Indiana lawmakers send final bills to Gov. Holcomb's desk
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Lawmakers found agreement on key issues, shipping measures to Gov. Eric Holcomb's desk, as the final meeting of the legislative session stretched into the early hours of Saturday morning.
Final Senate votes after midnight on an infrastructure plan and the state's two-year budget proposal were the last actions in the chamber. Holcomb will now make decisions on dozens of bills. The freshman governor can sign, veto or leave measures to become law by taking no action on them for seven days.
Here's a look at what's headed to Holcomb:
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LETHAL INJECTION
Lawmakers slipped a provision into the two-year budget proposal authorizing the state to purchase new lethal injection drugs while preserving the anonymity of suppliers. House Speaker Brian Bosma said the provision was included at Gov. Eric Holcomb's request, adding the state's supply is nearing expiration dates. It was revealed Friday and was not vetted in committee.
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BUDGET
The state's $32.3 billion budget bill unveiled a number of surprise provisions, including lethal injection language and one preventing Bloomington from going through with a planned annexation. It also creates a fund for economic development programs, such as the governor's desire to lure direct flights to Indianapolis. State police also see two years in a row of boosted salaries.
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ROADS FUNDING
Republicans more accustomed to passing tax cuts than hikes signed off on a number of tax and fee increases on motorists in order to pay for improvements to Indiana's crumbling infrastructure. The final product raises fuel taxes by 10 cents a gallon, creates a new $15 vehicle registration fee and shifts the sales tax charged on fuel purchases to roads funding by 2025. Holcomb has signaled he will sign the measure.
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ISTEP EXAM
The state's much-maligned ISTEP exam won't be replaced in the upcoming school year, but the bill approved Friday sets some parameters for a new test in 2019 that will be called ILEARN. The proposal also allows school districts to revise plans to change how ISTEP results factor into teacher evaluations.
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CBD OIL FOR EPILEPSY
People with certain types of epilepsy could use a marijuana-derived oil as treatment under a bill that passed the House unanimously. Lawmakers have long resisted efforts to allow substances containing cannabidiol - a compound studies suggest lessen the severity of seizures found in the marijuana or hemp plant - but that changed this year. Holcomb hasn't signaled whether he plans to sign the bill. Spokeswoman Stephanie Wilson said he will consider it carefully.
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PRE-K PILOT EXPANSION
Leaders in the House and Senate arrived at a compromise on a Holcomb-backed push to expand the state's preschool pilot program after disagreement on funding levels. The measure passed Friday adds 15 counties to the original five-county program and increases spending by $9 million, plus another $1 million for a new online preschool program. Holcomb said it will be a joy to sign it into law. Apparent differences of opinion on House Republican-backed voucher language allowing preschoolers in the pilot to get a private school voucher for kindergarten was also resolved and remains in the bill.
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GUNS
A National Rifle Association-backed bill approved by lawmakers allows people who have obtained protective orders to carry firearms without a license for a period of time. It also calls for lawmakers to study removing the requirement to have a license to carry a handgun. Holcomb hasn't commented publicly on the bill but his spokeswoman said Friday he'll consider the measure carefully.
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VAPING LAW
A measure rewriting the state's problematic vaping regulations strips provisions that allowed one security firm to play gatekeeper over the industry, creating a monopoly in the industry and sparking an FBI probe. Bill author Republican Sen. Randy Head of Logansport argues the proposal, which reintroduces some safety regulations, will open up competition in the market and undo "bad and burdensome" regulations.
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COLD BEER
A fierce debate over a convenience store licensed to sell cold beer consumed much of the latter half of the legislative session, as lawmakers sought to prevent the practice from continuing without causing unintentional damage to other businesses. A bill headed to Holcomb mandates 60 percent of all alcohol sales must be for on-site drinking at businesses that obtained a permit like Ricker's did after November 2016. Jay Ricker says under the rules set out in the bill he will have to stop sales by April 2018.
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SCHOOL TAKEOVERS
Financially troubled school districts in Gary and Muncie face state takeover under a bill headed to Holcomb. The measure allows the state to appoint an emergency manager to assume broad control over their districts. Gary has more than $100 million of debt and officials say Muncie has a negative cash balance of $18 million. Some lawmakers warn that more school districts will have financial trouble in the coming years.