SUPPORTED BY:

By Caryl Auslander ● July 25, 2022

Local, state, and federal highlights in this week’s memo include:

• Indiana General Assembly Details Special Session Legislation
• Indiana Democrat Lawmakers Respond to Special Session Legislation
• Indiana General Assembly Special Session Schedule
• Vice President Harris Heads to Indiana
• Indiana’s June Unemployment Rate Sees Uptick
• IURC to Hold Interviews for Vacancy
• Indiana Wins Up to $99.1M for Entrepreneurs and Startups
• Teresa Lubbers Named President of Sagamore Institute
• Indiana Senator Young Introduces Legislation to Address Housing Issues
• Local Indianapolis Leader Calls for Additional Mental Health Funding
• Mother’s Employment Levels Lagging Pre-Pandemic Mark
• A New Wave of Broadband Standards
• Criminal Penalties Added to Senate Abortion Bill
• Indiana House and Senate Fiscal Bills Move Through Committee
• Important Dates

Indiana General Assembly Details Special Session Legislation

What’s new: As a reminder, the Indiana Senate Republicans held a press conference this afternoon to detail the bills they will be introducing and a Senate schedule for the special session.

The details: The Senate will introduce three bills during special session.

• SB1 deals with regulations on abortion. In short, this bill is an all out ban on abortions in Indiana, and provides exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother. The bill author said it was important to note that the Senate’s proposed abortion legislation does not affect: access to the morning-after pill or any other method of birth control; treatment of miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies; in-vitro fertilization procedures; or prohibit ending a pregnancy when the unborn child would not be able to survive due to a fatal fetal anomaly. She said the bill also does not criminalize women seeking an abortion or create any new penalties for doctors who perform abortions. Doctors, however, would continue to be subject to having their licenses revoked if they perform an illegal abortion.
• SB2 establishes the Hoosier Families First Fund. The bill appropriates $45,000,000 from the state general fund to the fund for state fiscal year 2023. Money from the fund may be allocated to the Department of Child Services, the Family and Social Services Administration, the Indiana Department of Health, and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security to provide additional funding for existing programs and new programs for certain specified purposes relating to women’s health and family planning. The bill also proposes increasing the state’s adoption tax credit from from $1,000 to $10,000, costing the state another $5 million, for a total package of $50 million.
• SB3 suspends the Indiana utility tax for six months and creates a cap on the current gas tax rate through the end of the fiscal year, which will be June 30, 2023.

The House version the inflationary relief bill, which also includes funding for family and social services programs, was released this morning. HB1001 includes:

• Millions for new and expanded adoption and child credits; additional Medicaid help and a repeal of the state sales tax on diapers. 
• $1 billion of the state’s reserves to Hoosiers via an automatic taxpayer refund of $225 to each eligible taxpayer.
• $58.5 million for various programs to support families and children, including $30 million to the Family and Social Services Administration for enhanced Medicaid and Healthy Indiana Plan services. 
• $10 million to expand the Nurse-Family Partnership program for first-time parents.
• The Safety PIN (Protecting Indiana’s Newborns) program will receive $5.5 million in the proposal while another grant for $1 million will purchase newborn safety devices.
• Child Care and Development Fund voucher program will receive a $10 million boost, funding childcare options for poor families. 
• The bill would increase the exemption amount subtracted from an individual’s adjusted gross income as well as the tax credit, and creates an additional exemption. Adoptive parents will also receive a new $3,000 exemption.

The bottom line: There are still a lot of questions to be answered. The House and Senate do not seemed to be aligned on how to provide Hoosiers with inflationary relief, and there is still a lot of questions surrounding what the final version of the abortion bill will look like. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Indiana Democrat Lawmakers Respond to Special Session Legislation

What they’re saying:

• Senate Democratic Leader Greg Taylor called the proposed bill a “drastic” step and said, “When pregnant women cannot access vital components of health care, they are at greater risk of having their pregnancy end in a fatality — especially if they already have existing health conditions or illnesses. Everything from the language of the proposed bill to the legislative process surrounding it is cause for concern, and my caucus will be fighting with everything we’ve got for women and Hoosiers across the state.”
• House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta said in a statement, “The choice to have an abortion is a personal decision that ought to be left up to a woman and her health care provider, not Republicans who are playing doctor in the Indiana Statehouse.” (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Indiana General Assembly Special Session Schedule

The Indiana General Assembly has released their respective schedules for the upcoming special session starting on July 25.

Monday, July 25:

• The Senate will convene at 11am to introduce Senate bills for their first reading. From 1-5pm the Senate Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedures will meet in the Senate Chamber to hear SB1. Public testimony will be taken.
• The House will convene at 10am.

Tuesday, July 26:

• The Senate Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedures will meet in the Senate Chamber to continue hearing testimony on SB1 from 9am - 12pm.
• From 2pm - 5pm the Senate Committee on Appropriations will convene in the Senate Chamber to hear SB2 and SB3.
• The House will convene at 10am to hand down HB1001 for first reading.
• The House Ways and Means Committee will meet at 11am to hear HB1001.

Wednesday, July 27:

• The Senate will convene for session at 1:30pm to adopt committee reports.
• The House will not be in session.

Thursday, July 28:

• The Senate will convene for session at 1:30pm to hear Senate bills on second reading.
• The House will convene to for session (time TBD) to hear HB1001 for second reading.

Friday, July 29:

• The Senate will convene at 10:30am to hear Senate bills for third reading.
• The House will convene for session (time TBD) to hear HB1001 for third reading.

Vice President Harris Heads to Indiana

What’s new: Vice President Kamala Harris will be in Indianapolis on Monday, as Indiana is set to convene for the special session where they will address abortion bans and inflation relief for Hoosiers.

The details: While visiting, Harris will meet with legislators and abortion rights advocates. The visit comes the same day that a rally of pro-abortion rights protesters is set to take place at the statehouse. It is unclear if Harris will attend that rally, which is being organized by, among others, ACLU of Indiana and Planned Parenthood, the women’s care and abortion rights group. (Politico)

Indiana’s June Unemployment Rate Sees Uptick

What’s new: According to numbers released Friday by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, Indiana’s unemployment rate rose from 2.2% in May to 2.4% in June while the national rate held steady at 3.6%.

This comes after a three month stall where the state’s unemployment rate rested at 2.2%. June’s rate of 2.4% is a far cry from the mid-teen highs seen in the first months of the pandemic in 2020.

By the numbers:

• Indiana’s labor force participation improved from 62.6% in April and 62.9% in May to 63.1% in June, which was slightly higher than the 62.2% national rate.
• An estimated 79,803 Hoosiers are currently unemployed and seeking jobs, the state reported. That’s up from 73,911 in May but down from 88,240 in December and 100,696 in November.
• There are 156,813 open job postings in Indiana, while 14,757 people received unemployment benefits in June. (IBJ)

IURC to Hold Interviews for Vacancy

What’s new: The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission will soon fill a vacancy in its powerful five-member commission. Seven individuals have applied for the role, and the nominating committee will be interviewing each in public this week.

The seven applicants include:

• Greg Ballard, a Republican who was mayor of Indianapolis from 2008 to 2015. Ballard spearheaded the privatization of the city-county’s water utility, but also made big pushes for environmental sustainability in the name of cost savings and national security.
• Justin Brugger, chief financial officer of Fort Wane City Utilities since 2016. He’s worked for Fort Wayne since 2001, according to his LinkedIn, rising from intern to positions as public works board clerk, engineering and long-term control plan administration, and more. 
• Jonathan Lamb, a serial entrepreneur and economist with experience in banking, capital management, consulting, teaching and trading. One of Lamb’s latest ventures focuses on carbon capture and sequestration. In 2017, Lamb ran as a Republican in an unsuccessful congressional campaign.
• Christopher Norrick, of Direct Action Against CenterPoint Energy — Indiana’s most expensive, according to the IURC’s 2022 residential bill survey. The group has advocated for months to advocate for greater consumer energy affordability.
• Marcus Turner, who has worked as a technical adviser and analyst for the IURC. He applied to serve as commission chair in 2018.
• David Veleta, who has been an attorney at the IURC since 2009, according to his LinkedIn. He was previously a deputy prosecutor in the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.
• Lucas Wilson, who has been a policy analyst for Indiana House Republicans since 2018. He was previously a legislative assistant for the same caucus.

What’s next: The nominating committee will interview the candidates in a public meeting July 27 at 9:45 a.m., located in Indiana Government Center South’s Conference Center, and will recommend three finalists. Governor Eric Holcomb will make the appointment. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

Indiana Wins Up to $99.1M for Entrepreneurs and Startups

What’s new: The Indiana Economic Development Corporation will be awarded up to $99.1 million in federal funding through the State Small Business Credit Initiative to expand access to and increase capital for Hoosier entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses.

By the numbers:

• Indiana will receive a minimum of $86 million and will be eligible to receive another $13 million – for a total of $99 million over 10 years – when the state meets expected targets for the initial allocation.
• The IEDC will leverage $28 million of the funding to create a new small business loan fund investment program to provide more capital for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
• About $70 million of the state’s funding will be used to accelerate Indiana’s innovative startup ecosystem through direct investments in early-revenue companies.
• The remaining SSBCI funds will be used to support administrative costs related to supporting entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses through these initiatives and accelerating venture, debt and working capital to Indiana-based companies.

What they’re saying: Indiana Secretary of Commerce, Brad Chambers, released a statement saying “This SSBCI award will inject critical funding and resources into our ecosystem of current and future entrepreneurs, startups and small businesses who are solving global challenges, creating new technologies, and positively impacting Hoosier communities statewide.”

(News from the States)

Teresa Lubbers Named President of Sagamore Institute

What’s new: Former Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education, Teresa Lubbers, has been named the new President of the Indianapolis-based think tank, Sagamore Institute.

What they’re saying: In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Lubbers talked about her goals.

“I will be spending some time with both the staff, the board, our many partners in other groups, and we have 50 fellows who are involved in very important work as well,” she said. “So, over the course of the next 3-6 months, we’ll be spending a lot of time doing that, figuring out where are the opportunities for us to expand and build the great work that Sagamore is doing. And I’ll be spending some special time working to build up this new education and workforce center as well.”

Sagamore Institute, founded in 2004 by Hein and former Senator Dan Coats, bills itself as an action-oriented think tank that aims “to tackle difficult issues with civility and focus on solutions not ideology.” 

• Lubbers says the institute is already looking at how it can partner with people in the education and workforce spaces to focus on economic mobility for people. She says there are many questions to be answered.

Looking long-term: Lubbers says she wants to create a sort of report card to look at where Sagamore is in terms of the goals it has set and the work it has done. (Inside INdiana Business)

Indiana Senator Young Introduces Legislation to Address Housing Issues

What’s new: Indiana Senator Todd Young introduced legislation, along with Democrat Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, that addresses housing issues made worse by inflation.

The details: The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act would expand and strengthen the nation’s most successful affordable housing program—the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC)—to address that shortage by building more than two million new affordable units over the next decade.

What they’re saying: Senator Young released a statement saying, “We can rally around solving difficult challenges together. This housing affordability crisis, it’s striking how it impacts various demographic groups, geographic areas. It doesn’t really seem to discriminate a lot. The brunt of this crisis falls on a diverse population. It’s so important we support programs and ideas that meet the needs of these varied communities.”

(WIBC)

Local Indianapolis Leader Calls for Additional Mental Health Funding

What’s new: Some Indianapolis lawmakers are calling for additional funding to handle emergency calls focused on mental health.

The details: In April, Herman Whitfield III died in IMPD custody. The coroner’s autopsy recently ruled his death a homicide. Whitfield’s family says that he was having a mental health episode when he was arrested.

What they’re saying: Representative Robin Shakleford said she plans to help IMPD and the mayor's office get more money in hopes to staff the city's Mobile Crisis Assistance Team (MCAT) and a pilot clinician-led program to address mental health calls in the community.

• Right now, MCAT only responds Monday through Friday. They weren't working the night Whitfield III's parents called 911 for help because that was on a weekend.

"A lot of these issues are happening on weekends on evenings if someone is going to have an episode. So, just make sure we are getting funding for these types of programs and trying to help out the mayor as much as possible," Shackleford said. (WRTV)

Mother’s Employment Levels Lagging Pre-Pandemic Mark

What’s new: According to a new analysis, employment levels for mothers of young children are still lagging their pre-pandemic mark. Overall, women's employment has not yet returned to its February 2020 level — although men's employment has, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Why it matters: Though women are almost back to where they were before — the reverberations of this era will linger.

• Women who left the labor market missed out on months of job experience and paychecks — likely to weigh on gender wage disparities for years to come.

Yes, but: The shift to remote work and more flexibility for some workers seems here to stay, and has been beneficial to working parents. (Axios)

A New Wave of Broadband Standards

What’s new: The Federal Communications Commission's broadband standards haven't been updated since 2015, and FCC chair, Jessica Rosenworcel, wants to raise the bar for what is considered “broadband” internet.

What they’re saying: In her announcement, Rosenworcel said “The needs of internet users long ago surpassed the FCC’s 25/3 speed metric, especially during a global health pandemic that moved so much of life online. The 25/3 metric isn’t just behind the times, it’s a harmful one because it masks the extent to which low-income neighborhoods and rural communities are being left behind and left offline."

The details: Under the proposal, users would have to get 100 megabits per second download speed and 20 megabits per second upload rate to qualify as having broadband access.

• The current standard is 25 megabits per second for downloads and 3 megabits per second for uploads.
• Rosenworcel also proposes setting even higher long-term goals for minimum broadband access. (Axios)

Criminal Penalties Added to Senate Abortion Bill

What’s new: The Indiana Senate abortion bill, SB1, was heard, amended, and passed yesterday in the Senate Rules and Legislative Procedures committee with a 7-5 vote.

The details:

·        The passed version of the bill adds criminal penalties that would ban most abortions. Doctors who perform an abortion, except for in cases of rape, incest, to protect the life of the mother or fatal fetal abnormalities, could face one to six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. Those penalties line up with the penalties doctors face under current Indiana law for performing an abortion after 22 weeks after the last menstrual cycle. 

·        The Senate Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee also limited at what point in someone's pregnancy someone can seek an abortion in cases of rape and incest. Pregnant people who are 15 years old and younger could receive an abortion up to 12 weeks post-fertilization. Those 16 years and older could only obtain an abortion up to eight weeks post-fertilization.

·        Lawmakers accepted a few additional amendments, including one requiring the signed affidavit rape victims have to sign in order to get an abortion to be added to the pregnant person's health file.

What’s next: The bill will now move on to the Senate floor for second reading on Thursday where additional amendments may be adopted. (IndyStar)

Indiana House and Senate Fiscal Bills Move Through Committee

What’s new: The Indiana General Assembly special session is well underway, and, between both chambers, three fiscal bills passed through committees yesterday.

The rundown:

·        HB1001 is a bill that deals with inflationary relief for Hoosiers and allocates funds for family and social services. It was amended in the House and Ways committee yesterday to include language regarding noninvasive prenatal screening and neonatal abstinence syndrome. The bill passed committee as amended 22-0.

·        SB2 deals with providing financial relief to Hoosiers by suspending the state’s utility tax and capping the gas tax. The bill saw no changes in Senate Appropriations committee and passed 12-0.

·        SB3 allocates $45M to family and social services programs in the state. The bill was amended in committee to include language appropriating money for schools from the state general fund. The bill passed out of Senate Appropriations committee 12-0.

Important Dates

Thursday, July 28th at 1:30pm - Senate Session

Friday, July 29th at 10:30am - Senate Session

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