4/28/2023 Session Update

By: Anna White

It’s Friday again, and we’re here with some end-of-session updates for you. 

First up is SB 252, Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptives. This is essentially a medical waste bill stipulating that if someone doesn’t return to a clinic to have their LARC inserted, the clinic can transfer that LARC to another patient. Not only does it save the state money, but it means that some patients might have the option to have their LARC inserted in just one appointment if one is available. Since up to 50% of patients don’t return to have their LARC inserted due to logistical barriers like transportation, same-day insertion is the best option for many, and reduces unintended pregnancy rates. 

Last week, we reported that the bill had been combined with another bill regarding the Doula Reimbursement Advisory Board, but that the Senate voted to dissent to this change. This week, after the Conference between House and Senate appointees, the language concerning the advisory board was removed, and both chambers adopted the bill. It should land on the governor’s desk soon. 

HB 1608 - formally titled “Education Matters” but typically referred to as Indiana’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill - saw movement this week. The House concurred with Senate amendments to the bill on Monday. After gathering a few signatures from the Speaker, President Pro Tempore, and the President of the Senate, this bill will be sent to the governor’s desk. If passed, it will ban discussion of “human sexuality” in classrooms from kindergarten through third grade. By “human sexuality”, the authors of this bill mean LGBTQ+ people, but they’re refusing to spell it out explicitly. This bill also outs transgender and nonbinary students to their parents, and ensures that teachers and staff will not be disciplined for refusing to respect students’ names, titles, and pronouns. 

HB 1334, Absentee Voting, should be on its way to the governor’s desk soon. This bill puts additional barriers in place to make it more difficult for people to vote by mail. It requires that voters provide a photocopy of a valid, government-issued ID or certain identification numbers to cast their ballot. This places a burden on the elderly and low-income people, who are less likely to have a government ID. 

Lastly, HB 1568, Prescriptions for Hormonal Contraceptives, hasn’t seen much movement this week, but should find its way to the governor’s desk in the near future.  

That’s it for this week. We’ll see you next week with another round of updates.

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. Changes the name of the doula reimbursement advisory board to the doula and pregnancy support professions advisory board (advisory board). Adds additional issues for the advisory board to consider and adds a member appointed by the executive director of the professional licensing agency. Allows a long acting reversible contraceptive that is prescribed to and obtained for a Medicaid recipient to be transferred to another Medicaid recipient if certain requirements are met. 

    • 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

    • First Reading: Referred to Committee on Public Health on 02/28

    • Passed & Adopted by Committee on 04/11

    • Second Reading: Amended & Ordered engrossed on 04/13

    • Third Reading: Passed on 4/17

    • Returned to the Senate with amendments on 04/18

    • Motion to dissent filed on 04/18

    • Senate dissented from House Amendments on 04/18

    • Senate & House conferees and advisors appointed on 04/18

    • CCR filed in the House & Senate on 04/24

    • CCR adopted by the House & Senate on 04/25

    • Signed by the President Pro Tempore on 04/26

  • 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

    • Reread second time, amended, ordered engrossed on 03/20

    • Third Reading: Passed on 03/21

    • Returned to the House with Amendments on 03/22

    • Motion to concur filed on 04/04

    • House concurred with Senate amendments on 04/11

    • Signed by the Speaker on 04/21

    • Signed by the President Pro Tempore on 04/21

    • Signed by the President of the Senate on 04/26

  • HB 1228: Child Seduction. Provides that "solicit", for purposes of the crime of child solicitation, includes luring and enticing. Defines "coach", "workplace supervisor", and "youth sports organization", and provides that the coach of a youth sports organization or a workplace supervisor commits child seduction if the person engages in sexual activity with a child less than 18 years of age and certain other conditions are met. Reduces the age difference from five years to four years for child seduction committed by a law enforcement officer. Makes conforming amendments.

    • First Reading, referred to Committee on Courts and Criminal Code: 01/10

    • Passed & Adopted in Committee on 02/16

    • Second Reading: Ordered Engrossed on 02/20

    • Third Reading: Passed on 02/21

    • Referred to the Senate on 02/22

    • First Reading: Referred to Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law on 03/01

    • Passed & Adopted by Committee on 03/14

    • Second Reading: Amended, ordered engrossed on 03/20

    • Third Reading: Passed on 03/21

    • Returned to the House with amendments on 03/22

    • Motion to concur filed on 03/28

    • House concurred in Senate amendments on 04/11

    • Signed by the Speaker on 04/21

    • Signed by the President Pro Tempore on 04/21

    • Signed by the President of the Senate on 04/26

  • 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

    • Motion to concur filed 04/10

    • House concurred with Senate amendments on 04/11

    • Signed by the Speaker on 04/21

    • Signed by the President Pro Tempore on 04/21

    • Signed by the President of the Senate on 04/26

  • 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

    • Second Reading: Ordered Engrossed on 04/10

    • 04/12: Returned to the House without Amendments

    • Signed by the Speaker on 04/21

    • Signed by the President Pro Tempore on 04/21

    • Signed by the President of the Senate on 04/26

  • HB 1608: Human Sexuality Instruction: Bans human sexuality instruction in Kindergarten through Third Grade; requires school staff to notify parents if a student begins using names, titles, or pronouns inconsistent with their biological sex. 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

    • Second Reading: Amended, ordered engrossed on 04/06

    • Third Reading: Passed on 04/10

    • Returned to the House with amendments on 04/11

    • House concurred with Senate Amendments on 04/24

W4C