Statehouse Update 1
Introduction
Welcome to the first Statehouse Update of the 2023 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 2023 Legislative Session on Monday, January 9 and, by statute, must conclude by April 29. 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 workforce development, public health and safety, all while crafting a new biennial budget to fund state government and initiatives from July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2025. To date, over 1,000 bills have been introduced, nearly 400 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 27 for the House and February 28 for the Senate).
This week, President Mearns presented the University’s budget proposal for the House Ways and Means Committee. In addition to our budget proposal, he had the opportunity to highlight some of our institution’s recent accomplishments and initiatives. The next step in the budget approval process is a presentation to the Senate Appropriations Committee later this spring.
On Tuesday, Governor Holcomb gave his State of the State address. He discussed aspects of his Next Level Agenda, including historic investment recommendations higher education and workforce readiness.
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
House Bill 1001 STATE BUDGET: The Governor’s budget has been introduced in the House as HB 1001, and has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. The Governor has recommended a 6% and 8% increase in higher education funding, totaling to an additional $184 million in the state appropriation for state supported institutions.
House Bill 1024 PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS: Provides that a governmental body may not enter into a debt instrument unless it first receives a written financial analysis. Requires a person who engages in certain activities on behalf of either a governmental body or a potential operator with whom a governmental body is negotiating a BOT agreement to be registered as a broker with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Provides that a contractor that employs 10 or more employees on a design-build public works project must provide its employees access to a training program applicable to the tasks to be performed in the normal course of the employee's employment with the contractor on the public project. Provides that a tier 1 or tier 2 contractor that employs 50 or more journeymen must participate in an apprenticeship or training program that meets certain standards. Requires design-builders and any member of a team working on a design-build public works project to comply with certain statutes. Provides that a public agency awarding a contract for a construction manager as constructor project may not take certain actions based on a bidder's, offeror's, or contractor's entering into, refusing to enter into, adhering to, or refusing to adhere to an agreement with a labor organization.
House Bill 1036 SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS: Requires candidates for school board offices to be nominated in the same manner as candidates for all other elected offices are nominated. Repeals the current statute relating to nomination of candidates for school board offices. Repeals other superseded statutes. Makes conforming changes.
House Bill 1043 RESIDENT TUITION FOR ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUALS: 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. Makes a technical correction.
House Bill 1160 WORKFORCE TRAINING AND TANF MATTERS: Sets the income eligibility requirements for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program at a specified percentage of the federal income poverty level. Increases certain payment amounts under the TANF program. Repeals language regarding: (1) payments for a child born more than 10 months after a family qualifies for assistance; (2) the adoption of rules authorizing certain vouchers; (3) eligibility for child support enforcement services; (4) encouraging a family that receives assistance to receive family planning counseling; and (5) requiring the division to apply a percentage reduction to the total needs of TANF applicants and recipients in computing TANF benefits. Requires the commission for higher education (commission) to establish an education and career support services pilot program (pilot program). Establishes the education and career support services pilot program fund. Establishes certain requirements for the pilot program. Establishes a workforce training program (training program) to provide training and other services to: (1) incumbent workers of participating employers to allow those workers to qualify for higher paying positions; and (2) unemployed or underemployed individuals, with priority being given to individuals who are eligible to receive assistance under TANF and individuals with intellectual and other developmental disabilities, to allow those individuals to qualify for job openings created by the incumbent workers taking new positions. Provides that the department of workforce development (department) shall administer the training program. Requires the office of the secretary of family and social services, in coordination with the department, to provide services under TANF to certain participants of the training program. Provides that the department shall use funds allocated to the next level jobs employer training grant program to reimburse employers for the costs of training and onboarding certain workers. Makes conforming changes.
House Bill 1161 HUNGER-FREE CAMPUS GRANT PROGRAM: Establishes the hunger-free campus grant program (grant program) to provide grants to state educational institutions for purposes of addressing food insecurity among students enrolled in state educational institutions. Provides that the commission for higher education (commission) shall provide a grant under the grant program to a state educational institution, if at least one campus is designated by the commission as a hunger-free campus. Establishes criteria that a campus of a state educational institution must meet in order to be designated a hunger-free campus. Makes an appropriation.
House Bill 1226 TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY SCHOLARS PROGRAM: Defines, for purposes of the twenty-first century scholars program, "qualified early college student". Provides that a qualified early college student may apply to the commission for higher education for a twenty-first century scholarship to pay for postsecondary tuition costs associated with up to 30 postsecondary credit hours for dual credit or concurrent enrollment courses. Makes technical corrections.
House Bill 1307 HIGH VALUE WORKFORCE READY CREDIT-BEARING GRANT: Provides that an applicant who has previously received a baccalaureate degree or an associate degree may be eligible for a high value workforce ready credit-bearing grant if the applicant: (1) received a diploma of graduation, high school equivalency certificate, or state of Indiana general educational development diploma five or more years before the applicant applies for a grant; and (2) is not working in the subject matter field in which the applicant received the baccalaureate degree or associate degree. (Current law provides that an applicant for a high value workforce ready credit-bearing grant may not have previously received a baccalaureate degree, an associate degree, or an eligible certificate.
Senate Bills
Senate Bill 35 FINANCIAL LITERACY: Provides that, beginning with the cohort of students who are expected to graduate from a public school, a charter school, or a state accredited nonpublic school in 2027, an individual must successfully complete a personal financial responsibility course before the individual may graduate. Creates requirements for content that must be covered in a personal financial responsibility course.
Senate Bill 68 CORE 40 CURRICULUM MODEL: Provides that, if a Core 40 curriculum model adopted by the state board of education includes Algebra II as a math course requirement for graduation with an Indiana diploma withCore 40 designation, the state board must amend the Core 40 curriculum model to provide that a student satisfies the math course requirement by successfully completing either: (1) an Algebra II course; or (2) a personal finance course.
Senate Bill 167 FAFSA: Requires all students, except for students at certain nonpublic schools, in the student's 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 or school counselor of the student's high school waives the requirement due to extenuating circumstances. Requires that the: (1) model notice prepared by the commission for higher education; and (2) notice that each school corporation is required to send regarding the FAFSA; include information regarding the requirements and exceptions for completing the FAFSA. Makes a conforming change and technical correction.
Senate Bill 209 EMERGENCY TEACHING PERMITS: Provides that an emergency teaching permit may be renewed annually for not more than three consecutive year.
Senate Bill 341 TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY SCHOLARS PROGRAM: Amends certain qualifications for eligibility to participate in the twenty-first century scholars program.
Senate Bill 356 WORKFORCE RETENTION INCENTIVES: Provides that an individual who is enrolled in certain associate degree programs may be eligible for the high value workforce ready credit-bearing grant. Requires the commission of higher education (commission), in conjunction with the department of workforce development, to determine which associate degree programs are eligible, including associate degree programs in advanced manufacturing, information technology, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Establishes the workforce retention and brain gain loan forgiveness program (program). Provides that the commission shall administer the program. Establishes the workforce retention and brain gain loan forgiveness fund to provide annual student loan forgiveness payments to individuals who meet certain requirements.
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.
