of the legislative session. The General Assembly passed a total of 105 bills by the end of session, which have since moved to the Governor for his signature or veto. To track which bills have been signed by Governor Holcomb, you can visit: https://www.in.gov/gov/newsroom/2021-bill-watch/.
The Governmental Relations team would like to thank you for the support, assistance, and expertise provided during the 2021 legislative session. It is a pleasure to represent Ball State University at the Statehouse and to share all the great things happening at our institutions with our lawmakers. The good work that happens on campus creates a great deal of goodwill with our policymakers and is recognized at the Statehouse.
Below, we are including a sampling of bills tracked by Ball State University that were enacted by the General Assembly and will become law upon the Governor’s signature. If you have questions about these or other bills considered by the General Assembly, please let us know at gov@bsu.edu.
Bills That Moved
HB 1001 - State Budget: In addition to the finding for higher education and Ball State referenced earlier, the budget includes $1.9 billion in new money for K-12 education over the biennium. Invests $150 million in student learning recovery grants to address learning loss caused by COVID-19. Invests $500M of federal stimulus dollars in the Regional Economic Acceleration and Development Initiative (READI) to support communities across the state and encourage innovative policies that will spur population growth and economic expansion. Appropriates $70M to the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) to bring the Law Enforcement Training Academy up to modern standards and enhance public safety training. Restores full funding for mental health programs, including Recovery Works, and appropriates an additional $100M over the biennium to fund mental health initiatives. Appropriates $250M of federal stimulus dollars for broadband expansion. The budget also fully funds a 1% COLA for public employee retirees and fully funds the Medicaid forecast.
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.
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.
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.
HB 1549 – Education matters: The bill contains numerous issues relating to K-12 and higher education. Among the provisions most relevant to higher education are the establishment of the Indiana postsecondary prior learning assessment clearinghouse and a requirement for three studies: (1) a higher education business model transformation report (to find ways to lower costs for students); (2) a free speech on campus report (which will require a survey of student perceptions of free expression on campus and will include existing campus policies on free speech); and (3) a protection from foreign malfeasance report (to examine steps taken and policies in place to protect information, data, and intellectual property from being appropriated or misused by a foreign government or other entity).
HB 1553 - Higher education matters: The bill changes the eligibility requirements for the next generation Hoosier educator’s 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.
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 2 - Funding for virtual instruction in public schools: The bill establishes a definition of "virtual instruction" for purposes of determining a school corporation's basic tuition support using the 2021 spring count of average daily membership (ADM).
SB 93 - Tuition charges for qualified nonresident veterans: The bill provides that a: qualified nonresident veteran; or 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 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.
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.
