Indianapolis education changes, Bears stadium and more bills moving on deadline week
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The Statehouse, in warmer times. Photo: Kaiti Sullivan/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Pass or get passed on. That's the mantra at the Indiana Statehouse this week.
Driving the news: It's deadline week, the first hurdle for bills to cross to continue on their way to becoming law.
How it works: Monday committee meetings were postponed due to the winter storm, so bills must pass out of committee by Tuesday, get through a second reading by Wednesday and pass a final vote Thursday to keep moving.
- It'll mean long days, likely a late night or two and lots of legislation moving quickly.
Here's what we're watching:
🎰 Casino relocation
The Rising Sun casino is likely moving, but not to Indianapolis.
Driving the news: House Bill 1038 would allow for the casino to move from southeast Indiana to Fort Wayne.
- While a separate bill would have allowed for it to come to Indianapolis, that hasn't moved.
What's next: The bill is set to be heard in Ways and Means on Tuesday morning.
- It is expected to pass.
- "We're talking about a major … economic impact in northeast Indiana," House Speaker Todd Huston (R-Fishers) said.
🏫 Indianapolis education changes
The bill that would create a new governing body for Indianapolis schools has one last hoop to jump before hitting the House floor.
Catch up quick: House Bill 1423 would take the recommendations of the Indianapolis Local Education Alliance, which finished its divisive work last month, and make them law.
- It would create the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation and board to manage school buildings, transportation and other operations of all schools within the Indianapolis Public Schools boundaries.
- It would also exempt IPS from the state's "dollar law," something the district has requested for years.
The latest: HB 1423 passed the Education committee, with an amendment that pushes full implementation of the plan to the 2028-29 school year, but needs to get through Ways and Means on Tuesday morning.
- It is expected to pass.
🪦 Ten Commandments
While Gov. Mike Braun is pushing to get the Ten Commandments back on Statehouse grounds, House Bill 1086 would place them in classrooms.
Zoom in: The bill would require each school corporation to place a durable poster or framed picture representing the text of the Ten Commandments in each school library and classroom.
- It'll be heard in the House Education committee Tuesday morning, though previous attempts at similar efforts have been unsuccessful.
⚖️ New execution methods
A Senate bill that would have added firing squads to the options for execution has stalled, but a House bill still moving would do that and more.
Driving the news: House Bill 1119 would add firing squads and nitrogen hypoxia to the options for death row inmates.
Zoom in: Firing-squad executions are rare in the U.S., but five states — Mississippi, Oklahoma, Utah, South Carolina and Idaho — authorize the method, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.
- Nitrogen hypoxia is even rarer. Alabama is the only state that's used this method, which replaces oxygen with nitrogen gas to suffocate the inmate.
What's next: The bill is up for floor amendments and a final vote this week.
💰 Mental health funding
Senate Bill 4 would remove the requirement that counties provide property tax funding to community mental health centers.
Why it matters: The 24 centers cover all 92 counties — providing inpatient and outpatient treatment, crisis and substance abuse services and more — and make up the backbone of the state's behavioral health system.
- Advocates worry this change could result in less funding for the centers.
What's next: Second reading amendments, as early as Monday.
- Several lawmakers said they wanted to see a change that would protect mental health center funding.
🏈 The "Gary Bears" bill
Senate Bill 27 would create a new body to secure land and build a football stadium in Northwest Indiana.
Why it matters: It's part of an ongoing and fast-moving effort to lure the Bears out of Chicago and into The Region.
- It'll be on the Senate floor as early as Monday for possible amendments, then a final vote.
What they're saying: Huston said he expects the bill to pass and for his caucus to support it.
- "We'd love to welcome them to Indiana," he said.
💊 Abortion drugs
Senate Bill 236 would allow individuals and Attorney General Todd Rokita to sue over the use of abortion-inducing drugs.
Why it matters: The bill would close a perceived loophole in Indiana's strict abortion law, in which individuals can receive abortion-inducing medication by mail.
Zoom in: SB 236 would prohibit manufacturing, distributing, mailing, transporting, delivering, prescribing or providing an abortion-inducing drug.
- It'll be on the Senate floor as early as Monday for possible amendments, then a final vote.
📲 Doxxing
Senate Bill 140 would outlaw "doxxing," the posting of someone's personal information — such as their address, phone number or employer — to communicate a threat.
Between the lines: The measure was inspired by the threats lawmakers received, online and otherwise, during Indiana's redistricting debate.
What's next: SB 140 is awaiting a final vote in the Senate, which could come as early as Monday.
🚻 School bathroom rules
A bill codifying state rules that prohibit transgender Hoosiers from amending their birth certificates would require students in K-12 schools and public colleges and universities to use bathrooms and changing rooms that match their sex assigned at birth.
Why it matters: Senate Bill 182 would effectively prohibit transgender students from using facilities that match their gender identity.
What we're watching: The school rules were added late, with little discussion.
- We'll watch to see if any lawmakers try to remove the language on the floor this week, before voting to send the measure to the House.
