|
LWVIN ADVOCACY REPORTS
LWVIN Advocacy teams have been keeping their advocacy groups up to date on pending legislation. Following are tastes of those action emails, highlighting bills of current focus. If you wish to be added to the action email list for any or all of the advocacy groups, please respond to the contact for that group or groups!
VOTER SERVICES
Bills opposed
HB 1428 School board elections.This bill allows school boards to hold a vote to decide whether future candidates who run for the board must indicate on the ballot the party they represent. Or, the voters of a school district may put a referendum on the ballot to determine if school board candidates must declare a party. Passed House.ALSO of concern to Education advocates.
HB 1116 Various Election Matters.Rep. Tim Wesco. Most of this bill is benign except it includes language that punishes a person who is convicted of a vote fraud felony to be deprived of the right to vote for a period of 10 years following the date of conviction. Passed House.
HB 1334 Absentee voting.Rep. Timothy Wesco. Requires theapplicant to record the last 4 digits of the SS or Driver’s License # on the absentee ballot application. Restricts those who can vote by absentee ballot. Requires under penalty of law that the applicant swears he/she is unavailable to vote early in person or on election day.Amended and passed House Elections Committee on party lines 2/15.
Email Patrice Waidner pcwaidner@gmail.com to be added to the mailing list.
EDUCATION
A state school board /Gallup survey found 88% of parents out of over 3000 surveyed to be satisfied with their public school, and only 2% to know and disagree with what is being taught. An overwhelming number of parents are satisfied with their public school. Proposed legislation doesn’t reflect that reality!
Bills opposed(in addition to HB 1428 above)
SB 386 Dignity and nondiscrimination in education.The title of this bill falsely projects thatthe bill's intent is to protect from discrimination and to stand up for dignity; in reality, this bill does just the opposite. SB 386 restricts teaching materials and instruction that promote certain concepts regarding age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, marital status, familial status, mental or physical disability, religion, or national origin. It prohibits diversity training. This bill is motivated by disinformation regarding CRT, grooming, and pornography in schools.
SB 486 Education matters.A section of SB 486 eliminates what teacher unions and school corporations must discuss during collective bargaining.… A single word, switching “shall” to “may,”removes the obligation for Superintendents to discussstudent discipline, teacher-student ratio and class sizewith a teacher union. This bill exemplifies the disrespect and lack of regard that pushes many teachers to leave and few to join the profession.
Email Nan Polk at nanpolk@hotmail.com to be added to the mailing list.
WOMEN’S HEALTH/REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS
Bills to Support
HB 1224, HB 1568, SB 153, SB206 Pharmacist Prescribed Birth Control.These bills would allow pharmacists who meet certain requirements to prescribe and dispense hormonal birth contraceptive patches and oral hormonal contraceptives – and would also require health plans to cover the cost. This would expand access to contraceptives, especially to women in low-income and rural communities.HB 1568 got a unanimous vote in the Public Health Committee on February 14. However, there was a worrisome amendment that you can read about HERE.
SB 252Long-acting reversible contraceptives. Allows a long-acting reversible contraceptive that is prescribed to and obtained for a Medicaid recipient to be transferred to another Medicaid recipient. Current law ties the devices to their assigned Medicaid recipients even if those people change their minds or just don’t show up to the follow-up appointment.Passed in the Senate by 49-0 on February 7. Negele is the House sponsor.
SB 266 Long-acting reversible contraceptives.Requires a hospital that operates a maternity unit to ensure that a woman giving birth in the hospital has the option of having a long-acting reversible subdermal contraceptive implanted after delivery and before the woman is discharged.On February 8 the Health and Provider Services Committee passed this by a vote of 8-4.
Email us at LWVIN.WomensHealthAdvocates@gmail.com to get on our mailing list.
NATURAL RESOURCES
Climate Solutions Task Force(SB 335) – What a great idea, but it wasn’t even given a hearing last year. The energetic, persistent, and savvy Confront the Climate Crisis (CTCC) statewide high school group brought supportive organizations, including LWVIN, together at their Statehouse rally on Feb. 1st. Largely because of CTCC’s work, the Senate Environmental Affairs Committee is reported to be hearing SB 335 next Monday (Feb. 20th).
Passage of this bill would start consideration of Indiana establishing and funding a statewide climate action plan as well as study of • forest and wetland preservation • adapting farming practices to climate change • helping schools and local governments use renewables • pursuing best practices for building construction • expanding mass transit • helping Hoosier workers and businesses adapt to climate-driven changes in the energy industry. Stay tuned!
EmailKristina Lindborg kristina.lindborg@gmail.com to be added to our mailing list.
|