Statehouse Update
This Statehouse Update provides a summary of bills the IU State Relations team is tracking and that moved during the fourth week of session. Lawmakers raced to meet the deadline to move bills out of committee and to the floor before the end of the week. Additionally, many important bills hit the floor of the House and the Senate for second reading, which is the opportunity for the whole chamber to offer amendments on the bill. By the middle of next week, we will know all the bills that passed out of their originating chamber and are still eligible to become law.
House Bills
HB 1179: State Educational Institutions
Passed House 93-0
The bill requires the board of trustees of a state educational institution to adopt a policy on (1) prohibiting the transfer, licensing, or sublicensing of intellectual property developed using the state educational institution's resources to a business entity organized under the laws of a foreign adversary; and (2) prohibiting an employee of the state educational institution from making a public statement in the employee's official capacity unless the statement (a) relates to the operation of the state educational institution, or to a state educational institution sponsored event; or (b) has been approved by the board of trustees. The bill prohibits a state educational institution from using state funds or resources to: (1) engage or contract with an individual associated with a foreign terrorist organization or a state sponsor of terror; or (2) support the activities of a foreign terrorist organization or a state sponsor of terror.
HB 1243: Various Education & Workforce Matters
Passed House 96-0
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.
HB 1259: Professions and Occupation
Passed House 97-0
he Indiana state board of nursing (board) to issue, by examination, a registered nurse license to graduates of a foreign nursing school. Allows the board to issue, by examination, a licensed practical nurse license to graduates of a foreign nursing school. The bill allows the majority of nursing program faculty to be part-time employees of an approved postsecondary educational institution or a hospital that conducts the nursing program.
HB 1304: Education Matters
Passed House Ways and Means 21-0 and engrossed on 2nd reading
The bill establishes the committee on school data reporting to review regulations by state agencies and defines "literacy coach" and sets forth the requirements for a literacy coach. It requires the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE) and the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, in conjunction with the Indiana State Board of Education (SBOE), to partner with the National Council on Teacher Quality to evaluate teacher preparation reading instruction programs. The bill provides that, beginning July 1, 2027, the IDOE may not renew a practitioner license or a comparable license to certain individuals unless the individual receives a literacy endorsement. The bill also requires the IDOE to develop guidelines regarding the use of curriculum or content that prepares elementary school teacher candidates in math instruction and requires the SBOE to establish a micro-credential for kindergarten through grade 8 math for experienced and highly skilled teachers and establish the requirements to receive the micro-credential.
Senate Bills
SB 1: Reading Skills
Passed Senate 36-13
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 State Board of Education. The Indiana Department of Education will be required to procure a universal screening assessment for all students to take.
SB 8: Higher Education Matters
Passed Senate Appropriations13-0. This is the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE)’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. The bill requires CHE, in coordination with the Indiana Department of Education and institutions, to maintain and post a list and syllabus of each eligible college core course.
SB 45: Trauma Informed Care
Passed Senate 43-6
Requires the Indiana state board of nursing to study whether trauma informed care should be included as part of the required curriculum for nursing education programs. Requires an individual who holds an active license as a nurse and has direct patient contact to complete a trauma informed care training program within a specified time.
SB 48: State educational institutions
Passed Senate Education and Career Development 10-0. Indiana University testified on behalf of itself, and the other state educational institutions, affirming support for the bill and highlighting existing tools helpful to students and families when making decisions regardingcosts and potential outcomes of the education and training at our institutions.
The bill requires a state educational institution to prominently display on the home page and individual degree pages a hyperlink to the state educational institution's profile on the United States Department of Education's College Scorecard.
SB 139: Psilocybin Treatment Program
Passed Senate Appropriations 14-0
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 47-2
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 202: State Educational Institution Matters
IU OVPUR has heard concerns from faculty and staff members that this bill contains multiple provisions which could be disruptive to IU campuses. IU is working with other state educational institutions, as we continue to meet and share our collective concerns with State Senate members. Multiple amendments to the legislation have been filed and must be considered by the Senate’s 2nd Reading amendment deadline on Monday, Feb. 5.
The bill amends the duties of state educational institutions' diversity committees and provides that certain offices or individuals established or employed by a state educational institution regarding diversity programming must include within the mission of the office or position programming that substantially promotes both cultural and intellectual diversity. It establishes various requirements and restrictions for institutions regarding free inquiry, free expression, and intellectual diversity that does the following: (1) Requires the establishment of certain policies regarding (a) disciplinary actions for certain persons that materially and substantially disrupt protected expressive activity; (B) limiting or restricting the granting of tenure or a promotion if certain conditions related to free inquiry, free expression, and intellectual diversity are not met; and (C) disciplinary actions that will be taken if, after a review, a determination has been made that a tenured faculty member has failed to meet certain criteria related to free inquiry, free expression, and intellectual diversity. (2) Requires the review and consideration, at least every five years, of certain criteria related to free inquiry, free expression, and intellectual diversity. (3) Requires the establishment of a procedure that allows students and employees to submit complaints that a faculty member or contractor is not meeting certain criteria related to free inquiry, free expression, and intellectual diversity and establishes requirements regarding the procedure and submitted complaints. The bill provides that certain individuals may request the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to review a final decision by an institution concerning a violation of these provisions. The bill adds two member appointments by the legislative council to each institution’s board of trustees and establishes various reporting requirements by institutions with the submission of their legislative budget request.
SB 273: Biomarker Testing Coverage
Passed Senate Appropriations 13-0
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.