March 5th: Here’s what happened at the Statehouse this week
This was the ninth full week of the Indiana General Assembly’s 2021 session. This week also marks the start of International Women’s History Month. Below are updates on a section of the bills that W4C is following.
Last week marked the session’s halfway point, which means that the Senate has accepted all the House bills they are considering this session and the House has accepted all the Senate bills that they will be considering. Click here to read our mid-session update, which gives a more comprehensive list of the bills we have been following and their progression over the past few weeks.
Statehouse updates
Below are updates on a selection of bills that W4C is following closely.
House Bill 1485, Voting matters, has been referred to the Senate Committee on Elections. This bill details the duties of poll watchers and outlines several polling place regulations. HB 1485 has already passed through the House with bipartisan support.
Senate Bill 79, Domestic Battery Enhancement, has been referred to the House Committee on Courts and Criminal Code. This bill would increase the penalty for domestic battery cases if the offender was previously convicted for strangulation against the same person. SB 79 has already passed through the Senate with bipartisan support.
Senate Bill 81, Training for investigators of sexual assault cases, has been referred to the House Committee on Veterans Affairs and Public Safety. This bill would create a standardized training procedure for those investigating sexual assault cases. SB 81 has already passed through the Senate with bipartisan support.
Senate Bill 353, Various election law matters, has been referred to the House Committee on Elections Apportionment. This bill has already passed through the House.
Why does W4C oppose SB 353? We strongly believe that all eligible voters should have the ability to vote. Legislation that unreasonably restricts voter accessibility is unfair and has the potential to prevent participation in our democracy. SB 353 contains several voting restrictions, more of which can be read about here.
New authors
Senator Brian Buchanan (R, District 7) was added as a second sponsor of House Bill 1384, Civics Education. Senators Dennis Kruse (R, District 14), Fady Qaddoura (D, District 30), Linda Rogers (R, District 11), Jean Leising, (R, District 42), and Kyle Walker (R, District 31) were named as co-sponsors.
Other Indiana news
The Importance of Civics Education - The Statehouse File
Hoosiers 50 and older are now eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Click here to find out how to register!