SJR 08 Removal of School Operating Costs from Property Tax Author/Co-Authors: Hume
(Committee on Finance)
Amends the Constitution of the State of Indiana to prohibit the taxation of property for the support of the common schools, except for costs related to transportation and capital projects. This proposed amendment has not been previously agreed to by a general assembly.

SB 04 Award of State Contracts
Author/Co-Authors: Drozda, Antich
(Committee on Economic Development and Technology)
Requires the state's procurement practices to be supportive of retention and creation of jobs in Indiana. Provides that a contract or solicitation for a contract to privatize any of the functions performed by a governmental body's employees that would result in the layoff or dismissal of any of those employees must: (1) require an offer or to provide verifiable evidence that the cost of the contract will be less than the cost of having the functions performed by the governmental body's employees; (2) specify that the governmental body may not pay the contractor more than the cost the governmental body determined the governmental body would incur to perform the functions using its own employees; (3) require the governmental body to provide to an offer or an estimate of the cost of having the functions performed by the governmental body's employees; and (4) contain a statement that the governmental body may pursue certain remedies if the contractor fails to comply with the contract. Permits a representative of any group of the governmental body's employees to submit an offer for the group to perform the functions and requires the governmental body to award the contract to the group of employees under certain circumstances. Excludes from these requirements purchases from qualified nonprofit agencies for persons with severe disabilities.

1/13/04 DPA 5-1
1/27/04 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
2/02/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 111: Yeas 39 and Nays 10
2/02/04 Referred to the House
2/02/04 House sponsor: Rep. Stilwell
2/02/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Dvorak
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Appointments and Claims
2/18/04 DPA 10-0
2/25/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed

SB 29 Childhood Obesity
Author/Co-Authors: Garton
(Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure)
Requires the department of education to develop: (1) recommendations for school corporation nutritional policies and curricula; and (2) model policies for the measurement of student body mass indexes. Prohibits vending machines at elementary schools from being accessible to students. Requires that healthy foods and beverages account for 50% of the food and beverage sales in middle and high schools. Requires school corporations to adopt nutritional integrity policies. Requires 30 minutes of daily physical activity for elementary school students in public schools. Allows a school to continue a vending machine contract in existence before April 1, 2004.

1/22/04 Reassigned to the Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security
1/22/04 Senator Garton removed as first author
1/22/04 Senator Dillon added as first author
1/27/04 Senator Wyss added as coauthor
1/29/04 DPA 7-0
2/02/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/03/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 129: Yeas 49 and Nays 0
2/03/04 Referred to the House
2/03/04 House sponsor: Rep. Reske
2/03/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Becker
2/03/04 Senator Lanane added as coauthor
2/03/04 Senator Skinner added as coauthor
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Public Health
2/16/04 Rep. Reske removed as sponsor
2/16/04 Rep. C. Brown added as sponsor
2/18/04 DPA 9-3
2/25/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/26/04 Third reading: amended; failed for lack of constitutional majority: Roll Call 231: Yeas 45 and Nays 9

SB47 Funding to Commercialize Emerging Technology
Author/Co-Authors: Ford, Broden
(Committee on Economic Development and Technology)
Creates the emerging technology grant fund to be administered by the twenty-first century research and technology fund board.

12/02/03 DP 8-0
1/12/04 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
1/13/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 25: Yeas 49 and Nays 0
1/13/04 Referred to the House
1/13/04 House sponsor: Rep. Hasler
1/13/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Koch
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Technology and Research and Development
2/16/04 Rep. Pierce added as cosponsor
2/16/04 DP 13-0
2/16/04 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 127
2/23/04 DPA 16-9

SB 54 Informational Pupil Counts
Author/Co-Authors: Lubbers
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Provides for an annual informational count of eligible pupils in January of 2005, 2006, and 2007.

SB 61 Varicella Immunizations
Author/Co-Authors: Simpson
(Committee on Health and Provider Services)
Requires every child in kindergarten or first grade to receive a varicella immunization. Requires schools to report to the state department of health and the local department of health regarding the number of students who have received varicella immunizations.

SB 75 Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission
Author/Co-Authors: Long, Lewis
(Committee on Criminal, Civil, and Public Policy)
Establishes the Abraham Lincoln bicentennial commission.

1/08/04 DP 9-0
1/13/04 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
1/15/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 31: Yeas 46 and Nays 0
1/15/04 Referred to the House
1/15/04 House sponsor: Rep. Bischoff
1/15/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Borror
2/04/04 Rep. Stilwell added as cosponsor
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedures

SB 76 Teacher Pension Credit for Military Service
Author/Co-Authors: Craycraft
(Committee on Pensions and Labor)
Extends from 18 months to 36 months the period within which a member of the teachers' retirement fund must return to active teaching service or teacher training after completion of active military service in order for the member to be entitled to credit for the member's military service.

SB 82 Faculty Members on State University Boards
Author/Co-Authors: Craycraft
(Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure)
Provides for a member of the faculty to serve as a nonvoting member of the board of trustees of each of Indiana's state assisted institutions of higher education. Establishes a procedure for the election of the faculty member by employees of the institution who hold the rank of assistant professor or higher.

SB 84 Fetal Development Curriculum
Author/Co-Authors: Drozda
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Requires each school corporation to include instruction regarding human fetal development in the school corporation's high school health education curriculum.

SB91 Prohibition of Knives in Schools
Author/Co-Authors: Merritt
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Provides that a student may be expelled for not more than one year for possessing a knife on school property.

SB97 Trustees of Pension Funds
Author/Co-Authors: Lubbers
(Committee on Pensions and Labor)
Adds the director of the budget agency or the director's designee to the boards of trustees of the public employees' retirement fund (PERF) and the teachers' retirement fund (TRF).

1/29/04 DPA 5-3
2/02/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/03/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 134: Yeas 35 and Nays 14
2/03/04 Referred to the House
2/03/04 House sponsor: Rep. Torr
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Appointments and Claims

SB98 Neglect of a Dependent
Author/Co-Authors: Waterman
(Committee on Criminal, Civil, and Public Policy)
Makes neglect of a dependent a Class A felony if the neglect results in the death of the dependent who is less than 14 years of age and is committed by a person at least 18 years of age. Provides that a school corporation may refuse to employ a person convicted of neglect of a dependent as a Class A felony. Provides that consent to adoption is not required from a parent convicted of neglect of a dependent as a Class A felony. Provides that reasonable attempts at reunification in a child in need of services proceeding are not required if a parent, guardian, or custodian has been convicted of neglect of a dependent as a Class A felony.

SB100 Native American Affairs Commission
Author/Co-Authors: Waterman, Riegsecker, Nugent
(Committee on Governmental Affairs and Interstate Cooperation)
Establishes the Native American Indian affairs commission. Authorizes the commission to recommend final disposition of Native American Indian human remains that have been removed from a burial site. Requires the commission to study problems common to Native American Indians in the areas of employment, education, civil rights, health, and housing. Authorizes the commission to make certain recommendations. (The introduced version of this bill was prepared by the natural resources study committee.)

1/15/04 DPA 6-2
1/22/04 Senator Weatherwax added as coauthor
1/26/04 Senator R. Young added as coauthor
1/27/04 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
2/03/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 135: Yeas 49 and Nays 0
2/03/04 House sponsor: Rep. Pelath
2/03/04 Cosponsors: Reps. Buck and Crawford
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedures
2/19/04 DPA 9-0
2/19/04 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 127

SB102 Mathematics and Science Teachers' Bonus Pay
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Authorizes the governing body of a school corporation to pay an annual bonus of up to $10,000 to a teacher who teaches certain secondary mathematics and science courses. Provides that the bonus is not subject to teacher collective bargaining provisions.

SB103 Teachers on School Committees
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Limits the number of teachers that the exclusive representative may appoint to serve on statutory or locally created committees of a school corporation.

SB104 Court Assisted Resolution of Suspension/Expulsion
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Requires schools to report the reasons for student suspensions and expulsions to the department of education. Authorizes an agreement for court assisted resolution of suspension and expulsion cases between a court having juvenile jurisdiction and a school corporation. Provides that the court shall either supervise the student or order the supervision of the student. Provides that the court and the school corporation may jointly determine which violations leading to suspension or expulsion are eligible for referral to the court. Provides that the school corporation and the court shall determine how the costs of supervising a student under the agreement shall be paid. Allows the school corporation to disclose the education records of a student who has been suspended or expelled to a court. (The introduced version of this bill was prepared by the interim study committee on educational achievement issues.)

1/29/04 DPA 9-0
1/29/04 Senator Rogers added as coauthor
1/29/04 Senator Sipes added as coauthor
2/02/04 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
2/03/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 136; Yeas 49 and Nays 0
2/03/04 Referred to the House
2/03/04 House sponsor: Rep. Porter
2/03/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Scholer
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education
2/19/04 DPA 13-0

SB105 Public School Transfer Program
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Establishes a public school transfer program, allowing the parent of a student to request a transfer for the student to enroll in: (1) a different public school in the student's base school corporation; or (2) a public school in a different school corporation. Provides an allocation of public funds for transfer students between the base school corporation and the receiving school corporation, and provides that the parent is responsible for transportation and any additional costs. Allows school corporations to enter into an interlocal agreement under which students may attend school in another school corporation. Allows a student who has legal settlement in a school corporation and whose parent owns property for which the parent pays property tax in another school corporation to attend school in the school corporation in which the parent owns property without transfer tuition being charged.

SB117 Core 40 Curriculum
Author/Co-Authors: Lubbers
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Provides that a student is required to complete the Core 40 curriculum in order to graduate from high school, unless: (1) the parent of a student requests that the student be exempted; or (2) in the case of a special education student, the student's individualized education program does not require the Core 40 curriculum.

SB135 Pledge of Allegiance and Moment of Silence
Author/Co-Authors: Young
(Committee on Criminal, Civil, and Public Policy)
Requires a United States flag to be displayed in each classroom of a school corporation. Requires a school corporation to provide a daily opportunity for students to voluntarily recite the Pledge of Allegiance. Provides an exemption for students who choose (or whose parents choose for them) not to participate in the Pledge. Requires a school corporation to establish a daily moment of silence in each classroom. Repeals a law allowing an optional brief period of silent prayer or meditation. Requires the attorney general to defend the school corporation in a civil suit based on an act authorized under this statute.

1/13/04 Senators Waterman and Hershman added as coauthors
1/13/04 DPA 7-1
1/20/04 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
1/20/04 Placed back on second reading
1/22/04 Reread second time: amended, ordered engrossed
1/22/04 Senator Nugent added as coauthor
1/22/04 Senator Drozda added as coauthor
1/27/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 75: Yeas 44 and Nays 3
1/27/04 Referred to the House
1/27/04 House sponsor: Rep. Denbo
1/27/04 Cosponsors: Reps. Goodin, Heim, and LaPlante
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education

SB172 Charter School Budget Review
Author/Co-Authors: Mrvan
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Requires a charter school to submit its budget to the school board for review and approval. Provides that a school board must approve a charter school's budget before the charter school may receive funding.

SB191 Graduation Rate Determination
Author/Co-Authors: Lubbers
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Specifies certain additional groups of students who are not included in determining a school's graduation rate.

1/07/04 DPA 10-0
1/15/04 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
1/20/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 34: Yeas 46 and Nays 0
1/20/04 Referred to the House
1/20/04 House sponsor: Rep. Porter
1/20/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Behning
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education Procedures
2/19/04 DPA 11-0

SB207 Curfew Violations
Author/Co-Authors: Waterman
(Committee on Criminal, Civil, and Public Policy)
Provides that the parent or guardian of a child who violates curfew commits a Class C infraction.

SB211 Twenty-first Century Fund Grant Office
Author/Co-Authors: Ford
(Committee on Economic Development and Technology)
Requires the twenty-first century research and technology fund board to establish and administer a grant office to work with federal agencies, state agencies, units of local government, colleges and universities, and private sector entities to develop and receive research and development grants.

1/13/04 DP 6-1
1/13/04 Senator Simpson added as coauthor
1/20/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
1/26/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 64: Yeas 48 and Nays0
1/26/04 Referred to the House
1/26/04 House sponsor: Rep. Hasler
1/26/04 Cosponsor: Rep. LaPlante
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Technology and Research and Development
2/12/04 DP 13-0
2/16/04 Rep. Pierce added as cosponsor
2/16/04 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 127

SB212 E-scholars
Author/Co-Authors: Ford
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Establishes the e-scholars program to provide computers and Internet access for certain students.

SB220 Communication Between Schools and Juvenile Courts
Author/Co-Authors: Long
(Committee on Judiciary)
Provides that a school is entitled to receive juvenile court records for a student of the school under certain circumstances. Provides immunity for improper disclosures of education records made in good faith.

1/26/04 Senator Broden added
1/29/04 DPA 8-0
2/02/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/04/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 190: Yeas 49 and Nays 0
2/04/04 Referred to the House
2/04/04 House sponsor: Rep. Kuzman
2/04/04 Cosponsors: Reps. Pond, Dvorak, and Borror
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Judiciary
2/19/04 DPA 11-0

SB231 Bullying Prevention
Author/Co-Authors: Wyss, Sipes, Rogers
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Defines "bullying" and requires a school corporation to adopt rules to prohibit bullying. Allows the use of grants from the safe schools fund to provide education and training to school personnel concerning bullying, and requires the inclusion of anti-bullying training in school safety specialist education. Requires each school to establish a safe school committee.

1/08/04 Sen. Lubbers added as coauthor
1/14/04 DP 9-2
1/15/04 Senators Alting and Long added as coauthors
1/15/04 Senator Howard added as coauthor
1/15/04 Senator Breaux added as coauthor
1/20/04 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
1/22/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 41: Yeas 38 and Nays 10
1/22/04 Referred to the House
1/22/04 House sponsor: Rep. Porter
1/22/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Scholer
1/22/04 Senator Breaux removed as coauthor
1/22/04 Senator Dillon added as coauthor
1/22/04 Senator Craycraft added as coauthor
2/04/04 First reading: Referred to the Committee on Education
2/11/04 DP 13-0
2/19/04 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 127

SB248 Testimony of Child in Abuse Cases
Author/Co-Authors: Server
(Committee on Judiciary)
Provides that children less than 14 years of age (and certain older disabled children) who are the victim of a sex crime, battery, confinement, kidnapping, incest, or neglect of a dependent may not be required to testify at trial more than once or upon retrial. Permits the introduction of the child's videotaped testimony under certain conditions.

SB249 Faculty Member on University Boards
Author/Co-Authors: Server
(Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure)
Adds a nonvoting faculty member to the board of trustees of state supported colleges and universities. Establishes a procedure for the election of the board members by the faculty every three years.

SB251 Health and Property and Casualty Insurance
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Finance)
Provides for a school corporation employee health benefit pilot project. Allows certain employers to take a tax credit related to making a health benefit plan available to the employers' employees. Sets forth provisions allowing school corporations to enter into interlocal agreements to establish a cooperative risk management program to provide for coverage of certain risks of the school corporations. Allows an accident and sickness insurer, a health maintenance organization, and a limited service health maintenance organization to provide evidence of coverage in electronic or paper form. Specifies that an accident and sickness insurer, a health maintenance organization, and a limited service health maintenance organization will include in enrollment materials information on obtaining evidence of coverage.

1/22/04 DP 10-0
1/27/04 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
2/02/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 115: Yeas 49 and Nays 0
2/02/04 Referred to the House
2/02/04 House sponsor: Rep. Fry
2/02/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Ripley
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Insurance and Corporations and Small Business
2/19/04 DPA 11-3
2/25/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed

SB255 Design-build by State Universities
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Governmental Affairs and Interstate Cooperation)
Authorizes a state educational institution to enter into a design-build contract for the performance of a public project by the state educational institution. Establishes the procedures for solicitation and award of a design-build contract.

SB256 School Corporation Risk Management Programs
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Insurance and Financial Institutions)
Allows school corporations to enter into interlocal agreements to establish a cooperative risk management program to provide for coverage of certain risks of the school corporations.

SB257 Correction of School Funding Formula
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Finance)
Provides that: (1) the at-risk index used in calculating 2003 school tuition support must be calculated using 1990 census data; (2) the complexity index used in calculating school tuition support in 2004 and thereafter must be calculated using education attainment data for persons who are at least 25 years of age; (3) the target pupil teacher ratio used to calculate prime time distributions must be calculated using multipliers that equal a number greater than one; (4) the target revenue per ADM of a charter school in its first year of operation is equal to the target revenue per ADM of the school corporation in which the charter school is located; and (5) a school corporation's share of the state appropriation for full day kindergarten is calculated using the total ADM of the participating schools. Allows a school corporation to issue tax anticipation warrants against property tax collections that result from a shortfall appeal. Allows a school corporation that had insufficient data in 2003 to file a shortfall appeal to file the appeal in 2004 for taxes payable in 2005, and to issue tax anticipation warrants against the property tax collections. Authorizes a school corporation to: (1) file an appeal to impose an additional levy to make up a shortfall in property tax collections in a fund other than the school general fund; and (2) increase the corporation's transportation fund levy by the amount by which the state has reduced its transportation distributions to the corporation. Provides that the increase in the transportation fund levy and the shortfall levy are not eligible for property tax replacement credits or homestead credits. Extends the sunset date for issuance of school corporation bonds for retirement or severance liability from December 31, 2004, to December 31, 2006. Provides that a school corporation may not issue such bonds after December 31, 2004, unless the corporation submits to the department of local government finance before January 1, 2005, a proposal concerning the issuance of the bonds to implement solutions for the corporation's retirement or severance liability. Allows a school corporation to issue bonds for that purpose a second time if the first bond issue has been retired and the average annual debt service on the second bond issue does not exceed the average annual debt service on the first bond issue.

1/15/04 DPA 13-0
1/26/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
1/27/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 81: Yeas 47 and Nays 0
1/27/04 Referred to the House
1/27/04 House sponsor: Rep. Crawford
1/27/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Espich
2/12/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
2/19/04 DPA 24-0
2/19/04 Rep. Goodin added as cosponsor
2/25/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/26/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 228: Yeas 91 and Nays 5
2/26/04 Returned to the Senate with amendments
3/01/04 Senate dissented from House amendments
3/01/04 Senate conferees appointed: Kenley and Rogers
3/01/04 House conferees appointed: Crawford and Espich
3/01/04 House advisors appointed: Goodin and Thompson

SB258 No Child Left Behind Waiver
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Authorizes the department of education to seek waivers from provisions of the federal "No Child Left Behind" statutes that conflict with Indiana school accountability provisions if the United States Department of Education allows states to seek waivers.

1/21/04 DP 11-0
1/22/04 Senator Rogers added as coauthor
1/22/04 Senator Sipes added as coauthor
1/26/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
1/26/04 Senator Skinner added as coauthor
1/27/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 82: Yeas 47 and Nays 0
1/27/04 Referred to the House
1/27/04 House sponsor: Rep. Porter
1/27/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Pond
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education

SB261 Transfer Tuition for Certain Students
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure)
Provides that a student who is placed in a facility, a home, or an institution may attend school in the school corporation in which the facility, home, or institution is located, and that the state is required to pay transfer tuition for the student if no other person or entity is required to pay the student's transfer tuition.

1/22/04 Reassigned to the Committee on Education and Career Development
1/28/04 DP 8-0
2/02/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/04/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 157: Yeas 45 and Nays 0
2/04/04 Referred to the House
2/04/04 House sponsor: Rep. Porter
2/04/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Hoffman
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education

SB262 Tuition Rates for State Universities
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Provides that a state educational institution may increase the tuition and mandatory fees for a full-time undergraduate student who is an Indiana resident by not more than a percentage equal to the higher education cost of living index (established by the commission for higher education) or 4%, which is greater, each year for four academic years (for four-year schools) or two academic years (for Ivy Tech and Vincennes) following the academic year in which the student officially accepts an offer of admission from the institution. Requires a state educational institution to set tuition and mandatory fees for the following academic year and notify the budget committee of the rates set before December 1 of each year. Allows a state educational institution to reset tuition and mandatory fees after the state biennial budget is adopted; however, provides that a student who has already official accepted an offer of admission to the institution must be charged the tuition and fees in effect at the time of the acceptance, unless the reset tuition and fees are lower than those in effect at the time of the acceptance.

1/14/04 DPA 6-4
1/15/04 Senator Miller added as second author
1/22/04 Senator Miller removed as second author
1/22/04 Senator Skinner added as second author
1/22/04 Senators Jackman and Miller added as coauthors
1/26/04 Senator Drozda added as coauthor
2/02/04 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed

SB264 Property Tax Replacement Study Commission
Author/Co-Authors: Miller, Hume, Landske, Simpson, Lawson, Gard, Ford
(Committee on Finance)
Establishes the property tax replacement study commission to study the elimination of property taxes and alternative sources of revenue.

1/15/04 DPA 14-0
1/15/04 Senators Wyss and Craycraft added as coauthors
1/26/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/02/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 116: Yeas 49 and Nays 0
2/02/04 Referred to the House
2/02/04 House sponsor: Rep. Crawford
2/02/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Buell
2/04/04 First reading: referred to Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedures

SB268 School Principal and Superintendent Licensing
Author/Co-Authors: Miller
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Requires the professional standards board to review licensing requirements for school principals and school corporation superintendents.

1/14/04 DP 9-11/1
1/20/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/02/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 117: Yeas 44 and Nays 5
2/02/04 Referred to the House
2/02/04 House sponsor: Rep. Porter
2/12/04 Rep. Behning added as cosponsor
2/12/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Education
2/18/04 DPA 10-1
2/19/04 Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 127

SB270 Expelled Students
Author/Co-Authors: Miller
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Allows a school corporation that determines it cannot serve a student because of the student's disruptive behavior or frequent unexcused absences to place the student in another setting. Provides that if the other setting is in another school corporation or a nonpublic school, the school corporation in which the student has legal settlement must pay the student's tuition. Sets a cap on the amount that the school corporation may expend for tuition for the student.

SB273 Collective Bargaining for Education
Author/Co-Authors: Craycraft
(Committee on Pensions and Labor)
Includes state educational institutions (colleges and universities) among the school units required to bargain collectively with employees. Adds provisions concerning final offer mediation-arbitration. Includes noncertificated education employees under the collective bargaining provisions. Requires school employers to bargain collectively on certain issues. Authorizes the education employment relations board to issue certain orders and impose certain requirements on a person who commits an unfair practice. Repeals provisions concerning mediation, fact finding, and collective bargaining between a school corporation and an exclusive representative. Repeals a prohibition against strikes by education personnel.

SB275 Emancipation and School Attendance
Author/Co-Authors: Skillman
(Committee on Judiciary)
Allows a child at least 16 years of age but less than 18 years of age to withdraw from school before graduation if a court emancipates the child with a specification that the child may withdraw from school. Allows a child less than 18 years of age who has been emancipated by a court with a specification that the child may withdraw from school to: (1) be issued; or (2) retain; a driver's license, subject to conditions required to obtain a driver's license.

SB280 Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction
Author/Co-Authors: Simpson
(Committee on Judiciary)
Repeals and replaces the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction Law. Establishes a uniform process to enforce interstate child custody and visitation determinations and harmonizes the law with respect to simultaneous proceedings and inconvenient forums.

1/22/04 Senator Bray added as coauthor
1/26/04 Senator Broden added as coauthor

SB297 Kindergarten Enrollment Date
Author/Co-Authors: Lubbers
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Provides that a child must be at least five years of age on the following date in a school year to enroll in a school corporation's kindergarten program for that year: (1) August 1 of the 2005-2006 school year: (2) September 1 of the 2006-2007 school year; or (3) September 1 of any subsequent school year. (Current law provides that a child must be at least five years of age on July 1.) Instead of requiring the adoption of an appeals procedure, allows a school corporation to adopt an appeals procedure for a parent who wishes to enroll a child who is not at least five years of age.

SB346 Child Molesting
Author/Co-Authors: Waterman
(Committee on Criminal, Civil, and Public Policy)
Provides that a repeat child molester may be placed on lifetime probation. Permits the court to hold a lifetime probationer who has violated a condition of a probation in contempt of court if the lifetime probationer has completed the underlying sentence. Permits a court to institute involuntary commitment proceedings against a lifetime probationer who has violated a condition of probation if the court believes that the probationer is mentally ill and dangerous. Makes conforming amendments.

SB353 Interstate Compact for Juveniles
Author/Co-Authors: Long
(Committee on Criminal, Civil, and Public Policy)
Adopts the interstate compact for juveniles. Creates a national interstate commission for juveniles made up of the compact administrators from states that join the interstate compact. Delegates to the interstate compact the authority to adopt rules concerning the transfer of juvenile probationers and parolees between states. Permits the interstate compact to impose fines or seek injunctive relief against the state or a county if the state or the county does not comply with the compact. Establishes the state council with up to nine members. Requires a juvenile offender to pay a $75 application fee to apply for a transfer out of state. Provides that a juvenile probationer's application fee is paid to a county probation department. Provides that a probationer's fee is divided between the Indiana judicial center and the supervising county.

SB354 Juvenile Law Issues
Author/Co-Authors: Long
(Committee on Criminal, Civil, and Public Policy)
Provides that certain juvenile acts are considered status offenses and not delinquent acts. Prohibits a child who is alleged to have committed a status offense from being detained in certain types of facilities. Prohibits sustained sight or sound contact between juveniles and adults in juvenile detention facilities that are located on the same grounds or in the same building as an adult jail or a lockup. Requires a juvenile court to conduct a hearing regarding the secure detention of a repeat status offender during the pendency of a violation hearing. Requires secure facilities to submit data regarding detention of children to the Indiana criminal justice institute. Requires secure facilities and non secure facilities to submit to annual site visits. Repeals a statute concerning the modification of juvenile court orders upon a child's truancy violation.

SB367 Compulsory School Attendance
Author/Co-Authors: Kenley
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Establishes the conditions under which a student who is at least 16 years of age, but less than 18 years of age, may withdraw from school. Provides that a student who has stopped attending school (but has not formally withdrawn) may be denied a driver's license or learner's permit, or may have the license or permit revoked. Sets forth reasons for which a student may be denied an employment certificate. Repeals a provision allowing a child who is at least 14 years of age, but less than 16 years of age, to withdraw from school to work if the child's parent consents to the withdrawal.

1/28/04 DPA 7-0
2/02/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/04/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 172: Yeas 42 and Nays 6
2/04/04 Referred to the House
2/04/04 House sponsor: Rep. Porter
2/04/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Hoffman
2/05/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Courts and Criminal Code
2/16/04 Reassigned to the Committee on Education
2/18/04 DPA 13-0

SB370 University Bonding Authority for Energy Savings
Author/Co-Authors: Alting
(Committee on Finance)
Permits state universities and colleges to issue bonds for up to $20,000,000 per campus for qualified energy savings projects. (Current law limits each university or college to $10,000,000 for all campuses of the university or college.)

SB395 Various Motor Vehicle Matters
Author/Co-Authors: Sipes
(Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security)
Revises the definition of approved motorcycle driver education and training course to include a course offered by a new motorcycle dealer. Requires a person to obtain a certificate of title from the bureau of motor vehicles for an off-road vehicle that the person purchases after June 30, 2004. Requires a person who becomes an Indiana resident after June 30, 2004, to obtain a certificate of title from the bureau for an off-road vehicle: (1) that the person owns; and (2) for which a certificate of title was issued by another state. Authorizes an eligible individual to receive not more than five disabled veteran license plates for vehicles registered to the person. Specifies that a learner's permit holder who: (1) is less than 18 years old and holds a validated permit; or (2) is enrolled in an approved driver's education course; may drive a motor vehicle when the seat beside the driver's seat is occupied by a stepparent of the permit holder who holds a valid operator's license.

1/15/04 Senator Wyss added as coauthor
1/22/04 DPA 6-0
1/26/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
1/26/04 Senator Hume added as coauthor
1/29/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 97: Yeas 47 and Nays 0
1/29/04 Referred to the House
1/29/04 House sponsor: Rep. Reske
1/29/04 House cosponsor: Rep. Duncan
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Roads and Transportation
2/10/04 DPA 12-0
2/16/04 Reps. Scholer and Stevenson added as cosponsors

SB435 High Priority Schools
Author/Co-Authors: Lubbers
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Provides a grant program for schools classified as "high priority academic probation" schools based on student performance.

SB440 Traffic Control Signals Near High Schools
Author/Co-Authors: Hershman
(Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security)
Requires the department of transportation to erect a traffic control signal in the school zone on the state highway on which a high school is located if: (1) the school corporation that maintains the high school; (2) the law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the high school; and (3) the executive of a unit of local government that contains the high school; jointly petition the department for erection of the traffic control signal. Requires the school corporation to pay 50% of the total cost of erecting the traffic control signal. Allows a school corporation to use capital project fund money to pay the school corporation's share of the cost.

SB441 Property Tax Matters
Author/Co-Authors: Borst
(Committee on Finance)
Makes various changes concerning property tax assessment, property tax administration, local government finance, and property tax appeals. Authorizes locally funded property tax credits for taxpayers meeting certain criteria.

1/15/04 DPA 14-0
1/26/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
1/29/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 104: Yeas 47 and Nays 0
1/29/04 Referred to the House
1/29/04 House sponsor: Rep. Crawford
1/29/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Espich
2/04/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
2/19/04 DPA 18-6

SB451 Full-day Kindergarten
Author/Co-Authors: Breaux
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Provides that the governing body of a school corporation shall establish either a full day or a combination full day and half day program for kindergarten. Provides that the parent of an enrolled kindergarten student determines whether the student attends kindergarten for a full day or half day. Provides a grant to each school corporation that offers a full day kindergarten program, with the amount of the grant equal to the additional amounts a school corporation would have received for tuition support, the growing enrollment adjustment, the at-risk grant, the transportation distribution, and the primetime distribution if each full day kindergarten student were counted as one pupil rather than one-half pupil for purposes of the distribution formulas.

SB453 School Corporation Insurance and Property and Casualty Guaranty Association
Author/Co-Authors: Ford
(Committee on Economic Development and Technology)
Provides for a school corporation employee health insurance pilot project. Sets forth provisions allowing school corporations to enter into interlocal agreements to establish a cooperative risk management program to provide for coverage of certain risks of the school corporations. Amends various provisions of the property and casualty insurance guaranty association law, including: (1) definitions; (2) board membership; (3) association obligations; (4) assessments; and (5) exhaustion of insurance policy benefits.

1/29/04 DPA 7-0
1/29/04 Senator Lanane added as second author
2/03/04 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
2/04/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 200: Yeas 49 and Nays 0
2/04/04 Referred to the House
2/04/04 House sponsor: Rep. Fry
2/04/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Ripley
2/05/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Insurance and Corporations and Small Business
2/19/04 DPA 14-0

SB459 Attendance Officers
Author/Co-Authors: Long
(Committee on Education and Career Development)
Requires the appointment of an attendance officer in all school corporations. Allows a school corporation that has an average daily attendance of less than 1,500 pupils to enter into an agreement with another school corporation that has an average daily attendance of less than 1,500 pupils to jointly appoint an attendance officer. Provides that an attendance officer may only perform the duties of an attendance officer and may not hold another position within the school corporation. Repeals a provision specifying that a school corporation's superintendent is the ex officio attendance officer if an attendance officer is not otherwise appointed.

SB463 Property Taxes
Author/Co-Authors: Simpson
(Committee on Finance)
Provides that a county auditor may reduce a taxing unit's assessed valuation to enable the taxing unit to absorb the effects of reduced property tax collections resulting from successful assessed valuation appeals. Requires the county auditor to keep separately on the tax duplicate the amount of any reductions. Provides that the maximum amount of the reduction is 2% of the taxing unit's assessed valuation. Allows the county auditor to appeal to the department of local government finance to reduce a taxing unit's assessed valuation by more than 2%. Allows taxing units to use "banked" property tax levies in the calculation of maximum levies. Excludes the part of a taxing unit's levy that is attributable to banking of unused maximum levies from the computation of property tax replacement credits and homestead credits.

SB467 Electronic Procurement
Author/Co-Authors: Ford
(Committee on Economic Development and Technology)
Authorizes the department of administration to establish Internet sites designed to facilitate: (1) state and local public purchasing; and (2) purchasing by other entities that are approved by the department. Requires the department of administration to establish rules and fees for the use of Internet purchasing sites in cooperation with the Intelenet commission, the state board of accounts, the attorney general, and the auditor of state. Permits on-line reverse auctions for purchases of supplies and services. Establishes procedures governing the conduct of an on-line reverse auction. Requires that Internet purchasing sites be operational before January 1, 2005.

1/22/04 DP 8-0
2/03/04 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/04/04 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 202: Yeas 49 and Nays 0
2/04/04 Referred to the House
2/04/04 House sponsor: Rep. Ayres
2/04/04 Cosponsor: Rep. Hasler
2/05/04 First reading: referred to the Committee on Technology and Research and Development
2/16/04 Rep. Thomas added as cosponsor
2/19/04 DPA 14-0
2/19/04 Rep. Welch added as cosponsor

SB472 County Property Tax Control Board
Author/Co-Authors: Weatherwax
(Committee on Finance)
Establishes a rate control and rate increase program for local units of governments, including school corporations, for all funds. Requires taxing units to use property tax rates for 2005 beginning in 2006. Combines the school transportation fund with the school general fund. Separates the rate controls into four categories: (1) social service funds; (2) bonds and leases paid from a debt service fund; (3) cumulative or capital funds; and (4) all other funds. Exempts the tax levy needed to pay for 1925, 1937, and 1953 pension plans from the controls. Allows increases in the 2005 property tax rate only with the approval of a newly established county property tax control board ("control board") for all four categories. Provides that the rate is adjusted downward each year using the change in the implicit price deflator for construction costs. Establishes a control board for each county consisting of elected officials representing each type of taxing unit. Establishes a referendum procedure allowing voters to contest the control board's decision. Requires control board approval of certain bonds and leases that will be paid from a taxing unit's debt service fund. Eliminates department of local government finance ("DLGF") review of all cumulative funds, and eliminates DLGF discretion with respect to increasing, decreasing, or modifying a taxing unit's budget. Requires the DLGF to review each taxing unit's budget, tax rate, and tax levy for accuracy. Makes numerous changes to correct references.

SB491 Property Tax Replacement
Author/Co-Authors: Borst
(Committee on Finance)
Eliminates the authority of the state and political subdivisions to impose a property tax after December 31, 2005, except to pay debt service obligations and public safety services. Imposes a special assessment for public safety services on residential property and property otherwise exempt from property taxes (other than certain governmental and religious property) instead of an ad valorem property tax. Eliminates most property tax deductions and credits, except for a deduction for the elder, blind, and disabled and a deduction for inventory. Extends the sales tax to all services other than medical services and certain other services. Provides for the distribution of the revenue to political subdivisions. Transfers oversight of local budgets from the department of local government finance to the budget agency. Provides an optional method to reorganize political subdivisions. Makes related changes. Repeals property tax credits, property tax deductions, remonstrance provisions that are superseded and replaced by provisions in this act, and certain laws granting authority to the department of local government finance.