The fourteenth week of session marked significant milestones as Thursday was the final day for House bills to be heard in Senate committees and Senate bills to be heard in House committees. Bills that did not receive a hearing or pass a committee are no longer eligible to move forward. By the middle of next week, IU State Relations will know which bills passed through the chamber opposite their origination and are still eligible to become law.
House Bills
HB 1001: State budget
Passed Senate Appropriations 10-3.
The Senate 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 maintained at the House Republican’s proposed 0.525% in the formula, resulting in $3.1M more each year for IU. Regional Campus Deferred Maintenance was funded at $9.8M in FY26 for IU’s five regional campuses. It does not include additional new funding for OBPF or any funding for other IU capital projects (either cash or debt financed). Current line items were held flat. Other provisions in the budget include: (1) requires the Secretary of Education to provide a report to the Indiana General Assembly on the future of dual credit funding and alignment; (2) reverts unspent money from the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) in the Frank O’Bannon grant program back to the state general fund; and (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.
HB 1002: Various education matters
Engrossed on 2nd Reading by Senate.
The bill removes and repeals various education provisions and expired education provisions in Indiana Title 20: Education. This will be a multi-year process to “reduce regulations on K-12 schools to increase flexibility and give local communities more control over education decisions.”
HB 1003: Health matters
Passed Senate Appropriations 10-3.
Specifies that the Medicaid fraud control unit's (MFCU) investigation of Medicaid fraud may include the investigation of provider fraud, insurer fraud, duplicate billing, and other instances of fraud. The bill also prohibits a health plan from rescinding a prior authorization that the health plan has previously approved within one year after the prior authorization is approved. It also allows the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) to enter into partnerships and joint ventures to encourage best practices in the appropriate and effective use of priorauthorization in health care. Additionally, it requires IDOH, in consultation with the office of technology, to study the feasibility of developing certain standards regarding medical records and data.
HB 1004: Nonprofit hospitals
Passed Senate Appropriations 9-4.
The bill, among other provisions, requires the state’s five largest nonprofit hospital systems to cap prices from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2027. The bill also requires the Indiana Department of Health (state department) to assess a penalty against a nonprofit hospital system if the nonprofit hospital system fails to meet specific pricing benchmarks in the specified time frame. Additionally, the bill provides that a nonprofit hospital system that fails to achieve the benchmarks in the specified time frame forfeits its tax-exempt status and all property of the nonprofit hospital shall be subject to property tax assessment and taxation beginning on the next assessment date.
HB 1065: Cancer clinical trial program
Signed by the Governor.
The bill allows an organization or entity to establish and administer a cancer clinical trial participation program for the purpose of providing payments to a participant for certain costs incurred by the participant while participating in a cancer clinical trial. The bill also sets forth program requirements and participant eligibility.
HB 1453: Pediatric cancer research and treatment grant
Passed Senate Appropriations 12-0.
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. State educational institutions may receive grant funding from the newly established grant program if they choose to apply and meet the eligibility requirements.
HB 1555: Licensure of foreign trained physicians
Passed Senate 48-1 and House dissented from Senate amendments.
The bill establishes a limited medical license for individuals who have graduated from certain international medical programs; obtain a health care facility sponsor in an underserved area; and meet certain other criteria.
HB 1634: Math education
This is a Governor’s Office/Indiana Department of Education priority bill. Passed Senate 38-11 and returned to House with amendments.
The bill, among other provisions, establishes requirements regarding: (1) mathematics screening, evaluation, and intervention; and (2) teacher preparation program math curriculum and content.
Senate Bills
SB 146: Teacher compensation
This is a Governor’s Office/Indiana Department of Education priority bill. Passed House 90-1 and returned to Senate with amendments.
The bill, among other provisions, removes a prohibition on ranking teacher preparation programs. Beginning June 30, 2025: (1) increases the minimum salary for a teacher employed by a school corporation to $45,000 (current law requires $40,000); and (2) requires a school corporation to expend an amount for teacher compensation that is not less than 65% of state tuition support (current law requires 62%).
SB 289: Nondiscrimination in employment and education
Passed House Judiciary 7-3 and engrossed on 2nd Reading by House.
The bill had a “strip and insert” amendment which repeals provisions concerning university diversity committees. The bill prohibits unlawful discrimination in education, public employment, and licensure. It prohibits a public employer from requiring training asserting that, or endorsing the theory that, a person with a certain personal characteristic: (1) is inherently superior or inferior to a person with a different personal characteristic; (2) should be blamed for actions committed in the past; or (3) has a moral character that is determined by a personal characteristic of the person. The bill permits a person injured by a violation to bring a civil action for actual damages, or liquidated damages of: (1) $50,000 for a first offense; and (2) $100,000 for a second or subsequent offense.
SB 365: Education matters
Senate filed to concur with House amendments.
The bill requires the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), in collaboration with CHE and DWD, to create a combined return on investment report for specified programs, including the 21st Century Scholars program. It also moves the career navigation coaching system developed by CHE to the IDOE to administer and implement and eliminates state educational institutions as an eligible entity to apply for grants to provide career coaching under the system.
SB 448: Higher education and workforce development matters
This is the CHE Agency/Governor’s Office priority bill. Passed House Education 8-4.
The bill, among other provisions, 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. The bill requires a state educational institution to approve for admission Indiana residents who graduate with the new Honors Plus Enrollment Seal. It requires the board of trustees of a state educational institution to do the following: (1) When reviewing tenured faculty members, assess and review the staffing needs of the institution based on the branches, campuses, extension centers, colleges, schools, and degree and programs of the institution; and (2) Submit to CHE any review of, renewal of, or amendment to the process or criteria regarding the tenured faculty member review. The bill requires CHE to promptly review the process and criteria and provide feedback to a board of trustees. It mandates CHE report student enrollment data to the Legislative Council by November 1 each year.
SB 473: Various health care matters
Passed House 93-0 and returned to the Senate with amendments.
Requires a nursing program to offer a clinical experience for clinical hours in a hospital and a health facility setting. It also establishes the certified health care professions commission and sets forth the commission's duties, including the certification of nurse aides and qualified medication aides; and the administration of the certified nurse aide registry.
SB 480: Prior authorization
Passed House Insurance 13-0.
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.
SB 516: Economic development
Passed House 87-4 and Senate filed to concur with House amendments.
The bill establishes the Indiana Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and specifies the duties of the office. In addition, the bill makes changes to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s (IEDC) leadership structure and places additional guardrails on the IEDC’s operations.