Need to know what’s going on at the Statehouse or City-County Council? Our Business Advocacy team provides updates to important bills, issues and policies in the Indianapolis Chamber’s weekly e-newsletter and other communications. Below, you will find our most recent updates.
February 15, 2010
Second Verse, Same as the First.
A Little Bit Softer and a Little Bit Worse
The second half of the 2010 legislative session began this week with a much slower pace than the first half of the session. Priority issues such as ethics reform and property tax caps have moved quickly as both chambers agreed on the importance. Legislators are now focusing on tying up loose ends in an effort to adjourn early and begin the campaign season.
The Indianapolis Chamber continues to advocate for true local government reform but is facing a House of Representatives that is less than enthusiastic about taking on the politically contentious issue before an election year.
An effort to prioritize the education of all Hoosier children, through SB 258, also seems to have lost steam in the House. This language encourages schools to ensure that children are reading by the third grade. The bill is assigned to the House Education Committee but the Chairman, Representative Greg Porter, (D, Indianapolis) has yet to place it on the Committee’s agenda.
On Thursday, the House Labor Committee heard testimony on SB 025. This language delays the implementation of increased business taxes through Unemployment Insurance that were passed and signed into law in 2009. The rationale behind the language is that the substantial tax increase to businesses will hurt their efforts to sustain business and increase jobs in an economic recession. The Chairman of the House Labor Committee, Representative David Niezgodski (D, South Bend), continues to thumb his nose at the business community claiming that a one year delay is yet another business ‘bail out’.
We are hopeful that the 2010 will produce some piece of good public policy but, as expected, partisan politics continues to taint the session with legislators focused on November’s election. The bright spot is the hope of an early adjournment and an avoidance of additional damage to business interests.
February 9, 2010
Ballots, Bullets and Bloated Government
Property Tax Caps: Chugging along at a quick pace, the Indiana General Assembly has passed the property tax bill and voters will see the question on the ballot asking them if the inequitable and undetermined impacts of the 1, 2, 3 property tax cap system should be made permanent in the Indiana Constitution. On Tuesday, the Senate passed out the House Joint Resolution forwarding the issues to the voters.
Township Government: Township government continued to receive discussion this week with efforts to complete the consolidation of Marion County government. Senator Jim Merritt (R, Indianapolis) brought his bill back to the Senate Local Government Committee. A vote is anticipated this week from the Committee.
In the meantime, Senator Connie Lawson (R, Danville) maintained her courageous fight to modernize local government, increase accountability and efficiency, and save taxpayers' money through SB 241. This bill will eliminate the township boards, end practices of nepotism in local government, move municipal elections to the even numbered election cycle, move all school board elections from the primary election to the general, and eliminate conflicts of interest from elected government officials....
all priorities of the Indianapolis Chamber. Her commitment passed the bill out of committee; however, several harmful amendments are anticipated on the second reading with the full Senate participation.
Employee Gun Ownership: The Senate Corrections Committee has thrown a rock at the business community through the passage of SB 025. This bill repudiates the property rights of business owners by allowing gun-owning employees to bring their weapons onto an employer's property in a locked vehicle. This language will receive a full Senate vote this week. It is important for business members to express your concerns with this language to your
State Senator.