Indiana General Assembly Bill Tracker
Each week, the Daily Reporter will check in on what local lawmakers are doing by tracking the process by which bills advance or die in the Indiana Statehouse. Here is a list of key bills penned by legislators who represent Hancock County and where they stand in the Indiana General Assembly, from first reading to signature by the governor. You also can track these proposed laws online by visiting iga.in.gov and click on “Legislation.”
— Compiled by Caitlin VanOverberghe
Rape penalty
Bill number: SB 94
Author: Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield; Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield, is a House sponsor
Summary: A rape charge otherwise barred by the current five-year statute of limitations may be brought to prosecution if the state discovers DNA evidence to charge the offender or if a person confesses to the crime. Bill stems from Jenny Wendt Ewing, a Greenfield native who was raped in 2005 but could not press charges when her assailant confessed in 2014 because the current statute of limitations is five years.
Status: Approved by the Senate, the bill has been referred to the House for consideration. Bill passed a House committee on courts and criminal code 12-1.
This week: The bill was passed unanimously by the House. It not heads back to the Senate with amendments.
Property or casualty insurance
Bill number: SB 125
Author: Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield; Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield, is a House sponsor.
Summary: Prohibits insurance companies from denying payment on a claim or refusing to issue a new policy with respect to an innocent coinsured member. Stems from incidents in which one spouse maliciously damages property during divorce or separation.
Status: An amendment on the bill assigns it to a summer study committee. Approved by the Senate, the bill has been referred to the House. Bill was referred to a House committee on rules and legislative procedures.
This week: No action.
Voluntary veterans employment policy
Bill number: SB 298
Authors: Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield, Sen. Amanda Banks, R-Columbia City, and Sen. James Arnold, D-LaPorte
Summary: Approved unanimously by the Senate, the bill has been sent to the House for consideration. Provides a voluntary veterans preference policy for hiring, promoting or retaining a veteran in private employment.
Status: Bill passed by full House. It will come back to the Senate with amendments for approval.
This week: No action.
Electric suppliers’ service areas
Bill number: SB 309
Author: Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield; Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield, is a House sponsor.
Summary: Prohibits a city that owns an electric utility from petitioning to a state agency to acquire a new service area during an annexation.
Status: Approved by the full Senate, the bill has been sent to the House. Bill has passed by a House committee on utilities, energy and telecommunications. It has been sent to the full House for consideration.
This week: The bill was read before the full House. Several amendments were proposed.
Psychiatric crisis intervention
Bill number: SB 485
Author: Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield
Summary: Creates a pilot program in three counties to study services for people with psychiatric conditions and to discover gaps in programs.
Status: Approved by a committee on family and children’s services and is being considered as an addition to the state’s budget. Passed by a Senate appropriations committee.
This week: No action.
Annexation
Bill number: HB 1268
Author: Rep. Bob Cherry, R-Greenfield, is a co-author, along with Reps. Sharon Negele, Timothy Wesco and Cherrish Pryor.
Summary: Places additional notification requirements on cities that are annexing land and eases the remonstrance process for property owners.
Status: Dead. Language from this bill could be added to Senate Bill 330, another law on annexations, which passed out of the Senate and was assigned to a House committee on government and regulatory reform.
This week: No action.
Ethics
Bill number: HB 1002
Author: Rep. Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis
Summary: Requires Indiana lawmakers to file more financial disclosures and prohibits elected officials from using state resources for political purposes. Stems from recent ethical concerns regarding former state Rep. Eric Turner and former Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett.
Status: Approved by the House, the measure will next be considered by the Senate. It has been referred to a Senate committee on rules and legislative procedure.
This week: No action.
Redistricting
Bill number: HB 1003
Author: Rep. Brian Bosma, R-Indianapolis
Summary: Creates a committee to study how legislators draw district lines and whether the method should be changed. This could affect which geographic areas state and federal lawmakers represent; a redistricting commission also may be established.
Status: Approved by the House, the measure will next be considered by the Senate.
This week: Assigned to a Senate committee on elections.