With just two weeks left to go in the session, controversy characterized much of the legislative business addressed this week.

HB 1399 was heard for the first time in the Senate Environmental Affairs Committee on Monday, but after nearly three hours of testimony, it did not receive a vote. Environmental advocates were alarmed at the prospect of changing the definition of toxic PFAS chemicals allowing some products with them to be labeled “PFAS-free”. Proponents, including chemical manufacturers, want to maintain PFAS’ usage in “essential” items where there are no alternatives. Bill sponsor Sen. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper) said, “The bill is designed to preserve the potential uses for these products and uses while focusing on future potential regulatory efforts on the PFAS chemistries that are of potential concern.” There is one more opportunity for the bill to receive a vote in committee before the Senate committee deadline.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made a stop in Indiana on Tuesday to promote congressional term limits. After extending an invitation to both House and Senate Republican caucuses to discuss “a variety of policy issues,” the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee voted 6-5 against HJR 3, which would have called for a constitutional convention to propose term limits for members of Congress.

HB 1265, a bill addressing various election matters, took on a controversial new amendment in the Senate Elections Committee on Monday. Amendment #7, whose author was not identified, prevents an attorney general candidate who had been disbarred or suspended without automatic reinstatement within one year of the election. Attorney General Todd Rokita, who has disciplinary complaints pending, could be prevented from running if his law license is suspended without automatic reinstatement should this bill become law. A spokesperson for the Attorney General criticized the amendment, arguing that it takes power away from voters and taxpayers and gives it to “secret committees.” The amended bill passed in committee with a vote of 6-2, and it will now be considered by the full Senate body.

Juries hearing civil lawsuits related to car accidents would get to hear whether the victim was wearing a seatbelt and use the information when considering damages under HB 1090, which passed 36-13 in the Senate on Monday. The measure is part of the Indiana Department of Transportation’s agency bill and has faced criticism for being included when the concept died during the last three legislative sessions. Nevertheless, the bill passed in both the House and Senate, so it is now heading to the Governor for review and signature.

HB 1199 – the response to last year’s enabling legislation for an economic enhancement district in Indianapolis–underwent major changes in the Senate Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee on Tuesday as an amendment revamped tax rates for houses, commercial properties, and apartments, added opt-in provisions, created an additional seat to an advisory board, and set restrictions on the boundaries of the taxing district. With those changes, the bill passed out of committee unanimously, but was then recommitted to the Senate Committee on Rules and Legislative Procedure. Typically bills sent to that committee mean they are either dead, or need some special handling by leadership.

A bill allowing financial institutions to change contract terms on customers without explicit acceptance narrowly passed the Senate on Tuesday in a 28-21 vote and now moves one step closer to the governor’s desk. HB 1284 was introduced in response to two legal cases in which the courts sided with consumers over banks and credit unions, reversing those rulings. The bipartisan effort to defeat the bill failed, so it will now return to the House where members can either choose to accept the Senate version or send it to a conference committee to negotiate compromise language.

The IndyGo bill, SB 52, faced nearly three hours of mostly opposition testimony in committee on Tuesday, but the House Roads and Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) said that further bill amendments and a vote would not take place until February 27. That’s the House’s deadline to pass bills out of committees.

In happier news (pun intended) - happy hour may be returning to Indiana. HB 1086 passed in the Senate in a vote of 38-10 on Tuesday, but the bill looks a little different than when it left the House. Happy hour discounts are still on the menu, but there are limits on the amount of time and the hours in which the discounts can be offered. The portion allowing carrying out alcoholic beverages has also been removed. At this point, it appears a compromise will need to be hashed out in a conference committee. A dissent on the Senate version of the bill has already been filed in the House.

Last week, we told you about the controversy university DEI bill SB 202 stirred up during its House Education Committee hearing. The committee took a vote on Wednesday, passing the measure along party lines, sending it to the full House chamber for consideration. This bill also shares similarities with another introduced in Nebraska this year that would ban DEI programs at state colleges and eliminate tenure, giving this policy proposal a national angle.

What’s Next

Deadline days are upon us. There are only a few more days for bills to make it out of committee before the House deadline on Tuesday and Senate deadline on Thursday. Thursday will also be the last day for Senate bills to be amended on the House floor (also known as second reading deadline). Conference committees will begin soon to negotiate compromise language on bills that underwent changes during their time in the second legislative chamber. Conference committees can be scheduled with very little notice, so we’ll be keeping an eye on postings during the long days to come in the run-up to Sine Die (which leadership has said is likely March 8th).