I-CAN Update for March 1, 2007
Thursday,March, 01 ,2007 Filed in: I-CAN
The following is the Crossover Legislative Update for the 2007 Indiana General Assembly from Indiana Catholic Conference Executive Director, Glenn Tebbe. The first half of the Session ended this week and those bill originating in either the House or Senate have now moved to the other legislative body for its action. Therefore, House Bills (i.e. HB 1001) will now go through the same process in the Indiana Senate starting with Committee Hearings....and the Senate Bills (ie: SB 001) will now move to the House of Representatives for its action.
We have reached the first benchmark of the session, commonly referred to as “crossover”. In the coming weeks bills that passed the opposite chamber will be considered by the other body. There is no guarantee that if a bill passed one house that it will be considered by the other. Committee chairs still decide which bill is heard and can move through the process. Several bills supported by ICC did make the cut and could be considered and passed.
Bills passing the House this week include:
HB 1074, Earned income tax credit, passed 83 – 17. The bill provides an increase in the credit on earned income of low income families.
HB 1348, Umbilical cord blood bank, passed 97 – 0. The bill needs to be clarified and to make sure fiscal implications are remedied. We expect amendments in the Senate. Rep. Welch is working with hospitals and others to assure that the bill is properly amended or it will not pass this year.
HB 1351, Affordable housing and community development fund, passed 62 – 36. The bill provides opportunities for local housing development programs as well as funding for a state fund.
HB 1484, Sudan divestment, passed 97 – 0. The bill will encourage companies to put pressure on the Sudanese government to end the genocide in Darfur. The bill is carefully drafted to assure that retirement funds will not be adversely affected.
In the Senate
SB 194, Hospital requirement for physicians performing abortions, passed 37 – 10. The bill requires abortion doctors to have hospital privileges in the community where abortions are performed.
SB 445, Notaries, passed 47 – 0. This bill makes it illegal for notary publics to advertise as if they were legal advisors.
One bill did not make it
SB 135, Abortion matters, did not clear Second reading. Sen. Miller did not call it because there were not sufficient votes to amend it and take out the “contraception” language. ICC supported the decision to not call the bill. As it came out of committee, the bill would codify a definition of contraception that would allow abortifacient drugs or devices used to prevent implantation of the embryo. Since this flawed bill could not be corrected, it was best to keep the bill from moving and trying to “clean it up” later. Having the contraception language pass one chamber would permit it to be inserted in other bills during conference committee at the end of the session. It will be necessary to be diligent for the language as it may be inserted in other bills during the next phase of the session. But the process is much more transparent and provides better opportunities to address it than during the conference phase. ICC appreciates Sen. Miller not moving the bill.
On a positive note
The Senate did pass SCR 45, a resolution urging the Legislative Council to assign and direct an interim or statutory committee to study issues pertaining to the imposition of the death penalty on mentally ill individuals. This comes in part in honor of Sen. Bowser who is battling cancer and is now hospitalized and may not be able to return to the Senate this session. Sen. Bowser sponsored SB 24 which would have exempted the mentally ill from execution. The bill although heard was not called for a vote in committee. SB 24 is effectively dead for this session. This topic has gained additional interest since it is one of the recommendations of the ABA Indiana Assessment Team on the Application of the Death Penalty in Indiana, which was released last week.
The process continues
While some bills did not make the cut, overall many significant issues are still alive. Several pro-family issues made the first hurdle. Income tax credits for the working poor, protection of marriage and programs to help those most in need have a chance to become law. Now the process starts up again. Bills must get a hearing, pass committee and floor votes. This phase will end about mid April when the last phase of the process begins – conference committee. ICC will be a part of all the steps.