2018 Legislative Session
Indiana University Office of Government Relations
Statehouse Report 2
Introduction
The second week of the legislative session brought the introduction of several new bills, as well as the first real movement for some of the bills IU was already tracking. The ceremonial highlight of this past week was the Governor’s State of the State address, where he outlined his legislative priorities for 2018.
Introduced Bills
House Bills
HB 1016 – Student Journalism: This bill would codify free speech provisions for student journalists, while also providing civil immunity to state educational institutions for actions born out of student journalist activities.
Senate Bills
SB 28 – Nursing Faculty Loan Repayment Grant Program: This bill would establish a loan repayment grant program for nursing faculty, with the intent of increasing the number of nursing faculty members in Indiana.
Bills that Moved
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. The bill passed out of committee and is now eligible for second reading on the house floor.
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. It passed out of committee and is now eligible for second reading on the House floor.
Looking Ahead
In the coming weeks, we expect a busy schedule of committee hearings where many of the bills IU is tracking will be heard for the first time. As those bills begin to move out of committee, the debate on these bills will move before the full House or Senate (depending on where the bill has originated).
Also starting next week are a series of lunches between various legislative committees and Government Relations reps from all the public colleges and universities. Next week, IU has organized the first committee lunch with members of the House Ways and Means committee.