Public Policy Letter: Third Reading Next Week for Bills Watched by INARF

The week saw the Governor sign the Religious Freedom bill into law as protesters marched on Capitol Avenue outside his office windows and some conventions and large businesses announced they might look to do business outside of Indiana. 

Some legislative committees will hold their final meeting for the session next week, though others will meet for two more weeks. 

---

Legislative leadership has announced that there will be no session on Monday, April 6th due to the NCAA Basketball Championship game downtown that night and downtown hotels being filled with higher-rate-paying basketball fans. Friday, April 10th, normally not a session day, is available for a session day if it's needed. 

The Senate’s version of the Budget, HB 1001, will be released in the April 9th Senate Appropriations committee meeting. 

Four of the bills INARF is watching are on the Third Reading calendar for next week— 
HB 1242, reserve officer mandatory training in interacting with persons with various disabilities and diseases; HB 1613, centralizing authority in the FSSA Secretary rather than the Division directors;SB 380, requiring the Law Enforcement Training academy to include an overview of crisis intervention training; and SB 420, changing terminology to “intellectual disability” throughout the Indiana Code. 

The bill expanding the definition of Medicaid fraud, HB 1401, is eligible for Second reading. 

Committee action is scheduled next week for three bills INARF is watching--HB 1265 (set for Senate Health Wed. morning), establishes the CARE program to permit hospitalized people to designate a lay caregiver; HB 1303 (set for Commerce Thursday morning), establishes a procedure for an individual to “self register/certify” their professional status with a state agency; and SB 166 (set for “Amend and Vote only” in House Public Health Monday morning), creates more allowed uses for the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury fund. 

The Department of Education is directed to establish guidelines for teacher training programs to help teachers recognize when a student’s reading level is not progressing normally and to refer that student for a learning needs evaluation by HB 1108. Rep. Woody Burton’s bill passed the Senate Thursday on a 50- vote. 

HB 1435 will match the law with practice by legalizing a non-profit organization that is a qualified organization under the charity gaming law awarding sealed bottles of alcoholic beverages as prizes without obtaining an alcoholic beverage permit. The bill passed the Senate 39-10. 

The full text of these and other bills that INARF is watching can be found at http://ign.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills.