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Local, state, and federal updates on all things policy at the Statehouse during the Special Session:
- What to Expect at Indiana Statehouse This Week
- Draft Plan Released for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
- Congress Nearing Deal on Immigration Legislation
- Indiana Judge Releases Order on Transgender Sports Issue
- Gas Prices Level Out, but Inflation Still Impacts Lives of Hoosiers
- Congress Passes $280B CHIPS Package
- Fed Raise Interest Rates Another 75 Points
- Climate Legislation Talks Back on Track
- Important Dates
What to Expect at Indiana Statehouse This Week
What’s new: The Indiana House of Representatives has released their schedule for this week’s committee hearings.
The details:
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Monday, August 1st: House will convene for session at 1:30pm
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Tuesday, August 2nd: The House Courts and Criminal Code committee will hear SB1 (the abortion legislation) starting at 9am in the House Chamber. The chair of this committee is Representative Wendy McNamara, who is also the sponsor of the bill.
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Also on Tuesday, the Ways and Means committee will hear the family and social services legislation, SB2 starting at 9am in room 404.
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Wednesday, August 3rd: The House will not be convening for session.
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Thursday, August 4th: The House will convene for session at 9am to hear bills on second reading.
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Friday, August 5th: The House will convene for session at 9am to hear bills for a third reading vote.
The Senate schedule will be as follows -
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Wednesday, August 3rd: The Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy committee will meet at 10am to discuss HB1001.
- Also on Wednesday, the Senate will convene for session at 3:30 pm.
Draft Plan Released for Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
What’s new: The Indiana Department of Transportation released its draft plan last week, which describes when, where and how it plans to deploy a network of electric vehicle charging stations capable of charging up cars in a matter of minutes ― and ensure this network is sustainable.
Why it matters: Indiana currently has 325 public electric vehicle charging stations. But, only five of them comply with the requirements the federal government wants for its network: containing at least four ports capable of DC Fast-charging at a certain wattage, and on or within a mile of an interstate.
INDOT's draft plan identifies possible locations for the rest of the charging stations to satisfy the 50-mile rule, as well as a goal of every Indiana resident living within 40 miles of a station.
What’s next: While INDOT is submitting the plan to the federal Joint Office of Energy and Transportation by Aug. 1, public comment is open until Aug. 20. (IndyStar)
Congress Nearing Deal on Immigration Legislation
What’s new: It looks like Republicans and Democrats in the US Senate are nearing a deal on an immigration deal that would help farmers hire more workers, which may help reduced food prices.
The details: The Farm Workforce Modernization Act is focused mainly on updating the food production workforce, a system some call outdated and that has led to higher food prices especially for dairy, meat and vegetables.
The bill would allow more farmers — like dairy and pork producers — to hire temporary workers year-round. Currently, year-round employers cannot use that worker visa program, known as the H-2A temporary agricultural program used by seasonal employers. It would also satisfy some goals for labor rights advocates by providing a pathway to legalization for workers who show a dedicated history of farm work.
What’s next: The bill has passed the House twice, but there are some Republicans that do not think there is much urgency and others that don’t understand what they bill will do. It seemed like Senate negotiators had reached tentative deals, but there has not been an agreement made at this time. (NPR)
Indiana Judge Releases Order on Transgender Sports Issue
What’s new: A federal judge has ordered that Indianapolis Public Schools must allow a 10-year-old girl at the heart of a legal challenge against a state ban targeting transgender athletes to rejoin her softball team.
This comes after the Indiana General Assembly passed a law banning transgender students from participating in all-female school sports amounts to discrimination under federal law guaranteeing equal access to education and educational programs.
What they’re saying: A spokesperson for IPS released a statement saying, "We will continue to support our students, including our transgender students, with the same care and attention we’ve demonstrated prior to the passage of (the law) and the filing of the current lawsuit," (IndyStar)
Gas Prices Level Out, but Inflation Still Impacts Lives of Hoosiers
What’s new: Gas prices have been decreasing over the last thirty days, but some experts believe consumers are still suffering from the effects of inflation.
What they’re saying: Oil and gas analyst, Trilby Lundberg, says, “Price response on the part of the demand is very powerful. It’s not only gasoline prices. It’s the price of everything. Consumers have to allocate what they spend on fuel.”
The bottom line: Some industries may see the leveling out of prices, but inflation costs are still gripping the lives of many Hoosiers. (WIBC)
Congress Passes $280B CHIPS Package
What’s new: Congress has approved a $280 billion package meant to spur U.S. chip manufacturing, a major victory for the Biden administration and chip-makers. US Senator Todd Young (R-IN) has been a strong supporter of this legislation.
The details: The ultimate version, known as the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Bill, includes more than $52 billion for U.S. the semiconductor industry, and companies producing computer chips, as well as billions more in tax credits to encourage investment in chip manufacturing. It also provides tens of billions of dollars to fund scientific research, and to spur the innovation and development of other U.S. technologies.
Why it matters: The bill aims to reverse a long-term decline in domestic manufacturing of the computer chips that go into cars, computers, appliances and a range of other everyday items, after the pandemic exposed the fragility of the international supply chain.
What’s next: The bill now heads to the White House for President Joe Biden to sign it into law. (CNBC) (AXIOS)
Fed Raise Interest Rates Another 75 Points
What’s new: Last week, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), announced its plans to boost the central bank’s baseline interest rate by 0.75 percentage points to a range of 2.25 to 2.5 percent.
What they're saying: Fed chair Jerome Powell told reporters that he does not believe the U.S. economy is currently in a recession: "There's just too many areas of the economy that are performing too well," Powell said, referring to the labor market.
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"We're not trying to have a recession, and we don't think we have to," Powell said, though he admitted that the path to a "soft landing" has gotten more narrow and could get narrower still.
Why it matters: The Fed's tightening of monetary policy, the most rapid in decades, is intended to bring down inflation. It has also sent financial markets reeling and increased the risk the United States will fall into a recession. (Axios)
Climate Legislation Talks Back on Track
What’s new: An emerging Capitol Hill deal could give White House carbon-cutting goals a huge lift that looked all but impossible weeks ago.
Why it matters: President Biden's target under the Paris Agreement of cutting U.S. emissions 50% by 2030 could be within reach if Congress approves the new clean energy investments, analysts say — but it's not clear that it would have the votes to pass.
The big picture: The bill would provide tax credits and other incentives to spur the development and deployment of clean energy and carbon abatement technologies.
- These include wind and solar power, so-called clean hydrogen, as well as direct air capture. It also expands incentives to help people buy electric cars, subject to certain income requirements.
- The bill includes a fee on methane emissions to push energy companies to stop leaks of the potent greenhouse gas.
- It would incentivize the increased domestic production of critical minerals used in batteries for electric vehicles.
- The bill would also force the Interior Department to reinstate Gulf of Mexico oil drilling leases from a 2021 auction that was vacated by a federal judge, and conduct new Gulf leasing as well.
What’s next: Details are still being negotiated, but the outlook is better than it has been thus far. Every Senate Democrat must be on board to move the bill, while House Democrats can afford only a handful of defections. (Axios)
Important Dates
Tuesday, August 9th at 10am - 21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force
Tuesday, August 30th at 10am - 21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force
Tuesday, August 30th at 10:30 am - Interim Study Committee on Courts and Criminal Code
Tuesday, September 13th at 10am - 21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force
Tuesday, September 20th at 10:30 am - Interim Study Committee on Courts and Criminal Code
Monday, September 26th at 10am - 21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force
Tuesday, October 4th at 10:30 am - Interim Study Committee on Courts and Criminal Code
Wednesday, October 19th at 10am - 21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force
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