This week session continued to pick up the pace after the intersession break. While some important bills remain to be heard, many key pieces of legislation were given hearings this week. In a phenomenon often seen in the second half of the legislative session, some bills were even stripped and replaced by amendment. One such bill we were following, SB54 FAFSA Awards, which would have made all high school seniors complete the FAFSA form, was gutted by amendment and replaced with an incentives program that would encourage schools to increase their FAFSA completion rates.
While we will continue to follow committee hearings next week, one of the final steps in the budget process is slated for Thursday, when Indiana University will present their budget request to the Senate Appropriations committee. The Senate will use this presentation to help shape their version of the budget, HB1001, that was passed earlier this session in the House.
House Bills
HB1006: Enforcement Officers
Passed out of Senate Corrections and Criminal Law 11-0
The bill requires the Indiana law enforcement training board to establish mandatory training in de-escalation and establishes a procedure to allow the Indiana law enforcement training board to decertify an officer who has committed misconduct. The bill also specifies that a law enforcement officer who turns off a body worn camera with the intent to conceal a criminal act commits a Class A misdemeanor.
HB1082: High Tech Crimes Unit Program
Passed out of Senate Corrections and Criminal Law 9-0
The bill establishes a fund for the purpose of creating high tech crimes units that collectively represent the north, south, east, west, and central geographic areas of Indiana to enhance the ability of prosecuting attorneys to investigate, collect evidence, and prosecute high tech crimes.
HB1384: Civics Education
Passed out of Senate Education and Career Development 13-0
The bill requires that the state board of education, in coordination with the department of education, establish standards for civics education and provides that each school corporation, charter school, and state accredited nonpublic school shall require each student to successfully complete in grade 6, 7, or 8 one semester of a civics education course.
Senate Bills
SB54: FAFSA Awards
Passed out of House Education 13-0 - Recommitted to House Ways and Means
The bill provides that a school corporation may receive a FAFSA completion improvement award and establishes a formula for calculating the award amount.
SB101: Education and Higher Education Matters
Passed out of House Education 13-0
The bill deems a student who is at least 17 years of age to have full legal capacity to enter into a contract for a Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship. The bill also amends requirements regarding the development of a student's graduation plan.