Legislative Interim Study Committee Update

The legislative session is over and soon we will turn our attention to those topics that warranted further discussion and will be considered for the 2014 session.  Stay tuned as MCCOY will be watching the following committees:

• School Safety Interim Study Committee (new) - This committee will study how to improve the safety of schools in Indiana and develop best practices for a school resource officer to employ in order to successfully carry out the officer's responsibilities.  Proposed members of this committee are:
• An adolescent development expert or pediatrician
• A mental health professional
• A law enforcement official
• A school principal or superintendent
• Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana (new) – this committee will study the topics assigned by SEA125 as well as the topic assigned to the Committee on Child Care by SEA305 that deals with due process for child care providers.  The committee is also assigned the following topics:
• Whether Indiana should require a photograph of a SNAP recipient on the recipient's electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card
• Whether Indiana should require a SNAP recipient to show the recipient's photo identification issued by a federal, state, or local unit when the recipient uses the recipient's electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card.
• Whether Indiana should seek approval to allow the distribution of SNAP benefits to a recipient on a bimonthly basis.
• Proposed members of the commission are:
• One (1) legislative member appointed by the speaker of the House of Representatives.
• One (1) legislative member appointed by the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
• One (1) legislative member appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate.
• One (1) legislative member appointed by the minority leader of the Senate.
• The superintendent of public instruction.
• The director of the department of child services.
• One (1) judge or justice with experience in juvenile law appointed by the chief justice of Indiana to serve on the commission for a period of four (4) years.
• The executive director of the prosecuting attorneys council of Indiana.
• The executive director of the public defender council of Indiana.
• The secretary of family and social services.
• The state health commissioner.
• The director of the department of correction division of youth services.
• One (1) representative of the juvenile probation system, appointed by the chief justice of Indiana for a period of four (4) years.
• The director of the office of management and budget, or the director of the state budget agency, as selected by the governor.
• A member of the governor's staff, to be appointed by the governor.
• The executive director of the division of state court administration.
• The director of the division of mental health and addiction.
• The attorney general, who shall serve as a nonvoting member.
• Criminal Law and Sentencing Policy Study Committee (existing) – this committee will prepare legislation for introduction in the 2014 regular session of the general assembly that corrects statutes affected by HEA 1006.
• Commission on Education (existing) – the commission will study the following topics:
• Nonpublic school scholarships (HEA1003)
• Absenteeism, school improvement plans and adding school attendance requirements to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) eligibility standards (SEA338)
• Teacher preparation programs (SEA409)
• Length of school year and expansion of performance qualified school program (SEA189)
• Topics originally assigned to the Coaching Education Issues Study Committee (SEA372)
• Feasibility of requiring all athletic activities, in addition to football, to meet coaching education standards concerning athlete concussions
• Issues relating to the sudden cardiac arrest of student athletes
• Administration of ISTEP testing