Statehouse Update
The IU State Relations team has reviewed every bill that has been introduced at the Statehouse, and determined if and how the bill could impact the university. This Statehouse Update provides a summary of bills the team is tracking that have had activity up to this point in the second week of session.
House Bills
HB 1001: Education and Higher Education Matters
Passed House Education 9-4 on Jan. 10 and recommitted to House Ways and Means. Passed House Ways and Means 15-6 on Jan. 17.
This bill includes language to improve the Career Scholarship Account (CSA). Allows recipients of the 21st Century Scholarship and Frank O’Bannon Grant to use funding towards the cost of employer or labor organization training. This bill requires public colleges to report information to the Commission for their analysis of information.
HB 1002: Enforcement of Equal Educational Opportunity
Passed House Education 12-0 on Jan. 10 and House 83-0 on Jan. 18.
The bill defines "antisemitism", specifies that the state's public policy is to provide educational opportunities in K-12 and higher education free of religious discrimination, and that antisemitism is discrimination based on religion.
HB 1042: Transition to Teaching
Passed House Education 13-0 on January 10 and recommitted to House Ways and Means. Passed House Ways and Means 23-0 on Jan. 17.
This bill would allow the Commission to use any remaining funds of the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship fund to award additional Transition to Teaching Scholarships. The bill removes a provision concerning the reduction of scholarships if certain limits are exceeded.
HB 1243: Various Education & Workforce Matters
Heard in House Education on Jan. 17 and held for amendments and committee vote.
This bill establishes an executive committee of the Governor’s Workforce Cabinet (GWC). The executive committee approves CSA programs and providers to participate. The bill also states that employers must provide starting wages to employees and provide current standardized occupational classification.
Senate Bills
SB 1: Reading Skills
Passed Senate Education and Career Development 9-4 on January 17 and recommitted Senate Appropriations.
This bill requires certain schools to offer additional school courses to students who are not at reading proficiency levels or at risk of becoming not proficient in reading as indicated by the Indiana Board of Education. The Department of Education will be required to procure a universal screening assessment for all students to take.
SB 3: Prior Authorization
Passed in Senate Health and Provider Services 10-0 on Jan. 17 and recommitted to Senate Appropriations.
The bill provides that a utilization review entity may only impose prior authorization requirements on less than 1% of any given specialty or health care service and 1% of health care providers overall in a calendar year. The bill also sets forth requirements for utilization review entities.
SB 8: Higher Education Matters
Heard in Senate Education and Career Development Jan. 17 and held for amendments and committee vote. This is the Indiana Commission for Higher Education’s agency bill with priorities added from the Governor’s Office.
This bill requires Indiana high schools to provide the Indiana College Core or create an implementation plan by the 2025-2026 school year. Colleges are required to offer a 3-year degree program and require 4-year campuses to submit a study on advisability and feasibility of offering an associate degree to students who do not wish to continue their education.
SB 139: Psilocybin Treatment Program
Passed in Senate Health and Provider Services 11-0 on Jan. 17 and recommitted to Senate Appropriations.
This bill establishes a research fund, administered by the Indiana Department of Health, to provide funding for Indiana institutions to study the use of Psilocybin to treat mental health and other conditions.
SB 150: Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity
Passed Senate Commerce and Technology 9-1 on Jan. 18 and recommitted to Senate Appropriations.
This bill creates an artificial intelligence task force to assess and study the use of artificial intelligence technology by state agencies. The bill also states that state educational institutions may adopt policies to address technology resources and cybersecurity policies.
SB 273: Biomarker Testing Coverage
Passed Senate Insurance and Financial Institutions 8-1 on Jan. 17 and recommitted to Senate Appropriations.
This bill requires a health plan to provide coverage for biomarker testing for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, appropriate management, or ongoing monitoring of an enrollee's disease or condition when biomarker testing is supported by medical and scientific evidence.