The Indiana General Assembly’s Legislative Council unveils summer study committee topics
On Tuesday, the Legislative Council met to assign study topics to committees that will be reviewed during the interim. Here is the full list of assignments:
Interim Study Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources
1. Achieving farmland preservation in Indiana, including preservation through agricultural conservation easements. (Source: HEA 1165-2019.)
2. Management options for state forest land. (Source: House 2nd Reading Motion #6 to ESB 363-2019.)
3. Long term solutions to address erosion on Indiana’s Lake Michigan beaches. (Source: HR 38 (2019).)
Interim Study Committee on Corrections and Criminal Code
1. Multi-year review of current trends with respect to criminal behavior, sentencing, incarceration, and treatment, including issues related to the implementation of HEA 1006-2014 and HEA 1006-2015 and criminal laws concerning fraud and deception. (Source IC 2-5-1.3-13; SEA 519-2019; SR 29 (2019).)
2. All legislative proposals to create crimes or increasing penalties. (Source: SR 58 (2017).
3. Court costs for indigent individuals and the look-back time period for prior unrelated convictions in Indiana’s criminal code. (Source: SR 52 (2019).)
Interim Study Committee on Courts and the Judiciary
1. All requests for new courts, additional magistrates or judges, and changes in jurisdiction of existing courts, including magistrate requests for Gibson County and Jennings County. (Source: Personnel Subcommittee of the Legislative Council; Letters from Rep. Hostettler and Rep. Frye.
2. Laws and policies concerning the adjudication and rehabilitation of juvenile offenders. (Source: SCR 16 (2019).
Interim Study Committee on Education
1. The following issues relating to career counseling in elementary and high schools during the 2018 through 2020 interims:
(i) The adequacy of current state and local funding for a school corporation’s career counseling of students.
(ii) The current workload of a school corporation’s career counselors.
(iii) The impact of having multiple graduation pathways on a school corporation’s career counselor’s workload.
(iv) The fiscal impact of having multiple graduation pathways on a school corporation’s ability to provide adequate career counseling to students. (Source: HEA 1426-2018; IC 2-5-44; SR 72 (2019))
2. How money generated by property tax referenda is used and the effect of property tax referenda on teacher pay. (Source: House 2nd Reading Motion #4 filed for ESB 606-2019.)
Interim Study Committee on Employment and Labor
1. Worker mis-classification. (Source: SR 87; SB 289-2019 (as reprinted February
13, 2019).)
2. Multi-year review of presentation to the Committee concerning the status of the unemployment compensation system, including the following:
(i) Recommendations for maintaining the solvency of the unemployment insurance benefit fund established under IC 22-4-26-1.
(ii) Information regarding expenditures from the special employment and training services fund.
(iii) Information regarding money released under IC 22-4-25-1(c).
(iv) Any other information requested by the Committee. (Source: IC 22-4-18-1.)
Interim Study Committee on Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications
1. Funding options for lead water service line replacement. (Source: Email from Rep. GiaQuinta.)
2. Review of statutorily required reports to the Committee under IC 8. (i.e., IC 8-1-2.4-4 ; IC 8-1-1.1-6.1; IC 8-1-2.5-9; IC 8-1-2.6-4; IC 8-1-8.8-14; IC 8-1-30.3-7; IC 8-1-34-24.5; IC 8-1-37-14.)
Interim Study Committee on Committee on Financial Institutions and Insurance
1. Revisions to the Uniform Consumer Credit Code. The Committee may study the following:
(i) Eliminating indexing provisions for the adjustment of specified dollar amounts throughout the Uniform Consumer Credit Code.
(ii) Codifying dollar amounts subject to indexing under the current statute, including dollar amounts for authorized fees and charges.
(iii) Changing the authorized credit service charge for consumer credit sales and the authorized finance charge for consumer loans.
(iv) Eliminating supervised loans.
(v) Changing how delinquency charges are assessed.
(vi) Other changes to the Uniform Consumer Credit Code recommended by lenders, consumers, the Department of Financial Institutions, and other stakeholders. (Source: EHB 1136-2019.)
2. Medical reimbursement under worker’s compensation for ambulatory surgical centers. (Source: SR 22 (2019).)
3. Mandating insurance coverage for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders associated with streptococcal infections. (Source: SR 69 (2019).)
4. The following:
(i) The prospective reduction of reinstatement fees under Title 9.
(ii) The establishment of an insurance program to provide funding to insurance carriers to reduce the automobile insurance premium costs of individuals whose annual household income does not exceed 200% of the federal income poverty level. (Source: SB 210 (as reprinted February 26, 2019).)
5. The various drivers of health care cost increases. With the pre-approval of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Legislative Council, the Chair of the Committee and the Chair of the Interim Study Committee on Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Human Services may agree to meet jointly to take testimony concerning factors contributing to the growth of health care costs. For purposes of the limitation on study committee meetings in Legislative Council Resolution 19-03, a joint meeting constitutes one meeting of the Committee and one meeting of the Interim Study Committee on Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Human Services. (Source: Letter from Rep. Kirchhofer; Rep. Carbaugh; Rep.
Shackleford; Rep. Austin; Sen. Ruckelshaus; Sen.Bassler; and Sen. Spartz.)
Interim Study Committee on Fiscal Policy
1. Issues related to Medicaid including the following:
(i) Health care expenditures by major categories for the most recent five years for which information is available.
(ii) Key cost drivers and trends.
(iii) Pilot opportunities for a value based health care system to reduce health care costs and enhance price transparency and outcomes, including for long-term care.
The Committee may request that the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services in collaboration with the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute provide to the Committee either the submission of an executive summary in electronic format under IC 5-14-6 or testimony, or both, on the current health payment system and the legal system as each relate to the provision of mental health and addiction treatment services to individuals against whom criminal charges are filed or who
are incarcerated. (Source: Letter from Rep. Kirchhofer; Rep. Carbaugh; Rep. Shackleford; Rep. Austin; Sen. Ruckelshaus; Sen.Bassler; and Sen. Spartz.)
2. Reimbursement of Medicaid-covered services for qualifying Medicaid children recipients for treatment received at an out of state hospital. (Source: Letter from Rep. Soliday, Sen. Charbonneau, Rep. Candelaria Reardon, Rep. Harris, and Sen. Tallian.)
3. Criteria for formation of regional development authorities and imposition of taxes for regional development authorities. (Source: SEA 565-2019.)
4. Complexity index used under IC 20-43-13 for providing funding to students enrolled in Kindergarten through Grade 12. (Source: HEA 1001-2019.)
5. Taxation of CBD oil and vaping products. (Source: EHB 1444-2019 (as reprinted April 16, 2019).)
6. State tax credits and other issues related to workforce housing and affordable housing. (Source: HB 1234-2019 (as introduced); Letter Lt. Gov. Crouch.)
7. A multi-year review of workforce related program reports from the Legislative Services Agency for which statute requires a Committee hearing (Source: IC 2-5-42.4-6.)
8. A multi-year review of tax incentives reports from the Legislative Services Agency for which a statute requires a Committee hearing. (Source: IC 2-5-3.2-1.)
Interim Study Committee on Government
1. Multi-year project to consolidate and revise statutes governing state and local governmental public works projects. (Source: Recommendation in Final Report of the Interim Study Committee on Government (9/20/2016).)
Interim Study Committee on Pension Management
1. All requests for changes in a public pension program and other post retirement benefit programs. (Source: Personnel Subcommittee of the Legislative Council.)
Interim Study Committee on Public Health, Behavioral Health and Human Services
1. Factors contributing to the growth of health care costs, including the following:
(i) The current trends in health care delivery and Indiana’s progress in implementing new approaches, including value-based medicine and other alternative payment models.
(ii) Access to health care in rural areas.
(iii) The impact of Indiana’s poor health status, the social determinates of health, and the rate of the uninsured on health care costs. (Source: Letter from Rep. Kirchhofer; Rep. Carbaugh; Rep. Shackleford; Rep. Austin; Sen. Ruckelshaus; Sen.Bassler; and Sen. Spartz.)
2. Prescription drug pricing and access, including the following:
(i) The process in which a prescription drug moves through the supply chain to the consumer, including the role of pharmaceutical manufacturers, wholesale distributors, pharmacies, specialty pharmacies, health insurers, and pharmacy benefit managers.
(ii) The methods that health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers currently use to manage prescription drug costs.
(iii) The function of pharmaceutical manufacturer rebates and discounts used by health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers to decrease the cost of a prescription drug for a consumer.
(iv) The current trends in health care spending in the United States, including prescription drug spending.
(v) The trends in insurance benefit design and the potential impact that changes are having or may have on consumer out-of-pocket costs for prescription drugs.
(vi) The efforts that pharmaceutical manufacturers, health insurers, and
pharmacy benefit managers have made to be transparent about the
following:
- Prescription drug costs.
- Utilization management methods, including drug formulary changes, prior authorization, and step therapy requirements. (Source: SEA 176-2019.)
3. The following:
(i) The advantages, disadvantages, and feasibility of requiring health care providers to issue prescriptions in an electronic format and by electronic transmission
(ii) Any exceptions that would be needed to a requirement for health care providers to issue prescriptions in an electronic format and by electronic transmission. (Source: HEA 1029-2019.)
4. Regulation and practices of pharmacy benefit managers. (Source: HEA 1588-2019.)
5. Authorization of an advance practice registered nurse to operate without a practice agreement with a physician or certain other practitioners. (Source: SB 394-2019 (as printed February 8, 2019); SB 343-2019 (as introduced).)
6. The following hospital licensure issues:
(i) A review of Indiana’s current hospital licensing structure.
(ii) Information concerning other states’ hospital licensure and national trends.
(iii) Information concerning the different types of hospitals and possible classifications, including subclassifications, of these hospitals through the hospital’s license.
(vi) An examination of state hospital licensure in the context of federal law, regulations, policies, and conditions of participation in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. (Source: SEA 575-2019.)
7. Adoption subsidies. (Source: Letter from Senator Niezgodski.)
Interim Study Committee on Public Policy
1. Commercial ticketing market, including scalping, ticket resales, speculative ticketing, and ticket platforms. (Source: ESB 554-2019 (as printed April 8, 2019).)
Interim Study Committee on Roads and Transportation
1. Use of automated traffic control systems in work zones and use of special signaling devices on construction vehicles in critical work zones. (Source: SEA 144-2019.)
2. Overweight divisible loads, including a tractor-semitrailer and load that is involved in hauling, delivering, or otherwise carrying masonry products. (Source: SEA 144-2019.)
3. Advise the Bureau of Motor Vehicles regarding the suitability of a special groups to have a special group recognition license plate. (Source: IC 2-5-1.3-13; IC 9-18.5-12.)
Code Revision Commission
1. Preparation of one or more technical corrections bills to resolve technical conflicts and correct technical errors in statutes and other responsibilities under IC 2-5-1.1-10. (Source: IC 2-5-1.1-10).
Probate Cody Study Commission
1. Issues concerning elder care, including the following:
(i) Assignment of guardians.
(ii) Protection of assets. (Source: HB 1600-2019 (as introduced).)
2. Needed changes in the following:
(i) The probate code (IC 29-1).
(ii) The trust code (IC 30-4).
(iii) Any other statute affecting the administration of a decedent’s estate, guardianship, probate jurisdiction, trust, or fiduciary. (Source: IC 2-5-16.1-12.)
21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force
1. Multi-year study covering the following:
(i) Examination of the state’s existing policies regulating electric generation portfolios.
(ii) Examination of how possible shifts in electric generation portfolios may impact the reliability, system resilience, and affordability of electric utility service.
(iii) Evaluation of whether state regulators have the appropriate authority and statutory flexibility to consider the statewide impact of the changes described in item (ii), while still protecting ratepayer interests.
(v) Recommendations concerning the following:
2. Outcomes that must be achieved in order to overcome any identified challenges concerning Indiana’s electric generation portfolios, along with a timeline for achieving those outcomes.
3. Whether existing state policy and statutes enable state regulators to properly consider the statewide impact of changing electric generation portfolios and, if not, the best approaches to enable state regulators to consider those impacts.
4. How to maintain reliable, resilient, and affordable electric service for all electric utility consumers, while encouraging the adoption and deployment of advanced energy technologies. (Source: IC 2-5-45-6; IC 2-5-45-7.)
Storm Water Management Task Force
1. Issues related to storm water management systems. (Source: IC 2-5-45.4-6.)