Please note the following definitions:
DP -- Do Pass
DPA -- Do Pass as Amended

House Bill Tracking List for the 2005 Session

HEA 1001 State Budget
Author/Co-Authors: Representative Espich, Representative Buell , Representative Cochran, Representative Crawford
Appropriates money to carry on state government and make various distributions to schools and other political subdivisions. Increases and extends certain fees. Provides that the department of education rather than the professional standards board governs education, licensing, and professional development of teachers. Changes the kindergarten start date. Establishes an office of management and budget . Allows the budget agency to prescribe policies for the disposal of surplus property. Permits the state to intercept property tax replacement credit distributions to pay amounts due to the state for housing juvenile offenders. Changes the amount and payment schedule for these charges. Allows counties to enter into a repayment plan for current delinquent balances. Provides for the repayment to the state of certain income tax credits granted to Lake County taxpayers. Expands local options to provide additional homestead credits to property taxpayers. Limits the application of special valuation rules for certain steel companies. Establishes minimum and maximum limits on the amount of state property replacement credits that may be granted. Specifies that references in Indiana law to the Internal Revenue Code and related regulations refer to the law and regulations in effect on January 1, 2005, with certain adjustments concerning trade or business deductions. Extends the earned income tax credit. Legalizes a resolution regarding tax increment financing for a qualified airport development project. Makes changes in the first steps, child protection, Medicaid, and CHOICE programs. Changes the formulas for the health care for the indigent, school transportation, school capital project, and school general fund levies. Allows the issuance of federal highway funding anticipation warrants. Changes the names of the campuses of the school of medicine. Changes compensation for senior judges. Authorizes an additional court and certain magistrates. Provides bonding authority for higher education construction projects. Provides additional higher education tuition setting and course credit transfer requirements Establishes the government efficiency commission. Provides a COLA and 13th check to certain public employment retirees. Changes certain provisions related to state contributions to teacher pensions. Voids a gaming commission rule concerning fees. Makes other changes.

1/06/05 Authored by Representative Espich
1/06/05 Coauthored by Representative Buell
1/06/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Ways and Means
1/31/05 Representative Crawford and Representative Cochran added as coauthors
2/15/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
2/17/05 Amendment 1 (Espich), prevailed; Voice Vote
2/17/05 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
2/21/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 146: Yeas 52, Nays 48
2/21/05 First Senate Sponsor: Senator R. Meeks
2/21/05 Referred to the Senate
2/24/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Appropriations
3/14/05 Senator Simpson added as sponsor
3/14/05 Senator Kenley and Senator Hume added as cosponsors
3/14/05 Senator Kenley removed as cosponsor
3/31/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
4/08/05 Amendment 20 (Rogers), prevailed; Voice Vote
4/08/05 Amendment 12 (Mrvan), prevailed; Voice Vote
4/08/05 Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed
4/11/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 398: Yeas 29, Nays 21
4/11/05 Returned to the House with Amendments
4/13/05 House dissented from Senate amendments
4/13/05 House conferees appointed: Espich and Crawford
4/13/05 House advisors appointed: Representatives Buell, Turner, Thompson, Cochran and Avery
4/14/05 Senate conferees appointed: Senator R. Meeks and Senator Simpson
4/14/05 Senate advisors appointed: Senators Kenley, Wyss, Miller, Breaux, Craycraft and Hume
4/28/05 Representative Crawford removed as conferee
4/28/05 Senator Simpson removed as conferee
4/28/05 Senator Kenley removed as advisor and added as conferee
4/28/05 Senator Clark added as advisor
4/29/05 Conference committee report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 538: Yeas 31, Nays 19
4/29/05 Conference committee report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 635: Yeas 52, Nays 46
5/03/05 Signed by the Speaker
5/04/05 Signed by the President Pro Tempore
5/05/05 Signed by the President of the Senate
5/13/05 Signed by the Governor

HEA 1288 Title 20 Recodification
Author/Co-Authors: Representative Foley, Representative Kuzman, and Representative Behning
Recodifies Title 20 concerning elementary and secondary education to reorganize and restate the law without substantive change. Repeals current Title 20 provisions. Makes conforming amendments. (The introduced version of this bill was prepared by the code revision commission.)

1/11/05 Authored by Representative Foley
1/11/05 Coauthored by Representative Kuzman and Representative Behning
1/11/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Judiciary
1/31/05 Committee report; do pass, adopted
2/07/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/08/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 99: Yeas 91, Nays 0
2/08/05 Referred to Senate
2/08/05 First Senate Sponsor: Senator Kenley
2/08/05 Cosponsors: Senator Antich-Carr and Senator Bowser
2/08/05 Second Senate Sponsor: Senator Landske
2/14/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
3/09/05 Committee report; amend do pass, adopted
3/14/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
3/15/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 290: Yeas 49, Nays 0
3/15/05 Returned to the House with amendments
4/07/05 Joint Rule 20 Technical correction adopted by the House and Senate
4/14/05 House concurred in Senate amendments; Roll Call 525: Yeas 86, Nays 2
4/18/05 Signed by the Speaker
4/19/05 Signed by the President Pro Tempore
4/19/05 Signed by the President of the Senate
4/25/05 Signed by the Governor

HEA 1314 Various Education Matters (Postsecondary Program for High School Students)
Author/Co-Authors: Representative Behning, Representative Frizzell, Representative Fry, Representative Noe
Changes the name of the School for the Blind to the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Makes certain changes to the qualifications for the superintendents of the School for the Blind and Visually impaired and the School for the Deaf, and changes the title of "superintendent" to "chief executive officer" for each school. Eliminates the requirement of approval from a school superintendent and a representative of a school corporation for a high school student to enroll in the postsecondary enrollment program. Requires a school corporation and a postsecondary institution to enter into a contract concerning credits for a student attending the postsecondary institution while the student is also attending secondary school. (Adds provisions concerning the School for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the School for the Deaf.)

1/11/05 Authored by Representative Behning
1/11/05 Coauthored by Representative Frizzell
1/11/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education
2/08/05 Representative Fry added as coauthor
2/09/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
2/21/05 Representative Noe added as coauthor
2/21/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 159: Yeas 96, Nays 0
2/21/05 Referred to the Senate
2/21/05 First Senate Sponsor: Senator Lubbers
2/24/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
3/09/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
3/14/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
3/15/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 291: Yeas 49, Nays 0
3/15/05 Returned to the House with amendments
4/07/05 Joint Rule 20 technical correction adopted by the House and Senate
4/14/05 House dissented from Senate amendments
4/14/05 House conferees appointed: Representative Behning, Representative Porter
4/14/05 House advisors appointed: Representative Noe, Representative Fry, Representative Cheney
4/14/05 Senate conferees appointed: Senator Lubbers and Senator Skinner
4/21/05 Senator Sipes removed as conferee
4/21/05 Senator Skinner added as conferee
4/27/05 Conference committee report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 587: Yeas 82, Nays 1
4/27/05 Rules suspended
4/28/05 Conference committee report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 498: Yeas 48, Nays 0 4/29/05 Signed by the Speaker
5/04/05 Signed by the President Pro Tempore
5/05/05 Signed by the President of the Senate
5/11/05 Signed by the Governor

HEA 1394 Public Pensions; Deferred Compensation Plans (Teachers' Retirement Fund Beneficiary Change)
Author/Co-Authors: Representative Stutzman
Allows a political subdivision to offer to its employees both the state employees' deferred compensation plan (state plan) and a deferred compensation plan that is adopted by the political subdivision and uses one or more private vendors. Requires the board of trustees of the public employees' retirement fund (PERF) to establish a retirement medical benefits account (account) within the PERF under Section 401(h) or as a separate fund under another applicable section of the Internal Revenue Code, for the purpose of converting unused excess accrued leave to a monetary contribution for state employees to fund on a pretax basis benefits for post-retirement sickness, accident, hospitalization, and medical expenses of the state employees, their spouses, and their dependents. Requires that state employees be able to convert unused accrued excess leave to either the state plan or the account. Requires that the deferred compensation committee adopt, and the state auditor administer, a pilot program that allows the employees of at least one branch of state government to convert unused accrued excess leave to a monetary contribution to the state plan not later than December 31, 2005. Allows a member of the teachers' retirement fund who is receiving a retirement benefit and is a party in an action for dissolution of marriage to elect, before January 1, 2006, in certain circumstances to change the member's designated beneficiary or form of benefit. Extends the pilot program for the defined contribution plan of the legislators' retirement system until July 1, 2006. Provides that a monthly pension paid after the date of remarriage and before July 1, 2005, to a surviving spouse of an employee beneficiary who was a member of a sheriff's retirement plan (surviving spouse) shall be treated as properly paid. For a surviving spouse whose monthly pension ceased on the date of remarriage, reinstates on July 1, 2005, the surviving spouse's monthly pension.

1/13/05 Authored by Representative Stutzman
1/13/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Employment and Labor
2/03/05 Committee report: do pass, adopted
2/14/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/15/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 129: Yeas 95, Nays 0
2/15/05 Referred to the Senate
2/15/05 First Senate Sponsor: Senator M. Young
2/15/05 Second Senate Sponsor: Senator Riegsecker
2/24/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Pensions and Labor
3/17/05 Committee report: amend do pass adopted
3/21/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
3/22/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 302: Yeas 49, Nays 0
3/22/05 Returned to the House with amendments
4/18/05 House dissented from Senate amendments
4/18/05 House conferees appointed: Representative Stutzman and Representative Kromkowski
4/18/05 House advisors appointed: Representative Saunders and Representative Robertson
4/19/05 Senate conferees appointed: Senator M. Young and Senator Skinner
4/19/05 Senate advisors appointed: Senator Harrison and Senator Bowser
4/29/05 Rules suspended in the House and Senate
4/29/05 Conference committee report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 644: Yeas 80, Nays 0
4/29/05 Conference committee report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 557: Yeas 49, Nays 0 5/03/05 Signed by the Speaker
5/04/05 Signed by the President Pro Tempore
5/05/05 Signed by the President of the Senate
5/11/05 Signed by the Governor

HEA 1488 Teacher Training Concerning Phonologic Weakness
Author/Co-Authors: Representative Behning, Representative Porter
Requires the Department of Education to establish guidelines for training of teachers concerning phonologic weakness. Requires the Department to adopt reading instruments to diagnose reading development comprehension.

1/18/05 Authored by Representative Behning
1/18/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education
2/08/05 Committee report: amend do pass adopted
2/17/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/21/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 164: Yeas 96, Nays 0
2/21/05 Referred to the Senate
2/21/05 First Senate Sponsor: Senator Miller
2/21/05 Second Senate Sponsor: Senator Lubbers
2/21/05 Cosponsor: Senator Rogers
2/21/05 Representative Porter added as coauthor
2/24/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
3/16/05 Committee report: do pass, adopted
3/21/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
3/22/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 305: Yeas 49, Nays 0
3/22/05 Returned to the House without amendments
3/24/05 Joint Rule 20 technical correction adopted by the Senate
4/07/05 Joint Rule 20 technical correction adopted by the House
4/29/05 Signed by the Speaker
4/29/05 Signed by the President Pro Tempore
5/02/05 Signed by the President of the Senate
5/06/05 Signed by the Governor

HEA 1794 Various Education Matters (Graduation Rate Determination)
Author/Co-Authors: Representative Behning, Representative Porter
Requires schools to report the reasons for student suspensions and expulsions to the department of education, and to categorize suspended and expelled students by gender, ethnicity, and disability status. Authorizes an agreement for court assisted resolution of suspension and expulsion cases between a court having juvenile jurisdiction and a public 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. Provides that a parent or guardian has the right to be present during the student's appearance, and may be required to be present during the student's appearance. Requires that the discipline rules adopted by a school's governing body define "habitual truant" to include, at a minimum, a student who has more than ten unexcused absences in a school year. Permits a public school student who is at least 16 years of age and less than 18 years of age to withdraw from school by: (1) attending an exit interview; (2) obtaining the consent of the student's parent; and (3) obtaining the consent of the school principal. Requires that the school principal provide the student and the student's parent with information concerning the consequences of dropping out of school during the exit interview, and to provide the department of education with the number of students who withdraw from school. Includes certain additional groups of students in the determination of a school's graduation rate. Establishes certain procedures concerning a student who has left school and whose location is unknown to the school. Allows a school to establish a flexible instruction program for certain high school students. Makes technical corrections to conform with the Title 20 recodification. (Adds the following provisions: (1) HB 1198 concerning court assisted resolution of suspensions and expulsions and raising the age at which at student may withdraw from school before graduating to 18. (2) Allowing schools to establish flexible instruction programs.)

1/19/05 Authored by Representative Behning
1/19/05 Referred to Committee on Education
2/01/05 Committee report: do pass, adopted
2/07/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
2/08/05 Representative Porter added as coauthor
2/08/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 107: Yeas 91, Nays 0
2/08/05 Referred to the Senate
2/08/05 First Senate Sponsor: Senator Lubbers
2/14/05 First reading: referred to Committee on Education and Career Development
3/16/05 Committee report: amend do pass, adopted
3/21/05 Second reading: ordered engrossed
3/22/05 Third reading: passed; Roll Call 307: Yeas 45, Nays 0
3/22/05 Returned to the House with amendments
4/14/05 House dissented from Senate amendments
4/14/05 House conferees appointed: Representative Behning and Representative Porter
4/14/05 House advisors appointed: Representative Messer and Representative Robertson
4/14/05 Senate conferees appointed: Senator Lubbers and Senator Rogers
4/27/05 Rules suspended
4/27/05 Conference committee report1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 589: Yeas 77, Nays 8
4/28/05 Conference committee report1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 505: Yeas 32, Nays 16
5/03/05 Signed by the Speaker
5/04/05 Signed by the President Pro Tempore
5/05/05 Signed by the President of the Senate
5/12/05 Signed by the Governor