4/7/2023 Session Update
By: Anna White
It’s Friday again, and we’re here with the legislative rundown for this week. There are three bills we’re going to talk about this week: SB 480, HB 1334, and HB 1568.
We’ll start with Senate Bill 480, a “slate of hate” bill that blocks medical transitioning for transgender and nonbinary minors. This includes puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgical procedures. On Wednesday, April 5, Governor Holcomb signed it into law. The ACLU of Indiana has already filed suit, arguing that the law is unconstitutional.
House Bill 1334 passed its third reading on Monday, April 3, and was sent back to the House with minor amendments the next day. If passed by the House, the bill will soon end up on Holcomb’s desk. The bill will impose additional barriers on voting by mail. It forces registered voters to provide a photocopy of a valid, government-issued ID or certain identification numbers to request an absentee ballot. Currently, you only have to be a registered voter with a valid excuse to vote by mail to receive one.
Lastly, House Bill 1568, Hormonal Contraceptives, passed its Appropriations Committee hearing on Thursday, April 6. The next step for this bill is the second reading in the Senate. This largely bipartisan bill allows pharmacists to prescribe patch and oral hormonal birth control, giving people another point of access to family-planning healthcare. Stay tuned to hear more in the next few weeks.
That’s a wrap for this week. Check out the bill tracker below for more details.
Bill Tracker
SB 252: Allows for LARCS to be transferred between Medicaid recipients. The aim of this bill is to eliminate medical waste for LARCs that were prescribed for one patient but never actually used (IUDs and arm implants). Missouri, which has less Medicaid recipients than Indiana, has saved $1.8 million from a similar bill.
First reading: referred to Committee on Health and Provider Services on 01/11
Adopted and passed by Health Provider Services Committee on 02/02
Second reading; ordered engrossed on 02/06
Third reading; passed unanimously on 02/07
Referred to the House on 02/09
02/28: First Reading: Referred to Committee on Public Health
SB 376: Provides Medicaid eligibility for certain individuals who have immigrated and are lawfully residing in the United States and meet other Medicaid eligibility requirements. Specifies eligibility for the children’s health insurance program (CHIP) for lawfully residing individuals under 19 years of age.
First Reading: referred to Committee on Family and Children Services on 01/19
Passed and Adopted by Committee on 02/06; reassigned to Committee on Appropriations
Passed & Adopted by Committee on Appropriations 02/23
Second Reading: ordered engrossed 02.28
Third Reading: Passed 02/28
Referred to House: 03/01
SB 480: Gender transition procedures for minors; Prohibits a physician or other practitioner from (1) knowingly providing gender transition procedures to an individual who is less than 18 years of age, and (2) aiding or abetting another physician or practitioner in the provision of gender transition procedures to a minor. Establishes civil enforcement actions.
First Reading; referred to Committee on Health and Provider Services on 01/19
Passed and Adopted in Committee 02/23
Second Reading, amended, ordered engrossed on 02/27
Third Reading, passed on 02/28
Referred to House 03/01
First Reading, referred to Committee on Public Health 03/06
Passed and Adopted by Committee on 03/21
Second Reading: Ordered Engrossed on 03/23
Third Reading: Passed on 03/27
Signed into law by Governor on 04/05 (The ACLU filed suit against this bill on the same day.)
HB 1009: Court-Ordered Pregnancy and Childbirth Expenses: Specifies what a court shall order a father to pay for pregnancy and childbirth expenses.
First Reading, assigned to committee on 01/12
Passed & Amended by committee on 02/09
Second Reading, ordered engrossed on 02/13
Third Reading: Passed on 02/14
Referred to Senate on 02/15
First Reading, Referred to Committee on Judiciary on 02/27
Amended and passed by Senate Judiciary Committee on 03/8
Second Reading Amended, Ordered Engrossed on 03/14
Placed back on Second Reading on 03/16
HB 1116: Various Election Matters: Allows counties that have not yet redistricted to do so after the 2023 primaries, upending an election cycle and promoting “gaming the system” instead of fair maps. Also introduces a new voter fraud statute stipulating that anyone who is convicted of a vote fraud felony is deprived of their right to vote for the next ten years following the date of conviction.
First Reading, referred to committee on elections and proportionment on 01/10
Passed and adopted by elections and proportionment, referred to Committee on Ways & Means on 01/26
Passed and adopted by Ways & Means on 02/08
Second Reading, ordered engrossed on 02/16
Third Reading: passed on 02/20
Referred to Senate on 02/21
02/28: First Reading; referred to Committee on Elections
03/20: Passed and adopted by Committee on Elections, reassigned to Committee on Tax & Fiscal Policy
HB 1334: Absentee Voting: Provides that an agency of the state or a political subdivision may not provide an individual with an application for an absentee ballot unless requested by the individual or member of the individual’s family. Provides that an absentee ballot must include: (1) certain identification numbers, or (2) a photocopy of: (A) the applicant’s Indiana’s driver’s license , (B) the applicant’s Indiana identification card number for nondrivers, or (C) other specified proof of identification.
First Reading: Referred to Committee on Elections and Apportionment on 01/12
Amended and Passed by Committee on 02/16
Second Reading: Amended, Ordered Engrossed on 02/21
Third Reading: Passed 02/22
Referred to Senate on 02/23
In Committee 03/06, TBC
In Committee 03/20: Passed and Amended
Second Reading: Passed, amended, and ordered engrossed on 03/28
Third Reading: Passed on 04/03
Returned to the House with amendments on 04/04
HB 1568: Allows pharmacists to prescribe and dispense oral and patch hormonal contraceptives. Provides that pharmacists who oppose contraceptives on moral or religious grounds are exempt from prescribing them.
First Reading: referred to Committee on Health and Provider Services on 01/19
The Committee hearing for this bill began on 02/07 but did not close with a decision until the hearing continued on 02/14.
It passed its hearing on 02/14, but with an amendment that prohibited pharmacists from prescribing abortion-inducing drugs.
Second Reading: Amended, ordered engrossed 02/16
Third Reading : Passed, 02/20
Referred to the Senate on 02/21
Second reading: ordered engrossed on 02/16
Third Reading, passed, referred to Senate on 02/21
First Reading, referred to Committee on Health and Provider Services on 03/01
In Health & Provider Services Committee on 03/22, vote held
Passed in Health & Provider Services Committee on 03/29, referred to Appropriations Committee
Passed Appropriations Committee on 04/06
HB 1608: Human Sexuality Instruction: Bans human sexuality instruction in Kindergarten through Third Grade; bans teachers from using names, titles, or pronouns inconsistent with a student’s biological sex unless the student’s parents file a request at the beginning of the school year stating otherwise, or if the student is an emancipated minor or 18 years of age. Ensures that staff cannot get in trouble for using only names, pronouns, and titles consistent with a student’s biological sex.
Status: First Reading: referred to Committee on Education 01/19
Passed & Adopted by Committee on 02/20
Second Reading: Ordered Engrossed on 02/22
Third Reading: Passed on 02/23
Referred to Senate on 02/24
First Reading, referred to Committee on Education & Career Development on 03/06
Passed & Adopted by committee on 03/22