2018 Legislative Session

Indiana University Office of Government Relations

 Statehouse Report 1

Introduction

Welcome to the first weekly Statehouse Report of the 2018 session of the Indiana General Assembly. Produced by Indiana University’s Office of Government Relations, these reports will provide concise information on the progress of legislation monitored by IU. 

The session began on Wednesday, January 3rd, and by statute the session must be completed by March 14th. Most short sessions begin quickly, and this year is no exception with approximately 500 bills introduced during the first week.

Introduced Bills

The IU Government Relations team reviews every bill that is introduced and makes a determination as to whether the bill could impact the University. Here’s a summary of some of the bills that were introduced during the first week of the legislative session that IU will be tracking:

House Bills

HB 1039 – Tax Credit for 529 Plan Contributions: This bill would remove the annual $1,000 tax credit for 529 education savings plan contributions, and replace it with a cumulative lifetime tax credit cap of $22,000.

HB 1047 – Education Benefits for Veterans: This bill would exclude veterans benefits from the financial aid determination process, as well as provide an automatic tuition refund to national guard and reservists called to active duty post-course enrollment.

HB 1074 – Various Higher Education Matters: This is the annual bill representing legislation being pursued by the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE). It would make changes to the renewal of 21st Century Scholars scholarships, modify procedures for state universities to sell real estate, and address other student financial aid matters.

Senate Bills

SB 204 – Veterans Educational Matters: This bill is the Senate version on HB 1047 addressed above.

SB 245 – College Savings Program: This bill would create a state income tax credit for employers who contribute to an employee’s 529 education saving plan, allow taxpayers to direct tax refunds to 529 education savings plans, and require the state to make annual 529 education savings plan contributions to certain lower income account holders.

Looking Ahead

A signature event during week two of session will be the Governor’s State of the State address on Tuesday evening.

While a large number of bills have already been introduced, we expect a few hundred more to be released within the coming days.

We are looking forward to a great legislative session in 2018 and hope that you find our Statehouse Reports informative and enjoyable.