Legislative Update

The Arc of Indiana
Legislative Memo
January 12, 2018

The Indiana General Assembly ended its first full week of work with many committee hearings and mostly the dropping of bills lists. We are still waiting for all filed bills to be made public and we expect that to take place early next week. As a reminder, this session is a short session set to adjourn by statute on March 14. The Arc of Indiana has already started reading and tracking bills and will keep you updated as bills of interest to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are released. 

Governor Eric Holcomb provided his second State of the State address this week. Workforce issues were the first item he addressed. As the Governor laid out his goals it was clear that people with
disabilities could play a huge role in meeting his objectives. We will be talking to his office and others in his administration to share our thoughts about his employment agenda and make sure they are thinking about people with disabilities as they put forth new programs.

Action Needed NOW on SB 355
Licensure of Behavior Analysts authored by Senator Dennis Kruse (R-Auburn)
Provides for licensure of behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts. Specified requirements for a license. Sets forth exemptions and makes conforming amendments.

This bill was drafted at the request of The Arc of Indiana and professional behavior analysts groups. Although national certification is already available and well used, there is no discipline measures to be taken for the families who have concerns about the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) services they receive or by whom they receive them. The primary need for licensure is consumer protection and state oversight of clinical practitioners providing health care services. The national board does not have the resources to respond to ethical violations therefore states need to establish strategies to protect consumers and licensure does that.

Now is the time if you utilize ABA services to contact your state senator and urge him or her to vote Yes for this bill.

Explain how ABA services has impacted your life and the need to make sure only those who are qualified are delivering this important service.

The bill should be get a committee hearing in the next two weeks. Member of the Commerce and Technology Committee can be found here: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2018/committees/commerce_technology. Contact them and urge them to support the bill in committee.

BILLS TO WATCH

HB 1001 -  K-12 Funding Appropriations
HB 1002 - Reorganization of Workforce Funding and Programs
HB 1003 - Agency Reporting Requirements
HB 1007 - Health and Human Services and Insurance Matters
HB 1017 - Newborn Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
HB 1042 - Early Childhood Education
HB 1043 - Expanded Criminal History Checks
HB 1059 - Professional Licensing Agency
HB 1080 - Central Indiana Public transportation Projects
HB 1117 - Nursing Facility Medicaid Reimbursement Rates
HB 1120 - State Department of Health Matters
HB 1123 - Transfers to Caregivers
HB 1130 - Professional Licensing Agency Matters
HB 1141 - Community Mental Health Center Funding
HB 1143 - Prior Authorization for Health Care Services
HB 1145 - Health Insurance Coverage and Cost Information
HB 1157 - End of Life Options
HB 1166 - teacher Evaluations
HB 1196 - Provider Diagnostic Information Release
HB 1202 - Charity gaming Operations
HB 1206 - SNAP Benefits
HB 1208 - School Discipline
HB 1220 - FSSA Matters
HB 1264 - Competency Based High School Education
HB 1341 - Autonomous Vehicles

SB 11 - Eligibility for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
SB 15 - Worker Career Enhancement tax Credit
Sb 29 - Prekindergarten Pilot Program Eligibility
SB 62 - Hospices and Medicaid
SB 117 - Limits on Expulsions and Long Term Suspensions
SB 121 - Minimum Wage
SB 133 - Individual Education Program Students
SB 136 - Workforce Ready Grant
SB 157 - Real World Career Readiness Program
SB 177 -- The Indiana High School Diploma
SB 189 - K-12 Funding
SB 192 - Traumatic Brain Injury Information
SB 205 - School Choice Scholarships
SB 217 - Dyslexia
SB 220 - Reading Assessments
SB 223 - Health Professional License Renewal Surveys
SB 224 - Behavioral Health and Human Services Licensing
SB 240 - Service Animals
SB 254 - Economic Development Incentive Accountability
SB 255 - Mental Health Education and Screenings
SB 271 - Bias Crimes
SB 282 - Workforce Development Matters
SB 297 - Employability skills Curriculum
SB 301 - Criminal History Checks for Home Health Workers
SB 303 - Various Education Matters
SB 308 - Minimum Wage
SB 322 - Lead Poisoning Children
SB 350 - Various Education Matters
SB 363 - FSSA Matters
SB 378 - Medicaid Based Statewide Health Plan
SB 397 - Community Mental Health Centers
SB 418 - Bias Motivated Crimes
SB 421 - Assisted Living Services

SCR2 - Urging the United States Congress to Amend the Every Student Succeeds Act to Remove the "Preponderance of Students" Language from its Section 8101(43) Definition of Regular High School Diploma.

COMMITTEE HEARINGS
Committee hearings at the State House can be viewed online. Go to https://iga.in.gov/ click on "Watch Live," Click on "House" or "Senate" and then click on the room in which the bill is being heard.

1102 TASK FORCE UPDATE
The 1102 Task Force created last session in HEA 1102 to do an assessment of services and supports for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities has met twice already and their third meeting is scheduled for Friday, February 23rd in Boonville, Indiana. The agenda for the third meeting will be to discuss the current system and the services being offered.

Please remember that time is allowed at the beginning of each meeting for public comment. Please attend to share your thoughts on what is working and what could be a better way to
deliver services and supports