This Statehouse Update provides a summary of bills the IU State Relations team is tracking and that moved during the seventh week of session. Lawmakers reached the third reading deadline on Thursday in both chambers. Bills must pass on third reading out of their originating chamber to still be eligible to become law in the second half of session. Of the 708 bills introduced in the House, only 178 or 25%, survived. The Senate passed even fewer bills—156 or 30%, of the 521 introduced. The 334 remaining bills will be assigned to the opposite chamber’s committees and will be eligible to be heard in committee the week of March 3, as the General Assembly takes a planned one week break from the Statehouse.
House Bills
Passed House Ways and Means 14-7 and House 66-27.
The House Republican’s biennial budget holds the operating appropriations funding flat for all state educational institutions at FY25 levels, with FY25 outcomes-based performance funding (OBPF) earned included. Repair & rehabilitation funding was restored and increased by 0.25% in the formula, resulting in $3.1M more each year for IU. It does not include additional new funding for OBPF or any funding for capital projects (either cash or debt financed). Current line items were held flat. IU Innovates, a new line item funding request, was funded at $1M per year. Other provisions in the budget include: (1) requiring the State Budget Agency and State Budget Director to hold back 5% of operating appropriations for state agencies and state educational institutions in each year of the biennium; (2) requires the Secretary of Education to provide a report to the Indiana General Assembly on the future of dual credit funding and alignment; (3) requires the Indiana Commission for Higher Education to report on the utilization of physical facilities primarily used for instruction at each state educational institution.
Passed House 68-26.
The bill, among other provisions, changes the definition of community benefit which could impact local nonprofit partners. The bill provides that nonprofit hospitals must charge under 300% of Medicare reimbursement rate at time of charge or otherwise lose status as a nonprofit hospital.
Passed House 67-21.
The bill requires public and private postsecondary educational institutions in Indiana to disclose certain foreign gifts and contracts. The bill requires certain individuals and business entities from acquiring: (1) an interest in business entities governed under Indiana law; and (2) real property located in Indiana.
HB 1041: Student eligibility in interscholastic sports
Passed House 71-25.
The bill prohibits a male, based on the student's biological sex at birth in accordance with the student's genetics and reproductive biology, from participating on an Indiana public and private colleges’ athletic team or sport designated as being a female, women's, or girls' athletic team/sport. It requires public and private colleges to establish grievance procedures for a violation of the law.
HB 1049: Public service attorney scholarships
Passed House 95-1.
The bill establishes the county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship program; and county deputy prosecuting attorney and public defender scholarship fund. The Indiana Commission for Higher Education shall administer the program and fund.
HB 1453: Pediatric cancer research and treatment grant
Passed House 93-0.
The bill establishes the pediatric cancer research and treatment grant program to be administered by the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) and establishes the pediatric cancer research and treatment fund. It sets forth requirements for an entity to receive a grant and requires IDOH to develop criteria, policies, procedures, and a plan concerning awarding of the grants. The bill prioritizes use of the funds to be on innovative research and treatments with the potential of resulting in novel therapies for pediatric cancer.
Senate Bills
SB 448: Higher education and workforce development matters
This is the CHE Agency/Governor’s Office priority bill. Passed Senate 48-1.
The bill provides that before the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) approves or disapproves a degree or program, a state educational institution shall provide, and the commission shall consider, certain information regarding the degree or program. It requires CHE to: (1) review each degree or program for approval or disapproval at least one time every 10 years; (2) outline a process for degree and program monitoring, improvement, suspension, and closure; and (3) publish certain information. It mandates CHE report student enrollment data to the Legislative Council by November 1 each year.
Passed Senate 47-2.
The bill sets forth requirements for a utilization review entity that requires prior authorization of a health care service. The bill provides that a claim for reimbursement for a covered service or item provided to a certain individual may not be denied on the sole basis that the referring provider is an out of network provider.