Welcome to the 1si Advocacy Update! Every Wednesday while the General Assembly is in session, you will receive an update of 1si’s advocacy efforts. If you missed any of our previous updates from this session, please click here.
The general assembly is starting to reach some important milestones as the Sine Die date is April 29. The Weekly Advocacy Update will only have five to six more weeks of updates as we will follow bills that are signed into law and give a recap on the 1si efforts. Thank you to our avid readers, we appreciate your support! It is important to note that even outside of the session, there may be an advocacy update on future advocacy events.
As a reminder, our 2023 Call to Action includes talent attraction and retention which has four main concerns: Quality of Place, Housing Growth, Availability of Childcare, and Enhance Healthy Lifestyles.
Our Advocacy Leadership Team has acted on two bills this week with both being supported! As a reminder, our Advocacy Leadership Team meets every Monday morning to discuss any updates on bills from week to week. It is important to note that for any bill to have action taken, the Advocacy Leadership Team must come to a unanimous decision.
New to Support:
- HB 1449: Amends the twenty-first-century scholars’ program eligibility requirements for certain students and auto enrolls those students but students may opt out.
- Passed House 92-1.
- Passed committees and is headed to Senate Floor.
One of 1si’s Governing Principles is “Career-Ready Workforce and Educational Initiatives.” 1si is in support as this bill provides a tool for low-income students to increase their opportunity for attainment of bachelors and associate degrees. The twenty-first-century scholar program provides a scholarship for low-income students to attend a State Institution and maintain a “good student” status academically.
SB 202: Creates a taskforce to study the need for various housing matters.
- Passed Senate 37-9.
- In House Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee.
1si’s second Call to Action is to “develop new and enhanced tools to build and maintain infrastructure in support of housing growth.” 1si is in support as this bill urges a housing study be completed to address the need of quality housing options. Having a variety of quality housing is vital to our communities’ and businesses’ abilities to attract talent.
Bills on which 1si is taking a position:
Supporting:
- HB 1005: Establishes the residential housing infrastructure assistance program and residential housing infrastructure assistance revolving fund.
- Passed House 91-6.
- Passed Senate 32-16.
1si’s second Call to Action is to “develop new and enhanced tools to build and maintain infrastructure in support of housing growth.” 1si is in support as this bill provides a tool for local communities to meet the needs of housing shortages and prepare for future housing growth.
HB 1160: Creates funding for workforce training program and fund.
- Passed House 92-0.
- Hearing on Senate Floor this week.
One of 1si’s 2023 Priorities is “Meeting Workforce Demands.” 1si is in support as this bill would increase access to and fund workforce training and education programs for career support. As workforce shortages are a need for our businesses in Southern Indiana and throughout the State, this bill provides a tool to help boost the pipeline of potential individuals to be trained to enter or reenter the workforce.
SB 414: Provides alternative solutions to residential onsite sewage system fails.
- Passed Senate 44-5.
- Passed House 62-31.
1si’s second Call to Action is to “develop new and enhanced tools to build and maintain infrastructure in support of housing growth.” 1si is in support as this bill would establish an alternative for homeowners needing to replace and upgrade their septic systems so that their houses can remain viable. This bill provides homeowners with a tool to build and maintain infrastructure to support existing homes that may be deemed unlivable without these upgrades.
SB 35: Requires students to take a financial literacy course.
- Passed Senate 47-2.
- Passed House 88-1.
One of 1si’s Governing Principles is “Career-Ready Workforce and Educational Initiatives.” 1si is in support as this bill requires an individual to successfully complete a personal financial responsibility course before the individual may graduate and creates requirements for content that must be covered in a personal financial responsibility course.
HB 1046: Provides that a military base reuse authority (such as River Ridge) is qualified to receive funds for an eligible project from the local road and bridge matching grant fund.
- Passed House 90-3.
- Hearing on Senate Floor this week.
One of 1si’s 2023 Priorities is “Infrastructure and Housing.” “This is the time to assist communities in building and maintaining roads and bridges…which are essential economic growth strategies for Southern Indiana.” 1si is in support as this bill would allow River Ridge and other military base reuse authorities to apply for a grant fund to support road or bridge projects.
Opposing:
- HB 1278: Prohibits the Indiana economic development corporation, any other public authority, or any party negotiating on behalf of any of those entities (like 1si) from entering into a non-disclosure agreement designed to keep the details of the negotiation private until approval by a public body is warranted.
- Died in House.
One of 1si’s Governing Principles is “Sustainable Economic Growth” as 1si serves as the Lead Economic Development Organization for Clark, Floyd, and Scott Counties. 1si is in opposition as this bill prohibits the State, or any party negotiating on behalf of any public authority for economic development proposes from entering into nondisclosure agreements. This bill would eliminate a tool that is used frequently in economic development to help meet the needs of different businesses. If passed, this would give Indiana a disadvantage to surrounding States that use nondisclosure agreements.
Monitoring:
- HB 1001: Appropriates the State budget.
- Passed House 66-29.
- In Senate Appropriations Committee.
- The Budget Forecast will be released on April 19.
- SB 317: Provides that a political subdivision may make advance payments to contractors to enable the contractors to purchase materials needed for a public works project of the political subdivision.
- Passed Senate 44-0.
- Passed House 89-1.
- HB 1209: Allows the Indiana Destination Development Corporation to establish a foundation.
- Passed House 95-1.
- Passed Senate 49-0.
- SB 20: Allows a city/town to designate an outdoor location as a refreshment area with approval of the alcohol and tobacco commission.
- Passed Senate 39-10.
- Hearing on House Floor this week.
- SB 37: Sunsets any Food and Beverage Taxes except for Marion County, the surrounding Indianapolis counties, and Orange County (French Lick). Creates new requirements for future Food and Beverage Taxes.
- Passed Senate 50-0.
- In House Ways and Means Committee.
- SB 390: Allows municipalities to apply to become commercial solar and wind energy-ready communities.
- Passed Senate 36-12.
- Passed House 86-8.
- HB 1591: Expands access to childcare and pre-kindergarten programs.
- Passed House 94-0.
- Hearing on Senate Floor this week.
- SB 419: Creates state tax exempts and credits.
- Passed Senate 49-0.
- Hearing on House Floor this week.
- Amendments that have changed the bill from its original form focused on local TIF money and local Redevelopment Commissions.
We will keep you updated on our actions related to the 2023 Indiana Legislative Session, but for more information on our Advocacy Agenda, please visit www.1si.org/advocacy.