Week in Review at the Indiana General Assembly

February 11 - 15, 2008

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - The property tax relief and reform debate remains in the forefront of issues facing lawmakers this session. However, other bills of interest are moving through the process. The following brief summary highlights a few of the bills which are under consideration by the State Senate this week.

Senate floor action

The Senate unanimously approved legislation this week that will help to promote arts and cultural districts throughout the state. House Bill 1017 would establish a certification program to determine where these districts are located and use that information for promotion and tourism opportunities. The program will have a positive impact on many Indiana communities, particularly those in rural areas where it will highlight arts and cultures that are truly their own, such as quilting, pottery or blue grass music. No changes were made to the legislation by the Senate, so it now proceeds to the governor for final action.

Legislation which would require Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel to receive training on autism is one step closer to becoming law. House Bill 1171 would add education on autism to the EMS certification training program beginning in 2009. According to the Autism Research Institute, autism is a developmental disorder which can cause severe social, communication and behavioral problems. With the increased rate of autism diagnosis among children, the added training for EMS personnel to provide aid to those individuals will be extremely beneficial. The Senate amended the bill to change the effective date, so it now returns to the House for consideration of those changes.

Legislation which would remove the time limitation for Hoosier students to use financial aid grants for higher education has also gained Senate approval. Under current law, a student granted financial assistance by the State Student Assistance Commission of Indiana must use the grant within ten years. In 2007, more than 9,000 students were affected by the ten-year rule. House Bill 1049 would eliminate the ten-year time limit and allow eligible students to use the grants at any time. The bill returns to the House for consideration of Senate changes.

Senate committee action

Many of our rivers and lakes have become impaired due to excessively high concentrations of phosphorus. Excess phosphorus is a cause of extensive algae growth. Reduction of phosphorus pollution is the impetus behind House Bill 1120. Members of the Senate Energy and Environmental Affairs Committee heard testimony this week on the importance of limiting the use of phosphorous in certain detergents used in household automatic dishwashing machines. In 1973, Indiana passed legislation to ban the use of phosphorous in washing machine detergents to help control phosphorus entering sewage treatment plants. However, dishwashers were not common at the time. Phosphorus helps to soften water, reduce spotting on dishes and reduce rusting of machine parts. Alternative detergents that perform well without the use of phosphorus are available to consumers. Members approved the bill and advanced the legislation to the full Senate for its consideration.

The Senate Corrections, Criminal and Civil Matters Committee advanced House Bill 1112, a measure that would establish an interim study committee on learner's permits and driver's licenses to examine potential changes to the state's laws regarding young drivers. Car crashes are the leading cause of death among teenagers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, inexperienced driving is the reason for most teenage crashes. Sixteen-year-olds have the highest crash rate compared to any other driving age. Nearly half of teenage deaths occur when there is another teen in the car. Specific areas to be studied include the minimum age at which learner's permits and probationary driver's licenses can be issued, requirements for practice driving, use of handheld devices by probationary drivers, and other restrictions to which the probationary driver is subject while driving.

The Local Government and Elections Committee heard several bills this week including House Bill 1162. This bill would allow the presiding officer of the legislative body of a municipality to appoint an individual not more than 18 years of age to serve as an adviser to the municipal legislative body on matters affecting youth in the community. In addition, the bill would establish a Youth Advisory Council to advise the General Assembly concerning issues of importance to youth.

Upcoming deadlines

• February 21 - Committee report deadline
• February 26 - 2nd Reading deadline
• February 27 - 3rd Reading deadline
• February 28 - Conference committees begin

Source: Senate Democrats

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