February 26th: Here’s what happened at the Statehouse this week
This was the eighth full week of the Indiana General Assembly’s 2021 session. Next week is the last week for the Indiana Senate to receive House bills and for the Indiana House to receive Senate bills. Because there are 16 weeks in the legislative session, we are now at the halfway point. Below are updates on a section of the bills that W4C is following.
Statehouse updates
Below are updates on a selection of bills that W4C is following closely.
The Indiana Senate has referred House Bill 1176, Elements of rape, to the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law. HB 1176 criminalizes sexual assault in cases where the perpetrator knowingly deceives the survivor about their identity. The bill has already passed through the House with bipartisan support and is one step closer to being heard on the Senate floor. W4C strongly supports HB 1176 and is looking forward to seeing it pass in the Senate.
The Indiana House voted to pass House Bill 1200, Human trafficking. This bill would provide extra protections for victims of human trafficking that were under 18 years old at the time of offense. The bill passed with a vote of 93 yeas and 0 nays, and it has since been referred to the Senate Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law.
House Bill 1309, Pregnancy accommodations has been referred to the Senate Committee on Pensions and Labor. This bill has already passed the House.
Why does W4C oppose HB 1309? HB 1309 only allows for women to ask for pregnancy accommodations, which is already legal. For the sake of maternal health, pregnancy accommodations should be required, not optional. This bill also both contradicts existing federal laws and deviates from the pregnancy accommodation bills that other Midwest states have passed.
House Bill 1365, Various election matters, has been referred to the Senate Committee on Elections. HB 1365 outlines new voting and vote count policies in order to encourage fair and free elections. As a reminder, this bill has already passed the House.
House Bill 1384, Civics education, has been referred to the Senate Committee on Education and Career Development. This bill requires the state board of education to create a standardized civics education plan by 2022. The bill passed the House with bipartisan support.
House Bill 1479, Early voting, has been referred to the Senate Committee on Elections. This bill allows for more time for voters to cast early ballots, which increases voter access and turnout. HB 1479 passed the House with a vote of 93 yeas and 0 nays.
The Indiana House voted to pass House Bill 1577, Telemedicine and abortion-related services. This bill would allow mental health providers to not participate in abortion-related practices or procedures based on ethical, moral, or religious beliefs. It also limits abortion-related telemedicine services. This bill has since been referred to the Senate.
Why does Women4Change oppose HB 1577? We believe that mental health services should be accessible to all, regardless of a patient’s history with abortion. We also believe that telemedicine services should be accessible, especially during a pandemic. In short, HB 1577 creates legislation on who is allowed to access mental health and telemedicine services and who is not.
Senate Bill 6, Statehouse monuments to suffragettes, has been referred to the House Committee on Government and Regulatory Reform. The bill passed the Senate with a vote of 47 yeas and 0 nays.
Senate Bill 10, Statewide maternal mortality review committee, has been referred to the House Committee on Public Health. This bill has already passed the House.
The Indiana Senate passed Senate Bill 353, Various election law matters. The bill has since been referred to the House.
Read more about SB 353 and the election regulations it covers here.
New authors
Senators Michael Crider (R, District 28) and Stacey Donato (R, District 18) were named as the Senate sponsors for HB 1200, Human trafficking. Representative John Bartlett (D, District 95) was added as a coauthor of the bill, while Representative Gregory Steuerwald (R, District 40) was removed as a coauthor.
Senator Jon Ford (R, District 38) was added as the third author of SB 353, Various election law matters. Senator Jeff Raatz (R, District 27) was added as a coauthor, and Representative Timothy Wesco (R, District 21) was named the House sponsor.
Other Indiana news
Gov. Eric Holcomb extends executive order for another 30 days - The Statehouse File
Indiana Black Legislative Caucus calls for implicit bias training for legislators - WTHR
Read W4C’s statement on the events on the House floor
Hoosiers 60 and older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Click here to find out how to register!